Drivetime Mahatma

Driver asks if iffy repair of van legal

Hello: A van I see on the roads of Little Rock seems to have been "repaired" with the kind of material that is squirted around pipes to prevent air from outside a building from coming in. The entire back panel of the van, metal and window, is being held on the van apparently by just that foamy stuff. Any thoughts? How far back from it should I drive, just in case the whole thing blows out while I am behind it? -- Alinda

Dear Alinda: This is likely some kind of cellulose insulation, available at home-improvement stores everywhere. As for the legality, hard to say definitively, but easy to pull out the cornucopia of laws regarding vehicle safety.

Let's start with lighting. It's a misdemeanor to drive any vehicle on state roads and highways if it doesn't meet the numerous regulations for lighting. That is, working headlights, taillights and parking lights.

Glass is important, too. Windshields must not be obstructed. Windshield wipers are required.

Mufflers must be in good working order and not produce excessive noise or smoke.

Must have a visible license plate. Did you look at that? This sounds like the kind of vehicle on which a license plate is an iffy thing.

Every vehicle must have a rearview mirror. And every vehicle loaded in a way that obstructs the driver's view to the rear must be equipped with a mirror located to reflect a view of the highway for a distance of at least 200 feet.

Our assiduous reading of the law shows no mention of cellulose insulation.

This is a problem for law enforcement. Let's hope a sharp-eyed patrolman spots this thing.

As for how far back, one car length at minimum to prevent a case of the willies.

Sir: Please take consideration of what you reveal about federal manuals such as the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices. If Attorney General Leslie Rutledge gets wind of their use in Arkansas, she'll immediately file a lawsuit alleging federal overreach. -- Hensley

Dear Hensley: You have made a political joke. This column is above that sort of thing. The Traffic Desk is completely nonpartisan.

As the queen once said: We are not amused.

Dear Mahatma: At North University and Cantrell there are signs for Interstate 30, with an arrow pointing east, and one for Interstate 430 with an arrow pointing west. Both are quite a distance from each. Does that have something to do with Cantrell Road being Arkansas 10? -- LR Driver (me) and LA Driver (him)

Dear Drivers: We are told by the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department that those signs have been there for many years, and were probably installed to provide additional directions to drivers headed to I-430 on Cantrell Road, a major east-west route.

It's possible the installation of the signs dates from the building of I-430 in the early 1970s.

Vanity plate seen on a Cadillac: POTUS. Aspirational, no?

Mahatma@arkansasonline.com

Metro on 11/05/2016

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