The following words and phrases, when used in
this chapter, shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them:
Vehicles at the Fire and Police Departments and such ambulances
and emergency vehicles as designated or authorized by the Chief of
Police.
Every device propelled by human power upon which any person
may ride, having two tandem wheels either of which is more than 20
inches in diameter.
A space adjacent to a street or highway designated by painted
lines or other durable markings running parallel with the street or
highway designated for the use by bicycles and pedestrians. The municipal
officer may designate certain locations on the street or highway as
bicycle and pedestrian lanes with an official sign reading "bicycle
and pedestrian lane" located on the street or highway so as to be
sufficiently legible to be seen by an ordinary observant individual.
[Added 7-16-1992 by the Board of Selectmen]
A space adjacent to a street or highway designated by painted
lines or other durable markings running parallel with the street or
highway designed for use by bicycles. The municipal officers may designate
certain locations on the street or highway as a bicycle lane with
an official sign reading "bicycle lane" located on the street or highway
so as to be sufficiently visible and legible to be seen by an ordinary
observant individual.
The territory of any municipality contiguous to any way which
is built up with structures which are situated less than 150 feet
apart for a distance of at least 1/4 mile.
Every person who drives or is in actual physical control
of a motor vehicle.
The area embraced within the prolongation or connection of
the lateral curblines, or, if none, then the lateral boundary lines
of the roadways of two streets which join one another.
Any self-propelled vehicle not operated exclusively on tracks,
including motorcycles, but not including snowmobiles.
The standing of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, otherwise
than temporarily for the purpose of and while actually engaged in
loading or unloading.
Any space which is duly designated for the parking of a single
vehicle by painted lines or other durable markings.
Any person on foot.
Every officer of the Police Department, or any person authorized
to make arrests for violations of traffic regulations.
Any public highway or sidewalk, private way laid out under
authority of statute, way dedicated to public use or way upon which
the public has a right of access.
A space adjacent to a street or highway with a built-up curb
or grass strip that separates the space from the street or highway,
designed exclusively for use by pedestrians.
Any stopping of a vehicle, whether occupied or not.
Complete cessation when required.
Any halting, even momentarily, of a vehicle, whether occupied
or not, except when necessary to avoid conflict with another vehicle
or in compliance with the directions of a police officer or traffic
control signal.
The entire width between boundary lines of every way publicly
maintained when any part thereof is open to use for the public for
the purpose of vehicular traffic.
Pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles and other
conveyances either singly or together while using any street for purposes
of travel.
All signs, signals, markings and other devices, whether immovable
or whether manually, electrically or mechanically operated, placed
or erected by authority of a public body having official jurisdiction,
by which traffic is ultimately directed to stop and proceed or for
the purposes of regulating, warning or guiding traffic.
The portion of the street or highway that is ordinarily used
by vehicle traffic. For purposes of this definition, "traveled portion"
shall be the distance of 10 feet measured from the center of the street
or highway toward the edge of said street or highway and 10 feet measured
from the center of the street or highway toward the edge of said street
or highway toward the opposite side of the street or highway.
A motor vehicle that is registered for over 12,000 pounds
gross weight.
Includes all kinds of conveyances on ways for persons and
for property, including special equipment, except those propelled
or drawn by human power or used exclusively on tracks or snowmobiles.
A.
This chapter shall apply to all persons who are engaged
in the operation of any vehicle upon the public ways within the jurisdiction
of the Town of Topsham, including the driver of any vehicle owned
or used in service of the United States government, state, county
or any city or town.
B.
Except when otherwise directed by a police officer,
the driver of any vehicle and every pedestrian shall obey the instructions
of any traffic control device, signals, sign or marker, installed
under this chapter or state law, and every such person shall obey
each and every provision of this chapter.
C.
The provisions of this chapter shall apply to authorized
emergency vehicles, except that the driver of any authorized emergency
vehicle, except when otherwise directed by a police officer, may:
(1)
Park or stand notwithstanding the provisions of this
chapter.
(2)
Proceed past a red or stop signal or stop sign, but
only after slowing down as may be necessary for safe operation.
(3)
Exceed the prima facie speed limit so long as he or
she does not endanger life or property.
(4)
Disregard regulations governing the direction of movement
or turning in specified directions so long as he or she does not endanger
life or property.
D.
The provisions regarding emergency vehicles shall
not protect the driver of any such vehicle from the consequences of
his or her reckless disregard of the safety of others.
E.
This chapter shall apply to all persons propelling
any pushcart, riding any animal upon a roadway or driving any animal-drawn
vehicle.
No provision of this chapter for which signs
are required may be enforced against an alleged violator if at the
time and place of the alleged violation an official sign is not in
proper position as sufficiently legible to be seen by an ordinary
observant individual. Whenever a particular section does not state
that signs are required, such section shall be effective without signs
being erected to give notice thereof.
A.
No person shall place, maintain or display upon or
in view of any street any unauthorized sign, signal, marking or device
which purports to be or is an imitation or resembles a traffic control
device or railroad sign or signal or which attempts to direct the
movement of traffic or which hides from view or interferes with effectiveness
of any traffic control device or any railroad sign or signal, and
no person shall maintain any traffic sign or signal bearing thereon
any commercial advertising. This shall not be deemed to prohibit the
erection upon private property adjacent to highways of signs giving
useful directional information and of a type that cannot be mistaken
for official signs.
B.
Every such prohibited sign, signal or marking is hereby
declared a public nuisance and the authority having jurisdiction over
the highway is hereby empowered to remove the same or cause it to
be removed without notice.
No person riding upon any bicycle, moped, coaster,
skateboard, roller skates, sled, toy vehicle, motorized bicycle or
motorized tricycle shall attach himself or herself to any moving vehicle
upon any roadway.
No person shall ride a bicycle, moped, coaster,
skateboard, roller skates, sled, motorized bicycle or motorized tricycle
on any sidewalk within the jurisdictional limits of the Town of Topsham.
A.
It shall be unlawful for any person when given notice
by any police officer to appear to answer for any offense against
any provision of this chapter to give other than his or her true name,
date of birth and true place of residence.
B.
Any person who violates any provisions of this section
shall, upon adjudication, be punished by a fine of not more than twenty-five
dollars ($25.).
A.
Any person riding a skateboard or roller skates on
any public way shall ride the same in a careful and prudent manner,
having due regard to the traffic and of any other conditions existing.
B.
Any police officer or other duly authorized law enforcement
officer within the Town of Topsham, when satisfied that a person over
the age of seventeen (17) years has ridden a skateboard or roller
skates in violation of any of the provisions of this section, may
enforce this section in accordance with 17-A M.R.S.A. § 505,
Obstructing Public Ways.
The Chief of Police, when satisfied that a juvenile under the age of seventeen 17 years has ridden a bicycle, moped, coaster, skateboard, roller skates, sled, toy vehicle, motorized bicycle or motorized tricycle in violation of any of the provisions of §§ 210-5, 210-6 and 210-8, may impound the bicycle, moped, coaster, skateboard, roller skates, sled, toy vehicle, motorized bicycle or motorized tricycle for a period not to exceed five (5) days for the first offense, for a period not to exceed ten (10) days for the second offense and for a period not to exceed thirty (30) days for any subsequent offense.
