[adam-a]

I may be missing something, but why don't they build a car park and widen the road? Surely it's a lot easier than trying to stop people going to one of the most recognisable landmarks in the world.

It's definitely worrying that major tech companies are willing to alter their maps at the request of a few wealthy individuals.

[de_Selby]

Maybe it's not possible to get planning permission to build a car park because it's near a public park.

It really does seem like there is an opportunity here that isn't being exploited though. Why doesn't someone start running tours up there? A couple of buses wouldn't cause a problem and there's money to be made from this.

[shin_lao]

At the end of the article it seems they are saying that a shuttle is currently being worked on.

[sschueller]

Exactly, they could turn this into a beautiful destination with parking etc. Charge a small fee to pay for maintenance, close after 6pm. Everybody is happy.

[FireBeyond]

They could. But that's not the point for the residents. They don't want that, either. They want secluded peace. Next to a world famous tourist attraction. They don't want construction, they don't want traffic. They'd gate Hollywood Blvd if they could to stop people even getting up the first of the streets towards the sign.

[JustSomeNobody]

Except people who want to visit at night. You know that'll happen.

[kuschku]

Then allow them to go at night and put some street lights up the trail. Also not impossible.

[FireBeyond]

The problem is not providing better access. That's what the populace might want. The residents, who are already happily interfering and obstructing, illegally at times, don't want that, and certainly don't want the idea of 'night access'.

[kuschku]

The problem is providing better access without limiting access for the police or fire men.

So you need to provide a parking lot and a dedicated trail to make sure people can reach their goal (seeing the sign in person) without going through the neighborhood itself.

[mahyarm]

NIMBY psychology strikes again?

[nefitty]

"NIMBY (an acronym for the phrase "Not In My Back Yard"), or Nimby, is a pejorative characterization of opposition by residents to a proposal for a new development because it is close to them, often with the connotation that such residents believe that the developments are needed in society but should be further away."

[morganvachon]

Pejorative it may be, but it's accurate in this case. It was also used by the article's author.

I'm normally one to champion a homeowner's rights to reduce trespassing, loitering, and destruction of property, and I do understand where the homeowners in this case are coming from. I have a little turd of a neighbor who revels in illegally driving his four wheeler across my yard but the police say I'm in a catch-22; unless they are camping out in my driveway waiting to catch him, they can't arrest him for it, and of course they don't have the resources to dedicate to that. He knows this of course, and rides by at random times, flipping me off if I'm outside at the time and tearing mud holes across the lawn.

My point being, the folks in Hollywoodland who are threatening the author and coercing Google and Garmin are barking up the wrong tree. They should be seeking a solution that reduces traffic in their neighborhood without limiting the public's right to visit the park, and without threatening some guy who is already trying to do the right thing by steering tourists away from the neighborhood and towards the approved viewing areas. Just as I can't erect tire-gouging spikes in my yard or hire a thug to intimidate my neighbor into submission, these folks shouldn't be threatening people and illegally marking their curbs and signs to discourage tourists.

[isaacdl]

Small nitpick - why can't you erect tire-gouging spikes in your yard? It's your yard, is it not?

[anon4]

Or a small fence? Not tall enough to stop someone from walking over, but enough that it would be damaged by him driving over it. Together with a security camera.

[noxToken]

IANAL, nor am I directly citing anything. However, I believe that you cannot willfully setup something with intent to cause damage or harm to people or property that isn't your own.

I believe it's akin to drenching your sandwich with Dave's Insanity Sauce to catch the co-worker who has been stealing your lunch. If your enjoy eating your hot sauce with a side of sandwich, that's fine. It's the intent of how you're using the sauce that matters.

[JackFr]

IANAL either, but I think the prohibition is on items that threatan life and saftely rather than trespassers property.

From Wikipedia:

> Mantraps that use deadly force are illegal in the United States, and there have been notable tort law cases where the trespasser has successfully sued the property owner for damages caused by the mantrap. There is also the possibility that such traps could endanger emergency service personnel such as firefighters who must forcefully enter such buildings during emergencies. As noted in the important US court case of Katko v. Briney, "the law has always placed a higher value upon human safety than upon mere rights of property."

Thinking in those terms, a few spike strips on your lawn should be fine.

[kaybe]

Or how about, let's say, a full-concrete birdbath on a column?

[morganvachon]

He rides over it, blows a tire, his vehicle throws him into the road alongside his usual path, and he is struck and killed by a passing car. I just caused his death and can be criminally charged and civilly sued. Not to mention I don't want to impede regular pedestrians who are welcome to walk along the perimeter of my yard to avoid traffic (there is no sidewalk since it's semi-rural and it's a busy road).

[Retra]

That's exactly the kind of behavior a lawful, civilized society is aiming to prevent.

[x1798DE]

Why would they need to physically see him? Can't you just set up a camera?

[serpentor]

Because they are angry people.

Angry!

[spacecowboy_lon]

Angry rich white people I would bet

[deanclatworthy]

They'd have to bulldoze private property and driveways to widen the roads in that area of the hills. Just try driving up to that area in GTAV :)

[ejk314]

You do know that anyone can edit google maps, right? They don't block editing in a region until after something like this happens.

https://www.google.com/mapmaker

[hartator]

Can you edit this part?

[bcoates]

It sounds like he's discussing some fire road that probably isn't practical to turn into a real road (this is steep, hilly terrain where most buildable space has been used) but there are reasonable places to park and hike like Griffith Observatory.

[JBlue42]

You are. The geography and neighborhood probably wouldn't allow for it and there are other nearby places to park and hike to the sign (if that's where people need to be).

The shuttle idea is probably the best bet at the moment and the way it should be - the community and local gov't working together to solve issues rather than being petty, vindictive and somehow getting their way by having it changed on Google Maps as if it were a top secret military base and not just a pain in the ass to park.