Hey, Answer Girl -

We always hear about Wyoming's wind. So, where is the calmest spot in the United States, wind-wise?

- Bob in Casper

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Climatic Data Center, it's a three-way tie for least windy city in the nation.

Talkeetna, Ark., Medford, Ore., and Oak Ridge, Tenn. are the places to live if you want to escape wind. Each city has an average yearly wind speed of only 4 mph.

The windiest place in the country is Mt. Washington, N.H., with an average wind speed of a whopping 35 mph. And you thought it was windy here!

In case you're wondering, Casper and Cheyenne ring in somewhere in the middle, with an average wind speed of 12 mph.

Hey, Answer Girl -

I have noticed that most of the school busses have a white strobe light mounted on them toward the back of the bus. Sometimes they are on, but mostly not. What are these for and what purpose do they serve?

- Michael M.

The strobe lights atop buses are all about visibility, said Chuck Huber, director of transportation for Natrona County School District.

The lights are used most often during loading and unloading of kids, especially on rural highways like highways 20/26 and 220.

The strobe is also on any time inclement weather might impair visibility, including during snow, fog, blowing snow, rain, or other particularly cloudy times. Also, if the bus is going under 25 mph, the strobe will be activated.

"It's a safety factor," Huber said. "The strobe carries better than the red lights."

Other fun bus fact: School buses run with headlights on all the time, even on perfect, cloudless days.

Hey, Answer Girl -

Back when I took driver's education, there was a law that on interstate highways, drivers were to keep right except to pass. In fact, there used to be signs stating that, but you don't see them any more.

Nope, there's no law in Wyoming stating that you must drive in the right lane. However, according to Jeff Goetz with the Wyoming Department of Transportation, a state statute (31-5-201) describes exceptions, during which you must drive in the right lane:

"On a three-lane highway (where there's an uphill passing lane), you are required to drive in the right lane going uphill unless you're passing someone," Goetz said by e-mail. "The reason is that the middle lane also doubles as a downhill passing lane for oncoming traffic - not all are like this, but a majority are. Good example of these are on Highway 387 north of Edgerton."

The other instance is when two semis travel side-by-side on a four-lane road. If neither is doing the speed limit and neither is passing each other, they can be cited using the statute.

Ask Answer Girl

Answer Girl tackles questions about Casper, the universe and everything else. Submit your questions by e-mail to megan.lee@trib.com, or call Megan Lee at 266-0616. Write to Answer Girl, Box 80, Casper, 82602. Visit the AnswerLabs Blog Place at tribtown.trib.com/groups/answerlabs_blog_place.