For the purpose of this title, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
AMBULANCE. Vehicles equipped for transporting wounded, injured or sick persons.
AUTHORIZED EMERGENCY VEHICLE. Vehicles of the Fire Department, police vehicles and ambulances, as defined above, designated or authorized by the Chief of Police.
BLOCK. The length of that portion of any street which is located between two adjacent street intersections.
BUSINESS DISTRICT. The territory contiguous to East Main Street, U.S. Highway 301, and the north side of Mill Branch Road from U.S. Highway 301 to Taylor Drive and Lucas Street when 50% or more of frontage thereon for a distance of 300 feet or more is occupied by buildings which are in use for business purposes.
CROSSWALK. The portion of a roadway which lies between the prolongations of the lateral sidewalk or boundary lines over an intersection. Any portion of a roadway distinctly indicated for pedestrian crossing by lines or other markings on the surface.
DRIVER or OPERATOR. The operator of a vehicle. OPERATOR shall mean any person in actual physical control of a vehicle which is in motion or which has the engine running. The terms DRIVER and OPERATOR are synonymous.
HIGHWAY or STREET. The entire width between property or right-of-way lines of every way or place of whatever nature, when any part thereof is open to the use of the public as a matter of right for the purposes of vehicular traffic. The terms HIGHWAY and STREET are synonymous.
HOUSE TRAILER. Any trailer or semi-trailer, as defined below, designed and equipped to provide living and sleeping facilities and drawn by a motor vehicle.
INTERSECTION. The area embraced within the prolongation of the lateral curb lines or, if none, then the lateral edge of the roadway lines of two or more highways which join one another at any angle, whether or not one such highway crosses the other. Where a highway includes two roadways 30 feet or more apart, then every crossing of each roadway of such a divided highway by an intersecting highway shall be regarded as a separate intersection. In the event that such an 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.
MOPED. Vehicles having two or three wheels and operable pedals and equipped with a motor which does not exceed 50 cubic centimeters piston displacement and cannot propel the vehicle at a speed greater than 20 mph on a level surface.
MOTOR VEHICLE.
(1) Every vehicle which is self-propelled and every vehicle designed to run upon the highways which is pulled by a self-propelled vehicle.
(2) This shall not include mopeds, as defined above.
MOTORCYCLES. Vehicles having a saddle for the use of the rider and designed to travel on not more than three wheels in contact with the ground, including motor scooters and motor-driven bicycles, but excluding tractors and utility vehicles equipped with an additional form of device designed to transport property, three-wheeled vehicles while being used by law-enforcement agencies and mopeds, as defined above.
OFFICIAL TIME STANDARD. Whenever certain hours are named in this title, they shall mean standard time or daylight saving time as may be in current use in the town.
OFFICIAL TRAFFIC-CONTROL DEVICES. All signs, signals, markings and devices not inconsistent with this title, placed or erected by authority of the Board of Commissioners or an official having jurisdiction for the purpose of regulating, warning or guiding traffic.
OFFICIAL TRAFFIC SIGNALS. Any device, whether manually or automatically operated, by which traffic is alternately directed to stop and to proceed.
OPERATOR. See DRIVER.
OWNER. A person holding the legal title to a vehicle. However, in the event a vehicle is the subject of a chattel mortgage or an agreement for the conditional sale or lease thereof or other like agreement, with the right of purchase upon performance of the conditions stated in the agreement and with the immediate right of possession vested in the mortgagor, conditional vendee or lessee, the mortgagor, conditional vendee or lessee shall be deemed the OWNER for the purpose of this title. For the purposes of this title, the lessee of a vehicle owned by the government of the United States shall be considered the OWNER of that vehicle.
PARK. The standing of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, other than temporarily for the purpose of loading or unloading.
PEDESTRIAN. Any person afoot.
PERSON. Every individual, firm, partnership, association, corporation, governmental agency or combination thereof of whatever form or character.
POLICE OFFICER. Every officer of the Police Department or any officer authorized to direct 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 as a matter of right for the purpose of vehicular traffic.
PUBLIC CONVEYANCE. Any vehicle which is engaged in the business of transporting persons for fare.
RAILROAD. A carrier, other than streetcars, of persons or property, with cars operated on stationary rails.
RAILROAD TRAIN. A steam engine, electric or other locomotor, with or without cars coupled thereto, operated upon rails, not including streetcars.
RESIDENCE DISTRICT. The territory contiguous to a highway not comprising a business district, when the frontage on the highway, for a distance of 300 feet or more is mainly occupied by residential dwellings, but also by dwellings or buildings which are in use for business purposes.
RIGHT-OF-WAY. The privilege of the immediate use of the roadway, not inconsistent with regulations and conditions imposed by this code, other town ordinances or state law.
ROAD TRACTORS. Vehicles designed and used for drawing other vehicles upon the highway and not so constructed as to carry any part of the load, either independently or as a part of the weight of the vehicle so drawn.
ROADWAY.
(1) The portion of a highway improved, designed or ordinarily used for vehicular travel, exclusive of the shoulder.
(2) In the event a highway includes two or more separate roadways, the term ROADWAY, as used herein, shall refer to any such roadway separately, but not to all such roadways collectively.
SAFETY ZONE. Traffic island or other space officially set aside within a 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.
SEMI-TRAILERS. Vehicles without motive power designed for carrying property or persons and for being drawn by a motor vehicle and so constructed that part of their weight or their load rests upon or is carried by the pulling vehicle.
SIDEWALK. The portion of a street between the curb lines or the lateral lines of a roadway and the adjacent property lines, exclusively intended for use of pedestrians.
SIGNS. See TRAFFIC SIGNS.
STANDING. Any stopping of a vehicle, whether occupied or not.
STOP. When required, complete cessation of movement.
STOP or STOPPING. When prohibited, any stopping of a vehicle, except when conflict with other traffic is imminent or when otherwise directed by a police officer.
STREET. See HIGHWAY.
TRAFFIC. Pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles, streetcars and other conveyances, either singly or together, while using any street for purposes of travel.
TRAFFIC-CONTROL DEVICES.
(1) Authorized signs or markers which are assumed to be permanently or temporarily placed or erected or installed at certain places and which purport to give notice of direction or to convey a prohibition or warning.
(2) The presence of the signs, though not compulsory, is generally dictated by necessity or common sense, with a view to furtherance of public safety.
TRAILERS. Vehicles without motive power designed for carrying property or persons wholly on their own structure and to be drawn by a motor vehicle, including pole trailers or a pair of wheels used primarily to balance a load rather than for purposes of transportation.
TRUCK TRACTORS. Vehicles designed and used primarily for drawing other vehicles and not so constructed as to carry any load independent of the vehicle so drawn.
VEHICLE. Every device in, upon or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a highway, excepting devices moved by human power or used exclusively upon fixed rails or tracks; provided, that for the purposes of this title bicycles shall be deemed VEHICLES and every rider of a bicycle upon a highway shall be subject to the provisions of this title applicable to the driver of a vehicle, except those which by their nature can have no application. This term shall not include an electric personal assistive mobility device as defined in G.S. § 4.01(7)(a).
(1988 Code, § 70.01)
Statutory reference:
Definitions under state law, see G.S. § 20-4.01