<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<baltimore-city-law heading="Part 1 – Obstructing Traffic">
  <section prefix="§" num="16-1" heading="Slowly moving vehicles.">
    <text>Vehicles moving slowly along streets having no car tracks shall keep as close as practicable to the curb line on the right so as to allow faster moving vehicles free passage on the left.</text>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">City Code, 1927, art. 4, §43</annotation>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">1950, art. 38, §35</annotation>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">1966, art. 31, §47</annotation>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">1976/83, art. 31, §36</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 08-139</annotation>
  </section>
  <section prefix="§" num="16-2" heading="Snow tires on public passenger vehicles.">
    <para num="(a)" heading="Winter-type mud and snow tire defined.">For the purposes of this section, a winter-type mud and snow tire is any new, recapped, retreaded, or rebuilt tire for the rear wheels of motor vehicles or trackless trolleys having anti-skid patterns impressed or cut into the treaded surfaces to form bars, buttons, or blocks which may contain perforations, ingredients, or metallic elements specially designed to give effective traction on snow-, mud-, or ice-covered streets; and which tire is subject to approval as to type and condition by the Director of Transportation.</para>
    <para num="(b)" heading="When required.">It is unlawful for any non-fixed wheel vehicle for the public transportation of passengers for a fee or charge, including the vehicles commonly referred to as buses, trackless trolley, and taxicabs, to be or operate on any street or public place in Baltimore City during the period in any year commencing on November 1 and ending on the following April 1 without being properly equipped with winter-type mud and snow tires.</para>
    <para num="(c)" heading="Penalties.">Any person, firm, or corporation violating the provisions of this section shall be subject to the general penalties provided in &lt;cite data-path="|31"&gt;this article&lt;/cite&gt;, and a violation as to each and every vehicle is a separate violation.</para>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">City Code, 1966, art. 31, §86</annotation>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">1976/83, art. 31, §62</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 58-1226</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 15-435</annotation>
  </section>
  <section prefix="§" num="16-3" heading="Obstructions by certain public passenger vehicles for want of chains or snow tires.">
    <para num="(a)" heading="Director to regulate.">Subject to Title 4 {“Administrative Procedure Act – Regulations”} of the &lt;cite data-path="|general"&gt;City General Provisions Article&lt;/cite&gt;, the Director of Transportation may adopt rules and regulations to require that, whenever certain named streets in the City are covered or partially covered with snow, sleet, or freezing rain, no non-fixed wheel vehicle for the public transportation of 10 or more people may operate on those streets in a manner that stalls, impedes, or obstructs traffic, if that stalling, impeding, or obstructing is caused by the failure to equip the vehicle with effective skid chains or effective snow tread tires.</para>
    <para num="(b)" heading="Penalties.">
      <para num="(1)">Every separate stalling, impeding, or obstructing on such named streets and in violation of any applicable such rules or regulation, shall be considered a separate offense.</para>
      <para num="(2)">Upon conviction thereof, the person, firm, or corporation which owns and/or manages the public transportation business in which the particular vehicle is operated shall be subject to a fine of not exceeding $50 for each and every offense.</para>
    </para>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">City Code, 1966, art. 31, §85</annotation>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">1976/83, art. 31, §61</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 54-944</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 15-435</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Text Conformed 02/28/21</annotation>
    <annotation type="Editor's Notes">By authority of Ordinance 20-431, Section 5, the Director of Legislative Reference, in consultation with the Law Department, has conformed subsection (a) to refer expressly to and reflect the requirements of the recently-enacted Administrative Procedure Act that, effective January 15, 2021, governs the proposal, adoption, and publication of administrative rules and regulations.</annotation>
  </section>
  <section prefix="§" num="16-4" heading="Obstructing railroad tracks.">
    <para num="(a)" heading="Morning hours.">Between the hours of 6 a.m. and 7:30 a.m., no vehicle shall be placed to load thereon or unload therefrom in which the rails of any railroad or street railway company are laid, so as to obstruct or hinder the passing of cars of any such railroad or street railway.</para>
    <para num="(b)" heading="Other times.">Nor at any other time shall any such vehicle be permitted to obstruct such tracks for a longer period than may be reasonably necessary for the purpose of loading or unloading said vehicle.</para>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">City Code, 1927, art. 4, §110</annotation>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">1950, art. 38, §62</annotation>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">1966, art. 31, §74</annotation>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">1976/83, art. 31, §54</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 21-664</annotation>
  </section>
  <section prefix="§" num="16-5" heading="Repairing vehicles on streets.">
    <para num="(a)" heading="Prohibited conduct.">
      <para num="(1)">It shall be unlawful for any person to make any repairs to a motor vehicle or to replace or repair any tire or other part of a motor vehicle on any public street where the standing of such vehicle or vehicles will wholly or partially obstruct any lane of traffic.</para>
      <para num="(2)">It shall be unlawful for any vehicle in the process of being repaired or waiting to be repaired or any vehicle on which a tire or other part thereof is being replaced or waiting for a tire or other part thereof to be replaced to stand double or to do any work or place any tools or equipment on any sidewalk in connection with the repair of any vehicle or the replacement or repair of any tire or other part thereof.</para>
      <para num="(3)">It shall be unlawful for a motor vehicle repair service to make a repair, replacement, or adjustment to a motor vehicle or part of a motor vehicle on any public street or footway.</para>
    </para>
    <para num="(b)" heading="Emergency repairs excepted.">The provisions of this section shall not apply to emergency repairs, which are defined as repairs necessary as the result of an unexpected malfunction or breakdown and which are necessary in order to move the vehicle safely and without damage to same.</para>
    <para num="(c)" heading="Penalties.">Any person violating any of the provisions of this section shall be subject to:<para num="(1)" heading="In general.">Any person violating paragraph (a)(1) or (a)(2) of this section shall be subject to:<para num="(i)">a penalty of not less than $5 or more than $25 for the 1&lt;sup&gt;st&lt;/sup&gt; offense; and</para>
        <para num="(ii)">a fine of not less than $25 nor more than $100 for subsequent offenses.</para>
      </para>
      <para num="(2)" heading="Repair in street or footway.">Any person who violates paragraph (a)(3) of this section shall be subject to:<para num="(i)">a penalty of not less than $100 or more than $250 for the 1&lt;sup&gt;st&lt;/sup&gt; offense; and</para>
        <para num="(ii)">a fine of not less than $250 nor more than $350 for subsequent offenses.</para>
      </para>
    </para>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">City Code, 1950, art. 24, §36</annotation>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">1966, art. 19, §72</annotation>
    <annotation type="Prior Codifications">1976/83, art. 19, §84</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 46-657</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 47-814</annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Ord. 74-527</annotation>
    <annotation type="History" />
  </section>
  <section prefix="§§" num="16-6 to 16-10" reserved="true" />
</baltimore-city-law>
