"Has the 'Helmet Law' for minors in Gilroy been eliminated? I see so many minors daily on bicycles and scooters without helmets and wonder what Gilroy's finest is doing about this law!"

Dear Watchdog,

Red Phone contacted Gilroy police Sgt. Jim Gillio who assured us the helmet law has not been repealed or eliminated.

"The officers working for the Gilroy Police Department must respond to calls on a priority basis and conduct proactive enforcement when time allows," he said. "If a citizen notices this violation (CVC 21212 (a)) they can contact the police department and request an available officer to check on the reported violation."

So good caller, next time you see someone riding without a helmet, you have two choices. Ignore it, go on your merry way and hope nothing catastrophic happens, or call the police and - if they have an officer available - they'll cite the offender.

By the way, Red Phone is grateful to have grown up in an era of personal responsibility. We rode our bikes without helmets, our skateboards without kneepads and sat in cars without seat belts. It's a wonder we ever survived.

Be wary of solicitors

"(One Saturday last month) around noon my wife answered a knock on our door. A young man representing a 'JM Sales & Marketing Inc.' asked her to shampoo our carpets. She said 'no thanks.' He immediately asked again, and again she said 'no.' He asked again and when she said 'no' again and proceeded to shut the door, he stuck his pencil into the door jam so that the door would not close. She pushed the pencil out and locked the door. Later we found that he had written graffiti on our door. While I am pursuing a complaint with this company, the bigger issue is to be able to alert Gilroy residents of what certainly appears to be shady companies like this one."

Dear Anti-solicitor,

Red Phone again contacted Sgt. Gillio, who said all solicitors are required to have a permit.

"If you encounter an aggressive solicitor, please feel free to call GPD at 846-0350 or call 911 if you are in danger," he suggested.

Hope that helps good caller.

Get the BBB involved

"I have a great concern about a liquor store next to the Grocery Outlet. On more than several occasions the owners overcharge people. The law states if you ask for a receipt you should get one but that's not the case with them. The only reason why I still go is to see how far they'll go to rip people off. That's not what America is about. What can I do?"

Dear Overcharged,

Red Phone suggests you contact the Better Business Bureau of Silicon Valley at http://sanjose.bbb.org, or send an e-mail to info@bbbsilicon.org. You can also call (408) 278-7400.

Good luck, good caller.

Yard is a disgusting mess

"We have a problem. We have a neighbor and the house is on the corner of Miller Avenue and Fifth Street. The yard is filthy, it's full of rats and also full of dog manure, piles of it. The smell is unbearable. Hope somebody can do something. Thank you."

Dear Disgusted,

The scene you are describing would drive anyone to lock themselves inside with windows shut. As with the parking of cars on front lawns, the city only responds to these types of issues when complaints are filed with the city.

Chapter 12 of the Municipal code contains numerous sections that regulate the handling, storage and disposal of garbage, refuse and debris. In addition, Section 5C.07 of the Residential Blight ordinance prohibits the accumulation of solid waste in an area that is visible from a street or public way unless it is enclosed in an approved container or stored in a manner that would prevent the material from being transported by the wind. Section 12.18 requires that all garbage or rubbish produced or accumulated on a premise be deposited in an approved container and placed for collection as directed by the director of public works.

So good caller, file a complaint at 846-0264, then let Red Phone know if things worked out to your satisfaction.