The office of city traffic engineer is established. The superintendent
of public works shall serve as city traffic engineer in addition to
his or her other functions, and shall exercise the powers and duties
with respect to traffic as provided in this title.
(Prior code § 12-23)
Officers of the police department and such officers as are assigned
by the police chief are authorized to direct all traffic by voice,
hand, audible or other signal in conformance with traffic laws, except
that in the event of a fire or other emergency or to expedite traffic
or to safeguard pedestrians, officers of the police department or
members of the fire department may direct traffic as conditions may
require, notwithstanding the provisions to the contrary contained
in this title or the Vehicle Code.
(Prior code § 12-24)
No person other than a officer of the police department or members
of the fire department or a person authorized by the police chief
or a person authorized by law shall direct or attempt to direct traffic
by voice, hand or other signal, except that persons may operate, when
and as provided in this chapter any mechanical pushbutton signal erected
by order of the city traffic engineer.
(Prior code § 12-25)
No person shall fail or refuse to comply with or to perform
any act forbidden by any lawful order, signal, or direction of a traffic
or police officer, or a member of the fire department, or a person
authorized by the police chief or by law.
(Prior code § 12-26)
Unless otherwise provided by statute or ordinance, it shall
be an infraction punishable as prescribed by Vehicle Code Section
42001 for any person to violate or fail to comply with any provision
of this title.
(Prior code § 12-27; Ord. 775 § 8, 1987)
Every person riding a bicycle or riding or driving an animal
upon a highway shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject
to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle by this
title, except those provisions which by their very nature can have
no application.
(Prior code § 12-28)
The provisions of this title shall apply to the operator of
any vehicle owned by or used in the service of the United States Government,
this state, any county or city, and it is unlawful for any operator
to violate any of the provisions of this title except as otherwise
permitted in this title or by the Vehicle Code.
(Prior code § 12-30)
No person shall interfere with or obstruct in any way any police
officer or other officer or employee of this city in their enforcement
of the provisions of this title. The removal, obliteration or concealment
of any chalk mark or other distinguishing mark used by any police
officer or other employee or officer of this city in connection with
the enforcement of the parking regulations of this chapter shall,
if done for the purpose of evading the provisions of this title, constitute
such interference or obstruction.
(Prior code § 12-29)
A.
The
provisions of this title regulating the operation, parking and standing
of vehicles shall not apply to vehicles operated by the police or
fire department, any public ambulance or any public utility vehicle
or any private ambulance, which public utility vehicle or private
ambulance has qualified as an authorized emergency vehicle, when any
vehicle mentioned in this section is operated in the manner specified
by the Vehicle Code in response to an emergency call.
B.
The
foregoing exemptions shall not, however, relieve the operator of any
such vehicle from obligation to exercise due care for the safety of
others or the consequences of his or her willful disregard of the
safety of others.
C.
The
provisions of this title regulating the parking or standing of vehicles
shall not apply to any vehicle of a city department or public utility
while necessarily in use for construction or repair work or any vehicle
owned or operated by the United States Post Office Department while
in use for the collection, transportation or delivery of United States
Mail.
(Prior code § 12-31)
All motorized equipment of the fire department shall have the
right-of-way over all other traffic when responding to an alarm.
(Prior code §9-41)
A.
The
operator of a vehicle or the person in charge of any animal involved
in any accident resulting in damage to any property publicly owned
or owned by a public utility, including but not limited to any fire
hydrant, parking meter, lighting post, telephone pole, electric light
or power pole, or resulting in damage to any tree, traffic control
device or other property of a like nature located in or along any
street, shall within twenty-four hours after such accident make a
written report of such accident to the police department of this city.
B.
Every
such report shall state the time when and the place where the accident
took place, the name and address of the person owning and of the person
operating or in charge of such vehicle or animal, the license number
of every such vehicle, and shall briefly describe the property damage
in such accident.
C.
The operator of any vehicle involved in an accident shall not be subject to the requirements or penalties of this section if and during the time he or she is physically incapable of making a report, but in such event he or she shall make a report as required in subsection A of this section within twenty-four hours after regaining ability to make such report.
(Prior code § 12-32)
Any regularly employed and salaried officer of the police department
of this city may remove or cause to be removed:
A.
Any
vehicle that has been parked or left standing upon a street or highway
for seventy-two or more consecutive hours;
B.
Any
vehicle which is parked or left standing upon a street or highway
between the hours of seven a.m. and seven p.m. when such parking or
standing is prohibited by ordinance or resolution of this city and
signs are posted giving notice of such removal;
C.
Any
vehicle which is parked or left standing upon a street or highway
where the use of such street or highway or portion thereof is necessary
for the cleaning, repair or construction of the street or highway
or for the installation of underground utilities or where the use
of the street or highway or any portion thereof is authorized for
a purpose other than the normal flow of traffic or where the use of
the street or highway or any portion thereof is necessary for the
movement of equipment, articles or structures of unusual size, and
the parking of such vehicle would prohibit or interfere with such
use or movement; provided, that signs giving notice that such vehicle
may be removed are erected or placed at least twenty-four hours prior
to the removal.
(Prior code § 12-33; Ord. 836 § 1, 1989)
At places where large numbers of people and vehicles are to
gather or have gathered, nothing in this title shall be construed
to prevent any police officer from prohibiting any person from parking
any vehicle upon or using any street or sidewalk, or from prohibiting
any pedestrian from using any street or sidewalk, and the police officer
shall have authority to direct the parking of vehicles in any reasonable
manner, way or direction, and it is declared to be unlawful for any
person to fail to promptly obey the police officer's order, signal
or command, regardless of any other provision of this title.
(Prior code § 12-34)
Any provision of this title which regulates traffic or delegates
the regulation of traffic upon state highways in any way for which
the approval of a state agency is required by statute shall cease
to be operative six months after receipt by the city council of written
notice of withdrawal of approval by the state agency.
(Prior code § 12-111; Ord. 775 § 10, 1987)
Whenever this title delegates authority to a city officer, or
authorizes action by the city council to regulate traffic upon a state
highway in any way which pursuant to state law prior approval of a
state agency is required, no such officer shall exercise such authority
nor shall such action by the city council be effective with respect
to the state highway without the prior approval in writing of the
responsible state agency.
(Prior code § 12-112; Ord. 775 § 11, 1987)
Unless otherwise provided by statute or ordinance, any violation
of this title shall constitute an infraction punishable as prescribed
in Vehicle Code Section 42001.
(Prior code § 12-109; Ord. 775 § 9, 1987)
