San Rafael Municipal Code Ch. 5.12 Enforcement and Obedience to Traffic Regulations

(a) It shall be the duty of the officers of the police department or such officers 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) Officers 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 other 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, officers of the police department may direct traffic as conditions may require, notwithstanding the provisions of the traffic laws.

(c) Officers of the fire department, when at the scene of a fire or when in the course of their duties they are protecting the personnel or equipment of the fire department, may direct or assist the police in directing traffic.

(d) To the extent permitted by law, such department of management services employees as have been assigned to the enforcement of parking laws and regulations, shall have the power and authority to enforce all city and state parking laws and regulations within the City.

(Ord. 1781 § 1, 2002; Ord. 670).

It is an infraction for any person to do any act forbidden or fail to perform any act required by Sections 5.12.050 and 5.56.010, and by Chapters 5.16, 5.20, 5.28, 5.32, 5.34, 5.36, 5.40, 5.44, 5.48, and 5.60. It is a misdemeanor for any person to do any act forbidden or fail to perform any act required by any other provisions of this title.

(Ord. 1475 § 2, 1984: Ord. 1231 § 2, 1976: Ord. 670).

No person shall willfully fail or refuse to comply with any lawful order of a police officer, fire department official, or department of management services employee assigned to the enforcement of parking laws and regulations, when directing traffic.

(Ord. 1781 § 2, 2002: Ord. 670).

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

(Ord. 670).

No person other than an officer of the police department, a person deputized by the chief of police, a department of management services employee assigned to the enforcement of parking laws and regulations, or such other 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 traffic engineer.

(Ord. 1781 § 3, 2002: Ord. 670).

The provisions of this title 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 said driver to violate any of the provisions of this title except as otherwise permitted in this title or by the Vehicle Code.

(Ord. 670).

(a) The provisions of this title 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 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.

(c) The provisions of this title 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 by the United States while in use for the collection, transportation or delivery of United States mail.

(Ord. 670).

(a) The driver 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, ornamental lighting post, telephone pole, electric light or power pole, or resulting in damage to any ornamental shade tree, traffic control device or other property of a like nature located in or along any street, shall within twenty-four (24) hours after such accident make a written report of such accident to the police department of the City of San Rafael.

(b) Every such 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 driving or in charge of such vehicle or animal, the license number of every such vehicle, and shall briefly describe the property damage in such accident.

(c) A driver involved in an accident shall not be subject to the requirements or penalties of this section if and during the time such driver is physically incapable of making a report, but in such event said driver shall make a report as required in subdivision (a) within twenty-four (24) hours after regaining ability to make such report.

(Ord. 670).

Any regularly employed and salaried officer of the police department, or any department of management services employee assigned to the enforcement of parking laws and regulations, may remove or cause to be removed:

(a) Any vehicle that has been parked or left standing upon a street or highway for seventy-two (72) or more consecutive hours.

(b) Any vehicle which is parked or left standing upon a street or highway for longer than the posted parking time limit, where signs are posted giving notice of such removal.

(c) Any vehicle which is parked or left standing upon a street or highway where the use of such street or highway or a portion thereof is necessary for the cleaning, repair or construction of the street or highway or for the installation of underground utilities or where the use of the street or highway or any portion thereof is authorized for a purpose other than the normal flow of traffic or where the use of the street or highway or any portion thereof is necessary for the movement of equipment, articles or structures of unusual size, and the parking of such vehicle would prohibit or interfere with such use or movement; provided, that signs giving notice that such vehicle may be removed are erected or placed at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to the removal.

(Ord. 1781 § 4, 2002; Ord. 835 § 1, December 20, 1965).

(Ord. No. 1953, div. 2, 2-5-2018)