§ 50-2. Obedience to traffic regulations and police officers.

(a)

Required obedience to traffic ordinances. Except as provided in subsection 50-2(b) regarding obedience to police, it is an infraction for any person to do any act forbidden, or fail to perform any act required, in this section.

(b)

Obedience to police. It is a misdemeanor for any person to willfully fail or refuse to comply with any lawful order or direction, other than any order or direction regarding the operation or parking of vehicles, given by a police officer.

(c)

Authority of police in special cases. In the event of a fire or other emergency, or when necessary to expedite traffic or safeguard pedestrians, police officers may direct traffic as conditions may require, any provisions of this chapter notwithstanding.

(d)

Public employees' obedience to traffic regulations. The provisions of this chapter shall apply to the driver of any vehicle owned by, or used in the service of, the United States Government, the state, county or town, and it shall be unlawful for any driver of such vehicle to violate any of the provisions of this chapter, except as otherwise permitted herein, or by North Carolina State Statutes.

(e)

Exemptions to authorized emergency vehicles. The provisions of this chapter regulating the operation, parking and standing of vehicles shall apply to authorized emergency vehicles, as defined in this chapter, except as follows. A driver when operating such vehicle in any emergency, with the vehicle warning light and siren or other warning signal operating except when otherwise directed by a police officer may:

(1)

Park or stand, notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter.

(2)

Proceed past a red or stop signal, or stop sign, but only after slowing down as may be necessary for safe operation.

(3)

Exceed the posted or legal (if not posted) speed limits so long as he does not endanger life or property.

(4)

Disregard regulations governing directions of movement, or turning, in specified directions so long as he does not endanger life or property.

(5)

The foregoing exemptions shall not however, protect the driver of any such vehicle from the consequences of his reckless disregard of the safety of others.

(f)

Persons riding bicycles, tricycles, golf carts or, animals to obey traffic regulations. Every person riding a bicycle, tricycle, golf cart or an animal upon a roadway, and every person driving any animal-drawn vehicle shall be subject to the provisions of this chapter applicable to the driver of any vehicle except those provisions which, by their very nature can have no application.

(Code 2001, § 7-2; Ord. of 7-5-1978, §§ 1—6; Ord. No. 1986-5, 8-12-1986)