For the purpose of this title, the following definitions shall apply unless the context indicates or requires a different meaning.
AUTHORIZED EMERGENCY VEHICLES. Vehicles of the Fire Department, police vehicles, ambulances and emergency vehicles of municipal departments, or public service corporations as are designated or authorized by the State Commissioner of Motor Vehicles.
BICYCLE. Every device propelled by human power, upon which any person may ride, and having 2 tandem wheels either of which is more than 20 inches in diameter.
BUSINESS DISTRICT. The territory contiguous to a street or highway when 50% or more of the frontage thereon, for a distance of 300 feet or more, is occupied by buildings in use for business.
COMMERCIAL VEHICLE. Every vehicle designed, maintained or used primarily for the transportation of property.
CONTROLLED ACCESS HIGHWAY. Every highway, street or roadway in respect to which owners or the occupants of abutting lands and other persons have no legal right of access to or from the same, except at the points only, and in the manner as may be determined, by the public authority having jurisdiction over the highway, street or roadway.
CROSSWALK. That part of a roadway at an intersection included within the connections of the lateral lines of the sidewalks on opposite sides of the highway, measured from the curbs, or in the absence of curbs, from the edges of the traversable roadway. The term CROSSWALK shall also include any portion of a roadway at an intersection or elsewhere distinctly indicated for pedestrian crossing by lines or other markings on the surface.
CURB. The extreme edge or lateral boundary of a roadway, whether marked by curbing or not so marked.
CURB LOADING ZONE. A space adjacent to a curb reserved for the exclusive use of vehicles during the loading or unloading of passengers or materials.
DOUBLE PARKING. The standing or stopping of a vehicle in the line of traffic, and:
(1) To the rear of a vehicle angle parked, or to the rear of a space where a vehicle may be parked at any angle to the curb or edge of the roadway; or
(2) To the roadway side of a vehicle parked parallel with the curb, or edge of the roadway or the roadway side of the space in which a vehicle may be parked parallel to the curb or edge of the roadway.
FARM TRACTOR. Every motor vehicle designed and used primarily as a farm implement for drawing plows, mowing machines and other implements of husbandry.
FREIGHT CURB LOADING ZONE. A space adjacent to a curb for the exclusive use of vehicles during the loading or unloading of freight or passengers.
INTERSECTION. The area embraced with the prolongation of the lateral curb lines, or if none, then of the lateral boundary lines of 2 or more highways which join 1 another at an angle, whether or not 1 highway crosses the other, but the area, in the case of the point where an alley and a street meet, shall not be deemed as an intersection.
LANED ROADWAY. A roadway which is divided into 2 or more clearly marked lanes for vehicular traffic.
MOTOR VEHICLE. Every vehicle which is self propelled.
MOTORCYCLE. Every motor vehicle designed to travel on not more than 3 wheels in contact with the ground, except any vehicle as may be included within the term TRACTOR as herein defined.
OFFICIAL TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES. All signs, signals, markings and devices not inconsistent with this section, placed or erected by authority of a public body or official having jurisdiction, for the purpose of regulating, warning or guiding traffic.
OPERATOR or DRIVER. Any person who drives, or is in actual physical control of a 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 the 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 the conditional vendee or lessee or mortgagor shall be deemed the OWNER for the purposes of this section.
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 CURB LOADING ZONE. A place adjacent to a curb reserved for the exclusive use of vehicles during the loading or unloading of passengers.
PEDESTRIAN. Any person afoot.
POLICE OFFICER. Every officer of the town 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 road or driveway not open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicular travel.
RAILROAD. A carrier of persons or property upon cars operated upon stationary rails.
RAILROAD TRAIN. A steam engine, electric or other motor, with or without cars coupled thereto, operated upon rails.
RESIDENCE DISTRICT. The territory contiguous to a street or highway not comprising a business district, when the frontage on the highway, for a distance of 300 feet or more, is mainly occupied by dwellings or by dwellings and buildings in use for business.
RIGHT-OF-WAY. The right of 1 vehicle or pedestrian to proceed in a lawful manner in preference to another vehicle or pedestrian approaching under the circumstances of direction, speed and proximity as to give rise to danger of collision unless 1 grants precedence to the other.
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 as a part of the weight of a vehicle or load so drawn.
ROADWAY. That portion of a street or highway improved, designed or ordinarily used for vehicular travel, exclusive of the berm or shoulder. In the event a street or highway includes 2 or more separate roadways, the term ROADWAY shall refer to any roadway separately, but not to all the roadways collectively.
SAFETY ZONE. The area or space officially set aside within a street or highway for the exclusive use of pedestrians and which is so plainly marked or indicated by proper signs as to be plainly visible at all times while set apart as a safety zone.
SIDEWALK. That portion of a street between the curblines, or the lateral lines of a roadway, and the adjacent property lines intended for the use of pedestrians.
STAND or STANDING. The halting of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, otherwise than 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 with the directions of a police officer or traffic control sign or signal.
STREET or HIGHWAY. The entire width between the boundary lines of every way publicly maintained when any part thereof is open to the use of the public as a matter of right for purposes of vehicular traffic.
THROUGH STREET OR HIGHWAY. Every street, highway or portion thereof on which vehicular 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 the through street or highway in obedience to either a stop sign or yield sign, when the signs are erected as provided in this section.
TRAFFIC. Pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles and other conveyances, either singly 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 alternately directed to stop and permitted to proceed.
VEHICLE. Every device in, upon or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a street or highway, excepting devices moved by human power or used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks.
(1992 Code, § 12-1-1) (Ord. 31, § 15-1, passed 10-1-1975; Am. Ord. passed 3-7-2018)