Barstow Municipal Code Ch. 10.12 Enforcement and Obedience

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 Vehicle Code chs. 10.04—10.64.

(Code 1969, § 10.12.010; Ord. No. 256, § 3, 1967)

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 pushbutton signal erected by order of the city engineer.

(Code 1969, § 10.12.020; Ord. No. 256, § 3.1, 1967)

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.

(Code 1969, § 10.12.030; Ord. No. 256, § 3.2, 1967)

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 of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle by chapters 10.04 through 10.56, except those provisions which by their very nature can have no application.

(Code 1969, § 10.12.040; Ord. No. 256, § 3.3, 1967)

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 10.04 through 10.64. 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 10.04 through 10.64, if done for the purpose of evading the provisions of chapters 10.04 through 10.64, constitutes interference or obstruction.

(Code 1969, § 10.12.050; Ord. No. 256, § 3.4, 1967)

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 chapters 10.04 through 10.64, except as otherwise permitted in Vehicle Code chapters 10.04 through 10.64.

(Code 1969, § 10.12.060; Ord. No. 256, § 3.5, 1967)

State Law reference— Similar provision, Vehicle Code § 21052.

(a) The provisions of chapters 10.04 through 10.64 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 State Vehicle Code in response to an emergency call.

(b) The foregoing exemptions shall not, however, relieve the operator of any vehicle from obligation to exercise due care for the safety of others or the consequences of his willful disregard of the safety of others.

(c) The provisions of chapters 10.04 through 10.64 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.

(Code 1969, § 10.12.070; Ord. No. 256, § 3.6, 1967)

(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 such accident, make a written report of the accident to the police department.

(b) This 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 the vehicle, and 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 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 24 hours after regaining ability to make such report.

(Code 1969, § 10.12.080; Ord. No. 256, § 3.7, 1967)