[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Harrisburg
by Ord. No. 2-1986. Amendments noted where applicable.]
It is hereby found that a general public nuisance and threat
to the public safety result from the repetitive unnecessary driving
of motor vehicles, also known as "cruising," in a designated area
of downtown Harrisburg. The purpose of this chapter is to reduce the
noise, air pollution and congestion resulting from cruising and to
ensure access for safety vehicles to and through said designated area
by restricting repetitive driving of motor vehicles in said designated
area.
[Ord. No. 6-1994[1]]
As used in this chapter, unless otherwise expressly stated or
clearly indicated by the context, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
Driving a motor vehicle on a street past a traffic control
point, designated by a police officer, in the designated area under
congested traffic conditions at or near the control point three or
more times within any two-hour period from 8:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m.
Passing the control point a third time under the same conditions stated
herein shall constitute cruising and therefore a violation of this
chapter.
That area of the City bounded by Front Street on the west,
Chestnut Street on the south, Third Street on the east, and Verbeke
Street on the north and shall include the aforementioned boundary
streets, and shall also mean that area of the City bounded by the
east and west sides of Third Street, Forster Street on the south and
Maclay Street on the north and shall include the aforementioned boundary
streets.
A reference point on a street in a designated area selected
by a police officer for the purpose of enforcing this chapter.
No person shall engage in cruising. For the purpose of this
chapter, the person having care, custody, or control of a motor vehicle
shall be considered the person cruising whether or not that person
was actually driving the motor vehicle. For the purposes of this chapter,
the vehicle owner shall be deemed the person having care, custody
or control of a motor vehicle at the time of the violation or, if
the owner is not present, the person or persons having the owner's
authority to use the vehicle shall be the party responsible for the
violation.
This chapter shall not apply to official emergency or police
vehicles, licensed taxicabs for hire, other commercial or passenger
vehicles being driven for business purposes, or to residents of the
designated area traveling to a specific destination.
Any person who violates the provisions of this chapter shall be subject to the general code penalty, § 1-301.99 of these Codified Ordinances.
