For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
ALLEY. Any narrow public passageway or street ordinarily located in the interior portion of platted blocks, having no legal or official name other than alley, as herein defined, and ordinarily open to traffic and used for service or delivery purposes to the rear of stores, dwellings or buildings.
ARTERIAL STREET. Any U.S. or state numbered route, controlled-access highway, or other major radial or circumferential street or highway designated by local authorities within their respective jurisdictions as part of a major arterial system of streets or highways.
AUTHORIZED EMERGENCY VEHICLE. A vehicle of the Fire Department, Police Department, or other law enforcement agencies, state and national, ambulances, and such other emergency vehicle of municipal departments or public service corporations as are authorized by the Chief of Police and all of which are equipped with sirens and with red lights displayed openly on the front when engaged in emergency runs.
BICYCLE. Every device propelled by human power upon which any person may ride, having two tandem wheels.
BOULEVARD or THROUGH STREET. Any street or highway or portion thereof designated by ordinances of the city which require vehicles to come to a full and complete stop before entering such street or highway from intersecting streets or highways.
BUS. Every motor vehicle designed for carrying more than ten passengers and used for the transportation of persons, and every motor vehicle, other than a taxicab, designed and used for the transportation of persons for compensation.
BUS LOADING ZONE. A place adjacent to a curb reserved for the exclusive use of vehicles during the loading or unloading of passengers.
BUSINESS DISTRICT. The territory contiguous to and including a highway when within any 600 feet along such highway there are buildings in use for business or industrial purposes, including, but not limited to hotels, banks, office buildings, railroad stations, or public buildings which occupy at least 300 feet of frontage on one side or 300 feet collectively on both sides of the highway.
CHAUFFEUR. Every person who is employed by another for the principal purpose of operating a motor vehicle and every person who operates a motor vehicle of one ton or more rated capacity that is required by law to have a commercial tag attached thereto, and every person who operates a school bus transporting school children to and from school.
COMMERCIAL CHAUFFEUR. Every person who operates a motor vehicle while in use as a common carrier of persons or property.
COMMERCIAL VEHICLES. Vehicles designed primarily for the transportation of persons or property for hire.
CROSSWALK. The part of a roadway at an intersection included within the connections of the lateral lines of the sidewalks on opposite sides of the roadway measured from the curbs, or in the absence of curbs, from the edges of the traversable roadway. Any portion of a roadway at an intersection or elsewhere distinctly indicated for pedestrian crossing by lines or other markings on the surface.
CURB LOADING ZONES. A space adjacent to a curb reserved for the exclusive use of vehicles during the loading or unloading of passengers, freight, or materials.
CURBS. The edge of a roadway marked or understood as such.
DAYTIME. One-half hour before sunrise until one-half hour after sunset. NIGHTTIME means any other time.
DOUBLE PARK. The standing or stopping of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, on the roadway.
DRIVER. Every person who drives or is in actual physical control of a vehicle.
EMERGENCY. A condition suddenly created, requiring immediate action for the preservation of public peace, health, or safety, and among other things, particularly means any fire, unusual storm, death, riot, or unusual traffic condition.
EXPLOSIVES. Any chemical compound, mixture, or device, including fireworks, the primary or common purpose of which is to function by explosion, for example, with substantially instantaneous release of gas and heat, unless such compound, mixture, or device is otherwise specifically classified by the Interstate Commerce Commission. The term EXPLOSIVES CLASSIFIED BY THE INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION includes, but is not limited to, dynamite, black powder, pellet powders, initiating explosives, blasting caps, electric blasting caps, safety fuses, fuse lighters, fuse igniters, squibs, cordeau detonant fuses, instantaneous fuses, igniter cords, igniters, and some special fireworks. COMMERCIAL EXPLOSIVES are those which are intended to be used in commercial or industrial operations.
FLAMMABLE LIQUID. Liquid which has a flash point of 70°F or less, as determined by a Tagliabue or equivalent closed-cup test device and having a vapor pressure not exceeding 40 psi at 100°F.
INTERSECTION.
(1) The area embraced within the prolongation or connection of the lateral curblines, or, if none, then the lateral boundary lines of the roadways of two highways which join one another at, or approximately at, right angles, or the area within which vehicles traveling upon different highways joining at any other angle may come in conflict; or
(2) Where a highway includes two roadways 30 feet or more apart, then every crossing of each roadway of such divided highway by an intersecting highway shall be regarded as a separate intersection. In the event such intersecting highway also includes two roadways 30 feet or more apart, then every crossing of two roadways of such highways shall be regarded as a separate
INTERSECTION.
LANED ROADWAY. A roadway which is divided into two or more clearly marked lanes for vehicular traffic.
LICENSE TO OPERATE A MOTOR VEHICLE. Any operator’s commercial chauffeur’s license or any other license or permit to operate a motor vehicle issued under the laws of this state, including:
(1) Any temporary license or instruction permit;
(2) The privilege of any person to drive a motor vehicle, whether or not such person holds a valid license; or
(3) Any nonresident’s operating privilege as defined herein.
METAL TIRE. Every tire, the surface of which in contact with the highway is wholly or partly of metal or other hard, nonresilient material.
MOTOR VEHICLE. Every vehicle which is self- propelled and every vehicle not operated upon rails.
MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT. Defined and classified as in Manual on Classification of Motor Vehicle Traffic Accidents prepared by the Committee on Uniform Traffic Accident Statistics, Traffic Conference and distributed by the National Safety Council.
MOTORCYCLE. Every motor vehicle having a seat or saddle for the use of the rider and designed to travel on not more than three wheels in contact with the ground, but excluding a tractor.
MOTOR-DRIVEN CYCLE. Every motorcycle, including every motor scooter or bicycle, equipped with a motor which produces not to exceed five brake horsepower at full throttle without a governor as determined by a dynamometer test and designed to travel on not more than three wheels in contact with the ground.
MUFFLER. A device designed for the use on a particular internal-combustion engine and properly affixed thereto for the purpose of reducing the exhaust noise of such engine to an unobjectionable level.
OFFICIAL TRAFFIC-CONTROL DEVICES. All signs, barricades, signals, markings, and devices not inconsistent with this chapter placed or erected by authority of a public body or official having jurisdiction for the purpose of regulating, warning, or guiding traffic which conforms to the latest edition of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways, published by the U.S. Department of Transportation, a copy of which is on file.
OPERATOR. Every person, other than a commercial chauffeur or chauffeur, who drives or is in actual physical control of a motor vehicle upon a highway or who is exercising control over or steering a vehicle being towed by a motor vehicle.
OWNER. A person who holds the legal title of a vehicle, or in the event a vehicle is the subject of an agreement for the conditional sale or lease thereof with a right of purchase upon performance of the conditions stated in the agreement and with an immediate right of possession vested in the conditional vendee or lessee, or in the event a mortgagor of a vehicle is entitled to possession, then such conditional vendee or lessee or mortgagor shall be deemed the owner.
PARK or PARKING. The standing of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, otherwise than temporarily for the purpose of and while actually engaged in loading or unloading merchandise or passengers.
PASSENGER. A rider in any vehicle other than the driver.
PEDESTRIAN. Any person afoot.
POLICE OFFICER. Every officer of the City Police Department or any officer authorized to direct or regulate traffic or to make arrests for violations of traffic regulations.
PRIVATE ROAD or DRIVEWAY. Every way or place in private ownership and used for vehicular travel by the owner and those having express or implied permission from the owner, but not by other persons.
RAILROAD. A carrier of persons or property upon cars, other than streetcars, operated upon stationary rails.
RAILROAD TRAIN. A steam engine, electric or other motor, with or without cars coupled thereto, operated upon rails, except streetcars.
REGISTRATION. The registration certificates and registration plates issued under the laws of this state pertaining to the registration of vehicles.
RESIDENCE DISTRICT. The territory contiguous to and including a highway not comprising a business district when the property on such highway for a distance of 300 feet or more is in the main improved with residences or residences and buildings in use for business.
REVOCATION OF DRIVER’S LICENSE. The termination by formal action of the Department of Public Safety of a person’s driver’s license or privilege to operate a motor vehicle on the public highways.
RIGHT-OF-WAY. The privilege of the immediate use of the roadway.
ROAD TRACTOR. Every motor vehicle designed and used for drawing other vehicles and not so constructed as to carry any load thereon either independently or any part of the weight of a vehicle or load so drawn.
ROADWAY. The portion of a highway improved, designed, or ordinarily used for vehicular traffic, exclusive of the shoulder. In the event a highway includes two or more separate roadways, the term ROADWAY as used herein, refers to any such roadway separately but not to all such roadways collectively.
SAFETY ZONE or ISLAND. An area or space officially set apart within a roadway for the exclusive use of pedestrians and which is protected at all times while set apart as a SAFETY ZONE or ISLAND.
SCHOOL BUS. Every motor vehicle owned by a public or governmental agency and operated for the transportation of children to or from school or privately owned and operated for compensation for the transportation of children to or from school. This definition shall not include buses normally used in city transit which may be used part-time for transportation of school children within the city during some portion of the day.
SEMI-TRAILER. Every vehicle with or without motive power other than a pole trailer, designed for carrying persons or property and for being drawn by a motor vehicle and so constructed that some part of its weight and that of its load rests or is carried by another vehicle.
SHOULDER. The portion of the roadway contiguous with the traveled way for accommodation of stopped vehicles, for emergency use and for lateral support of base and surface courses.
SIDEWALK. The portion of a street between the curblines, or the lateral lines of a roadway, and the adjacent property lines, intended for use of pedestrians.
SOLID TIRE. Every tire of rubber or other resilient material which does not depend upon compressed air for the support of the load.
STAND or STANDING. The halting of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, otherwise than temporarily for the purpose of and while actually engaged in receiving or discharging passengers.
STOP. When required, means complete cessation from movement.
STOP or STOPPING. When prohibited, means any halting, even momentarily, of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance of the directions of a police officer or signal.
STREET or HIGHWAY. All streets, highways, avenues, boulevards, parkways, roads, lanes, viaducts, bridges and the approaches thereto, alleys, courts, places, squares, curbs, sidewalks, recreation and park lands used for vehicular traffic, or other parkways or thoroughfares in this city over which it has jurisdiction, which have been or may hereafter be dedicated and open to public use, or such other public property so designated in any law of this state.
SUSPENSION OF DRIVER’S LICENSE. The temporary withdrawal by formal action of the Department of a person’s driver’s license or privilege to operate a motor vehicle on the public highways.
TAXICAB. A motor vehicle regularly engaged in the business of carrying passengers for hire and having a seating capacity of less than six persons and not operated on a fixed route.
THROUGH STREET OR HIGHWAY. Every street or highway or portion thereof on which vehicle traffic is given preferential right-of-way and at the entrances to which vehicular traffic from intersecting streets or highways is required by law to yield the right-of-way to vehicles on such through street or highway in obedience to either a stop sign or a yield sign, when such signs are erected as provided in this chapter.
TRAFFIC. Pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles, and other conveyances, either single or together, while using any highway for purposes of travel.
TRAFFIC-CONTROL SIGNAL. Any device, whether manually, electrically, or mechanically operated, by which traffic is alternatively directed to stop, proceed, or proceed with caution.
TRAFFIC LANE. The portion of the traveled way for the movement of a single line of vehicles.
TRAILER. Every vehicle with or without motive power, other than a pole trailer, designed for carrying persons or property and for being drawn by a motor vehicle and so constructed that no part of its weight rests upon the towing vehicle.
TRUCK. Every motor vehicle designed, used, or maintained primarily for the transportation of property.
U-TURN. Turning a vehicle around so as to proceed in the opposite direction.
URBAN DISTRICT. The territory contiguous to and including any street which is built up with structures devoted to business, industry, or dwelling houses situated at intervals of less than 100 feet for a distance of a quarter of a mile or more.
VEHICLE. Every device in, upon, or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a highway, except devices moved by human power or used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks.
YIELD. The yielding of the right-of-way to all vehicles or pedestrians approaching from the right or left intersecting street which are so close as to constitute an immediate hazard.
(Prior Code, § 70.002)