Question: I almost ran into a bike while exiting Times Supermarket on Beretania Street. I had looked both ways for pedestrians, and there were none so I proceeded when there was an opening in the traffic headed Ewa-bound. Much to my surprise, my wife yelled at me to stop immediately, that there was a bike in front of me. The bike was in the bike lane headed toward Diamond Head, and the bike rider’s expression was like, “Why didn’t I yield to the bike in the bike lane?” My question: Is the bike lane on Beretania one-way only, or can the bikes go in both directions like on King Street? The arrows in the bike lane indicate that it is unidirectional, headed Ewa-bound.
Answer: That lane is one-way, as the street markings indicate. Those markings are up to date, to answer another motorist who had a similar experience and wondered whether the lane needed repainting.
The location you mentioned is at 1290 S. Beretania St., roughly between Piikoi and Keeaumoku streets. The bike lane there is on the right side of Beretania Street, meant for one-way riding Ewa-bound, with the flow of other traffic, said Malia Harunaga, adult education manager and co-executive director of the Hawaii Bicycling League.
The protected bike lane on King Street, two blocks makai of Beretania, is on the left side of the street. Bicycles there may ride in either direction, as arrows in the lane indicate.
Neither bicyclists, motorists nor pedestrians should assume that all bike lanes operate under the same rules. Travelers should abide signs and street markings at the particular stretch they are traversing and be alert for trouble, as you were.
The Hawaii Bicycling League has more information on its website, hbl.org, including rules of the road, safety tips and other resources.
You can also check the website of the city’s Bicycle Program, honolulu.gov/ bicycle.
Q: Are bus passes free for senior citizens?
A: No, but they are steeply discounted, whether the kupuna purchases rides by the day, month or year. For example, a person 65 and older pays $35 for an annual pass, compared with the plain adult price of $770, according to TheBus’ website, thebus.org.
Q: What drug is used with medical aid in dying?
A: The Department of Health’s website has many details about Hawaii’s Our Care, Our Choice Act, which you can read at health. hawaii.gov/opppd/ococ.
To summarize, this law, which took effect Jan. 1, allows terminally ill Hawaii residents with less than six months to live to request a prescription to end their life.
As to what medication a patient would receive, the Health Department advises individuals to talk to their attending physicians. However, it does say that there are are two known aid-in-dying medications: secobarbital (a barbituate) and DDMP2 (a compound of four drugs); the latter is not available in Hawaii. “At present, there are no pharmacies in Hawaii that can make DDMP2. Hawaii laws prohibit compounded medications from outside of Hawaii state,” it says on the website.
Mahalo
On Jan. 8 my wallet and credit cards were stolen. Later that morning I was at Straub Clinic and realized that I had no cash or credit card to pay for my parking. Sally heard my desperate call to my daughter for help. She insisted on giving me cash even though my daughter could rescue me. Her kindness restored my faith in people, which had been sorely tried by the thief. Thank you, Sally. — Susan A.
Mahalo
I should have listened and stayed inside during the heavy wind this week. Thank goodness for the good Samaritan who saw me struggling and helped me through the door of senior housing in Iwilei. I thought I was going to blow away! — M.L.
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