Whenever in this chapter the following terms are used, they
shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them in this section
and in V.T.C.A., Transportation Code chapter 541:
Curb loading zone
means a space adjacent to a curb reserved for the exclusive
use of vehicles during the loading or unloading of passengers, freight,
merchandise or other material.
Digging out
means the practice of starting any motor vehicle from a standing
position by applying a sudden burst of power, recognized by spinning
rear wheels and noise of tires on the surface of the roadway.
Double parking
means the standing of a vehicle, whether occupied or not,
upon a street or roadway in the rear of an angle-parked vehicle at
the curb of such street or alongside a vehicle parked parallel with
the curb of such street.
Map, official traffic-control,
means an engineering drawing of such dimensions and scale
as to show clearly all streets, alleys, speed limits, traffic movement
regulations and prohibitions, types of traffic-control devices, right-of-way
dimensions and names of all streets within the boundaries of the city.
No parking zone
means a space or area on the roadway adjacent to the curb,
whether marked by official signs or not, in which no vehicle may be
parked.
One-way street
means a street on which all vehicular traffic is required
to move in the same general direction as indicated by direction signs.
Parking stall or parking space
means that portion or section of a roadway adjacent to the
curbing or edge, set apart, marked and bounded by lines painted or
marked upon the surface of the roadway and extending into the roadway
for the use of parking vehicles; or that portion of any alley marked
by official signs showing such space to be a parking zone.
Procession or parade
means a group of pedestrians or vehicles standing or moving
on a street and occupying more than 600 feet of the street and having
a common destination, purpose or direction.
Public place
means a place where people are assembled or to which people
commonly resort for purposes of business, amusement, recreation or
other lawful purposes and, for the purpose of this chapter, shall
include all streets and alleys within the boundaries of the city.
Route
means a street on which signs are erected giving notice thereof
that certain types of vehicles may or may not be operated.
Through street or highway
means every street or highway or portion thereof on which
vehicular traffic is given preferential right-of-way, and at the entrances
to which vehicular traffic from intersecting streets or highways is
required by law to yield the right-of-way to vehicles on such through
street or highway in obedience to a stop sign, yield sign or other
official traffic-control device, when such signs or devices are erected
as provided in this chapter.
Zones
means areas in public ways designed for limited or specialized
use.
(1973 Code, sec. 30-1; 1991 Code,
sec. 17-1; 2007 Code, sec. 44-19)
No person upon roller skates or riding in or by means of any
coaster, skateboard, toy vehicle, whether motorized or not, or other
similar device shall go upon any roadway except while crossing a street
on a crosswalk. When so crossing, such person shall be granted all
the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to
pedestrians.
(1973 Code, sec. 30-8; 1991 Code,
sec. 17-8; 2007 Code, sec. 44-20)
(a) Definitions.
For the purposes of this section, the following
words, terms, or phrases shall have the meanings ascribed thereto,
unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
Inline skate
means a roller skate whose wheels are arranged in a straight
line.
Roller skate
means a device worn on the feet to enable the wearer to glide
along propelled by the alternate actions of the legs.
Skateboard
means a board with wheels that is ridden in a standing or
crouching position.
(b) Prohibited conduct.
It shall be unlawful for any person
to operate or cause to be operated any skateboard, roller skate, inline
skate or other similar device upon any portion of Higgins Street,
Main Street or Granberry Street, or upon any public right-of-way adjacent
thereto, which is located between Railroad Avenue and South Houston
Avenue within the city.
(1991 Code, sec. 17-494; Ordinance 03-573, secs. 1, 2, adopted 12/12/02; 2007 Code, sec. 44-21)
It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a motor vehicle
or a boat along or upon a flooded street, highway, alley or parking
lot, whether publicly or privately owned, in such manner as to increase
the level of floodwaters to a height which causes, or could be reasonably
expected to cause, damage to other vehicles, adjacent real property,
or improvements located on adjacent real property. It shall be an
affirmative defense to a violation under this section that the operator
of the motor vehicle or boat was operating same during a bona fide
public emergency necessitating the use of speed otherwise in violation
hereof.
(1991 Code, sec. 17-433; Ordinance 03-574, sec. 1, adopted 12/12/02; 2007 Code, sec. 44-25)
It shall be unlawful for any person to drive any vehicle upon
any portion of any street in the city that has been freshly paved,
unless all barriers or signal lights have been lawfully removed therefrom
indicating that the street is ready for travel.
(1973 Code, sec. 30-136; 1991 Code,
sec. 17-172; 2007 Code, sec. 44-26)
Any driver of any motor vehicle who shall willfully cause such
vehicle to “dig out” or shall cause any such vehicle to
make unnecessary noise by reason of operating such vehicle in such
manner as to cause the wheels thereof to spin or slide on the roadway
of any street when starting such vehicle or while making any turning
movement shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor.
(1973 Code, sec. 30-137; 1991 Code,
sec. 17-173; 2007 Code, sec. 44-27)
It shall be unlawful for any person to stop, drive or propel
a vehicle in such a manner as to block or obstruct the traffic on
any street or alley of the city.
(1973 Code, sec. 30-138; 1991 Code,
sec. 17-174; 2007 Code, sec. 44-28)
It shall be unlawful for any person to operate any vehicle within
the city which is mechanically defective or dangerous in any way that
would endanger the life or property of others.
(1973 Code, sec. 30-140; 1991 Code,
sec. 17-176; 2007 Code, sec. 44-29)