Taft Municipal Code Ch. 7 Vehicle Regulations

No driver of a vehicle shall make a right turn against a red or stop signal at any intersection which is sign posted giving notice of such restriction. (Ord. 651-97, 2-18-1997)

The driver of a vehicle emerging from an alley, driveway or building shall stop such vehicle immediately prior to driving onto a sidewalk or into the sidewalk area extending across any alleyway or driveway. (Ord. 651-97, 2-18-1997)

A driver approaching a yield sign may proceed across the intersection, providing no traffic is approaching on the cross street close enough to constitute a hazard. (Ord. 651-97, 2-18-1997)

No operator of any vehicle shall enter any 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. (Ord. 651-97, 2-18-1997)

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 is substantially protected by wooden planks two inches (2") thick, and written permission is previously obtained from the city engineer. Such wooden planks shall not be permitted to remain upon such sidewalk area during the hours from six o'clock (6:00) P.M. to six o'clock (6:00) A.M. (Ord. 651-97, 2-18-1997)

No operator of any vehicle shall drive between the vehicles comprising a funeral procession or a parade, provided that such vehicles are conspicuously so designated. The directing of all vehicles and traffic on any street over which such funeral procession or parade wishes to pass shall be subject to the orders of the police department. (Ord. 651-97, 2-18-1997)

No person shall attach himself with his hands, or 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. (Ord. 651-97, 2-18-1997)

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. (Ord. 651-97, 2-18-1997)

No person, public utility or department in the City shall erect or place any barrier or sign on any street unless of a type approved by the City 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 the City. (Ord. 651-97, 2-18-1997)

No person shall drive a vehicle onto or from any limited access roadway except at such entrances and exits as are lawfully established. (Ord. 651-97, 2-18-1997)

(A) No person shall operate any of the following vehicles in the Central Traffic District between the hours of seven o'clock (7:00) A.M. and six o'clock (6:00) P.M. of any day:

1. Any freight vehicle more than eight and one-half feet (81/2') in width, with load, or any freight vehicle so loaded that any part of its load extends more than twenty feet (20') to the front or rear of said vehicle;

2. Any vehicle carrying building material that has not been loaded, or is not to be unloaded, for some point within the Central Traffic District;

(B) Provided that the City Engineer may by written permit charged in the Master Fee Schedule authorize the operation of any such vehicle for the purpose of making necessary emergency deliveries to or from points within the Central Traffic District. (Ord. 651-97, 2-18-1997)

No person shall operate or drive any vehicle used for advertising purposes or any advertising vehicle equipped with a sound- amplifying or loudspeaking device upon any street or alley within the Central Traffic District without a permit listed in the Master Fee Schedule from the City Engineer. (Ord. 651-97, 2-18-1997)

(A) Prohibited: Except as excluded herein, no person shall drive any self-propelled motor vehicle on any public property within the City unless such property has been improved or designated for the specific purpose of providing for the passage or parking of self-propelled motor vehicles.

"Public property" as used in this Section means any property owned by the United States of America, the State, the County, or the City or of any department or division thereof.

(B) Exceptions: The provisions of this Section do not apply to any vehicle owned by any governmental agency or of any public utility corporation when such vehicle is being used to carry out the regular duties of such agency or utility, and do not apply to golf carts when being used on a public golf course. (Ord. 651-97, 2-18-1997)

(A) The provisions of this Title regulating the operation, parking and standing of vehicles shall not apply to vehicles operated by 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 by the Vehicle Code in response to an emergency call.

(B) The foregoing exemptions shall not, however, relieve the operator of any such vehicle from obligation to exercise due care for the safety of others or the consequences of his wilful 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 or operated by the United States post office department while in use for the collection, transportation or delivery of United States mail. (Ord. 651-97, 2-18-1997)

No person shall operate or drive a motor vehicle, motorcycle, minibike, trail bike, dune buggy, motor scooter, jeep or other form of powered transportation upon any public property which is not held open to the public for vehicular use and which is not subject to the provisions of the Vehicle Code except for emergency vehicles, the vehicles of governmental agencies and public utilities and the vehicles of persons holding a written permit from the city manager or his designated representative. Such permits will be specific in identifying approved dates and hours of operation within the authorized period to include an exact expiration date. The permit will also contain any additional instructions deemed appropriate for the property or area being authorized by the city manager. (Ord. 651-97, 2-18-1997)

No person shall operate or drive a motor vehicle, motorcycle, minibike, trail bike, dune buggy, motor scooter, jeep or other form of powered transportation upon the private property of another which is not held open to the public for vehicular use, and which is not subject to the provisions of the Vehicle Code except for emergency vehicles, the vehicles of governmental agencies or public utilities and to persons or vehicles driving upon such property without the written consent of the owner or person in lawful possession of such property. Such written consent shall be displayed upon request of a peace officer and shall contain as a minimum: the name and address of person to whom permit is issued; any restrictions as to days or hours of operation; designation of a definite expiration date, which will be automatically six (6) months from date of issue if none is so designated; and signature of property owner or person in lawful possession of such property. (Ord. 651-97, 2-18-1997)

No person shall operate or drive a motor vehicle, motorcycle, minibike, trail bike, dune buggy, motor scooter, jeep or other form of powered transportation upon any vacant lot, parking lot, vacant property or acreage within the city unless such vehicle is at all times equipped with an adequate spark arrester(s) and muffler(s) in constant operation and properly maintained so as to meet the requirements of the Vehicle Code (section 38280) of the state, as the same now exists or may hereafter be amended, and no muffler(s) or exhaust system(s) shall be equipped with a cutout, bypass, or similar device. (Ord. 651-97, 2-18-1997)

No person shall operate or drive a motor vehicle, motorcycle, minibike, trail bike, dune buggy, motor scooter, jeep or other form of powered transportation in such a manner as to disturb the peace and quiet of any neighborhood or person by noise, dust, smoke, fumes or other cause arising out of the operation of such vehicle. (Ord. 651-97, 2-18-1997)

The city may, by ordinance or resolution, designate alleys, streets, or portions thereof, where angle parking is permitted. No such designation shall be effective until such time as parking space markings are installed pursuant to section 9-3-11 of this title. (Ord. 651-97, 2-18-1997)

(A) There are established through traffic routes for the movement of vehicles having a manufacturer's gross vehicle rating of eleven thousand five hundred (11,500) pounds or more designed for carrying merchandise, freight or material, as follows:

"A" Street

Highway 33

Highway 119

Sixth Street

10th Street

(B) Points of beginning and of termination of the above named vehicle routes are descriptive only and not indicative of direction of travel.

(C) When such truck routes are designated by appropriate signs, the operator of any vehicle having a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating of eleven thousand five hundred (11,500) pounds or over shall drive on such routes and none other, except when necessary to traverse another street or streets to destinations for the purpose of loading or unloading merchandise, freight or materials, but then only by such deviation from the nearest truck route as is reasonably necessary. The operator or owner of any such vehicle shall not park or permit such vehicle to be parked along any street within the city, including designated truck routes, except when necessary to park for the purpose of loading or unloading merchandise, freight or materials, and then only to the extent such parking is reasonably necessary.

(D) This section shall have no application to any vehicle which is subject to sections 1031 to 1036, inclusive, of the Public Utilities Code of the state; or to vehicles operated by the federal government or the state, or any agency, department, political subdivision or municipal corporation thereof; or to vehicles of a public utility while necessarily in use in the construction, installation or repair of any public utility.

(E) The provisions of this section shall not be effective with respect to recreational vehicles or any recreational trailers accessing or leaving places of residence. (Ord. 706-03, 8-19-2003)