Question: Does the vehicle tint law apply only to the public? A friend was cited for illegal tint and paid $298. I see HPD-subsidized vehicles with tint so dark, you can't even see in any of the windows! Is there a double standard to this law?

Answer: The tinting law that applies to private vehicles applies to police vehicles as well, said Michelle Yu, spokeswoman for the Honolulu Police Department.

“;If a citizen thinks that a subsidized vehicle has illegal tint, they can call HPD with the vehicle description, including license plate,”; she said.

Contact HPD's Professional Standards Office, formerly known as the Internal Affairs Division. Call 529-3286 or write to the Honolulu Police Department, Attention: Professional Standards Office, 801 S. Beretania St., Honolulu 96813.

Kokua Line frequently receives complaints about vehicles with supposedly illegal window tinting not being cited.

But as previously reported, state law does allow heavier tinting than federal standards (see the Kokua Line column of June 30, 2000).

The state is satisfied with only a 35 percent light transmittance through a vehicle's windows. Enforcement mostly is supposed to come during safety checks, by safety inspection stations equipped with light meters.

Those required to have their tinting checked are subject to an additional $5 safety inspection charge.

Question: I believe the latest bill I received for Medicare Part B premiums is double what it should be. Medicare and Social Security phone numbers and Web pages do not provide any options for this problem nor any way to talk to a real person. Can you help?

Answer: The public can call the Social Security Administration's toll-free number at 800-772-1213 to speak to a representative between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. These hours apply to the Eastern, Central, Mountain and Pacific Time Zones, explained spokeswoman Jane Burigsay.

Callers from Hawaii are advised to call between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., Hawaii time, to receive “;live”; service.

“;Our teleservice representatives will be more than happy to assist the individual with their issue,”; Burigsay said.

She said call lines are busiest early in the week and early in the month, and that call volumes also are highest during the first three months of the year.

A variety of automated services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week by calling the 800 number. Contact information also can be found at hsblinks.com/21t.

Mahalo

To two good Samaritans. On Thursday, Feb. 11, around 3 p.m., we had just arrived at Shirokiya when our daughter became violently ill. Two ladies saw me struggling to attend to our daughter while my husband was buying dinner. One lady stayed to help me while the other lady searched for my husband to let him know what was going on. One of the ladies even offered to buy our dinner so that we could get our daughter to the hospital. In the chaos, we failed to get the names of these two good Samaritans. Thanks to them, we got our daughter to the emergency room and she is on her way to a full recovery. Mahalo, for your prayers and kindness, which were greatly appreciated.—B. Lau

Write to ”;Kokua Line”; at Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana, Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or e-mail .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).