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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, September 11, 2003

BUREAUCRACY BUSTER
Standing in open vehicles?

By Treena Shapiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

Q. I was driving down McCully Street at about 9 a.m. and noticed four jeeps and convertibles coming up in the opposite direction. The two jeeps each had two girls standing up in the back seat and holding on to the roll bar. In the convertibles, the girls in the back were sitting on the trunk, instead of on the seat. They looked like they were practicing for a parade or something. That must be dangerous. Is there any law that addresses this?

A. In general, passengers in the back of a vehicle should be sitting on the back seat, according to the city law.

While exceptions may be made for parades or for work requirements, Honolulu Police Traffic Capt. Jose Gaytan said the Revised Ordinances of Honolulu 15.24.5 say "no person shall ride on a vehicle or portion of the vehicle not designed or intended for the use of passengers." That means that people should not be standing up in the cages or sitting on the trunk of the convertible.


Q. My house is next to a vacant one-acre lot next to the highway in Makaha. This empty lot is extremely overgrown with trees and dried grass, which is a fire hazard, but the owner fails to do anything about it.

I'm concerned that it may catch fire and burn down my house. I tried calling the fire department, but got a reply, "Why don't you move your house?"

Could you please direct me where to turn to for help? This empty lot is infested with rats, scorpions and centipedes that are constantly entering my house.

A. Vicki Borges, special assistant in the mayor's office, said you can report your concerns to the Department of Planning and Permitting.

Putting your complaint in writing is best, she said. Make sure to include your address so that inspectors know where to go, and it is probably best to include your phone number as well.

You can ask to be informed about any action taken by inspectors, she said.

Direct your concerns to: Director, Department of Planning and Permitting, 650 S. King Street, 7th floor, Honolulu, HI 96813. You can also call 523-4432 or fax: 527-6743.


Q. It seems like every weekend people are drinking in the park by my house. I know drinking in parks is illegal, so why don't the police do something about it?

A. The law is a difficult one to enforce, said City Councilman Donovan Dela Cruz, explaining that police actually have to witness someone taking a sip of alcohol before they can enforce the law. However, that could change if the City Council passes Bill 45, which would ban open alcohol containers in public places.

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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:

• Write to: The Bureaucracy Buster
The Honolulu Advertiser
605 Kapi'olani Blvd.
Honolulu, HI 96813

• e-mail: buster@honoluluadvertiser.com

• Phone: 535-2454 and leave a message.

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