---

Cars can be yielded
to city for towing

Question: The tenants of a neighboring house began stripping cars in front of their residence over several weeks. One car was stripped and placed on wood blocks, then the rear plate removed. Then a blue tarp was placed over a second car, which also was placed on wood blocks. I thought major auto work, such as stripping of vehicles, was prohibited on city roads. Can you set the record straight? Should HPD be called?

Answer: The circumstances did appear illegal.

Officer Herb Schreiner of the Honolulu Police Department's District 1 pointed to Section 15-14.7 of the Revised Ordinances of Honolulu, which says no one is allowed to park a vehicle on any roadway for the principal purpose of either displaying the vehicle for sale or to wash, grease or repair the vehicle, "except repairs necessitated by an emergency."

However, in this case, everything was said to be on the up and up.

An officer sent to the address found that "both vehicles were properly surrendered to the city," Schreiner said.

They were scheduled to be towed away, and the owners had turned the license plates in to the city and had "followed the proper procedure," he said.

We assume the vehicles had inflated tires on them because that's a requirement for "junking" your vehicle with the city, said Dennis Kamimura, administrator of the Motor Vehicle and Licensing Division.

Car owners can have their vehicles towed by the city, IF they have title to the vehicles and by following this procedure at any satellite city hall:

After submitting all three, the applicant will be given a "notice" form -- saying the vehicle has been turned over to the city for removal -- that must be placed in the vehicle.

The vehicle will be inspected by a motor vehicle control inspector to make sure there is no debris or rubbish in the vehicle, it is accessible by a tow truck, it has at least tow-inflated tires and the vehicle is parked on property owned by the applicant or legally parked on a public street.

"Once this inspection is completed, the derelict vehicle contractor is notified, and the vehicle is scheduled for pickup within four to six weeks -- normally sooner," Kamimura said.

Auwe

High school students and league bowlers from McCully to Koko Head will have nowhere to bowl when Waialae Bowling Center closes within the next 3 1/2 years. Millions of tax dollars are spent by the city andฺor state building and maintaining golf courses, soccer and baseball fields, etc. Why not build a bowling center? Bowlers also pay taxes! -- Concerned Bowler

|

---

---