Kokua Line June Watanabe

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Call city about trash can blockage

Question: I found your Q&A regarding ticketing for parking too close to driveways especially pertinent ("Kokua Line," May 24). I wish to present the flip side of the coin. Cars often park so close to my driveway on Pueo Street that they block my vision when I exit my driveway. Another problem occurs on Saturday, our rubbish pickup day and a heavy usage day for Kahala Community Park. Many park-goers park their cars so close to our rubbish bin that the automated rubbish truck cannot safely pick it up. So, we are stuck with leftover rubbish. Of the thousands of people who use the park every year, it is a shame that a handful of people so inconsiderately impose upon neighboring residents. How can I register a complaint? I hesitate to call 911 because this is not an emergency situation.

Answer: Contact the nearest base yard of the city Refuse Division.

In your case, that would be the Honolulu yard, at 523-4424. (For other yard numbers, check the telephone directory under the city Refuse Division listings or online at www.opala.org/contact_numbers.html.)

"We will leave a notice on the windshield of the car informing the driver about staying four feet away from the driveway," said David Shiraishi, the city refuse collection administrator.

He said police will be called if the same vehicle repeatedly parks too close to a driveway.

"Living close to a park or university provides challenges," Shiraishi said, because notes could be placed on different cars parked too close to the same driveway.

Police could be called if "the problem is severe."

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Q: Recently, the digital clocks on my VCR and CD player (separate pieces on separate circuits) have jumped several hours ahead, and my bedroom clock radio jumped one hour ahead. The clock on my kitchen stove did not change. Has anyone else reported this? Is there something on the power lines? Hawaiian Electric is using power line signals to control my water heater. Have they tested to see if that will cause interference to other devices?

A: No one else has reported this to Hawaiian Electric Co., said spokesman Jose Dizon.

But if you're talking about HECO's "EnergyScout" program, in which power to customers' water heaters is turned off during a system emergency, the company "does not send signals on the power lines to control them," he said.

Meanwhile, he also "checked on another technology program we're evaluating, and there have been no reports of any interference-related problems," he said.

Without knowing more about your situation, Dizon suggested you check to make sure the time zone on your VCR/CD player is set to Hawaii.

If not, that could explain why it jumped ahead several hours, he said. And, one possibility for the clock jumping one hour is that it might automatically adjust for daylight savings time.

Any readers have similar problems or possible explanations?