Good Question 'Reply All': Fire Hydrants, License Plates & Paint
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Mary from Plymouth wanted to know: Why some fire hydrants are yellow, not red?
Plymouth public works said there was a push years ago to change fire hydrants to yellow because it was easier to see, but it was too costly for some cities.
In Plymouth, yellow means a city fire hydrant, red means private.
In Minneapolis it's just the opposite.
The color of the cap can often indicate to firefighters how many gallons of water per minute a fire hydrant emits.
Michelle from Loretto was wondering: Why we're required to have two license plates and some states only have to have one?
Nineteen states require just one license plate and it has to be on the back of the vehicle.
Here in Minnesota the Department of Public Safety says it's all about law enforcement.
Having a license plate on the front and on the back allows law enforcement to identify a suspect's vehicle a lot easier. It helps with surveillance video, too.
One of the biggest arguments for having one plate in states that do is that vehicle owners argue that drilling a front plate into the car hurts the aesthetics and the value of the vehicle.
Nowadays, manufacturers make license plate holders that simply attach to the front.
Cost is also a factor in some states that require just one plate.
The All-Star game is starting to take over Minneapolis and some viewers wanted to know: What's the green paint made out of downtown?
This green paint on the sidewalk is basically one, long arrow showing fans how to get to Fanfest or how to get to Target Field. The answer?
We're being told it's just another type of spray paint and that it will wear out after several days.
A clean-up crew may finish off the rest.