Hemet Municipal Code Art. I In General

The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this chapter, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

Alley means a public highway which does not exceed 30 feet in width between property lines.

Bicycle parking zone means that space exclusively reserved for the parking of bicycles.

Junior traffic patrol means a pupil attending a school located within the city who has been designated by the principal of the school which he attends or by the director of a junior traffic patrol to control schoolchildren while crossing streets in the city at designated intersections, and who, while on duty, wears an insignia indicating his authority.

Loading zone means that space adjacent to a curb reserved for the exclusive use of vehicles during the loading or unloading of passengers or materials.

Official time standard. Whenever certain hours are named in this chapter, they shall mean standard time or daylight saving time, as may be in current use in the city.

Park means the standing of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, other than temporarily for a period of less than 30 seconds for the purpose of and while actually engaged in loading or unloading passengers or materials.

Parkway means that portion of a street other than a roadway or a sidewalk.

Passenger loading zone means the space adjacent to a curb reserved for the exclusive use of vehicles during the loading or unloading of passengers.

Pedestrian means any person afoot.

Police officer means every sworn member of the police department or police reserve, or any employee of the city authorized by the chief of police to direct or regulate traffic or to make arrests for violations of traffic regulations.

Stop, when required, means complete cessation of movement.

Stop or stand, when prohibited, means any stopping or standing of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with the directions of a police officer or official traffic control device.

Taxistand means any public place alongside the curb of a street or elsewhere in the city which has been designated as reserved exclusively for the use of taxicabs.

Traffic means pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles and other conveyances, either singly or together, while using any street for the purpose of travel.

Traffic control devices means all signs, signals, markings and devices not inconsistent with this chapter, placed or erected under this chapter as authorized by the Vehicle Code of the state or by the authority of this chapter.

Traffic lane means that portion of any roadway, either marked or unmarked, being not less than 8½ feet in width.

Vehicle Code definitions. In addition to the definitions set forth in this section, all definitions of words and phrases set forth in the Vehicle Code of the state are incorporated in this chapter as though set forth in full in this chapter.

(Ord. No. 357; Code 1984, § 11001)

Cross reference— Definitions and rules of construction generally, § 1-2.

(a) It shall be the duty of the members of the police department, or such other persons as are assigned by the chief of police, to enforce all street traffic laws of the city and all of the state vehicle laws applicable to street traffic in the city.

(b) Members of the police department or such officers as are assigned by the chief of police are authorized to direct all traffic by voice, hand or signal in conformance with traffic laws; provided that, in the event of fire or other emergency or to expedite traffic or to safeguard pedestrians, members of the police department may direct traffic as conditions may require, notwithstanding the provisions of the traffic laws.

(Ord. No. 357; Ord. No. 481; Code 1984, § 11002)

Members of the fire department, when at the scene of a fire, may direct or assist the police in directing traffic thereat or in the immediate vicinity.

(Ord. No. 357; Code 1984, § 11003)

No person other than members of the police department or a person assigned by the chief of police or 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 provided in this chapter, any mechanical pushbutton signal that may be erected.

(Ord. No. 357; Code 1984, § 11004)

(a) The provisions of this chapter regulating the operation, parking and standing of vehicles shall not apply to any vehicle of 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 in the Vehicle Code of the state in response to an emergency call.

(b) The exemptions set out in subsection (a) of this section shall not, however, protect the driver of any such vehicle from the consequences of his willful disregard of the safety of others.

(Ord. No. 357; Code 1984, § 11005)

The provisions of this chapter shall apply to the driver of any vehicle owned by or used in the service of the United States government, this state, or any county or city, and it shall be unlawful for any such driver to violate any of the provisions of this chapter, except as otherwise permitted in this chapter or by state statute.

(Ord. No. 357; Code 1984, § 11006)