Question: I parked my moped in street parking (metered stall), and this man was very annoyed. He kind of yelled at me. I just walked away and didn’t really listen to what he was saying. It’s legal for mopeds to park in the metered stalls, right? I didn’t see any signs saying not to.

Answer: Yes, unless stated otherwise, and the man shouldn’t have yelled at you. That was rude. It’s possible that his annoyance stemmed not from where you parked, but how you parked. By law, motorcycles, motor scooters and mopeds are supposed to be parked diagonally in parallel-parking spots, to allow more than one of the vehicles to fit and easily exit the stall. If you parked it as a car would be parked, with your single moped taking up the whole stall, other motorists searching for street parking may have objected.

Section 15-13.11 of the Revised Ordinances of Honolulu specifies rules that apply to motorcycles, motor scooters and mopeds parked on city streets.

If a street has parking designated for those vehicles, they are supposed to be parked there and only there (and cars and other four-wheeled vehicles are not supposed to take those spaces). However, if there are no spaces designated for motorcycles, motor scooters and mopeds, then they can be parked in the regular metered spaces, following these rules:

More than one motorcycle, motor scooter or moped, or combination of such vehicles, may be parked in a single space marked for parallel parking. The parking fee is at the rate established for one vehicle, regardless of how many mopeds are squeezed in.

Two-wheeled vehicles should be parked diagonally (at a 60-degree angle to the curb), with the vehicle’s front end facing the street in the direction the nearest lane of traffic travels.

Three feet should be clear at each end of the parallel-parking space. If there is more than one moped in the space, only the vehicle violating the minimum clearance would be cited.

No one should keep additional motorcycles, motor scooters or mopeds from being parked when space is available within any parallel-parking space. Each vehicle in the space is entitled to the full parking time permitted by law. If the parking meter displays a violation, all vehicles in the space are considered at fault.

Q: I do not remember how the rail will cover security issues when there will not be a physical presence of rail employees in each car. What will happen if there is a mugging, argument, harassment, excessive noise and medical issues? This should be of concern especially for our kupuna, as they will not have immediate access to medical assistance when the cars are in motion.

A: Although the trains on Oahu’s elevated-rail system will be automated, with no driver aboard, numerous security features will be built into the rail cars and the transit stations. Bill Brennan, a spokesman for the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation, explains:

“HART will have thousands of closed-circuit television cameras monitoring the rail cars, the stations and the system’s park-and-ride facilities. In addition to this visual communication, emergency call boxes are provided in the trains for instant contact with transit operations personnel, who will dispatch police, ambulances or firetrucks to the station where any emergency service is required. The elevated guideway, situated above ground-level hazards, provides an added measure of safety, minimizing the risk of vehicle collisions and pedestrian accidents. Each station boarding area will contain platform safety gates to prevent falls off the platform onto the lower track area. HART and representatives of emergency responders meet regularly to discuss plans for safety and security for the rail system.”

Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.