San Juan Capistrano Municipal Code Art. 2 Enforcement and Obedience

Peace officers are hereby authorized to direct all traffic by voice, hand, or other signal in conformance with all the laws, rules, and regulations administered by the City and other governmental agencies; provided, however, in the event of a fire or other emergency, or to expedite traffic, or to safeguard pedestrians, peace officers may direct traffic as conditions may require, notwithstanding any provision to the contrary set forth in this chapter or in the Vehicle Code.

(Ord. No. 295, § 2-1)

It shall be unlawful for any person to fail or refuse to comply with, or to perform any act forbidden by, any lawful order, signal, or direction of a peace officer, or a person authorized by a designated law enforcement agency, or by law.

(Ord. No. 295, § 2-3)

The provisions of this chapter shall apply to the operator of any vehicle owned by, or used in the service of, the United States Government, the State, or any county or city, and it shall be unlawful for any such operator to violate any provision of this chapter, except as otherwise permitted in this chapter or by the Vehicle Code.

(Ord. No. 295, § 2-6)

It shall be unlawful for any person to interfere with or obstruct in any way any peace officer or employee of the City in the enforcement of the provisions of this chapter. The removal, obliteration, or concealment of any chalk mark or other distinguishing mark used by any peace officer or other employee or officer of the City in connection with the enforcement of the parking regulations of this chapter, if done for the purposes of evading the provisions of this chapter, shall constitute such interference or obstruction.

(Ord. No. 295, § 2-5)

It shall be unlawful for any person, other than a peace officer, funeral director or his agent when directing a funeral procession, or a person authorized by law, to direct or attempt to direct traffic by voice, hand, or other signal; provided, however, persons may operate, when and as set forth in this chapter, any mechanical pushbutton signal erected by order of the Council.

(Ord. No. 295, § 2-2)

Every person riding a bicycle or driving an animal upon a street shall have all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle as set forth in this chapter, except those provisions which by their very nature can have no application.

(Ord. No. 295, § 2-4)

(a) Emergency vehicles. The provisions of this chapter regulating the operation, parking, and standing of vehicles shall not apply to any vehicle operated by law enforcement agencies, any public ambulance, any public utility vehicle, or any private ambulance, which public utility vehicle or private ambulance has qualified as an authorized emergency vehicle, when any such vehicle set forth in this section is operated in the manner set forth in the Vehicle Code in response to an emergency call.

(b) Construction, repair, and mail vehicles. The provisions of this chapter 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 to any vehicle owned or operated by the United States Post Office Department while in use for the collection, transportation, or delivery of the United States mail.

(c) Obligations to exercise care. The exemptions set forth in this section shall not relieve the operator of any vehicle set forth in this section from obligations to exercise due care for the safety of others or the consequences of his willful disregard of the safety of others.

(Ord. No. 295, §§ 2-7.01—2-7.03)

It shall be the duty of the City Manager’s designees to enforce the provisions of Article 3, relating to parking, Article 9, relating to overload vehicles, and Article 11, relating to temporary street closures, of this chapter.

(§ 1, Ord. 393)

The City Manager’s designees are hereby authorized to exercise the powers of arrest for violations of the provisions of Article 3, relating to parking, Article 9, relating to overload vehicles, and Article 11, relating to temporary street closures, of this chapter pursuant to the provisions of Section 836.5 of the Penal Code of the State.

(§ 2, Ord. 393)