Author Topic: ‘Tourist-Free Zone’ Signs Pop Up Near Hollywood Sign  (Read 976 times)

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Offline Sir GuitarCozmo

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‘Tourist-Free Zone’ Signs Pop Up Near Hollywood Sign
« on: October 11, 2013, 08:38:36 AM »
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LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Residents in the hillside neighborhoods below the Hollywood sign say the frustration they feel over growing crowds of tourists is very real.

KNX 1070′s Ed Mertz reports signs have gone up in the upscale areas of Beachwood Canyon and Hollywoodland, some of which have declared the area a “tourist-free zone.”

Residents say they are bothered by the traffic, but are most concerned about safety issues because the curving, narrow roads were not designed for so many cars and pedestrians.

“Everyone in the neighborhood has pretty much had it,” said one homeowner.

A recently-circulated flier in the neighborhood called for the city to put up armed checkpoints to keep out the swarms of tourists who descend on the landmark, Mertz reported.

City Councilman Tom LaBonge, who represents the area, said while he understands why residents are upset, he finds the changing tone troublesome.

“I was offended by the harsh words that they said about other people coming from other places,” LaBonge said.

Just a few years ago there, were only a few operators offering Hollywood sign viewing tours, according to the Los Angeles Times. There are now more than 40 tour companies running buses and vans in and out of the canyon, the Times reported.


So, you specifically chose to buy a home THAT close to one of the most well known tourist attractions in the country, if not the world, and then get all irritable when tourists want to see it.

GTFO

This is like people who knowingly buy a house at the end of an airport runway, then bitch about the noise.  I have no sympathy for any of them.

Offline El Barto

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Re: ‘Tourist-Free Zone’ Signs Pop Up Near Hollywood Sign
« Reply #1 on: October 11, 2013, 09:30:02 AM »
Yeah, that happens everywhere. People down here buy expensive homes 2 blocks off of Greenville Ave., one of the major nightlife neighborhoods in Dallas, and then bitch about the traffic and noise.

Then there's the fact that these Hollywoodland people bought homes in one of the most inconvenient and infuriating neighborhoods in the country. Ever tried to drive up to those homes? Seems to me that the increase in traffic should be the least of their troubles.

At the same time, I hate tourists and gawkers, and, 40 tour companies shuttling gawkers up there does seem a bit excessive. And for that matter, why do people even want to see the sign up close? It's really not particularly interesting. Go to the Griffith Observatory, do something halfway educational yet interesting, and get a much better view of the silly thing.
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Offline Sir GuitarCozmo

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Re: ‘Tourist-Free Zone’ Signs Pop Up Near Hollywood Sign
« Reply #2 on: October 11, 2013, 10:51:44 AM »
People want to get as close as possible, so they can have their picture taken "with" the sign, I imagine.  Granted, you're still standing well away form it, but the closer you CAN get to it, the better.

Offline YtseBitsySpider

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Re: ‘Tourist-Free Zone’ Signs Pop Up Near Hollywood Sign
« Reply #3 on: October 11, 2013, 11:58:50 AM »
My inlaws live in a glitzy neighborhood built with a golf course running through it.

BUT

as ownership has changed hands, one of the first thing new home owners are reminded of:
The Golf Course WAS HERE FIRST.

Don't like balls in your yard, denting your car, breaking your windows or across your chin?

fucking move
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Offline Fiery Winds

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Re: ‘Tourist-Free Zone’ Signs Pop Up Near Hollywood Sign
« Reply #4 on: October 11, 2013, 01:14:53 PM »
I think it's a little bit of both.  Yeah, they accepted the fact that it was a high profile location with tourist traffic.  However, they also have the right to voice concerns over extreme changes that they couldn't have anticipated.  I'm not picking a side, but it certainly deserves a conversation between the homeowners and the city.  It's no different than when my folks went to the city to protest a bunch of tree removals on our street.  I'm sure there's an acceptable compromise that can be reached.

Offline black_biff_stadler

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Re: ‘Tourist-Free Zone’ Signs Pop Up Near Hollywood Sign
« Reply #5 on: October 11, 2013, 01:23:37 PM »
My inlaws live in a glitzy neighborhood built with a golf course running through it.

BUT

as ownership has changed hands, one of the first thing new home owners are reminded of:
The Golf Course WAS HERE FIRST.

Don't like balls in your yard, denting your car, breaking your windows or across your chin?

fucking move

For the record, not ONCE did I ever complain about the balls across my chin.
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Offline Zook

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Re: ‘Tourist-Free Zone’ Signs Pop Up Near Hollywood Sign
« Reply #6 on: October 11, 2013, 01:36:53 PM »
I just want to see the Nightmare House. Fuck the sign.

Offline hefdaddy42

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Re: ‘Tourist-Free Zone’ Signs Pop Up Near Hollywood Sign
« Reply #7 on: October 12, 2013, 05:36:35 AM »
My inlaws live in a glitzy neighborhood built with a golf course running through it.

BUT

as ownership has changed hands, one of the first thing new home owners are reminded of:
The Golf Course WAS HERE FIRST.

Don't like balls in your yard, denting your car, breaking your windows or across your chin?

fucking move

For the record, not ONCE did I ever complain about the balls across my chin.
I know.
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Offline sylvan

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Re: ‘Tourist-Free Zone’ Signs Pop Up Near Hollywood Sign
« Reply #8 on: October 12, 2013, 06:31:37 AM »
My inlaws live in a glitzy neighborhood built with a golf course running through it.

BUT

as ownership has changed hands, one of the first thing new home owners are reminded of:
The Golf Course WAS HERE FIRST.

Don't like balls in your yard, denting your car, breaking your windows or across your chin?

fucking move

This is the truest thing ever written.  I don't hit houses anymore (although it's always a possibility), but I have hit my share when I was a beginner.  That includes huge thuds on roofs, a broken window, a lot of holes through screen enclosures, and a few giant cracks in stucco walls.  I can think of a few houses in different positions throughout certain courses I play that are thrashed by golf balls and look deserted.

Offline Neon

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Re: ‘Tourist-Free Zone’ Signs Pop Up Near Hollywood Sign
« Reply #9 on: October 12, 2013, 07:20:11 AM »
People want to get as close as possible, so they can have their picture taken "with" the sign, I imagine.  Granted, you're still standing well away form it, but the closer you CAN get to it, the better.


I love to travel, and I'll be damned if I go all the way to Hollywood and don't get my picture standing somewhere in as close proximity as possible to the Hollywood sign. 

Like going to Paris and not getting a picture with the Eiffel Tower....Magic Kingdom and not getting a picture with the castle... sure you can photograph with it in the background all over the city/park/whatever  but at some point you want to be right under it/in front of it too!


That being said, I can certainly understand the residents' frustration...but really...pretty sure the sign was there before you were.  Pretty sure you knew what you were getting yourself into when you signed the papers.  But maybe they could work out something where organized tours only roll through once per day, or only on one or two days per week...who knows. 
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Offline Cable

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Re: ‘Tourist-Free Zone’ Signs Pop Up Near Hollywood Sign
« Reply #10 on: October 12, 2013, 10:36:38 AM »
Ridiculous.

Instead of using their bucks to do street signs and ordinances, they should partially fund with the city a dedicated area to visit the sign and stuff. From my understanding when I was there, there is no legit way to see and get near the sign.

...and I'll just go and say it; screw these people, the region of Hollywood is a dying area that is a dump. I will *NEVER* go back there unless my future kids beg to go there.
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Offline bout to crash

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Re: ‘Tourist-Free Zone’ Signs Pop Up Near Hollywood Sign
« Reply #11 on: October 12, 2013, 07:44:06 PM »
My inlaws live in a glitzy neighborhood built with a golf course running through it.

BUT

as ownership has changed hands, one of the first thing new home owners are reminded of:
The Golf Course WAS HERE FIRST.

Don't like balls in your yard, denting your car, breaking your windows or across your chin?

fucking move

For the record, not ONCE did I ever complain about the balls across my chin.
:tup

Anyway: ARMED checkpoints??  :lol

Seriously, it's Hollywood. Deal. It's like the people here who think being born in CO gives them more of a right to be here.
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