Fresno Municipal Code Art. 8 Miscellaneous Driving Rules

No person shall attach himself with his hands, or to catch on, or hold on to with his hands or by other means, to any moving vehicle or train for the purpose of receiving motive power therefrom, except on vehicles specifically designed for such use.

(Orig. Ord. 3811; Rep. and Added Ord. 6130, 1962).

No person shall operate, drive, or leave any vehicle in, over, or upon private property without the express permission of the owner thereof.

(Rep. and Added Ord. 6130, 1962, based on former Sec. 10-809).

(a) Vehicles Prohibited. No person shall operate any motor vehicle, motorcycle, motor-driven cycle, minibike, or other vehicle or device by which any person or property may be propelled, moved, or drawn, excepting a vehicle or device moved by human power, along or upon the bank or any ditch or canal where such ditch or canal traverses or abuts upon real property which is subdivided for residential use.

(b) Exceptions. This section shall not apply to the following persons:

(1) Officers, employees, and permittees of the owner or operator of the ditch or canal.

(2) Public officers in the discharge of their duties.

(3) Rightful water users in connection with their operations.

(4) The owner of property on which any such ditch or canal is maintained in an easement, and his permittees, in the course of conducting business operations on the property.

(Added Ord. 70-28, 1970).

No person shall ride or operate any motorcycle or motor-driven cycle on any private property or public property within one-quarter of a mile of any school, hospital, convalescent home, or residence except on a regularly established public street or parking lot appurtenant to a structure on the property, or on a private road, or driveway. This section shall not apply to the use of property pursuant to a permit issued for such use by a governmental agency.

(Added Ord. 72-121, 1972).

No person shall ride, drive, propel, or cause to be propelled any vehicle or animal across or upon any sidewalk excepting over permanently constructed driveways and excepting when it is necessary for any temporary purpose to drive a loaded vehicle across a sidewalk; provided further, that said sidewalk area be substantially protected by wooden planks two inches thick, and written permission be previously obtained from the City Engineer. Such wooden planks shall not be permitted to remain upon such sidewalk area during the hours from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.

(Rep. and Added Ord. 6130, 1962, based on former Sec. 10-806).

No person shall ride or drive any animal or any vehicle over or across any newly made pavement or freshly painted markings in any street when a barrier sign, cone-marker or other warning device is in place warning persons not to drive over or across such pavement or marking, or when any such device is in place indicating that the street or any portion thereof is closed.

(Rep. and Added Ord. 6130, 1962, based on former Sec. 10-811).

No person shall drive a vehicle onto or from any limited access roadway except at such entrances and exits as are lawfully established.

(Rep. and Added Ord. 6130, 1962, based on former Sec. 10-807).

No person shall drive or operate any bicycle, motor driven cycle, or any vehicle which is not drawn by a motor vehicle upon any street established as a freeway, as defined by state law, nor shall any pedestrian walk across or along any such street so designated and described except in space set aside for the use of pedestrians, provided official signs are in place giving notice of such restrictions.

(Rep. and Added Ord. 6130, 1962, based on former Sec. 10-812).

No person, public utility, or department in the City Hall shall erect or place any barrier or sign on any street unless of a type approved by the City Traffic Engineer or disobey the instructions, remove, tamper with or destroy any barrier or sign lawfully placed on any street by any person, public utility, or by any department of this city.

(Rep. and Added Ord. 6130, 1962, based on former Sec. 10-810).

No operator of any vehicle shall enter an intersection or a marked crosswalk unless there is sufficient space on the other side of the intersection or crosswalk to accommodate the vehicle he is operating without obstructing the passage of other vehicles or pedestrians, notwithstanding any traffic control signal indication to proceed.

(Rep. and Added Ord. 6130, 1962, based on former Sec. 10-808).

(a) Bicycle Path. No person shall drive a vehicle upon any bicycle path except in an emergency.

(b) Bicycle Lane. No person shall drive a vehicle upon any bicycle lane except in an emergency or as follows:

(1) To enter or leave the street or highway.

(2) To prepare for a right turn within 200 feet of an intersection.

(3) To park where parking is permitted.

(4) Any vehicle and other equipment while actually engaged in street work pursuant to the provisions of Article 2 of Chapter 13 of this code.

(5) Any vehicle and other equipment owned or operated by any public agency or public utility while necessarily in use for construction, repair work, work upon the surface of a highway, or work of installation, removal, repairing or maintaining official traffic control devices.

(6) Any rubbish or garbage truck while actually engaged in the collection of rubbish or garbage.

(7) Any streetsweeper while actually engaged in sweeping a street.

(8) 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.

(Added Ord. 72-120, 1972; Am. Ord. 76-24, § 2, eff. 4-18-76; Am. Ord. 2025-061, § 3, eff. 1-30-26).

Editor's note— Ord. 2025-061, § 3, effective January 30, 2026, amended the title of § 14-811 to read as herein set out. The former § 14-811 title pertained to driving on bicycle route.

When necessary to make a right-hand turn on a roadway which has a bicycle lane to the right of the motor vehicle lane, the motorist must merge into the bicycle lane only within a distance of 200 feet from the intersection in accordance with Vehicle Code Section 21209, including any amendments or successor statutes thereto, and make his turn as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway in accordance with Vehicle Code Section 22100, including any amendments or successor statutes thereto.

(Added Ord. No. 76-24, § 3, eff. 4-18-76; Am. Ord. 2025-061, § 3, eff. 1-30-26).