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QUESTION: We go to Waialae Beach Park at least once, and sometimes three times a week in the afternoons. We’ve noticed that many bicyclists use the parking lot as a meeting area, unload their bikes and ride off onto Kahala Avenue. Recently, I counted eight vehicles with bicycles that used the lot. They take away the limited parking spaces for people who legitimately use the beach park — walking along the beach, picnicking, fishing, swimming, etc. Can these bicyclists legally do this? Can the Honolulu Police Department issue citations?
ANSWER: People using a park’s free parking spaces then going elsewhere is not an uncommon problem.
We’ve addressed it at Ala Moana Park and Kapiolani Park, where parkgoers have complained that people leave their vehicles then head for work.
The city Department of Parks and Recreation says in all these cases, you should call police to enforce the department’s rules and regulations.
One of those rules is that "only park users shall be allowed to park their vehicles in public parks," with a park user defined as "one who is using a city park," said Craig Mayeda, administrator of Parks Maintenance and Recreation Services.
HPD could issue citations to the bike riders, he said.
But using the examples you cite of people walking on the beach, fishing and swimming, Mayeda pointed out those activities "may occur outside of our park and they could also be cited."
QUESTION: Looking down at the inside of Diamond Head crater from my house on Wilhelmina Rise, I see a very prominent white line running horizontally near the summit for about 200 yards. It appears that something is being constructed there. Do you know what it is and why?
ANSWER: The state Department of Land and Natural Resources is repairing a lookout area at the base of a long stairway (not the summit viewing area).
It’s all part of the third phase of summit trail improvements at the national monument.
"We will also be doing construction of a new summit loop trail and repairs to the narrow ledge where hikers exit the fire control station at the summit," said DLNR spokeswoman Deborah Ward.
The "white line" is a temporary compressed air line used by contractors to operate equipment.
Once the new loop section of the trail and improvements to the ledge area are completed, the air line, as well as a temporary water line, will be removed, Ward said.
The loop trail will be temporarily closed in both directions during work on the ledge outside the fire control station exit.
"When the work is done, hikers will go up the normal route, exit the fire control station to go to the summit viewing area, then come down via the new loop trail and connect back to the main trail at the lookout area at the base of the long stairway," Ward said.
She said this will help to reduce the congestion of hikers going up and down at the upper part of the trail.
MAHALO
To a stranger. About 4:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 11, my buddies and I got into an altercation with four transvestites on Seaside Avenue in Waikiki and I was robbed of my digital camera and wallet. Thanks to a man who came to our aid and called police. It took police a half-hour to get to the scene, missing the whole event as it unfolded. But thanks to the officer in the silver SUV for chasing down the black SUV that the four were in. All my property was returned. — Out-of-State Visitor
