As you travel along the North Shore of Kauai you will come upon a
number of one-lane bridges after leaving Princeville. If you are
unfamiliar with bridge etiquette, the following tips will help ensure
safe and courteous driving. These may seem like common sense, however
there are daily navigational challenges that have prompted these tips
to
be written up. Indulge yourself for a few minutes, if only for
amusement
purposes.
When approaching the one-lane bridges, yield signs and white lines
indicate where cars need to stop so all on-coming traffic can pass
safely. Driving beyond these white lines, without noticing if there are
on-coming cars, leads to traffic jams, accidents and locals giving you
stink eye.
Many of these bridges are positioned on curves, making it difficult for
you to make quick assessments as to whether a car is coming or waiting. It's advisable to
stop if visibility is limited before committing yourself to the bridge.
Waioli, the one-lane bridge leaving Hanalei is a great example of this.
Remember, go slow to go fast.
If you are the first car to arrive at the bridge and no one else is
waiting on the other side, proceed slowly and enjoy the view. But
please, no stopping for pictures.
If you are in a short line of traffic and someone is waiting to cross
from the other side, it is OK to go if you are the second or third car.
However, somewhere after the fourth or fifth car it is polite to stop
and allow those on the other side to proceed across. You'll know you
gauged this right if a local gives you the shaka sign for waiting.
Lastly, if you and another car appear to be approaching the bridges at
the same time, it is better to stop than race to get over first.
There's
"no hurry, no worries" here. Besides, its your vacation - relax
and enjoy.
Compliments of Kilauea Travel Group
