Check city website to verify whether a vehicle is stolen

QUESTION: A Honolulu Star-Advertiser story reported that a potential buyer called police to learn whether a vehicle was stolen. Do police actually offer this service? With Craigslist so popular nowadays, it would be helpful to get any information about a car before purchase.

ANSWER: Instead of calling police, the Honolulu Police Department said anyone can find out whether a car is stolen by going to the city’s Hawaii Motor Vehicle Inquiry website: www4.honolulu.gov/mvrtitleinq/vueVehicleInquiry.asp.

You will need the license plate number and the last four numbers of the Vehicle Identification Number.

If the car is stolen, this warning will pop up: "Stolen Vehicle. Match found on Wanted Vehicle File. Contact the Auto Theft Section of the City and County of Honolulu Police Department."

QUESTION: I have been noticing a disturbing trend in Honolulu. During peak traffic hours, drivers put their turn signal on, expecting other drivers to let them merge into their lane. This has happened to me. I am next to the rear quarter panel of their vehicle. They put their signal on and immediately begin to move into my lane. Hello! I am right here. I don’t have to yield the right of way. Can you remind drivers what the law is about changing lanes?

ANSWER: It might not hurt drivers to refresh themselves on the rules of the road.

Both the Honolulu Police Department and the state Department of Transportation’s Motor Vehicle Safety Office say that forcing your way into another lane when there is not ample space is against the law.

You can find a copy of the Hawaii Driver’s Manual on the website of the state Department of Transportation’s Motor Vehicle Safety Office: hidot.hawaii.gov/highways/library/motor-vehicle-safety-office.

Lane changing can be found on Pages 65 and 66. Basically, lane changes should be kept to a minimum because of their affect on other traffic. Before changing lanes a driver should:

» Check traffic and road conditions not only by looking into the rearview mirror, but physically turning your head to check blind spots.

» Signal your intention "well in advance." The law requires that you signal at least 100 feet before changing lanes.

» When there is ample clearance in the other lane, gradually move into the other lane. It is best to slow slightly and move in behind a vehicle than it is to speed up and cut in ahead.

» Don’t force your way in between two vehicles that have the minimum safe following distance or less.

In regard to your complaint about drivers moving into your lane just because they signal, the manual says: "This is a discourteous and dangerous action which causes other drivers to reduce the spacing interval between vehicles to deny you space to change lanes. If you allow ample time and signal properly, other courteous drivers will be inclined to allow you space to make the change."

An official with the Motor Vehicle Safety Office also said that making "a forced lane change" is a violation of Section 291C-84 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, which says no one should "move right or left upon a roadway unless and until such movement can be made with reasonable safety," while HPD cites Section 291C-49(1), which says, "A vehicle shall be driven as nearly as practicable entirely within a single lane and shall not be moved from the lane until the driver has first ascertained that such movement can be made with safety."

» Always yield to vehicles in the other lane when changing lanes. If the lane is congested, enter at the end of the line instead of going ahead and crowding in.

» Never change lanes when approaching or moving through intersections and sidewalks.

The fine for a violation is $97.

MAHALO

To Jennifer, a waitress at the Greek Marina restaurant in Hawaii Kai. We overpaid a bill, but the next time we came in to eat, she told us she would take it off our bill. Honest people like Jennifer make living in Hawaii so special. — Jerry

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Write to “Kokua Line” at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.