Taking a careful, law-abiding trip down memory lane

W ho Taught YOU to Drive? debuted in this newspaper two years ago this week, but I wasn't the one who came up with the idea of a weekly column covering the rules of the road.

Lesley Becker, a graphic designer for the Globe, was accustomed to the peaceful roads of the Midwest. Though she came to Boston years ago, she never could comprehend such local quirks as the "Boston Left" or who has the right of way at intersections. If only someone would educate readers about how they were supposed to drive, she said.

I accepted the assignment wholeheartedly, agreeing with Lesley on the numerous faults of other Boston drivers. Some people can be so inconsiderate on the roads. If I could teach people to drive half as well as I did, what a valuable public service that would be.

Of course, my ego has taken a beating ever since.

Researching various traffic laws and interviewing numerous experts and police officers, I realized just how much I didn't know about proper driving.

There was the time I tried to save a metered parking spot for a friend by blocking it with my body. "You can get run over that way," Somerville Police Chief Robert Bradley told me.

And the time I hopped out of my car at a red light, leaving the engine running, to mail a letter.

"Shame, shame, shame on you," said Boston Police Officer Sharon Dottin. "You could have gotten hit. Your car could have gotten stolen . . . If I were the officer, I would have towed you."

The list of my driving gaffes - and the questions that you have asked - goes on.

While I can't repeat all the ground we've covered, a brief summary seems appropriate this week. Hopefully, you've gotten as much of an education as I have.

To review, did you know that:

Contrary to popular belief, you can turn right on a red traffic-signal arrow, just as you can on a circular red light (unless otherwise posted).

Massachusetts license plates are still made in prison. Just like in the movies.

You don't need a rearview mirror on your car. You can pass inspection so long as you have at least one side mirror. But if your "check engine" light is on, you fail.

You can pass on the right. You just can't exceed the speed limit to pass, whichever lane you're in.

Funeral processions don't have to stop for red lights.

Bicyclists are entitled to use the entire lane of traffic, not just the margin, so long as they're in the right-most lane.

It's not illegal to flash your headlights to warn fellow motorists of a speed trap. But a clever police officer who catches you might cite you for operating a vehicle with defective lights, a $35 fine.

Hitchhiking is legal on local roads unless posted.

You're not required to stop and help accident victims. You don't even need to dial 911 if you don't want to.

It's mean, but you can box someone in when parking on the street, as state law says nothing about how much space you must leave between your car and the cars around you. If another driver boxes your car in, "you just wait them out," said Sergeant Larry Fitzgerald, day traffic supervisor for the Brookline Police Department.

Even if there's no traffic, you're supposed to come to a complete stop at a stop sign. If you don't, you could be fined $100.

You can't get a ticket for wrongly parking in a handicapped spot on private property, as police lack jurisdiction. But the property's owner could have your car towed.

Turning on your hazard lights does not entitle you to double park or temporarily park where you're not supposed to stop. The law says they're strictly for breakdowns.

It's OK to make a U-turn in a gas station or store parking lot. You can even cut through a parking lot to avoid a red light, but police could fine you if you drive too fast, fail to signal, or fail to stop before reentering traffic.

The law doesn't require you to come to a stop if traffic signals at an intersection are broken or have blown out. You - and everyone else approaching the intersection - are merely required to slow down before proceeding.

The fine for jaywalking is $1.

It's illegal to drive your motorcycle, bicycle, or scooter between lanes, even when you're stuck in traffic and you know you can slip through.

Weirdly, seat belts aren't required in taxis.

You don't need to stop just because someone's in a crosswalk. If a pedestrian on the other side of the street is more than 10 feet from the middle dividing line, you don't need to stop. Also, you can proceed once a pedestrian has passed in front of your car.

Failing to clear ice or snow from your windshield can get you a $35 ticket.

It's illegal to get in a dedicated turning lane and not make the appropriate turn.

Most private roads are actually open to the public. Unfortunately, there's no clear rule on which ones are and aren't.

Damage your car on a pothole? Some cities and towns will reimburse repairs if you hit one on their streets. Might be worth the phone call.

An empty parking space belongs to the first driver who can successfully steer his or her vehicle into it, regardless of who saw the space first or who had been waiting the longest for it. Even if you have your directional on, you're not entitled to the space if someone beats you to it.

It's not illegal to give someone "the bird" or even lean out the window and swear at others. But it is illegal to throw an apple core out the window. In fact, under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 90, the rules of the road, you could lose your license for up to seven days if you or a passenger is caught littering from your car.

You're required to use your directional signals when turning, but the law doesn't say how far in advance you're supposed to signal on local roads. As long as you signal at some point -- within 10 feet of your turn or when the light turns green - you're unlikely to get a ticket unless you cause an accident.

You can't drive in a highway breakdown lane for any reason other than having car trouble. If you sneak into the breakdown lane to reach an offramp, it's a $100 fine.

You have to turn off your headlights' high beams if a car is approaching from the opposite direction, unless you're on a divided highway.

Flat tires can catch fire if they are driven any appreciable distance.

Even on the coldest days of the year, you only need to warm up your car's engine for a minute or two before driving - though you should go slowly for the first half-mile or so.

According to the state fire marshal's office, there's absolutely no danger in using your cellphone while pumping gas, despite what the warning signs at service stations might say.

When pulled over by the police, don't immediately go fishing for your registration, as the officer might think you're up to something else. Just wait for the officer to ask you to look for it.

Driving on underinflated tires will probably decrease your gas mileage by 10 percent.

You can still ride a horse on the street in Boston. And if you do, you have the right of way.