Kokua Line June Watanabe

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Trash trucks, not
drivers, likely problems

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Question: Every time the trash truck comes through my neighborhood in Foster Village, it sets off car alarms. I have a strong suspicion that those trucks could be driven in a manner that would not set off alarms all over the neighborhood. Drivers seem to floor it in jackrabbit starts. Also, some neighbor's wheels have broken off their trash container, either because of the manner of the pickup or the way they set down the container, which is usually very hard. I keep my container in a grassy area in front of my house and almost every time there is a pickup, I've got to go out and replace the divot. Can't something be done about this?

Answer: The driver on your route was tracked one day, when no car alarms were heard going off.

However, city refuse collection chief David Shiraishi said that your complaint is not unusual. If it is a consistent problem as you say, he said to contact your area yard (Honolulu, 523-4424) with specific times and dates and they will follow up with the specific driver.

In the meantime, he believes the problem lies more in the trucks themselves. Newer trash trucks are quieter, he said, and as the city obtains new models, he hopes the problem will resolve itself.

As for the containers being dropped, your complaint actually uncovered a widespread problem.

The refuse trucks are supposed to be equipped with a cylinder that cushions the "arm" holding the container, so that it automatically slows down as it nears the ground.

"We determined that we don't have that feature right now" on about a fourth of the refuse fleet, Shiraishi said. "We're taking steps to reinstitute that feature."

Apparently, as the trucks underwent repairs, replacement cylinders did not have that cushioning function, he said.

Auwe

The people at the condo next door keep washing their cars without using the off-on nozzles and are wasting a lot of water. I tried talking to the resident manager, but he says there's no water shortage, so there's no problem. -- No Name

The Honolulu Board of Water Supply has asked people to voluntarily cut water use, so it wouldn't have to take drastic measures in the face of low rainfall and above-average water use.

Here are some of its tips on saving water while washing cars:

1. Have an adjustable nozzle that can be turned off and on. A running hose can waste up to 500 gallons of water in a half-hour.

2. Give your car a fast once-over with the hose, sponge dirt off a section at a time, use a brief spray to rinse off the section, then do another section.

3. Use the correct amount of cleaning agent added to a bucket of water. Too little will require more wash water. Too much will require an excessive amount of rinse water.

4. Wash cars in a shady area to prevent rapid evaporation of water from the car's surface.

5. Check faucets for leaks. A small leak may waste 100 gallons of water per day.

The Board of Water Supply adds that some people also advise washing the car over the lawn, so that the water will drain onto the grass.

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Useful phone numbers

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