Question: Our city pool is open two hours a day Monday to Friday and three hours on Saturday and Sunday for free swim. The lifeguards have been taking a 10-minute break each hour and everyone must get out of the pool. I have limited time to go to the pool for a workout and having to sit in the sun for 10 minutes while these lifeguards sit in the office doing nothing is frustrating. Have you ever had a job where you get a 10-minute break every hour? What is the justification for this? Often there are only a few people in the pool.

Answer: Lifeguards at all city pools have long been required to take those breaks for safety reasons, but you’re probably noticing it only now because of budget cuts.

"Because a lifeguard has to give constant attention (when on duty), we require them to take a 10-minute break every hour," said Lester Chang, director of the city Department of Parks and Recreation.

It doesn’t matter whether the pool is crowded or there’s just one person in it, "they can’t leave their station" unless on a break, he said.

When the department had the funding to have "roving" lifeguards, "we always were able to cover the pool," he said. "Now we’re down to only essential lifeguard staffing," because having additional guards "is cost-prohibitive in this day and age."

So, for safety reasons, when the guards take a break, "everybody takes a break," Chang said. "It’s pool by pool, but we are in that situation now at most of our pools."

Chang said the breaks not only allow the lifeguards to "regain their focus, but they also have other responsibilities, like checking chemicals."

We did an Internet search and found that it’s a national standard that lifeguards are required to take a 10- or even 15-minute break every hour.

Question: Are there leash laws for dogs being walked in Kapiolani Park?

Answer: Dogs are not allowed in Kapiolani Park, even if leashed.

Dogs are allowed along the perimeter of the park on city sidewalks, but not on the oceanfront walkway from Queen’s Surf to the Waikiki Aquarium.

The Hawaiian Humane Society explains that walkway is part of the city’s park property, so it is "best to remain on the Kalakaua Avenue roadside sidewalk."

Dog owners who don’t leash their pets or who allow them into Kapiolani Park face a $500 fine and up to 30 days in jail.

Last year, police began cracking down on violators, handing out more than a dozen citations.

You can find out where you can take your leashed dogs, including public parks, on the humane society website: http://www.hawaiianhumane.org/dog_friendly_parks.html.

Question: Is riding a motorized vehicle on a pedestrian bridge legal? At 7 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 19, I saw a mo-ped being driven on the pedestrian overpass to go from the Nuuanu side of Pali Highway to the Punchbowl side.

Answer: Mo-peds are prohibited on any sidewalk area or any other path or area "intended for the exclusive use of pedestrians," under Section 291C-196 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes.

Question: I drive a motorcycle. Is it legal for a motorcycle to go into a bike lane?

Answer: No.

Under Section 291C-123 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, no vehicle other than a bicycle or mo-ped is allowed to be driven on a bike lane or bike path unless it is making a turn; is an emergency or government vehicle; is stalled or broken; is assisting a stalled or broken vehicle; or is yielding to an emergency vehicle.

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