This chapter shall be known and may be cited
as the "Galax Traffic Ordinance," or simply as the "Traffic Ordinance."
[Amended 7-12-1982; 9-9-1985; 11-14-1988; 11-13-1990; 7-13-1998; 7-12-1999; 7-10-2000; 7-8-2002; 7-10-2006]
Pursuant to the authority of § 46-2-1313, Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, all of the provisions and requirements of the laws of the state contained in Title 46.2, Article
9 (16.1-278 et seq.) of Chapter 11 of Title 18.2, of the Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, except those provisions and requirements the violation of which constitutes a felony and except those provisions and requirements which by their very nature can have no application to or within the City, are hereby adopted and incorporated herein by reference and made applicable within the City. A reference to highways of state contained in such provisions and requirements hereby adopted shall be deemed to refer to the streets, highways and other public ways within the City. Such provisions and requirements are hereby adopted, mutates mutandis, and made a part of this chapter as fully as though set forth at length herein, and it shall be unlawful for any person within the City to violate or fail, neglect or refuse to comply with any provision of Title 46.2, Article 9(16.1-278 et seq) of Chapter 11 of Title 16.1 and Article 2(18.2-266 et seq) of Chapter 7 of Title 18.2 of the Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, which is adopted by this section, provided that in no event shall a penalty imposed for the violation of any provision or requirement hereby adopted exceed the penalty imposed for a similar offense under any of the above sections which are incorporated by reference, and as more fully set out in said Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended.
When it can be demonstrated to the satisfaction
of the City Manager or his duly authorized representative that the
strict enforcement of regulations relating to one-way streets will
cause an unreasonable hardship on some particular person relative
to the loading or unloading of trucks or other vehicles on such one-way
streets, then in such event the City Manager or his duly authorized
representative is authorized to issue a special permit to such person
permitting a variance from the provisions of this chapter as to one-way
streets. Any such special permit shall be in writing and shall specify
the nature of such variance and the place and period of time when
such variance shall be permitted. Such permit shall only be issued
when it can be demonstrated to the satisfaction of the City Manager
or his duly authorized representative that the granting of such permit
will alleviate a clearly demonstrable hardship, as distinguished from
a special privilege or convenience to the person who seeks such permit.
All traffic control signs, signals, markings
and other traffic control devices, including those which relate to
the parking of vehicles, heretofore installed by authority of the
City Council or the City Manager and which are in place on the effective
date of this chapter shall be deemed to be official traffic control
devices until such time as they may be removed by authority of the
City Council, and until they are so removed, it shall be unlawful
for any person to violate or fail to comply with any notice or directive
indicted by any such official traffic control device.
No person shall board or alight from any vehicle
while such vehicle is in motion.
No person shall ride on any vehicle upon any
portion thereof not designed or intended for the use of passengers.
This provision shall not apply to an employee engaged in the necessary
discharge of a duty or to persons riding within truck bodies in space
intended for merchandise.
It shall be unlawful for the operator of any
truck, trailer or other vehicle equipped with a tailgate to lower
or open the tailgate thereon or to suffer or permit such tailgate
to be lowered or opened, except during the time the vehicle is being
loaded or unloaded and except during the time the load on the vehicle
necessitates a lowered or opened tailgate as a support for the load.
It shall be the duty of the operator of any such vehicle to see that
the tailgate on such vehicle is kept closed or raised, except during
the times hereinbefore specified. Any person who shall violate the
provisions of this section shall be punished by a fine of not less
than $5 nor more than $20 for each offense.
The operator of any vehicle in the City shall
not back such vehicle unless such movement can be made with safety
and without interfering with other traffic.
No operator of a vehicle shall enter an intersection
or a marked crosswalk unless there is sufficient space beyond such
intersection or crosswalk in the direction in which such vehicle is
proceeding to accommodate the vehicle without obstructing the passage
of other vehicles or pedestrians, notwithstanding any traffic control
signal indication to proceed.
[Amended 11-13-1990]
Except as otherwise expressly provided by state
law, it shall be unlawful for any person to operate or cause or permit
the operation of a motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer upon the
streets or highways of this City unless there is properly displayed
thereon a valid state inspection sticker showing that such vehicle,
trailer or semitrailer has been inspected and approved under the provisions
of section § 46.2-1157 et seq., Code of Virginia.
Whenever a motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer
involved in an accident is found upon the highways or streets in the
City and is so located as to impede the orderly flow of traffic, the
police may, at no cost to the owner or operator, remove such motor
vehicle, trailer or semitrailer from the highways or streets to some
point in the vicinity where such motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer
will not impede the flow of traffic.
[Amended 11-13-1990]
The owner or operator of every cart or other
vehicle employed in removing or carrying dirt, sand, coal, manure,
filth or offensive matter of any kind or description along or over
any of the streets of the City shall have and keep the same in such
tight and secure condition that such matter shall not be scattered
or suffered to fall on any street, under a maximum penalty of $100.
It shall be unlawful for any person, without
the consent of the owner or person in charge thereof, to take or cause
to be taken an automobile or motor vehicle and operate or drive, or
cause it to be operated or driven, for his own private use or purpose.