Botts’ dots visible, bumpy and probably harmless

This week readers want to know whether those little road reflectors in the road hurt your tires, when a handicapped person cannot park in a handicapped parking space, and why it is impossible to tell when the traffic light under the Summerlin Parkway overpass on Town Center Drive has turned green. And finally the Road Warrior will explain, again, that it is legal to cross the solid white line to get into the High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes on U.S. Highway 95.

Tim Hofmeister asks whether tires are damaged by road reflectors.

Collin Woolsey, manager of the Ted Wiens Tire and Auto Center on Las Vegas Boulevard near Oakey Boulevard, said reflectors or raised pavement markers should not hurt your tires.

"They are probably worse on your shocks," he said.

Woolsey said the only thing drivers need to worry about is if the tires get pinched. No, not arrested. Imagine pinching your skin; that can happen to your tires when your vehicle rolls over a crack in the road if the air pressure in your tires isn't at the correct level, Woolsey said.

And now for some useless knowledge: The reflectors Tim asked about, often seen on valley roads, are actually called Botts' dots in memory of the inventor, Elbert D. Botts.

Botts created these raised pavement markers in the 1950s while working for the California Transportation Department so drivers could better see lane stripes in the rain or at night. The added bonus of the rumbling sound made when tires go over them -- seen as a safety measure that prevents unfocused drivers from drifting into other lanes -- was not discovered until testing.

Public works departments in the valley use the dots because they last longer than paint, said Bobby Shelton, spokesman for the Clark County public works department.

Betty called with this question: If a parking space is designated for a handicapped accessible van, will a car that has a handicapped sticker get a ticket for parking there?

Generally, handicapped folks with the appropriate license plate or placard can park in almost any handicapped designated parking space, said Capt. Tom Conlin, head of the Metropolitan Police Department's traffic section.

There is an exception for handicapped accessible vans, but motorists are so warned by the sign in these parking spots. These spaces are reserved so specific equipment can be unloaded, Conlin said.

In that case, any old handicapped placard will not do and a ticket may be handed out, he said.

Erin asks what is up with the traffic light under the Summerlin Parkway overpass on Town Center Drive heading south. When the light turns green, you can't see the green until you are close to it.

Mike Janssen, traffic engineering project manager for the city of Las Vegas, explained that the green part of the light is covered with a "louver."

A louver is a shutter-like device that allows engineers to control the light that comes from the traffic signal, Janssen said. In other words, it blocks the light from being seen from beyond a certain distance.

In the case of Town Center Drive, motorists can only see the green light from within about 150 feet, Janssen said.

You see, there is another traffic light just 250 feet north of the traffic signal under the overpass, Janssen said. Without the louver, a driver at that signal could get confused as to which signal is the correct one to follow, Janssen said. The louver eliminates that problem.

Hit 'n' run: Finally, as I promised, I wanted to respond to all those readers who for some reason can't believe they can cross over the solid white line to drive in the High Occupancy Vehicle lanes on U.S. Highway 95.

If you don't believe me, believe Trooper Kevin Honea of the Nevada Highway Patrol.

"You will not get a citation as long as you follow two rules: One, you are driving with more than one person in your car and, two, you give the appropriate turn signal when crossing into or out of the lane," Honea said.

Speaking of the HOV lanes, Richard Celosky wrote and asked why there are HOV lanes on the onramps to U.S. 95.

Eventually, ramp meters that control the number of vehicles entering the highway at one time with a green and red traffic signal will be put on the onramps to U.S. 95. Folks who are carpooling won't have to stop for the ramp meters and will be allowed to drive right onto the freeway.

Contact reporter Francis McCabe at fmccabe@reviewjournal.com or (702) 387-2904.