Except as otherwise provided, whenever in this
chapter the following terms are used, they shall have the meanings
respectively ascribed to them in this section:
Vehicles of the Fire Department, police vehicles and ambulances.
That portion of a roadway ordinarily included within the
prolongation of curb and property lines at intersections, or any other
portion of a roadway clearly indicated for pedestrian crossing by
lines or other markings on the surface.
Every road or way not open to the use of the public for purposes
of vehicular travel.
The area embraced within the prolongation of the lateral
curblines or, if none, then the lateral boundary lines, of two or
more streets or highways which join one another at an angle, whether
or not one such street or highway crosses the other.
All signs, markings and devices not inconsistent with this
chapter placed or erected by authority of a public body or official
having jurisdiction for the purpose of guiding, directing, warning
or regulating traffic.
Any person who operates a vehicle.
Any person, legal entity, other than a lienholder, having
title to a vehicle.
The standing of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, attended
or unattended, upon a street, otherwise than temporarily for the purpose
of and while expeditiously taking on or leaving passengers or loading
or unloading merchandise then in readiness for immediate loading or
delivery, or otherwise than in obedience to traffic regulations or
traffic signs or signals.
The privilege of the immediate use of the street or highway.
That portion of a street or highway between the regularly
established curblines or that part devoted to vehicular traffic.
Complete cessation of movement. When prohibited, it shall
not be construed to include bringing a vehicle to a standstill in
case of emergency or for no longer time than is necessary to take
on or leave passengers.
Every way set apart for public travel, except footpaths.
Every automobile, motorcar or other power-driven vehicle
which shall be set up, used or driven upon the public highways in
the Town for the conveyance of persons for hire shall be deemed a
taxicab.
Pedestrians, ridden animals, herded animals, vehicles and
other conveyances, either singly or together, while using any street
for purposes of travel.
Every device or means in, upon or by which any person or
property is or may be transported or drawn upon a public highway,
except carriages propelled by hand for the conveyance of children.
Unless another penalty is specifically prescribed
by statute or elsewhere in this Code, every person violating any of
the provisions of any ordinance of the Town relating to traffic shall
be liable to pay a fine of $20 for each such offense.
It shall be the duty of the Police Department
of the Town to enforce the provisions of this chapter.
Officers of the Police Department are hereby
authorized to direct all traffic either in person or by means of visible
or audible signal in conformance with the provisions of this chapter,
provided that, in the event of a fire or other emergency or to expedite
traffic or safeguard pedestrians, officers of the Police Department
may temporarily direct traffic as conditions may require, notwithstanding
the provisions of this chapter.
It shall be unlawful for any person to refuse
or fail to comply with any order, signal or direction of a police
officer, either in uniform or displaying any official police badge.
The provisions of this chapter shall apply to
the operator of any vehicle owned by or used in the service of the
United States government, this state or the Town, and it shall be
unlawful for any such operator to violate any of the provisions of
this chapter, except as otherwise permitted in this chapter.
The provisions of this chapter regulating the
movement, parking and standing of vehicles shall not apply to authorized
emergency vehicles while the driver of such vehicle is operating the
vehicle in an emergency in the necessary performance of public duties.
This exemption shall not, however, protect the driver of any such
vehicle from the consequence of a reckless disregard of the safety
of others.
No provisions of this chapter for which signs
are specifically required shall be enforceable against an alleged
violator, if at the time and place of the alleged violation the sign
required by this chapter is not in proper position and sufficiently
legible to be seen by an ordinarily observant person. Whenever a particular
section does not state that signs are required, such section shall
be effective without signs being erected to give notice thereof.
It shall be unlawful for an operator of any
vehicle to disobey the instructions of any official traffic sign or
signal placed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, unless
otherwise directed by a police officer.
The Town Council shall determine and designate
the character or type of all official traffic signs and signals. The
Chief of Police is hereby authorized, and as to signs and signals
required pursuant to this chapter, it shall be his duty, to place
and maintain or cause to be placed and maintained all official traffic
signs and signals. All signs and signals required pursuant to this
chapter for a particular purpose shall be, insofar as practicable,
uniform throughout the Town.
It shall be unlawful for any person to place
or maintain or to display upon or in view of any street any unofficial
sign or device which purports to be or is an imitation of or resembles
an official traffic sign or which attempts to direct the movement
of traffic, other than signs denoting construction or obstructions
in the street, or which hides from view any official traffic signs.
Every such prohibited sign or device is hereby declared to be a public
nuisance, and the Chief of Police is hereby empowered to remove such
sign or device or cause it to be removed without notice.
It shall be unlawful for any unauthorized person
to willfully deface, injure, move, obstruct or interfere with any
official traffic sign or signal.
The Director of Public Works is hereby authorized
to establish and to designate and shall thereafter maintain or cause
to be maintained, by appropriate devices, marks or lines upon the
surface of the roadway, crosswalks at intersections where in his opinion
there is particular danger to pedestrians crossing the roadway, and
at such other places as he may deem necessary.
A.
No person shall ride a bicycle or velocipede on any
footpath or sidewalk in the Town.
B.
Every person riding a bicycle or velocipede upon any
street in the Town shall, during the day, carry a whistle or bell
and, after dark, in addition to a whistle or bell, a light with which
to warn foot passengers.
In any prosecution or proceeding under this
chapter, the registration plate displayed on the motor vehicle shall
constitute prima facie evidence that the owner of such vehicle was
responsible for such violation.
