§ 10.04.010. Definitions.*

For the purposes of this title, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this section, except in those instances where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

1.

"Ambulance zone" means any area or space set aside for the accommodation of an ambulance.

2.

"Bus stop" means an area in the roadway set aside for the boarding of or alighting from, and the parking of, buses.

3.

"Commercial vehicle" means any vehicle being used in the transportation of goods, wares or merchandise for commercial purposes.

4.

"Commercial vehicle, heavy" means any commercial vehicle of two and one-half tons' capacity or over.

5.

"Crosswalk" means that portion of a roadway ordinarily included within the prolongation or connection of curblines and property lines at intersections, or at any portion of a roadway clearly indicated for pedestrian crossing by lines on the road surface or by other markings or signs.

6.

"Emergency vehicle" means vehicles of the fire department (fire patrol), police vehicles, ambulances and emergency vehicles of federal, state, and municipal departments or public service corporations when the latter are responding to an emergency in relation to the police or fire departments.

7.

"Fire lane" means a roadway of sufficient width to accommodate the free and accessible passage or placement of fire apparatus to a building or premises in the event of fire.

8.

"Funeral" means any procession of mourners properly identified as such accompanying the remains of a human body.

9.

"Handicapped person parking area" means any area or space set aside for the accommodation of the operator of a vehicle owned and driven by a disabled veteran or handicapped person whose vehicle bears the distinctive number plates authorized by Section 2 of Chapter 90 of the General Laws.

10.

"Intersection" means the area embraced within the extensions of the lateral curblines, or, if none, then the lateral boundary lines, of intersecting ways as defined in Section 1 of Chapter 90, General Laws, including divided ways.

The rules and regulations of vehicles contained in this title governing and restricting the movement of vehicles at or near intersecting ways shall apply at any place along any way at which drivers are to be controlled by traffic-control signals, whether or not such place is an intersection as defined in this section.

11.

"Lane" means a longitudinal division of a roadway into a strip of sufficient width to accommodate the passage of a single line of vehicles.

12.

"Officer" means any officer of the police department, any investigator, examiner or inspector of the registry of motor vehicles, or any constable or special officer authorized to make arrest or serve process; provided, that he or she is in uniform or displays his badge of office.

13.

"Official curb marking" means that portion of a curbing, the painting of which has been authorized by the chief of police and which has the written approval of the Department of Public Works of the commonwealth.

14.

"Official street marking" means any painted line, legend, marking or marker of any description painted or placed upon any way which purports to direct or regulate traffic and which has been authorized by the chief of police and which has the written approval of the Department of Public Works of the commonwealth.

15.

"Official traffic signals" means all signals, conforming to the standards as prescribed by the Department of Public Works of the commonwealth, not inconsistent with this title, placed or erected by authority of a public body or official having jurisdiction, for the purpose of directing or warning traffic.

16.

"Official traffic signs" means all signs, markings and devices, other than signals, not inconsistent with this title and which conform to the standards prescribed by the Department of Public Works of the commonwealth, and placed or erected by authority of a public body or official having jurisdiction for the purpose of guiding, directing, warning or regulating traffic.

17.

"Parking" means the standing of a motor vehicle, whether occupied or not, otherwise than temporarily for the purpose of and while actually engaged in loading or unloading, or in obedience to an officer or traffic signs or signals, or while making emergency repairs or, if disabled, while arrangements are being made to move such vehicle.

18.

"Parking meter" means any mechanical device, not inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter, and placed or erected on any public way within the city for the regulation of parking. Each parking meter installed shall indicate by proper legend the legal parking time established by this title and when operated shall at all times indicate the balance of legal parking time permitted and at the expiration of such period shall indicate illegal or overtime parking.

19.

"Parking meter space" means any space within a parking meter zone, adjacent to a parking meter, which is duly designated for the parking of a single vehicle by lines painted on the surfaces of the street adjacent to or adjoining each parking meter.

20.

"Pedestrian" means any person afoot or riding on a conveyance moved by human power, except bicycles or tricycles.

21.

"Railroad crossing" means any intersection of ways with a railroad right-of-way.

22.

"Roadway" means that portion of a street or highway between the regularly established curblines or that part, exclusive of shoulders, improved and intended to be used for vehicular traffic.

23.

"Safety zone" means any area or space set aside within a roadway for the exclusive use of pedestrians and which has been indicated by signs, lines or markings, having the written approval of the Department of Public Works of the commonwealth.

24.

"Service zone" means an area in the roadway set aside for the accommodation of commercial and transient vehicular traffic.

25.

"Sidewalk" means that portion of a street or highway set aside for pedestrian travel.

26.

"Street" or "highway" means the entire width between property lines of every way open to the use of the public for purposes of travel.

27.

"Taxicab stands" means an area in the roadway in which certain taxicabs are required to park while waiting to be engaged.

28.

"Traffic" means pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles, trackless trolleys or other conveyances either single or together while using any street or highway for the purpose of travel.

29.

"Traffic-control area" means any area along any way, other than an intersecting way, at which drivers are to be controlled by traffic-control signals.

30.

"Traffic-control signal" means any device using colored lights which conforms to the standards as prescribed by the Department of Public Works of the commonwealth, whether manually, electrically or mechanically operated, by which traffic may be alternately directed to stop and to proceed.

31.

"Traffic island" means any area or space set aside, within a roadway, which is not intended for use by vehicular traffic.

32.

"U-turn" means the turning of a vehicle by means of a continuous left turn whereby the direction of such vehicle is reversed.

33.

"Vehicle" means every device in, upon or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a highway, including bicycles when the provisions of this title are applicable to them, except other devices moved by human power or used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks.

(C.O.83-52 § 48 (part): C.O. 79-232 (part); C.O. 780-994 (part); C.O. 78-783 (part); prior revision § 12-1)

*  For the law of the Commonwealth as to definitions involving motor vehicles, see G.L. Ch. 90, § 1.