158-21   STOPPING ON HIGHWAYS


A.  No vehicle shall be stopped in such a manner as to impede or render dangerous the use of the highway by others, except in the case of an emergency as the result of an accident or mechanical breakdown, in which case a report shall be made to the nearest police officer as soon as practicable and the vehicle shall be removed from the roadway to the shoulder as soon as possible and removed from the shoulder without unnecessary delay; and, if such vehicle is not promptly removed, such removal may also be ordered by a police officer at the expense of the owner if the disabled vehicle creates a traffic hazard.

 

B.  No person shall leave any vehicle, attended or unattended, upon the paved, improved or main traveled portion of any highway, outside of the business or residence district, when it is practicable to leave such vehicle standing off the paved, improved or main traveled portion of such highway.

 

C.  Except upon one-way streets as provided in this chapter, or where angle parking is permitted as provided in this chapter, and when actually loading or unloading merchandise, no vehicle shall be stopped except close to and parallel to the right-hand curb.  In no instance shall such vehicle be parked with the near wheels farther than six (6) inches from the curb.

 

D.  No vehicle shall be stopped at or in the vicinity of a fire, vehicle or airplane accident or other area of emergency, in such a manner as to create a traffic hazard or interfere with the necessary procedures of police, firemen, rescue workers or others whose duty it is to deal with such emergencies.  Any vehicle found unattended in the vicinity of such fire, accident or area of emergency may be removed by order of a police officer at the risk and expense, not to exceed five dollars ($5.), of the owner if such vehicle creates a traffic hazard or interferes with the necessary procedures of police, firemen, rescue workers or others whose assigned duty it is to deal with such emergencies. Vehicles being used by accredited information services, such as press, radio and television, when being used for the gathering of news, shall be exempt from the provisions of this section, except when actually obstructing the police, firemen and rescue workers dealing with such emergencies.

E.  The provisions of this section shall not apply to any vehicle owned or controlled by the State Department of Highways or the town while actually engaged in the construction, reconstruction or maintenance of highways.