[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.
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 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.