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Kokua Line
June Watanabe
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Airport parking policies have not changed
Question:
Has the parking policy at the Honolulu Airport baggage claim area changed? I ask because on a recent trip back to Honolulu, I waited for one hour for someone to pick me up and saw cars allowed to sit in front of baggage claim with no people inside. I saw two security persons, and they never ever told the people they had to move their cars. I thought there was a time limit.
Answer: There is a time limit and nothing has changed.
Airports Operations Officer Roy Sakata thanked you for sharing your observation, said Tammy Mori, spokeswoman for the state Department of Transportation.
Since it has been brought to his attention, Sakata said the airport will be increasing the monitoring of the parking situation.
Here are the current and long-standing regulations regarding curbside parking at the airport:
» Curbside parking is permitted only for active loading and unloading.
» Certain vehicles are permitted to park curbside, including emergency vehicles responding to a situation; federal, state and county law enforcement vehicles given prior permission from airport authority; other government agency vehicles (Federal Aviation Administration and Transportation Security Administration, etc.) given prior permission; airport vehicles (operations, maintenance, custodial, ground maintenance, etc.); and construction contractor vehicles given prior permission/permits.
Sometimes, permitted vehicle drivers abuse this privilege, Mori said, so the situation will be monitored.
Q: Can anything be done about the increasing number of skateboarders riding in the middle of the road and in and out of traffic in and around the University of Hawaii-Manoa campus? There's no enforcement or presence by UH Campus Security or HPD, and it's particularly bad on streets such as Dole Street, Maile Way and East-West Road. I've seen cars come to a sudden stop to avoid a collision with a darting skateboarder. The attitude of these people is one of arrogance and disrespect toward drivers on the roads. This problem is particularly bad in the mornings before classes start and in the early afternoon. Sooner or later someone is going to be seriously injured or killed.
A: Based on your complaint, the Honolulu Police Department says an officer would monitor the area.
HPD said it hasn't had any increase in the number of complaints about reckless skateboarders in the UH area.
Section 15-4.6 of the Revised Ordinances of Honolulu, on the "Use of bicycles, skateboards, roller skates and similar devices restricted," says no person on a skateboard or roller skates or riding any "toy vehicle or similar device" should go on any roadway, except while crossing a street.
Furthermore, riding a bicycle, skateboard or roller skates is prohibited on any sidewalk in Waikiki.
People caught violating this section face a $25 fine.
Got a question or complaint? Call 529-4773, fax 529-4750, or write to Kokua Line, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210, Honolulu 96813. As many as possible will be answered. E-mail to
kokualine@starbulletin.com.
See also: Useful phone numbers