Man Wants Neighbor to Move RV

Dear Traffic Talk:

My neighbor parks his motor home in front of his house, blocking my view as I pull out of the alley onto the street.

The driveway from my garage exits into an alley. Although I creep out of the alley until I get a clear view of the cars approaching from the left, I have had several near misses.

This street has considerable traffic, especially in the evening. I have called (800) ABANDON, but they have no interest in this traffic problem because the motor home is not abandoned.

Is there anything that I can do about this dangerous traffic hazard?

I have talked with my neighbor, but he has no interest in rectifying this situation.

--Bruce McCormick, Porter Ranch

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Dear Bruce:

There’s not much you can do. If the motor home is parked legally, it is allowed to be there, according to Donn Howard, parking enforcement captain for the city of Los Angeles.

However, Howard said that city officials may ticket any vehicle if it has been parked in the same spot on a residential street for more than 72 hours. Simply call the Police Department to complain, he said, and they will mark the motor home and then cite it in 72 hours if it hasn’t been moved.

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Dear Traffic Talk:

In the mornings, Corbin Avenue is a major thoroughfare.

But, between Victory Boulevard and Topham Street, it narrows to one lane, causing a huge bottleneck. I use that route to take my son to Calvert Street Elementary School, along with many other parents. This is very dangerous, since many drivers don’t want to miss the light, so they don’t let you merge [where the road narrows].

Aside from being rude, I feel as though we’re taking our lives in our hands every morning. Who thought this was a good idea, and what can be done?

--Cindy Randall, Woodland Hills

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Dear Cindy:

When Corbin Avenue was constructed, it should have had two lanes on either side with enough room for parking, according to Ray Wellbaum, an engineer for the Los Angeles Department of Transportation.

Although the narrowing street causes problems, the widening of Corbin is not on the city’s five-year street maintenance plan.

“It would be a good idea to widen the street, but we need to spend the money where it’s needed the most first,” Wellbaum said. “That’s a major project the city doesn’t have the money for right now.”

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Dear Traffic Talk:

There is a stoplight and, for the past few months, two “No Turn on Red” signs at the end of the Tampa offramp from the southbound Ventura Freeway. Unfortunately, these signs have been generally ignored, frequently causing gridlock at that intersection.

In addition, if one does obey the No Turn on Red sign and waits for the light to change, the drivers behind continuously blast their horns.

Any better way of enforcing that traffic regulation?

--Burton Sokoloff, Tarzana

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Dear Burton:

To get better enforcement in that area, report your concerns to the Community Help Program Officers at the West Valley California Highway Patrol Office at (818) 888-0980. They will log the complaint and assign an officer to patrol the area on at least three separate occasions, said Officer Lou Aviles, a spokesman for the CHP.

Traffic Talk appears Fridays in The Times Valley Edition. Readers may submit comments and questions about traffic in the Valley to Traffic Talk, Los Angeles Times, 20000 Prairie St., Chatsworth 91311. Include your name, address and phone number. Letters may be edited, and no anonymous letters will be accepted. Fax letters to (818) 772-3385. E-mail questions to valley.news@latimes.com.