This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Cruising Ordinance."
It is hereby found by Borough Council that a general public nuisance
and threat to the public health, safety and welfare results from the repetitive
unnecessary driving of motor vehicles, also known as "cruising," in a designated
area of downtown Carlisle. The purpose of this chapter is to ensure access
for safety vehicles to and through said designated area by restricting repetitive
driving of motor vehicles in said designated area and to reduce the noise,
air pollution and congestion resulting from cruising.
For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply:
CRUISING
Driving a motor vehicle on a street past a traffic control point,
designated by a police officer, in the designated area three or more times
within any two hour period from 9:30 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. Passing the control
point a third time within such period shall constitute "cruising" and therefor
violation of this chapter.
[Amended 3-14-1991 by Ord. No. 1707,
approved 3-14-1997]
DESIGNATED AREA
That area of the Borough of Carlisle bounded by Lincoln Street on
the north, West Street on the west, South Street on the south and East Street
on the east from its intersection with South Street to its intersection with
Penn Street and from said latter intersection westerly along Penn Street to
Pitt Street and thence northerly along Pitt Street to Lincoln Street, the
designated area to include the aforementioned boundary streets.
[Amended 7-10-1997 by Ord. No. 1846,
approved 7-10-1997]
TRAFFIC CONTROL POINT
A reference point on a street in a designated area selected by a
police officer for the purpose of enforcing this chapter.
No driver of a motor vehicle or person having care, custody or control
of a motor vehicle shall cruise. For the purpose of this chapter, the person
having care, custody or control of a motor vehicle shall also be considered
a person cruising regardless of whether that person was actually driving the
motor vehicle. For the purpose of this chapter, the person having "care, custody
or control of a motor vehicle" shall mean either the owner of said vehicle,
if present in the vehicle at the time of the violation or, if the owner is
not so present, the person or persons having the owner's authority to
use the vehicle.
This chapter shall not apply to official emergency or police vehicles,
licensed taxicabs for hire, other commercial or passenger vehicles being driven
for business purposes and for residents of the designated area traveling to
a specific destination.
[Amended 3-10-1988 by Ord. No. 1576, approved 3-10-1988]
Any person violating the provisions of this chapter shall, upon conviction,
be fined no more than $1,000 and costs of prosecution, and, in default of
payment of such fine and costs, imprisoned for not more than 30 days.