Hermosa Beach About Town
Rolling out “rideshare” zones
Following the increasing popularity of ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft, and the corresponding decline in the use of taxi services, downtown Hermosa has designated several zones in its downtown for picking up and dropping off passengers.
According to data from Uber, Hermosa Beach is one of the seven most popular destinations for its ride-hailing customers in Los Angeles County. However, as the services have climbed in popularity, residents and law enforcement have raised concerns about safety impacts. Passengers sometimes exit vehicles in the middle of the street while drivers, sometimes unfamiliar with the area and devotedly following GPS instructions, have accidentally driven onto The Strand.
Under a package of reforms approved by the City Council earlier this year, the designated locations are: in front of Hermosa Brewing Co. and the Standing Room, on the east side of Hermosa Avenue; just south of Pier Plaza, in front of the Bank of America on the west side of Hermosa Avenue; and another on the west side of Hermosa Avenue, in front of Parking Lot A. The latter is available to all drivers, while the former two are designated for ride-hailing and taxi pick-ups in the evening and early morning hours of Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Those wishing to summon a vehicle will be able to select one of the stops in the ride-hailing services’ mobile phone apps. The app will also no longer allow customers to drop geolocation “pins” on prohibited areas, such as Pier Plaza or the beach.
Hermosa is among the first cities in the state to create zones through a partnership with ride-hailing companies like Uber and Lyft. Although the companies have resisted previous efforts at regulation, they worked with the city starting last year in a pilot program, and may contribute to marketing efforts targeted at area bars and restaurants.
Pets in the Park
Hermosa Friends of the Parks’ annual Pets in the Park celebration will take place this Saturday at Valley Park. The event is free, and includes raffles of treats for pets and humans. To register, go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2019-pets-in-the-park-tickets-59214666662?aff=efbeventtix
Classic car show
The 20th Annual Endless Summer Classic Car show will take place this Saturday. Fifty cars, including Woodies, convertibles, and DeLoreans will park on Pier Plaza for passersby and auto-enthusiasts to ogle. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.