---

Kokua Line

By June Watanabe

Greedy drivers blamed
for woe at H-1 offramp

---

Question: My husband and I teach at Waipahu High School, and we have noticed a steady stream of fender-bender accidents at the H-1 Waipahu offramp during our drive to work. Has there ever been an investigation into the frequency of car accidents at that cutoff? The problem might be the result of poor signage. The highway sign for the Waipahu exit is located AT the offramp, but there is no sign BEFORE the exit to warn motorists unfamiliar with the area that the exit is approaching. Another problem might be that the lettering that reads "Waipahu" is located on the very bottom of the sign and is often obstructed by foliage and not visible at a distance. Can this matter be investigated and corrected?

Answer: State Department of Transportation officials believe the major problem at the offramp is not the sign or lack of a sign, but rather motorists trying to beat the other guys.

It's not known how many fender-benders have taken place there, but records show there have been 16 "major accidents" at the Waipahu offramp from 1998 to 2000, according to Alvin Takeshita, a state traffic safety engineer.

About 44 percent of the major crashes occurred during the afternoon peak hours.

"Our traffic engineers have noticed that many of the crashes are the result of vehicles using the abutting left lane to get ahead and cut back into the ramp lane when traffic backs up on the offramp," Takeshita said.

Consequently, the Transportation Department's Traffic Branch installed a double-solid lane stripe to stop vehicles from cutting back into the ramp lane. The problem, however, is that "the drivers have not adhered to this traffic control device" and are continuing to cut back in, Takeshita said.

As for the signs, there is an advance Waipahu exit sign about a half mile before the offramp, as well as another sign at the exit, he said.

Meanwhile, he said Oahu District personnel would resolve the problem of foliage obstructing the sign at the exit.

Auwe

I recently took a bus from Ala Moana to Waikiki. Bus drivers are great, OK! I admire them. One hundred questions in one day. But auwe on this day. Bus 303 coming from Ala Moana, the driver asked several times, "Please, go to the end of the bus." Which the passengers did. To my horror, however, this one hairy man -- no shirt, shorts half mast -- stationed himself in front of me. Is there no policy any more of "no shirt, no shoes, no service?" I am not impressed by having a hairy ape man in front of me for 20 minutes on a public bus! --- No Name

(Similar complaints are received from passengers as well as bus drivers from "time to time," according to Roger Morton, vice president/operations for Oahu Transit Services, which operates TheBus system. However, there is nothing in state law or city ordinance that requires passengers to wear shirts or shoes, and drivers are told to accommodate passengers who are without such attire, he said.

(But drivers do ask passengers wearing wet swim suits to stand, if possible, so as not to soil seats, he said.)

|

Useful phone numbers

---

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