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Kokua Line June Watanabe |
Cars must park
with flow of trafficQuestion: A friend recently received a ticket for "parking against the flow of traffic" in front of his own home. What is the law for that? Is there a Web address for the information? His home is located on a low-traffic residential street in Niu Valley. They have been there for six years, and this is the first time that it has occurred.
Answer: The subject is covered in the city's Traffic Code (Revised Ordinances of Honolulu, Sec. 15-13.5), which states, "Upon any roadway within a business or residence district, no person shall stand or park a vehicle other than parallel with the edge of the roadway, headed in the direction of traffic and with the curbside wheels of the vehicle within 12 inches of the edge of the roadway except while parked wholly within stalls marked or designated pursuant to Section 15-13.3," which deals with parking in marked stalls.
The Revised Ordinances can be found at www.co.honolulu. hi.us/refs/roh.
Q: What recourse do people who drive safely and obey the laws have when they observe those drivers who drive recklessly without regard for safety to themselves or anyone around them? The speed limit on a residential street in our neighborhood is 25 mph, but it is common for drivers to drive much faster than that and to pass other cars even though the street is double-yellow-lined, which means no passing, I believe.
A: There are three things that you, as a private citizen, can do, according to Capt. Jose Gaytan of the Honolulu Police Department's Traffic Division.
If it's a chronic problem as you indicate, Gaytan suggested calling 911 and asking to speak to a police supervisor in your district to discuss the problem. Perhaps the community would have to get involved to help resolve the problem.
You also can write to HPD's Traffic Division with the pertinent information (license number, make and color of vehicle; time, date, location of the alleged violation; description of driver; etc.), and HPD will send a warning letter to the registered owner of the vehicle. The address is 801 S. Beretania St., Honolulu 96813.
The third option is to call 911 at the time of the observed violation -- if it's safe to do so -- to see if an officer is able to immediately respond, Gaytan said. But police can't issue a citation unless they personally witness a violation.
Mahalo
To Hank Adachi, George Kaeha and Phillip Kahoonei, who came to my aid on Christmas Day at Aloha Stadium. They noticed my predicament after a passer-by informed me that I had a flat tire. Without hesitation, Hank, who was parked next to me, proceeded to get the spare, jack and crank from my trunk. George and Phillip immediately got to work replacing the flat with the spare, which also needed to be inflated. George's wife, Ui, and her brother Phillip's fiancee came over to give moral support. Thanks to Hank, George and Phillip, we were able to enter the stadium to enjoy a most fantastic game without having to worry about the car. The aloha spirit -- the Christmas spirit -- was certainly evident on that day. I was fortunate to be parked near these wonderful people. -- Lily U. Sakurai
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