By Gordon Y.K. Pang
Advertiser Staff Writer

Q: I live in an apartment complex where a couple of people ride very loud motorcycles in our parking lot. They even ride around back where the clotheslines are even though there is no road there. They gun the motors loudly and seem to come in and out of the parking lot often. There are times when they do this every 10 minutes or so for up to two hours at a time. This also happens all all hours of the day and night. What can be done?

A: Over the long run, a dispute like this is best settled with the help of your apartment manager, said Honolulu Police Traffic Capt. Jose Gaytan. Police will respond to 911 calls involving loud motorcycles. "The police will enforce excessive noise regulations, probably using the disorderly conduct statutes if they apply," Gaytan said. "But they will try to contact and work with the property managers to attain a lasting solution. House rules, enforcement of tenant regulations (and) voluntary compliance should be tried first as the easiest and most effective means of solving the problem."

Q: I have recently been attending Sunset on the Beach events in Waikiki and am curious why there are so many permit-only parking stalls set aside. I can see how permit parking is needed for workers and participants, but are these the only people who get the permits? How do I obtain one if they are available to the general public?

A: During Sunset on the Beach nights, parking permits are issued for vendors, entertainers, workers and volunteers, said city spokeswoman Carol Costa. Sorry, but such permits are not available to the public.

Q: Where can I find more information about landlord and tenant rights?

A: Issues involving landlords and tenants are handled by the Office of Consumer Protection, which is part of the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. You can call the Residential Landlord-Tenant hotline from 8 a.m. to noon weekdays at 586-2634.

The agency also has a useful Web site that includes links to the Residential Landlord-Tenant Handbook and the Residential Landlord-Tenant Code. The Web address is www.hawaii.gov/dcca/ocp/landlord.html. The site also has a link to answers to frequently asked questions that can be viewed by clicking on "Landlord-Tenant Code Messages."

Do you ever get frustrated or confused trying to navigate the various layers of government? Are you looking for an answer to a simple question but can't figure out where to start? If you have a question or a problem and need help getting to the right person, you can reach The Bureaucracy Buster one of three ways:

• E-mail: buster@honoluluadvertiser.com

• Phone: 535-2454 and leave a message.

Be sure to give us your name and daytime telephone number.