The State traffic laws regulating the speed of vehicles shall
be applicable upon all streets within the City, except that the City
may by ordinance declare and determine upon the basis of engineering
and traffic investigation that certain speed regulations shall be
applicable upon specified streets or in certain areas, in which event
it shall be unlawful for any person to drive a vehicle at a speed
in excess of any speed so declared when signs are in place giving
notice thereof.
The City Traffic Engineer is authorized to regulate the timing
of traffic signals so as to permit the movement of traffic in an orderly
and safe manner at speeds slightly at variance from the speeds otherwise
applicable within the district or at intersections and shall erect
appropriate signs giving notice thereof.
Except where otherwise provided by signs erected pursuant to
duly passed and approved ordinances, no person shall operate a vehicle
on any street in the City in excess of thirty (30) miles per hour.
No person shall drive a motor vehicle at such a slow speed as
to impede or block the normal and reasonable movement of traffic,
except when reduced speed is necessary for safe operation or in compliance
with law. Peace Officers may enforce the provisions of this Section
by directions to drivers, and in the event of apparent willful disobedience
to this provision and refusal to comply with direction of an officer
in accordance herewith, the continued slow operation by a driver is
an ordinance violation.
No person shall operate a motor vehicle upon those portions
of the roadways which are set forth and described in Schedule III
at a rate of speed in excess of that speed limit set for such portions
of the roadways by said Schedule.
[R.O. 2013 § 320.030(D) — (E); Ord. No. 50-A § 12]
A. The
provisions of this Chapter or Title declaring prima facie speed limits,
in posted zones or otherwise, shall not be construed to relieve the
plaintiff in any civil action from the burden of proving negligence
on the part of the defendant as the proximate cause of an accident.
B. Any
speed of a vehicle in excess of the limits described in Schedule III,
which shall never be conclusive nor have the effect of shifting the
burden of proof, shall be considered prima facie evidence of driving
at a rate of speed which is not reasonable, careful, prudent and lawful,
and which is considered dangerous to persons, property, life and limb.
[R.O. 2013 § 320.040; Code 1952, Ch. 6 § 16]
The driver of every vehicle shall, consistent with the requirements
of this Chapter, drive at an appropriate reduced speed when approaching
and crossing an intersection or railway grade crossing, when approaching
and going around a curve or right angle turn, when approaching a hill
crest, when traveling upon any narrow or winding roadway and when
special hazards exist with respect to pedestrians or other traffic,
or by reason of weather or highway and street conditions.
[R.O. 2013 § 320.050; Ord. No.
50-A § 8]
The use of and results determined by any speed meter, machine
or mechanism which seeks to reduce the error of manual operation to
a minimum, shall be acceptable as evidence where driving in excess
of posted speed limits is the cause of action; except, that the use
thereof shall not be construed to exclude any competent evidence secured
by any other manner or means.