[Amended 5-30-1972]
A.
Pedestrians shall obey the directions of police officers directing
traffic, and whenever there is an officer directing traffic, a traffic
control signal or a marked crosswalk within 300 feet of a pedestrian,
no such pedestrian shall cross a way or roadway except within the
limits of a marked crosswalk as provided in this article.
B.
Every pedestrian crossing a roadway at any point other than within
a marked crosswalk shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon
the roadway. At a point where a pedestrian tunnel or overpass has
been provided, pedestrians shall cross the roadway only by the proper
use of the tunnel or overpass.
C.
No pedestrian shall suddenly leave a sidewalk or safety island and
walk or run into the path of a vehicle which is so close that it is
impossible for the driver to yield the right-of-way.
D.
Pedestrians shall at all times attempt to cross a roadway using the
right half of crosswalks.
A.
Generally. Traffic control signal color indications and legends shall
have the commands ascribed to them in this section and no other meanings,
and every pedestrian shall comply therewith, except when otherwise
directed by a police officer.
(1)
Red and yellow or the word "Walk." Whenever the words "Don't
Walk" or any indication other than red and yellow shown together is
illuminated in a traffic control signal where pedestrian indications
are provided, pedestrians approaching or facing such indication shall
wait on the sidewalk, edge of roadway or in the pedestrian refuge
area of a traffic island and shall not enter upon or cross a roadway
until the proper indication is illuminated in the traffic control
signal. Any pedestrian who has partially completed his crossing on
the "Walk" indication shall proceed or return to the nearest sidewalk
or safety island on the yellow indication, the red indication or when
the words "Don't Walk" are illuminated by rapid intermittent flashes.
(2)
Green alone. At traffic control signal locations where no pedestrian
indication is given or provided, pedestrians facing the signal may
proceed across the roadway within any marked crosswalk in the direction
of the green indication.
(3)
Yellow alone, red alone or flashing "Don't Walk." Pedestrians
approaching or facing a yellow, red or flashing "Don't Walk" illuminated
indication shall not start to cross a roadway.
(4)
Flashing red, yellow or green. At any traffic control signal
location where a flashing red, flashing yellow or flashing green indication
is being given facing a crosswalk, pedestrians shall actuate, where
provided, the pedestrian signal indication and cross the roadway only
on the red-yellow or "Walk" indication when such indication is in
operation. If no pedestrian signal is provided, pedestrians shall
cross within crosswalks with due care.
B.
Right-of-way to emergency vehicles, etc. At a traffic control signal
location, pedestrians shall yield the right-of-way to vehicles of
a funeral or other procession or authorized emergency vehicle while
in performance of emergency duties regardless of the signal indication
given, and they shall not attempt to cross the roadway until such
vehicles or procession has passed, at which time pedestrians shall
then cross the roadway only as provided in this section.
At a traffic control signal location where pedestrian indications
are provided but which are shown only upon actuation by means of a
pedestrian push button, a pedestrian shall not cross a roadway until
the pedestrian control signal push button has been actuated and then
shall cross only on the proper pedestrian signal indication. At traffic
control signal locations where no pedestrian indication is provided,
pedestrians shall cross only on the green indication. If necessary,
the green indication shall be actuated by the pedestrian by means
of a push button.
It shall be unlawful for any person to actuate a pedestrian
control signal or to enter a marked crosswalk unless a crossing of
the roadway is intended.
A.
No person shall stand in a roadway for the purpose of soliciting
a ride, employment or business from the operator or occupant of any
vehicle without the written permission of the board or officer having
control of such roadway or highway.
B.
Where sidewalks are provided, it shall be unlawful for any pedestrian
to walk along and upon an adjacent roadway whenever the sidewalk is
open to pedestrian use.
C.
Where sidewalks are not provided, any pedestrian walking along and
upon a highway shall, when practicable, walk only on the left side
of the roadway on its unfinished shoulder facing traffic which may
approach from the opposite direction.
D.
Persons alighting from the roadway side of any vehicle parked at
the curb or edge of the roadway shall proceed immediately to the sidewalk
or edge of the roadway adjacent to the vehicle and shall cross the
roadway only as authorized by this article.
E.
The provisions of this section governing the use of ways by pedestrians
shall not apply to pedestrians actually engaged in work upon a roadway
closed to travel or under construction or repair, to municipal, state,
federal or public service corporation employees while in the performance
of their duties, to officers engaged in the performance of their duties
or to pedestrians acting in an emergency when such emergency necessitates
departure from any part of such provisions.
Every operator of a vehicle shall exercise due care to avoid
colliding with any pedestrian upon the roadway and shall give warning
by sounding the horn when necessary and shall exercise proper precautions
which may become necessary for safe operation.
A.
When traffic control signals are not in place or not in operation,
the driver of a vehicle, which for the purposes of this section shall
include bicycles, shall yield the right-of-way, slowing down or stopping
if need be to so yield, to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within
a marked crosswalk when the pedestrian is upon the half of the roadway
upon which the vehicle is traveling or when the pedestrian approaches
from the opposite half of the roadway to within five feet of that
half of the roadway upon which the vehicle is traveling.
B.
No operator of a vehicle shall pass any other vehicle which has been
stopped at a marked crosswalk to permit a pedestrian to cross a way,
nor shall any operator enter a marked crosswalk until there is sufficient
space on the other side of the crosswalk to accommodate the vehicle
the operator is operating notwithstanding any traffic control signal
indication to proceed.
C.
The rules and regulations contained in this section governing and
restricting the movement of vehicles on state highways at and near
intersecting ways shall apply at any place along any way at which
drivers are to be controlled by traffic control signals, whether or
not such place is an intersection.
Any person who violates the provisions of this article which deal with the proper use of ways by pedestrians shall be punished as provided in MGL c. 90, § 18A. Any person convicted of a violation of any other provision of these regulations relative to the operation of vehicles shall be punished as provided in § 1-5 of this Code.
[Added 9-21-2004]
Notwithstanding any other ordinance to the contrary, no person
shall ride and/or operate skateboards or scooters, mechanical or otherwise,
in the Municipal Parking Garage in the City of Taunton. Violations
of this section shall be punishable by fines as follows:
[Added 8-10-2004]
A.
Definition. This section refers to scooters, powerboards, all-terrain
vehicles and mini-motorbikes that have handlebars, that have two or
more wheels, that are designed to be stood upon or sat upon by the
operator, and that are gas-powered by an engine or motor capable of
propelling the vehicle with or without human thrust, excluding wheelchairs
and vehicles which are medically necessary.
B.
Prohibition from sidewalks. No person may use, ride or otherwise
operate a gas-powered scooter, powerboard or mini-motorbike on a sidewalk
of the City of Taunton.
C.
Prohibition from streets. No person may use, ride or otherwise operate
a gas-powered scooter, powerboard, all-terrain vehicle or mini-motorbike
on a public way, private way, street or on the grounds of any public
school in the City of Taunton unless that person is 16 years of age
or older and is carrying a valid driver's/operator's license.
D.
Penalties. Any person violating the provisions of this section shall
be subject to a fine of $25 for a first offense and $50 for a second
or any subsequent offense, but a court of competent jurisdiction may
substitute community service for any fine moneys.
E.
Exceptions. Nothing in this section shall prevent the legal use of:
(1)
Any mechanical or motorized device designed and used to assist
a person with a disability affecting ambulation;
(2)
A moped that has been registered with the Massachusetts Registry
of Motor Vehicles; and
(3)
A motorized bicycle that has been registered with the Massachusetts
Registry of Motor Vehicles.
F.
Enforcement. The Taunton Police Department shall have the authority
to enforce this section. The provisions of MGL c. 40, §
21D, may be used to enforce this section. The Taunton Police Department
shall have the authority to impound any vehicle in violation of this
section.
G.
Regulatory authority. The City of the Taunton Police Department shall
have the authority to promulgate rules and regulations necessary to
implement and enforce this section.
H.
Implementation. The provisions of this section shall be effective
immediately after passage.
I.
Violation. In addition to the fines described in Subsection D above, anyone who violates this section shall forfeit the vehicle immediately and the City shall have possession of the same and shall return it only upon payment of a fine in accordance with Subsection D, a forfeiture collection fee of $150 and a daily storage fee of $10 per diem. The vehicle will be permanently forfeited for the second offense.
J.
Vendors. All vendors selling vehicles described in Subsection A shall be required to post in clear and conspicuous terms the statement that these vehicles are banned on public and private ways, sidewalks and public grounds and deliver a copy of this section to a purchaser of any vehicle defined under this section.
