§ 21-1. Definitions.
For the purposes of this chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this section:
Alley. Any street having no legal or official name other than alley, of twenty (20) feet or less in width.
Authorized emergency vehicles. Vehicles of the fire department, fire patrol, police vehicles and such ambulances and emergency vehicles of municipal departments or public service corporations as are designated or authorized by the chief of police, and private vehicles operated by volunteer firemen while answering a fire alarm.
Bicycle. Every device propelled by human power upon which any person may ride, having two (2) tandem wheels, either of which is over twenty (20) inches in diameter, and including any device generally recognized as a bicycle though equipped with two (2) front or two (2) rear wheels.
Bus. Every motor vehicle designed for carrying more than ten passengers and used for the transportation of persons; and every motor vehicle, other than taxicabs, designed and used for the transportation of persons for compensation.
Business district. The territory contiguous to and including a roadway when within any six hundred (600) feet along such roadway there are buildings in use for business or industrial purposes, including but not limited to, hotels, banks or office buildings which occupy at least three hundred (300) feet of frontage on one (1) side or three hundred (300) feet collectively on both sides of the roadway.
Crosswalk.
(a)
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.
(b)
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 zone. A space adjacent to a curb reserved for the exclusive use of vehicles during the loading or unloading of passengers or materials.
Disabled person is a person who is certified by a licensed physician as having a physical or mental impairment necessitating vehicle parking that is near the entrance of a building.
Driver. Every person who drives or is in actual physical control of a vehicle.
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.
House trailer. Every vehicle without automotive power designed for human habitation and for carrying persons and property upon its own structure and for being drawn by a motor vehicle.
Intersection.
(a)
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 (2) 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.
(b)
Where a highway includes two (2) roadways thirty (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 (2) roadways thirty (30) feet or more apart, then every crossing of two (2) roadways of such highways shall be regarded as a separate intersection.
Laned roadway. A roadway which is divided into two (2) or more clearly marked lanes for vehicular traffic.
Limited access highway. Every highway, street or roadway in respect to which owners or occupants of abutting property or lands and any other persons have no legal right to access to or from the same, except at such points and in such manner as may be determined by the public authority having jurisdiction over such highway, street or roadway.
Metered parking space. A marked parking space adjacent to a parking meter erected by a governmental entity.
Motorcycle. Every motor vehicle having a saddle for use of the rider and designed to travel on not more than three (3) wheels in contact with the ground, excluding a tractor.
Motor vehicles. Every vehicle which is self-propelled and every vehicle which is propelled by electric power obtained from overhead trolley wires, but not operated upon rails.
Negligence. The driving at a greater rate of speed than allowed by law, or the violation of any traffic law or ordinance of this city, or the failure to use that degree of care and caution as a person of ordinary prudence would use under like or similar circumstances.
Official traffic control devices. All signs, 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.
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 mortgager of a vehicle is entitled to possession, then such conditional vendee or lessee or mortgager shall be deemed the owner for the purpose of this chapter.
Park. When prohibited means the standing of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, otherwise than temporarily for the purpose of and while actually engaged in loading or unloading.
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.
Personal injury. A wound or injury to any part of the human body which necessitates treatment.
Pole trailer. Every vehicle without motive power designed to be drawn by another vehicle and attached to the towing vehicle by means of a reach or pole, or by being boomed or otherwise secured to the towing vehicle, and ordinarily used for transporting long or irregularly shaped loads such as poles, pipes or structural members capable, generally, of sustaining themselves as beams between the supporting connections.
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 this chapter or state law or to make arrests for violations of other 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, operating upon stationary rails.
Railroad sign or signal. Any sign, signal or device erected by authority of a public body or official or by a railroad and intended to give notice of the presence of railroad tracks or the approach of a railroad train.
Railroad train. A steam engine, electric or other motor, with or without cars coupled thereto, operated upon rails, except streetcars.
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 three hundred (300) feet or more is in the main improved in use for business.
Right-of-way. The privilege of the immediate use of the roadway.
Road hump. A geometric design feature of a roadway, consisting of a raised area in the roadway pavement surface extending transversely across the travel way, whose primary purpose is to reduce the speed of vehicles traveling along that 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. That portion of a street or highway improved, designed or ordinarily used for vehicle travel. In the event a highway includes two (2) or more separate roadways the term "roadway" shall refer to any such roadway separately but not to all such roadways collectively.
Safety zone. The area or space officially set apart within a roadway for the exclusive use of pedestrians and which is protected or is so marked or indicated by adequate signs as to be plainly visible at all times while set apart as a safety zone.
School bus. Every motor vehicle owned by a public or governmental agency and operated for the transportation of children to and from school or privately owned and operated for compensation for the transportation of children to or from school.
Semitrailer. Every trailer, 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 upon or is carried by another vehicle.
Sidewalk. That portion of a street between curb lines, or the lateral lines of a roadway, and the adjacent property lines intended for the use of pedestrians.
Stop. When required means complete cessation of movement.
Stop, stopping or standing. When prohibited, means any stopping or standing 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 publicly maintained way when any part thereof is open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicular travel.
Through highway. Every street or highway or portion thereof at the entrance to which vehicular traffic from intersecting streets or highways is required by law to stop before entering or crossing the same and when stop signs are erected as provided in this chapter.
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 signal. Any device, whether manually, electrically or mechanically operated, by which traffic is alternately directed to stop and to proceed.
Traffic division. The traffic division of the police department of this city.
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.
Truck tractor. Every motor vehicle designed and used primarily for drawing other vehicles and not so constructed as to carry a load other than a part of the weight of the vehicle and load so drawn.
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.
Zone of quiet. Zone of quiet shall mean all territory within the distance of two hundred fifty (250) feet from any hospital, sanatorium or other institution for the treatment or care of sick persons, having facilities for lodging ten (10) or more sick persons at the same time, whereabout signs or markers bearing the words "Zone of Quiet—Hospital" shall have been placed by order of the police department, and are conspicuously displayed on streets, alleys and public grounds indicating approach to the boundary line of such zones of quiet.
Whenever any words and phrases used in this chapter are not defined in this section, but are defined in the state laws regulating the operation of vehicles, any such definition therein shall be deemed to apply to such words and phrases used in this chapter.
(Ord. No. 203, §§ 1—18; Ord. No. 3592, § 1, 1-22-81; Ord. No. 6319, § 1, 8-26-93; Ord. No. 6642, § 2, 7-6-95)
State law reference
Definitions, V.T.C.A., Transportation Code ch. 541.