By Robbie Dingeman
Advertiser Staff Writer

Q. My car was parked legally on my street — a quiet, dead-end lane with plenty of parking — and was both registered and insured. I got an abandoned-vehicle ticket that showed the car had not moved for two days. I wrote a letter contesting this because I believe the $150 ticket was mistaken. I am a full-time student at the University of Hawai'i-Manoa and work full-time. This is a lot of money for me. Is it worth asking for a court date, or should I just pay the fine?

A. You may have considered your car merely parked, but the law considers "abandoned" any private vehicle left unattended for more than 24 hours on a public highway, said police Capt. Jose Gaytan of the department's Traffic Division.

Gaytan understands that you may have had no intention of dumping it, but that's what the city ordinance says.

If the car or truck is not blocking a driveway, and doesn't look like it's been left there to die, usually the police are tagging the car because a neighbor or someone else complained. We can't predict what might happen in court and police won't offer legal advice, either.

You probably need to figure whether it's worth your time to go to court and hope the police officer has a scheduling conflict. Or just pay the fine.

Q. There is a sofa that has been left on Makapu'u Street and has been sitting there for over four months. Why doesn't the city pick it up? It is located across from Kapi'olani Community College.

A. The city Department of Environmental Services picked up that sofa on April 10 after receiving your complaint and determining that no one was using it.

For others with similar issues, Environmental Services deputy director Tim Houghton said the city conducts monthly, scheduled residential bulky item pick-up in urban Honolulu for people who have large items that they would like to discard curbside.

That area runs from Salt Lake to Hawai'i Kai. Each month, the bulky item collection truck drives through those neighborhoods. Call 523-4685 for a recording of the schedule.

In other O'ahu communities, residents must call to schedule pickups: Kailua, 262-4346; Kane'ohe, 247-3553; Ko'olauloa (Laie), 293-5657; Pearl City, 455-1725; Wahiawa, 621-5241; Waialua, 637-4795; and Wai'anae, 696-3421.

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.