Every day, people break traffic laws without even realizing it. The CU Boulder Police Department听shares some of these lesser known offenses to help keep folks on the right side of the law.
Driving a vehicle while wearing earphones
It is illegal to drive a vehicle while wearing earphones. Boulder municipal code 7-2-34 does not specify whether the earphones include just over the ear or in the ear. So, this means that you cannot wear any type of earphone or earbuds while driving a vehicle.
Jumping from or into a moving vehicle
Municipal code 7-2-22 makes it illegal to 鈥渂oard or alight from any motor vehicle while such vehicle is in motion on a street.鈥� Before you look it up, alight means descend from. So not only is it dangerous to jump from or into a moving vehicle, it is illegal.
Entering a roadway using roller skates, toy vehicles, more
鈥淣o person upon any roller skate, in-line skate, skateboard, roller ski, ski, coaster, sled, toboggan, toy vehicle, child's tricycle or any similar device shall go upon a roadway except while crossing the roadway on a crosswalk . . . 鈥� is part of municipal code 7-2-15. The code goes on to say that anyone who is on one of the listed devices听鈥渟hall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian upon a sidewalk, in a crosswalk or on a path.鈥�
Clinging to a moving vehicle
Municipal code 7-2-17 makes it illegal to cling to a vehicle while it is in motion. Obviously, this is not if you are inside the vehicle. This means that you can鈥檛 ride on a skateboard or other device while hanging on to the outside of a moving vehicle.
Riding a motorcycle with more passengers than it's designed to carry
Section 7-2-16 sets up the rules for properly riding a motorcycle or moped. First, you are only allowed to have as many riders as the vehicle is designed to carry. Just because you think that you can squeeze an extra rider on the seat doesn鈥檛 mean it is legal. You must have a second factory-installed seat and foot pegs.
It is also illegal to drive a motorcycle or moped while carrying anything that prohibits you from using two hands on the handlebars. If you have to hold it, you can鈥檛 drive it.
Remember, ignorance of the law is not a defensible claim.
