Q: Lorna Burkel asked if some of the brush fires in California that burned near freeways were caused by people tossing cigarette butts out of their cars. She noted that newer cars no longer have ashtrays in them because auto makers no longer include them.
A: Most California wildfires are indeed caused by people, either accidentally or on purpose. National Geographic reported in August that 95 percent of fires are human-caused: arson, downed power lines, illegal campfires, fireworks, faulty electrical connections, lawn-mower sparks, debris burning, and yes, negligently discarded cigarette butts.
Vehicle sparks and accidents can also start fires near freeways or roads. For example, a brush fire in October 2017 was caused by an accident after a motorcyclist crashed into a tree in an off-road vehicle park near Wildomar and Murrieta. The rider tried to extinguish the flames, but the fire grew so quickly it ended up burning 850 acres in Southwest Riverside County and forcing residents in the La Cresta area west of Murrieta to evacuate.
It is illegal to toss a cigarette – lit or unlit – by the road side under California Vehicle Code section 23111, which says, “No person in any vehicle and no pedestrian shall throw or discharge from or upon any road or highway or adjoining area, public or private, any lighted or nonlighted cigarette, cigar, match, or any flaming or glowing substance.” The mandatory fine for a first offense is $100 to $1,000 and the offender has to clean up litter or graffiti for at least eight hours. Fines and community service time increase with each subsequent offense.
Q: San Bernardino County resident Jean Perry called the On the Road hotline asking if drivers with disabled placards may park in spaces reserved for restaurant customers picking up to-go orders when all the handicapped spaces are taken. She also asked how these parking restrictions are enforced. We had another caller asking a related question: Can a disabled driver with a placard park in a space reserved for clean air vehicles?
A: We’ll address both questions together since the answer is the same: A driver with a disabled placard should not park in a spot reserved for restaurant pick-ups or clean air vehicles. The clean-air vehicle spots have hook-ups for electric vehicles to charge their cars while parked. If someone with a non-clean-air vehicle took this space – and there aren’t very many of them – then those with electric vehicles would not be able to charge their car batteries and could run out of juice. These are not spots for disabled drivers unless the person with the placard also drives a clean-air vehicle.
Generally, owners of private property such as shopping centers can legally mark or set aside parking lots for pick-up customers or electric vehicles as a courtesy to customers and the shopping center tenants. Private property owners also have to provide a certain number of disabled parking spaces according to federal law. As for enforcement, police officers don’t typically drive around shopping center parking lots (or other private properties) to enforce parking, however, a private property owner, like the owner of a mall, can call police and have a violator’s car towed. So, it’s not wise to park in a restaurant pick-up space or a clean air space unless you are a legitimate customer or have an electric vehicle.
Do you commute to work in the Inland Empire? Spend a lot of time in your vehicle? Have questions about driving, freeways, toll roads or parking? If so, write or call On the Road and we’ll try to answer your questions. Please include your question or issue, name, city of residence, phone number and email address. Write ontheroad@pe.com or call 951-368-9670.
