Mountain View Municipal Code Art. II Enforcement and Obedience to Traffic Regulations

It shall be a misdemeanor for any person to do any act, forbidden, or fail to perform any act required in this chapter.

(Ord. No. 175.587, 1/25/60.)

a. It shall be the duty of the members of the police department or such persons as are assigned by the chief of police to enforce all street traffic laws of this 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 hereby authorized to direct all traffic by voice, hand, or signal in conformance with traffic laws, provided that in the event of a 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.

c. 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.

d. At places where large numbers of people and vehicles are to gather or have gathered, nothing in this chapter 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 such police officer shall have authority to direct the parking of vehicles in any reasonable manner, way or direction, and it is hereby declared to be unlawful for any person to fail to promptly obey such police officer's order, signal or command, regardless of any other provision of this chapter.

(Ord. No. 175.587, 1/25/60; Ord. No. 175.644, 1/30/61.)

a. The authority for management of the scene of a hazardous substance spill or disaster on local streets and roads, other than freeways, shall be vested in the fire department. The Department of the California Highway Patrol (CHP) shall be responsible for the management of the scene of an on-highway hazardous substance spill or disaster on all highways where the CHP has primary traffic investigative authority.

b. For purposes of this section, "management of the scene of an on-highway hazardous substance spill or disaster" means coordination of operations which occur at the location of a hazardous substance spill or disaster. This coordinating function does not include how the specialized functions provided by the various other responding agencies are to be performed. The agency managing the scene of an on-highway hazardous spill or disaster shall consult with other response agencies at the scene to ensure that all appropriate resources are properly utilized. The agency managing the scene of an on-highway hazardous spill or disaster shall perform its coordinating function in a manner designed to minimize the risk of death or injury to other persons.

(Ord. No. 18.92, 6/30/92.)

No person shall wilfully fail or refuse to comply with any lawful order of a police officer or fire department official when directing traffic.

(Ord. No. 175.587, 1/25/60.)

* For state law as to obedience to police, see Veh. C. A., Sec. 2800.

No person other than a member of the police department or a person assigned 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. No. 175.587, 1/25/60.)

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, any county or city, and it shall be unlawful for any driver to violate any of the provisions of this chapter except as otherwise permitted by state statute.

(Ord. No. 175.587, 1/25/60.)

* For state law as to applicability of traffic laws to operators in course of public employment, see Veh. C. A., Sec. 21052 to 21054.

a. The provisions of this chapter regulating the operating, parking and standing of vehicles shall not apply to any vehicle of the police department or fire department, any public ambulance, or any public utility vehicle, or any private ambulance, which public utility 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 in response to an emergency call.

b. The foregoing exemptions shall not, however, protect the driver of any such vehicle from the consequences of his willful disregard of the safety of others.

(Ord. No. 175.587, 1/25/60.)

* For state law as to authorized emergency vehicles, see Veh. C. A., Sec. 21055, 21056. As to ambulances generally, see Chapter 4 of this Code. As to inspection of vehicles used as ambulances, see Sec. 4.8.