Turlock Municipal Code Art. 2 Enforcement And Obedience To Traffic Regulations

Police officers and such officers as are assigned by the Police Chief are hereby authorized to direct all traffic by voice, hand, audible or other signal in conformance with traffic laws, except that in the event of a fire or other emergency or to expedite traffic or to safeguard pedestrians, police officers or members of the Fire Department may direct traffic or remove vehicles as conditions may require, notwithstanding the provisions to the contrary contained in this chapter or the Vehicle Code.

No person, other than a police officer or member of the Fire Department or a person authorized by the Police Chief or 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 push button signal erected by order of the Traffic Engineer.

No person shall fail or refuse to comply with or perform any act forbidden by any lawful order, signal, or direction of a police officer, or a member of the Fire Department, or a person authorized by the Police Chief or by law. The civil penalty for violation of this section shall be Fifty and no/100ths ($50.00) Dollars.

(820-CS, Amended, 06/22/1993)

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

No person shall interfere with or obstruct in any way any police officer or other 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 police officer or other employee or officer of the City in connection with the enforcement of the parking regulations of this chapter shall, if done for the purpose of evading the provisions of this chapter, constitute such interference or obstruction. The civil penalty for violation of this section shall be Twenty-Five and no/100ths ($25.00) Dollars.

(820-CS, Amended, 06/22/1993)

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 of the provisions of this chapter except as otherwise permitted in this chapter or by the Vehicle Code.

(a) The provisions of this chapter regulating the operation, parking, and standing of vehicles shall not apply to vehicles operated by the Police or Fire Department, any public ambulance, any public utility vehicle or any private ambulance which public utility vehicle or private ambulance as 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 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 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 United States mail.

(a) The operator 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, parking meter, barrier, lighting post, telephone pole, or electric light or power pole, or resulting in damage to any tree, traffic control device, or other property of a like nature located in or along any street, within twenty-four (24) hours after such accident, shall make a written report of such accident to the Police Department.

(b) Every such report shall state the time and the place the accident took place, the name and address of the person owning such vehicle or animal, the name and address of the person operating or in charge of such vehicle or animal, and the license number of every such vehicle and shall briefly describe how the accident took place and the property damaged in such accident.

(c) The operator of any vehicle involved in an accident shall not be subject to the requirements of this section if, and during the time, he is physically incapable of making a report, but in such event he shall make the report required within twenty-four (24) hours after regaining the ability to make such report.

Any officer of the Police Department may remove or cause to be removed:

(a) Any vehicle which 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 where such parking or standing is prohibited;

(c) Any vehicle which is parked or left standing upon a street or highway where the use of such street or highway, or any 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, however, signs giving notice that parking is prohibited and that such vehicle may be removed shall be erected or placed at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to the removal; and

(d) Any officer of the Police Department or Fire Department may remove, or cause to be removed, any vehicle parked in a fire lane in violation of Section 4-7-1015 of Article 10 of this chapter or the Uniform Fire Code.