Chapter 10.12
ENFORCEMENT AND OBEDIENCE TO TRAFFIC REGULATIONS
Sections:
10.12.010 Traffic direction officials.
10.12.020 Traffic direction by unauthorized personnel prohibited.
10.12.030 Obedience to police or authorized officers.
10.12.040 Interference with authorized officers.
10.12.050 Public employees to obey traffic regulations.
10.12.060 Exemption of certain vehicles.
10.12.070 Report of damage to certain property.
10.12.080 Authority of police in crowds.
10.12.010 Traffic direction officials.
Officers of the police department and such officers as are assigned by the chief of police 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. (Ord. 79 § 1 (part), 1973: prior code § 9-300)
10.12.020 Traffic direction by unauthorized personnel prohibited.
No person other than an officer of the police department or members of the fire department or a person authorized by the chief of police 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 herein provided, any mechanical push-button signal erected by order of the city traffic engineer. (Ord. 79 § 1 (part), 1973: prior code § 9-301)
10.12.030 Obedience to police or authorized officers.
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 chief of police or by law. (Ord. 79 § 1 (part), 1973: prior code § 9-302)
10.12.040 Interference with authorized officers.
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 title, if done for the purpose of evading the provisions of this title, constitutes such interference or obstruction. (Ord. 79 § 1 (part), 1973: prior code § 9-303)
10.12.050 Public employees to obey traffic regulations.
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. (Ord. 79 § 1 (part), 1973: prior code § 9-304)
10.12.060 Exemption of certain vehicles.
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 departments, 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.
The foregoing exemptions shall not, however, relieve the operator of any such vehicle from the obligation to exercise due care for the safety of others or from the consequences of his willful disregard of the safety of others.
B. 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. (Ord. 79 § 1 (part), 1973: prior code § 9-305)
10.12.070 Report of damage to certain property.
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 is physically incapable of making a report, but in such event he shall make a report as required in subsection A of this section within twenty-four hours after regaining the ability to make such report. (Ord. 79 § 1 (part), 1973: prior code § 9-306)
10.12.080 Authority of police in crowds.
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 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. (Ord. 79 § 1 (part), 1973: prior code § 9-307)