It shall be the duty of officers to enforce
the provisions of these rules and orders. Such officers are hereby
authorized to direct all traffic either in person or by means of visible
or audible signal in conformance with the provisions of these rules
and orders, provided that, in the event of a fire or other emergency,
members of the Fire Department may direct traffic, as conditions may
require, to expedite traffic or safeguard pedestrians, notwithstanding
the provisions of these rules and orders.
The Chief of Police is hereby authorized to
close temporarily any street or highway whenever there is reasonable
justification for the closing of such street.
The Chief of Police is hereby authorized to
prohibit, temporarily, parking on any street or highway or part thereof
whenever there is reasonable justification for such prohibition. Vehicles
parked in places where parking is prohibited temporarily may be moved
by or under the direction of an officer.
No person shall willfully fail or refuse to comply with any lawful order or direction of an officer, as defined in § 170-4, relating to the direction, control or regulation of traffic. Any person acting in conformity with any such order or direction shall be relieved from the observance of any provision of these rules with which it conflicts.
The provisions of these rules and orders shall
not apply to drivers actually engaged in work upon a street or highway
closed to travel or under construction or repair or to officers when
engaged in the performance of public duties when the nature of the
work of any of these necessitates a departure from any part of these
rules and orders. These exemptions shall not, however, protect the
driver of any vehicle from the consequences of a reckless disregard
of the safety of others.
