MISCELLANEOUS DRIVING RULES

San Antonio City Code ch. 19, art. VIII

in effect

San Antonio City Code § 19-281 Traffic on streets closed for repairs.

Sec. 19-281. - Traffic on streets closed for repairs. It shall be unlawful for any person to lead or ride, or cause to be ridden, any horse, mule, or other animal, or to drive, or cause to be driven, any carriage, wagon, car, bicycle, dray, automobile, or any other vehicle, or to walk over, across, or upon any street or plaza in the city while such street or plaza is in the course of repair and has been closed to public travel, or after repairs have been completed but before such street or plaza shall have been opened by the city to public travel.

San Antonio City Code § 19-282 Driving through funeral or other processions.

Sec. 19-282. - Driving through funeral or other processions. No driver of a vehicle shall drive between the vehicles comprising a funeral or other authorized procession while they are in motion. (Code 1959, § 38-49)

San Antonio City Code § 19-283 Limitations on backing.

Sec. 19-283. - Limitations on backing. The driver of a vehicle shall not back the same unless such movement can be made with reasonable safety and without interfering with other traffic.

San Antonio City Code § 19-284 Riding on motorcycles.

Sec. 19-284. - Riding on motorcycles. A person operating a motorcycle shall not ride other than upon the permanent and regular seat attached thereto or carry any other person nor shall any other person ride upon such motorcycle other than upon a firmly attached seat to the rear or side of the operator. (Code 1959, § 38-51)

San Antonio City Code § 19-285 Clinging to moving vehicles.

Sec. 19-285. - Clinging to moving vehicles. Any person riding upon any bicycle, motorcycle, coaster, roller skates, sled, or any toy vehicle shall not attach the same or himself to a moving vehicle upon any roadway. (Code 1959, § 38-52)

San Antonio City Code § 19-286 Driving or parking on sidewalks prohibited.

Sec. 19-286. - Driving or parking on sidewalks prohibited. (a) It shall be unlawful for any person to drive or propel or park or stand any vehicle upon any sidewalk. (b) Law enforcement officers and emergency medical personnel while using bicycles provided by governmental agencies and while in the performance of their authorized duties are exempt from the provisions of subsection (a). Any person, while parking a bicycle in city installed bike racks, is also exempt from the provisions of this section. (Code 1959, § 38-54; Ord. No. 53243, § 1, 1-15-81; Ord. No. 88129, § 1, 7-23-98)

San Antonio City Code § 19-287 Operating heavy construction equipment on expressways.

Sec. 19-287. - Operating heavy construction equipment on expressways. (a) No person shall drive or operate any motor graders, combines or heavy construction equipment such as motor powered scrapers, motor cranes, pneumatic tired rollers, pneumatic tired front end loaders or backhoes on any expressway located within the city. (b) Equipment owned by governmental agencies, or their contractors, while being used in the performance of authorized duties on the various expressways within the city, and equipment that complies with the statutory size restrictions as specified in Vernon's Ann. Civ. St. art. 6701d-11, section 3, and is not impeding the flow of traffic, are exempted from the provisions of this section. (c) Any person who shall violate any provision of this section shall be deemed to be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall upon conviction be punished in accordance with section 1-5. (Code 1959, § 38-55.2; Ord. No. 34316, §§ 1, 2, 4-28-66; Ord. No. 34424, §§ 1—3, 6-9-66; Ord. No. 43843, 5-30-74)

San Antonio City Code § 19-288 Only vehicles permitted on controlled-access roadways.

Sec. 19-288. - Only vehicles permitted on controlled-access roadways. No person shall occupy or use any controlled-access roadway except in or upon a motor vehicle. Pedestrians and equestrians are prohibited from using controlled-access roadways, including the traveled portion, the median strip and the shoulders. (Code 1959, § 38-56)

San Antonio City Code § 19-289 Unlawful riding.

Sec. 19-289. - Unlawful riding. No person shall ride in or on any portion of a motor vehicle not designed for the transport of passengers, except when engaged in the necessary discharge of employment or business duties; and no operator of a motor vehicle shall drive on any public street or right-of-way within the City of San Antonio while a passenger under the age of fourteen (14) is in or on any portion of the vehicle that is not designed for passengers, including the bed of a pickup truck which is not equipped with securely attached passenger seats, or which is not equipped with a camper or other truck-bed accessory that provides a roof and four (4) walls. (Code 1959, § 38-58; Ord. No. 68419, § 1, 12-1-88)

San Antonio City Code § 19-290 Railroad trains not to block streets.

Sec. 19-290. - Railroad trains not to block streets. (a) It shall be unlawful for the directing officer or the operator of any railroad train to operate the train in such a manner as to prevent the use of the street for purposes of travel for a period of time longer than five (5) minutes. It shall be a defense to prosecution under this section that the train, other than a switch engine, was in motion at a speed of more than three (3) miles per hour during all or a part of the period of blocking travel and was not standing for five (5) minutes or more. (b) It shall be unlawful for the directing officer or the operator of any railroad train to operate the train in such a manner that a street, blocked by a train so as to prevent its use for travel, is a second time blocked without the intervention of a period of at least five (5) minutes during which such street shall be open to travel. (Code 1950, § 46-17; Ord. No. 25882, § 1, 12-19-57; Code 1959, §§ 33-3, 33-59)

San Antonio City Code § 19-291 Opening doors to vehicles.

Sec. 19-291. - Opening doors to vehicles. No person shall open the door of any vehicle unless and until such opening can be made without endangering either pedestrians on a sidewalk or vehicles in a moving lane of traffic. (Code 1959, § 38-60)

San Antonio City Code § 19-292 Truck routes; weight of loaded vehicles.

Sec. 19-292. - Truck routes; weight of loaded vehicles. (a) All Interstate Highway, U.S. Highway and State Highway numbered routes within the city are designated as truck routes. (b) It shall be unlawful for any truck over 18,000 lbs. gross vehicle weight rating (or 18,000 lbs. gross cargo weight rating in the case of a truck-trailer or truck-trailer unit) to use, travel upon or be driven over any street, avenue, or highway within the city not designated as a truck route. (c) If the point of origin or destination, for commercial purposes only, for any truck is off the truck route, but is on an arterial street, then the truck may proceed by the shortest possible route, consisting of city arterial streets (defined for this purpose as those streets marked for two (2) or more lanes in each direction) to or from the nearest truck route. If the point of origin or destination is not on a truck route or a city arterial street, then the truck may proceed by the shortest possible route to or from the nearest numbered route or city arterial street. (d) No commercial motor vehicle, truck, tractor, truck-tractor, trailer, semi-trailer, or other vehicle nor any combination of such vehicles shall be operated over or upon the streets, bridges, or public ways of the city, the total gross weight of which exceeds that permitted a like vehicle on the highways of the state. (e) Sections of the Code to the contrary notwithstanding, violations of this section shall be punishable by a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500.00). (Code 1959, § 38-62; Ord. No. 31028, §§ 1, 2, 1-9-63; Ord. No. 83390, § 1, 1-4-96)

San Antonio City Code § 19-293 Trucks not to travel park roads.

Sec. 19-293. - Trucks not to travel park roads. (a) This section is for the purpose of protecting park roads, designed primarily for private passenger automobile traffic carrying passengers into and out of the public parks of the city for recreational purposes, from the damaging and deteriorating effects of heavy, through vehicular traffic. (b) All use of park roads by trucks having a combined body and weight load in excess of seven thousand, five hundred (7,500) pounds is prohibited. (c) This section shall not prohibit upon park roads: (1) Operation of emergency vehicles. (2) Operation of trucks or buses owned or operated by the city; public utilities, by any contractor or materialman while engaged in repair, maintenance or construction of park roads, or utilities within the park. (3) Operation of any truck serving a park function or performing a service for a concessionaire within a park. (4) School buses. (Code 1959, § 38-63)

San Antonio City Code § 19-294 Motor assisted scooters, neighborhood electric vehicles, pocket bikes, and mini motorbikes.

Sec. 19-294. - Motor assisted scooters, neighborhood electric vehicles, pocket bikes, and mini motorbikes. (a) In this section, the following definitions apply: Motor assisted scooter means: (1) A self-propelled device with: a. At least two (2) wheels in contact with the ground during operation; b. A braking system capable of stopping the device under typical operating conditions; c. A gas or electric motor not exceeding forty (40) cubic centimeters; d. A deck designed to allow a person to stand or sit while operating the device; and e. The ability to be propelled by human power alone; and (2) Does not include a pocket bike or mini motorbike. Neighborhood electric vehicle means a vehicle subject to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 500 (49 C.F.R. Section 571.500). The operation of neighborhood electric vehicles on a street or highways with a posted speed limit of thirty-five (35) miles per hour or less is authorized, provided that all other requirements in V.T.C.A., Transportation Code ch. 551, subch. D, shall apply. Pocket bike or mini motorbike means a self-propelled vehicle that is equipped with an electric motor or internal combustion engine having a piston displacement of less than fifty (50) cubic centimeters, is designed to propel itself with not more than two (2) wheels in contact with the ground, has a seat or saddle for the use of the operator, is not designed for use on a highway, and is ineligible for a certificate of title under Chapter 501 of the Texas Transportation Code. The term does not include: (1) A moped or motorcycle; (2) An electric bicycle or motor-driven cycle, as defined by Section 541.201 of the Texas Transportation Code; (3) A motorized mobility device, as defined by Section 542.009 of the Texas Transportation Code; (4) An electric personal assistive mobility device, as defined by Section 551.201 of the Texas Transportation Code; or (5) A neighborhood electric vehicle. Protective headgear means headgear which meets the minimum safety standards for protective headgear used by motorcyclists in this state as adopted by the state department of transportation. (b) A person commits an offense if the person: (1) Operates a motor assisted scooter, a pocket bike or mini motorbike on a street, highway or sidewalk; or operates a neighborhood electric vehicle on a street or highway with a posted speed limit greater than thirty-five (35) miles per hour; (2) Operates a pocket bike or mini motorbike anywhere in a park; (3) Operates a motor assisted scooter in a park, unless on a designated park trail where the operation of such scooters is specifically authorized by sign; (4) Operates, if under twenty-one (21) years of age, a motor assisted scooter, a pocket bike or mini motorbike unless wearing protective headgear; (5) Knowingly fails as a parent of a child or a guardian of a ward, to directly supervise the operation by a child or a ward under fifteen (15) years of age of a motor assisted scooter, pocket bike or mini motorbike; and (6) Operates a motor assisted scooter which has been mechanically altered from the original manufacturer's design; (c) A culpable mental state is not required, and need not be proved, for an offense under subsections (b)(1), (2), (3), (4) or (6). Any person who engages in any activity specified in subsections (b)(1), (2), (3), (5), and (6), commits a class C misdemeanor and is subject to a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500.00). Any person who fails to wear protective headgear in violation of subsection (b)(4), commits a class C misdemeanor and is subject to a fine of not less than ten dollars ($10.00) nor more than fifty dollars ($50.00). (Ord. No. 2006-02-09-0172, §§ 1—3, 2-9-06; Ord. No. 2013-05-09-0321, § 1, 5-9-13)

San Antonio City Code § 19-295 Requirement for use of front and rear lights when operating a bicycle at nighttime.

Sec. 19-295. - Requirement for use of front and rear lights when operating a bicycle at nighttime. While operating a bicycle on a public street a person may not operate a bicycle at nighttime, the period beginning one-half hour after sunset and ending one-half hour before sunrise, unless the bicycle is equipped with: (1) A lamp on the front of the bicycle that emits a white light visible from a distance of at least five hundred (500) feet in front of the bicycle; and (2) On the rear of the bicycle: a. A red reflector that is: 1. Of a type approved by the department of public safety; and 2. Visible when directly in front of lawful upper beams of motor vehicle headlamps from all distances from fifty (50) to three hundred (300) feet to the rear of the bicycle; or b. A lamp that emits a red light visible from a distance of five hundred (500) feet to the rear of the bicycle. Any person who engages in any activity specified in this section may be subject to prosecution for a class C misdemeanor and a fine not to exceed two hundred dollars ($200.00). (Ord. No. 2010-04-08-0302, §§ 1, 2, 4-8-10)

Source: City of San Antonio, City Code, City Charter and Unified Development Code (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tx/san_antonio/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICO_CH19MOVETR_ARTVIIIMIDRRUFetched: 10/27/2026