He was wondering why the state doesn't open Interstate 5's southbound express lanes before games?

Answer: The state does take special events into account in deciding which express lanes to open, said Matt Beaulieu, Washington Department of Transportation traffic operations engineer. And opening the southbound express lanes works well when the games start around noon. But not for evening games.

Even taking Mariners fans into account, more people are traveling north than south through the city between noon and 5 p.m. on weekends.

There are also fewer lanes going northbound than southbound, so it makes sense to have the northbound express lanes open during weekend afternoons.

Answer: It's not a salute to the artist formerly known as Prince.

Beaulieu said the message signs are undergoing the final stages of testing before they're purchased, and traffic engineers picked the "@" symbol thinking it wouldn't be distracting.

The new signs use light emitting diode technology, which is supposed to last longer and be more reliable. They're being tested for 20 days to make sure they work.

If there's an emergency, the DOT can flash messages on the board even during testing. In the last few days of the test, the DOT will flash a message that uses all the cells in the sign to make sure they work. The test is supposed to last about another week.

Answer: State transportation spokeswoman Melanie Coon said trucks in Washington are not restricted to the right lane. They are barred from the left lanes on highways with three or more lanes, but only outside big cities.

On I-5, the restriction applies only north of Marysville and south of Southcenter. Trucks aren't restricted to the right lane because some become exit-only lanes. Also, some on-ramps enter the highway from the left side.

He thinks this is illegal, but his girlfriend thinks otherwise.

Answer: You're right, Bernie. Seattle Transportation spokesman Michael Graubard cites Seattle Municipal Code, 11.55.060: "A vehicle shall not be driven in this center lane for the purpose of overtaking or passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction. "

Martha of Seattle wrote Metro: "My own favorite memory was riding to Seattle as a young girl with my sister for shopping on Saturdays. We would get off and on at the same stop at JC Penney's on Second Avenue, because we thought that was the only stop. And, we always ate lunch at the snack shop above Bartell's by Frederick and Nelson.

"Getting to ride the bus with just my sister was a sign of independence and maturity. Now, I take the bus to work and some of the thrill has worn off.

"But, I had a very nice reminder of the thrill of the bus a few years ago. I was riding the No. 2 from Queen Anne to downtown early one morning. At one stop, a little boy (maybe 5) got on the bus and loudly asked 'Does this bus go to McDonald's? We are going to McDonald's' The bus driver told him and his adult companion that the bus did stop at McDonald's.

"The boy sat down and told us all he was going to McDonald's. As we got to Belltown, the driver started announcing over the speakers: 'This is the No. 2 bus stopping on the way to McDonald's."

The boy's joy was contagious, and reminded me that a bus ride isn't just a convenience, it is a chance for a shared excitement."