No person shall operate any motor vehicle, including but not limited to automobiles, dune buggies, motorcycles, dirt bikes, motor scooters or any other motorized vehicle, on any publicly owned lands within the City which have not been laid out as a way or designated by the Park and Recreation Board for the use by such vehicles. Any violation of this section may be disposed of in a noncriminal disposition as appropriate.
A. 
Restrictions generally; exceptions. No person shall ride upon any portion of a vehicle not designed or intended for use of passengers. This subsection shall not apply to an employee engaged in the necessary discharge of his duty or to a person riding within truck bodies in space intended for merchandise.
B. 
Riding on handlebars prohibited. No operator of any motorcycle or bicycle when upon the street shall carry any other person upon the handlebar, frame, mudguard or tank of any such vehicle nor shall any person so ride upon any such vehicle.
C. 
Clinging to moving vehicles. No person riding upon any bicycle, motorcycle, coaster, sled, roller skates, or any toy vehicle shall attach the same or himself to any moving vehicle upon any roadway.
Whoever drops or lets fall or permits or allows to drop or fall, upon any way or highway of the City, from any truck, cart or vehicle, any piece of stone or granite or other article of such a size or character as may endanger public travel shall immediately cause the same to be removed from the limits of the way or highway.
No person shall carry or cause to be carried upon any public streets on any two-wheeled vehicle a load the weight whereof exceeds one ton, unless the tires of the wheels of such vehicle are four inches or more in width; nor any four-wheeled vehicle unless the tires of the front wheels of such vehicle are three inches or more in width and the tires on the rear wheels thereof are four inches or more in width; provided, however, that at such seasons of the year when the ground is frozen and covered with snow, heavy loads on runners may be allowed on the streets.
No person shall operate through any public street any horse-drawn vehicle which, with its load, exceeds 10 feet in width, or 24 feet six inches in length, measured from the end of the shaft to the extreme end of the side, nor any horse-drawn vehicle with a trailer, except in accordance with a permit from the Chief of Police.
A funeral composed entirely or partly of a procession of vehicles shall be identified as such by means of black pennants bearing a purple cross attached to both the first and last vehicles.
A. 
The driver of a vehicle shall give an audible warning with his horn or other suitable warning device whenever necessary to ensure safe operation.
B. 
No person shall sound any automobile horn between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. anywhere in the City except in cases of extreme emergencies.
No person upon roller skates, or riding in or by means of any coaster, toy vehicle, or similar device, shall go upon any roadway except while crossing a street at a crosswalk.
No person shall coast or slide down, across or along any of the streets or sidewalks of the City, upon any sled, board, or other vehicle for coasting or sliding, except as provided in this section.
A. 
The Chief of Police is authorized to erect, on those days when conditions are suitable and upon such streets as he may deem best, official traffic signs indicating that such streets or parts of streets are reserved for coasting. Vehicular traffic is prohibited from using such streets during the time such signs are displayed.
B. 
The prohibition in Subsection A shall not apply to drivers of vehicles having business within such reserved areas or to drivers of vehicles whose residences are within such reserved areas.
Upon such roadways as are divided by a parkway, grass plot, reservation, viaduct, subway or by any structure or area, drivers shall keep to the right of such a division, except when otherwise directed by an officer, signs, signals or markings.
A. 
The driver of a vehicle shall not overtake and pass a vehicle proceeding in the same direction unless there is sufficient clear space ahead on the right side of the roadway to permit the overtaking to be completed without impeding the safe operation of any vehicle ahead.
B. 
The driver of a vehicle, when about to be overtaken and passed by another vehicle approaching from the rear, shall give way to the right in favor of the overtaking vehicle, on suitable and audible signal being given by the driver of the overtaking vehicle, and shall not increase the speed of his vehicle until completely passed by the overtaking vehicle.
C. 
The driver of a vehicle shall not overtake and pass any other vehicle proceeding in the same direction at any intersection of streets, except that this subsection shall not apply at intersections where traffic is controlled by traffic stop and go signals or by police officers.
D. 
Whenever any vehicle has stopped at a marked crosswalk, or at any intersection, to permit a pedestrian to cross the roadway, no operator of any other vehicle approaching from the rear shall overtake and pass such stopped vehicle.
A. 
No person shall drive in such a manner as to obstruct unnecessarily the normal movement of traffic upon any street or highway. Officers are authorized to require any driver who fails to comply with this section to drive to the side of the roadway and wait until such traffic as has been delayed has passed.
B. 
No driver shall enter an intersection or a marked crosswalk unless there is sufficient space on the other side of the intersection or crosswalk on the right half of the roadway to accommodate the vehicle he is operating without obstructing the passage of other vehicles or pedestrians, notwithstanding any traffic control signal indication to proceed.
The driver of a vehicle shall not follow another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and prudent, having due regard to the speed of such vehicle and the traffic upon and condition of the street or highway.
The driver of any vehicle, before starting, stopping, turning from a direct line or backing, shall first see that such movement can be made in safety. If such movement cannot be made in safety or if it interferes unduly with the normal movement of other traffic, such driver shall wait for a more favorable opportunity to make such movement. If the operation of another vehicle should be affected by a stopping or turning movement, the driver of such other vehicle shall be given a plainly visible signal.
No operator shall turn a vehicle so as to proceed in the opposite direction, unless such can be made without backing, and without causing any approaching operator to slacken speed or change his course, except that the preceding provisions shall not apply on any dead-end street, nor to applicants for drivers' licenses while being tested by examiners of the Registry of Motor Vehicles and in accordance with specific directions of such examiners.
A list of City streets on which U-turns are prohibited or restricted is on file in the office of the City Clerk.
A list of City streets where left turns are prohibited or restricted is on file in the office of the City Clerk.
The operator of a vehicle emerging from an alley, driveway or a garage shall stop such vehicle immediately prior to driving onto a sidewalk or onto the sidewalk area extending across the alleyway or driveway.
Where buildings are used for the keeping of more than four vehicles and the exits therefrom are within 10 feet of the line of a public street, warning by mechanical or electrical device visible from a distance of 15 feet on either side of such exits, or by a bell or gong audible for a distance of 15 feet on either side of the exits, or by a person stationed at such exits, shall be given when vehicles are about to leave such building.
At any junction or crossing of ways where the roadway grades have been separated and where the ways are connected by ramps, and at any intersection of ways in which there are traffic islands, drivers of vehicles shall proceed only as indicated by official signs, signals or markings.
No operator shall enter upon the road surface of any street or highway or section thereof when, by reason of construction, surface treatment, maintenance or the like, or because of some unprotected hazard, such road surface is closed to travel, and one or more signs, lights or signals have been erected to indicate that all or part of the road surface of the street or highway is not to be used, or when so advised by an officer, watchman, member of a street or highway crew or employee of the City, either audibly or by signals.
The driver of a vehicle shall not drive upon any sidewalk except at a permanent or temporary driveway.
It shall be unlawful for the driver of a vehicle, except on signal from a police officer, to drive the same over or through a safety zone.
A. 
It shall be the duty of each driver in a funeral or other procession to keep as near to the right edge of the roadway as is feasible and to follow the vehicle ahead as closely as is practicable and safe.
B. 
At an intersection where a traffic control signal is operating, the driver of the first vehicle in a funeral or other procession shall be the only one required to stop for a red or yellow indication.
C. 
At an intersection where a lawful stop sign exists, the driver of the first vehicle in a funeral or other procession shall be the only one required to stop before proceeding through the intersection.
No operator of any vehicle shall drive between the vehicles comprising a funeral or other authorized procession, provided that such vehicles are conspicuously so designated.
No operator of an omnibus or other vehicle capable of carrying eight or more passengers from whom fare is collected shall stand such vehicle in a street unless to take on or let off a passenger, and then only at such places as may be designated by the City Council and for such time as may be sufficient to enable the passenger to take his seat or to leave such omnibus or vehicle, and provided, further, that no operator of such vehicle shall operate it in a street other than those designated by the City Council.
No person shall operate any vehicle in such condition or so constructed or so loaded as to be likely to cause delay in traffic or accident or injury to any person or property.
A. 
Restricted streets. The use and operation of heavy commercial vehicles are restricted on the following streets or parts of streets, in the manner outlined and during the period of time set forth:
Name of Street
Restriction
Crescent Street
At all times
Edison Park
At all times
Edison Street
At all times
Hall Place
At all times
Harvard Street
At all times
Hilda Street
At all times
Hillsboro Street
At all times
Intervale Street, from Centre Street to Brooks Avenue
At all times
Samoset Avenue
At all times
Upland Road
At all times
Whitney Road
At all times
B. 
Exceptions. Subsection A of this section shall not apply to heavy commercial vehicles going to or coming from places upon said streets for the purpose of making deliveries of goods, materials or merchandise to or similar collections from abutting land or buildings or adjoining streets or ways to which access cannot otherwise be gained; or to vehicles used in connection with the construction, maintenance and repair of said streets or public utilities therein; or to federal, state, municipal or public service corporation owned vehicles.
C. 
Signs. Subsection A of this section shall be effective only during such times that official traffic signs are displayed setting forth its provisions.
[Added 5-21-2018 by Order No. 2018-080]
A. 
The use and operation of motor vehicles along Dorchester Street running from its intersection with Shoreham Street to its intersection with Moon Island Road, and along Moon Island Road running from its intersection with Dorchester Street to the City of Boston Access Gate approximately 200 yards to the east, shall be restricted at all times to private passenger motor vehicles, as that term is defined in 540 CMR 2.05(a) and (b).
B. 
Subsection A above shall not apply to:
(1) 
Motor vehicles owned and/or operated by the City of Boston Police Department or the City of Boston Fire Department traveling to or from Moon Island;
(2) 
Vehicles going to or coming from places located upon the two streets in the restricted area defined in the preceding subsection for purposes of making deliveries of goods, materials or merchandise; and/or
(3) 
Vehicles providing municipal or emergency services.
C. 
Official traffic signs setting forth the foregoing provisions shall forthwith be installed and maintained at each end of the restricted area.
Where official traffic control devices are erected directing specific traffic to use a designated lane or designating lanes to be used by traffic moving in a particular direction, regardless of the center of the roadway, or to prohibit a turn or to make a required turn at an intersection of roadways, drivers of vehicles shall obey the direction of every such device.
A list of City streets where turning movements are restricted is on file in the office of the City Clerk.