CHAPTER 10.06
ENFORCEMENT AND OBEDIENCE TO TRAFFIC REGULATIONS
Section
10.06.010 Police and Fire Department officers’ authority
10.06.020 Persons other than official directing traffic prohibited
10.06.030 Obedience to authorized officers required
10.06.040 Applicability of provisions to bicycles and animals
10.06.050 Interference or obstruction with officers prohibited
10.06.060 Public employees required to obey regulations
10.06.070 Exemption from provisions of certain vehicles
10.06.080 Report of damage to public property or utilities
10.06.090 Vehicle removal from streets when
10.06.010 POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT OFFICERS’ AUTHORITY.
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 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 Chapters 10.02 through 10.32 of this title or Cal. Vehicle Code.
(Ord. 875, § 53, passed 8-25-2008)
10.06.020 PERSONS OTHER THAN OFFICIAL DIRECTING TRAFFIC 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.
(Ord. 451, § 3.1, passed -- 1974)
10.06.030 OBEDIENCE TO AUTHORIZED OFFICERS REQUIRED.
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. 451, § 3.2, passed -- 1974)
10.06.040 APPLICABILITY OF PROVISIONS TO BICYCLES AND ANIMALS.
Every person riding a bicycle or riding or driving an animal upon a highway has all of the rights and shall be subject to all the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle by Chapters 10.02 through 10.32, except those provisions which by their very nature can have no application.
(Ord. 451, § 3.3, passed -- 1974)
10.06.050 INTERFERENCE OR OBSTRUCTION WITH OFFICERS PROHIBITED.
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 Chapters 10.02 through 10.32. 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 Chapters 10.02 through 10.32 shall, if done for the purpose of evading the provisions of Chapters 10.02 through 10.32, constitute the interference or obstruction.
(Ord. 451, § 3.4, passed -- 1974)
10.06.060 PUBLIC EMPLOYEES REQUIRED TO OBEY REGULATIONS.
The provisions of Chapters 10.02 through 10.32 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 provision of Chapters 10.02 through 10.32, except as otherwise permitted in Chapters 10.02 through 10.32 of this title or by Cal. Vehicle Code.
(Ord. 451, § 3.5, passed -- 1974)
10.06.070 EXEMPTION FROM PROVISIONS OF CERTAIN VEHICLES.
A. The provisions of Chapters 10.02 through 10.32 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 Cal. 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 consequence of his or her willful disregard of the safety of others.
C. The provisions of Chapters 10.02 through 10.32 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. 451, § 3.6, passed -- 1974)
10.06.080 REPORT OF DAMAGE TO PUBLIC PROPERTY OR UTILITIES.
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 24 hours after the accident, make a written report of the accident to the Police Department of this City.
B. Every 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 the vehicle or animal, the license number of every such vehicle and shall briefly describe the property damage in the 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 the event he or she shall make a report as required in subdivision A within 24 hours after regaining ability to make the report.
(Ord. 451, § 3.7, passed -- 1974)
10.06.090 VEHICLE REMOVAL FROM STREETS WHEN.
Any regularly employed and salaried officer of the Police Department of this City may remove or cause to be removed:
A. Any vehicle including trailers, boats or boat trailers, that are left parked or left standing upon a street or highway for 72 or more consecutive hours. Any vehicle in violation of Chapters 10.02 through 10.32 shall be posted with a written notice placed under the windshield wiper or other obvious location on the vehicle, notifying the persons, as are interested in the vehicle, that the vehicle shall be removed upon the lapse of 120 hours from the time period so noted when tagged by the officer. See Fort Bragg Municipal Code § 10.20.270 for procedure;
B. Any vehicle which is parked or left standing upon a street or highway between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. when the parking or standing is prohibited by resolution of this City and signs are posted giving notice of the removal;
C. Any vehicle which is parked or left standing upon a street or highway where the use of the street or highway or a 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 the vehicle would prohibit or interfere with the use or movement; provided that signs giving notice that the vehicle may be removed are erected or placed at least 24 hours prior to the removal; and/or
D. Vehicles shall be removed to a licensed storage facility in accordance with Cal. Vehicle Code § 22850 whereupon the vehicles shall be disposed of in accordance with the laws of the state and the ordinances of the City regulating the disposal of abandoned vehicles.
(Ord. 451, § 3.8, passed -- 1974; Am. Ord. 823, § 2, passed -- 2000)