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§15, is further amended by enacting a new subparagraph (7) to read: |
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| (7)__A Department of Public Safety vehicle operated by | a motor carrier inspector may be equipped with | auxiliary lights that emit an amber light. |
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| | Sec. 7. 29-A MRSA §2054, sub-§9 is enacted to read: |
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| | 9.__Stationary authorized emergency vehicles.__The operator of | a vehicle passing a stationary authorized emergency vehicle using | an emergency light, with due regard to the safety and traffic | conditions, shall: |
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| A.__Pass in a lane not adjacent to that of the authorized | emergency vehicle, if possible; or |
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| B.__If passing in a nonadjacent lane is impossible or | unsafe, pass the emergency vehicle at a careful and prudent | speed reasonable for passing the authorized emergency | vehicle safely. |
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| | Sec. 8. 29-A MRSA §2063, sub-§§2, 4, 5, and 8, as enacted by PL 1993, c. | 683, Pt. A, §2 and affected by Pt. B, §5, are amended to read: |
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| | 2. Riding to the right. A person operating a bicycle or | scooter shall ride it as far as practicable to the right side of | the way, except when making a left turn. This subsection does | not apply in a municipality that, by ordinance and with the | approval of the Department of Public Safety and the Department of | Transportation, makes other provisions for the location of | bicycle or scooter traffic. |
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| | 4. Hitching rides. A person riding on a bicycle, scooter or | toy vehicle may not attach it to a moving vehicle on a way. |
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| | 5. Rights and duties. A person riding a bicycle or scooter | on a way has the rights and is subject to the duties applicable | to the operator of a vehicle, except as to: |
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| A. Special regulations; and |
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| B. Provisions in this Title that by their nature can have | no application. |
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| | 8. Impoundment. The chief of police of a municipality, or if | there is no chief of police, the chair of the local legislative | body, when satisfied that a juvenile under the age of 17 years | has ridden a bicycle or scooter in violation of this |
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| section, may impound the bicycle or scooter for a period not to | exceed 5 days for the first offense, 10 days for a 2nd offense | and 30 days for a subsequent offense. |
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| | Sec. 9. 29-A MRSA §2066, sub-§5, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, | §2 and affected by Pt. B, §5, is amended to read: |
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| | 5. Following fire apparatus; other emergency vehicles. An | operator may not follow within 500 feet of fire apparatus | traveling in response to a fire alarm or within 150 feet of any | other authorized emergency vehicle as defined in section 2054, | subsection 1, paragraph B that is using an emergency light as | defined in section 2054, subsection 1, paragraph D. |
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| | Sec. 10. 29-A MRSA §2067, sub-§3, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. | A, §2 and affected by Pt. B, §5, is amended to read: |
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| | 3. Parking or standing. Unless a municipal ordinance | specifically provides otherwise, a vehicle may not be parked or | stand on or beside the left-hand side of a way during the times | when lighted lamps are required in a manner that its lights | project in the direction of oncoming traffic. |
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| | Sec. 11. 29-A MRSA §2084, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 | and affected by Pt. B, §5, is amended to read: |
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| §2084. Bicycles and scooters |
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| | 1. Night equipment. A bicycle, scooter or motorized bicycle | or tricycle, when in use in the nighttime or at other times when | motor vehicles are required to display headlights, must have: |
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| A. Lighted a front light that emits a white light visible | from a distance of at least 200 feet to the front; |
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| B. A red reflector to the rear that is visible at least 200 | feet to the rear; and |
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| C. Reflector strips on the pedals and handlebars. |
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| | 2. Brakes. A bicycle, scooter or motorized bicycle or | tricycle must be equipped with a brake sufficient to enable the | operator to stop the vehicle or device within a reasonable | distance. |
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| | Sec. 12. 29-A MRSA §2088, sub-§2, ¶¶C and D, as reallocated by RR 1999, | c. 1, §41, are amended to read: |
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| C. Participants in parades; or |
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| D. A passenger secured by a seat belt in a manufacturer- | installed seat located outside the passenger compartment.; | or |
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| | Sec. 13. 29-A MRSA §2088, sub-§2, ¶E is enacted to read: |
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| E.__Campers and hikers being transported in Baxter State | Park. |
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| | Sec. 14. 29-A MRSA §2251, sub-§8, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. | A, §2 and affected by Pt. B, §5, is amended to read: |
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| | 8. Violation. A person commits a Class E crime if that | person: |
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| A. Is required to make an oral or written report and | knowingly fails to do so within the time required; or |
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| B. Is an operator involved in a reportable accident and | knowingly fails to give a correct name and address when | requested by an officer at the scene.; or |
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| C.__Is the operator involved in a reportable accident or the | owner of a vehicle involved in a reportable accident and | knowingly fails to produce the vehicle or, if the vehicle is | operational, return it to the scene when requested by the | investigating officer. |
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| | Sec. 15. 29-A MRSA §2396, sub-§3, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. | A, §2 and affected by Pt. B, §5, is amended to read: |
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| | 3. Gravel. A load of gravel, sand, crushed stone, rubbish, | wood chips, building debris or trash must be covered or otherwise | secured or confined to prevent any portion of the load from | falling from or spilling out of the vehicle. |
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| | The bill affects the motor vehicle statutes as follows. |
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| | 1. It defines scooter and imposes the same restrictions on | this mode of transportation as on bicycles. |
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| | 2. It authorizes a law enforcement officer who has stopped a | vehicle for another violation to demand and inspect the | operator's record of duty status and medical examiner's | certificate, if the operator is required to have this | information. |
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| | 3. It allows a permit to be issued by a law enforcement | agency to tow an unregistered vehicle using a tow dolly. | Currently, a permit may be issued to tow by use of a service | wrecker or tow bar. |
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| | 4. It allows Department of Public Safety vehicles operated by | motor carrier inspectors to be equipped with amber auxiliary | lights. |
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| | 5. It allows vehicles designed to respond to a weapon of mass | destruction to use a siren and to display and use a red light or | combination red and white light. |
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| | 6. It requires an operator passing a stationary authorized | emergency vehicle that is using an emergency light to pass that | emergency vehicle in a nonadjacent lane, if possible, or at a | careful and prudent speed. |
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| | 7. It prohibits an operator from following within 150 feet of | an authorized emergency vehicle, other than fire apparatus, that | is using an emergency light. |
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| | 8. It prohibits a vehicle from standing beside the left-hand | side of a way at night in a manner so that its headlights project | in the direction of oncoming traffic. |
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| | 9. It creates an exemption to the prohibition against riding | in the back of a pickup truck for campers and hikers being | transported in Baxter State Park. |
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| | 10. It requires the operator or the owner of a vehicle | involved in a reportable accident to produce the vehicle and | return the vehicle to the scene of an accident, if possible, at | the request of the officer who is investigating the accident. |
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| | 11. It resolves an inconsistency regarding confining a load | of wood chips when the wood chips are transported. |
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