Chapter 34 - TRAFFIC[1]
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Chapter 34 - TRAFFIC[1] Footnotes: --- (1) --- Cross reference— Ambulances, Ch. 5; driving on sand dunes, § 8-4; bicycles, Ch. 9; illegal parking of vehicles on wharves, § 16-4; litter from vehicles, § 20-8; abandoned and junked vehicles, § 23-24 et seq.; automobiles in parks, § 26-8; streets, sidewalks and public places, Ch. 32; parade permit, § 32-7; vehicles for hire, Ch. 35; wreckers, Ch. 37. State Law reference— Power of city to regulate traffic, V.T.C.A., Transportation Code § 542.202. ARTICLE I. - IN GENERAL Sec. 34-1. - Definitions. As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them in this section: Alley: A public way, the principal purpose which is to provide access to the rear of private property. Central business district: All streets and portions of streets within the area described as follows: All that area bounded by and including the following streets: Broadway (Avenue J) on the south, Water Street (Avenue A) on the north, 19th Street on the east, and 26th Street on the west. Curb loading zone: A space adjacent to a curb reserved for the exclusive use of vehicles during the loading or unloading of passengers or materials; which space shall be marked by painting the curb yellow and by the posting of appropriate signs. Director of traffic: City engineer, or other person designated by the city engineer, or as designated by the city manager. Driver: The person driving and having physical control over the golf cart. Electronic message: A self-contained piece of digital communication that is designed or intended to be transmitted between physical devices. An electronic message includes, but is not limited to, a text- based communication, a command or request to access an internet site, or other data that uses a commonly recognized electronic communications protocol. Golf cart: Shall have the meaning assigned by V.T.C.A., Transportation Code § 502.001(7), as amended, and means a motor vehicle-commonly referred to as a golf cart, which must have a minimum of four (4) wheels and has an attainable top speed not greater than twenty-five (25) miles per hour on a paved level surface and which is manufactured primarily for transporting persons on a golf course and in compliance with those federal motor vehicle safety standards for low-speed vehicles. Specifically excluded from this definition are those motorized conveyances commonly referred to as all-terrain vehicles ("ATVs"), off-road vehicles, four-wheelers, Mules, Gators- and esign-altered golf carts which have been altered to allow them to travel at a speed greater than twenty-five (25) miles per hour. Golf cart registration permit: Shall mean a privilege granted, upon compliance with the terms of this chapter, to legally operate a golf cart upon a public street or roadway within the corporate boundaries of the city during the year when granted. Golf cart registration permit decal: Shall mean a certificate for attachment to a golf cart carrying a serial number corresponding to the number of the golf cart license for such golf cart and showing the month and calendar year the license shall expire. Golf cart registration permit fee: Shall mean an administrative charge imposed as specified in this chapter for the granting of a golf cart registration permit and the issuance of a golf cart registration permit decal. Owner means the person holding title to the golf cart and the person required to register the golf cart with the city. Park or parking: The standing of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, otherwise than temporarily for the purpose of, and while actually engaged in, loading or unloading merchandise or passengers. State Law reference— Similar provisions, Vernon's Ann. Civ. St. art. 6701d, § 20E. Parking area means those areas accessible to the public by motor vehicular traffic and which are designated for temporary parking of motor vehicles, usually in places referred to as parking lots. Stop or stopping: When required, means complete cessation from movement. When prohibited, means any halting, even momentarily, of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with the directions of a police officer or traffic control sign or signal. Street means a public roadway of the city by whatever name (e.g., road, alley, avenue, highway, route, boulevard, etc.) that: (1) Has a posted speed limit of thirty-five (35) miles per hour or less; (2) Provides for no more than two (2) lanes of vehicular traffic per direction; or (3) Is not designated as part of either the state or federal highway system. Wireless communication device: A device that uses a commercial mobile service, as defined by 47 U.S.C. Section 332, as amended. (Code 1960, Ch. 21 App., §§ 2, 4—7; Ord. No. 99-78 § 2, 9-9-99; Ord. No. 10-004, § 2, 1-14-10; Ord. No. 10-028, § 2, 3-11-10) State Law reference— Similar provisions, Vernon's Ann. Civ. St. art. 6701d, §§ 20G, 20H. Sec. 34-2. - Use of coasters, roller skates and similar devices. No person upon roller skates or riding in or by means of any coaster, toy vehicle or similar device shall go upon any roadway, except while crossing a street on a crosswalk, and when so crossing such person shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to pedestrians. This section shall not apply to any streets while set aside as a play street. (Code 1960, Ch. 21 App., § 16) Sec. 34-3. - Authorized emergency vehicles. (a) The driver of an authorized emergency vehicle, when responding to an emergency call or when in the pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the law or when responding to but not upon returning from a fire alarm, may exercise the privileges set forth in this section but subject to the conditions herein stated. (b) The driver of an authorized emergency vehicle may: (1) Park or stand, irrespective of the provisions of this ordinance; (2) Proceed past a red stop signal or stop sign, but only after slowing down or stopping as may be necessary for safe operation, subject to the limitations set forth in subsection (e) hereof; (3) Exceed the maximum speed limits so long as he does not endanger life or property, subject to the limitations set forth in subsection (e) hereof; (4) Disregard regulations governing direction of movement or turning in specified directions. (c) The exemptions herein granted to an authorized emergency vehicle shall apply only when the driver of any said vehicle while in motion sounds an audible signal by bell, siren or exhaust whistle as may be reasonably necessary, and when the vehicle is equipped with at least one lighted lamp displaying a red light visible under normal atmospheric conditions from a distance of five hundred (500) feet to the front of such vehicle, except that an authorized emergency vehicle operated as a police vehicle need not be equipped with or display a red light visible from in front of the vehicle. (d) The foregoing provisions shall not relieve the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle from the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of all persons, nor shall such provisions protect the driver from the consequences of his reckless disregard for the safety of others. (e) Irrespective of any other provisions of this chapter, it shall be unlawful for the operator of any ambulance to violate any city, county or state law while engaged in the emergency operation of any ambulance. No preferential treatment with reference to speed or ignoring traffic control devices shall be afforded any ambulance driver except that when responding to an emergency call, the driver of an ambulance may proceed through any intersection in violation of any red light or stop sign after first slowing down or stopping and clearing said intersection by making sure that all adverse traffic has stopped. (Code 1960, Ch. 21, App., § 17) State Law reference— Operation of vehicles on approach of authorized emergency vehicles, Vernon's Ann. Civ. St. art. 6701d, § 75. Sec. 34-4. - Funeral processions. All funeral processions shall be accompanied by a uniformed police escort provided by a person or persons licensed to perform escort service within this city. All such escort service shall be provided in conformance with rules and regulations adopted by the chief of police and approved by the director of traffic and traffic commission. (Code 1960, Ch. 21 App., § 11) State Law reference— Power of city to regulate processions, Vernon's Ann. Civ. St. art. 6701d, § 27(a)3. Sec. 34-5. - Attempted escape from peace officer. (a) Any person who, while driving, operating or propelling, or by use of a motor vehicle attempts, tries or endeavors to escape from, flee from or evade any peace officer, driving, operating or propelling a motor vehicle shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. (b) On the display by a motor vehicle of a flashing red light or by sounding of a siren, or any combination thereof, all persons driving, operating and propelling a motor vehicle shall immediately drive and propel said vehicle parallel and adjacent to the nearest side of the road, street or highway. (Code 1960, Ch. 21 App., § 119) State Law reference— Similar provisions, Vernon's Ann. Civ. St. art. 6701d, § 186. Sec. 34-6. - Intersection visibility. (a) It shall be unlawful for any person to install or maintain any sign, hedge, fence, shrubbery or other obstruction to the view of a driver higher than thirty (30) inches above the level of the center of the adjacent roadway within the public right-of-way and within twenty (20) feet of the intersection of the curb line or the edge of the roadway of the intersection of two (2) or more public streets or of any intersection of a public street and a private roadway normally open to public traffic.