By Gordon Y.K. Pang
Advertiser Staff Writer

Q. At the University of Hawai'i football games against Army and Boise State, I sat on the north end zone. Before and during the game, smoke from a barbecue food outlet became overwhelming and started to irritate the eyes. Others with serious health conditions may have been affected even more. Is there a way for stadium authorities to relocate the barbecue outlet stationed practically under the bleachers?

A. The stadium allows open grills for its vendors in the courtyard areas at the north and south sections inside the stadium gates but as far away from the spectator seats as possible, according to Patrick Leonard, spokesman for the Stadium Authority. And most of the cooking is done before the events, he said.

Leonard said he and a representative for the stadium's concession contractor walked through the north end zone seating area during the Hawai'i Bowl to investigate. "We did not see nor smell any smoke from a barbecue," Leonard said. "This would lead me to believe that on the specific dates of the Rice and Army games, the wind conditions must have been unique."

Leonard apologized for any discomfort. He promised that he and the concession contractor will continue to monitor conditions. You can call him at 486-9549 between 8 a.m. and noon weekdays.

Q. The HOV signs posted for town-bound traffic on H-1, H-2 and Moanalua freeways say enforcement is in effect not only in the morning but from 3:30 to 6 p.m. as well. Why? The clear majority of the traffic is FROM town in the afternoon.

A. Not necessarily, according to the state Department of Transportation, which is in charge of high-occupancy vehicle lanes on freeways. "Believe it or not, traffic heading in both directions during the afternoon rush hour is split 50-50 in many sections of freeways/highways," said Scott Ishikawa, DOT spokesman.

That's in stark contrast to morning traffic, which is about 65 percent town-bound and 35 percent outbound, he said. DOT theory is that people are heading to the same places, such as work or school, in the morning, while in the afternoon they may not be going directly home.

Christmas tree disposal: On O'ahu, drop it off at any of the city's refuse and recycling centers or one of three commercial composting sites. Or leave it out on the curbside on your designated twice-a-month yard waste collection day. (More information at www.opala.org.) Cut tree in half if it's 6 feet or taller.

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.