The Board of Selectmen of the Town of Middleton,
acting by virtue of the power given to it by MGL c. 40, § 22
and by virtue of any other power it hereto enabling, hereby adopts
and makes the following rules and orders for the regulation of carriages
and vehicles used in said Town and for the regulation of traffic upon
the streets and highways of said Town, the same to be known as the
"Traffic Rules and Orders of the Town of Middleton." Insofar as said
rules and orders or any of them are the same as any valid regulations,
rules and orders now in force, they shall be deemed to be a continuation
thereof.
For the purpose of these rules and orders, the
words and phrases used herein shall have the following meanings, except
in those instances where the context clearly indicates a different
meaning:
An area in the roadway set aside for the boarding of or alighting
from and the parking of buses.
That portion of a roadway ordinarily included within the
prolongation or connection of curblines and property lines at intersections
or at any portion of a roadway clearly indicated for pedestrian crossing
by lines on the road surface or by other markings or signs.
Vehicles of the Fire Department, police vehicles, ambulances
and emergency vehicles of federal, state and municipal departments
or public service corporations, when the latter are responding to
an emergency in relation to the Police or Fire Department.
A longitudinal division of a roadway into a strip of sufficient
width to accommodate the passage of a single line of vehicles.
Any officer, constable or special officer, provided that
he has his badge of office displayed over his left breast and upon
his outer garment.
[Amended 6-5-1952]
That portion of a curbing the painting of which has been
authorized by the Board of Selectmen and which has the written approval
of the Department of Public Works, Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Any painted line, legend, marking or marker of any description
painted or placed upon any way which purports to direct or regulate
traffic and which has been authorized by the Board of Selectmen and
which has the written approval of the Department of Public Works,
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
All signs, markings and devices, other than signals, not
inconsistent with these rules and orders and which conform to the
standards prescribed by the Department of Public Works of the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts and are placed or erected by authority of a public
body or official having jurisdiction for the purpose of guiding, directing,
warning or regulating traffic.
The standing of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, otherwise
than temporarily for the purpose of and while actually engaged in
loading or unloading or in obedience to an officer or traffic signs
or signals or while making emergency repairs or, if disabled, while
arrangements are being made to move such vehicle.
Any intersection of ways with a railroad right-of-way.
That portion of a street or highway between the regularly
established curblines or that part, exclusive of shoulders, improved
and intended to be used for vehicular traffic.
The entire width between property lines of every way open
to the use of the public for the purpose of travel.
Every device in, upon or by which any person or property
is or may be transported or drawn upon any street or highway, except
devices moved by human power or used exclusively upon stationary rails
or tracks.
The provisions of these rules and orders shall
not apply to operators actually engaged in work upon a street or highway
closed to travel or under construction or repair, to officers when
engaged in the performance of public duties nor to drivers of emergency
vehicles while operating in an emergency and in 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.
