§ 20-3. Obstruction of public streets, highways and roads.

(a) 1. A person shall not obstruct or prevent the free use of sidewalks or crosswalks by other persons.

2. A person shall not willfully obstruct the free, convenient, and normal use of a public roadway by:            

a. Impeding, hindering, stifling, retarding, of restraining traffic or passage thereon;
b. Standing, sitting, walking, running, or otherwise remaining in the roadway; or
c. Endangering the safe movement of vehicles or pedestrians traveling thereon.

3. A person may not stand, sit, lie, walk upon, or stay for any purpose in between two parallel motor vehicle travel lanes. This prohibition does notprohibit a person from lawfully crossing a street. 

4. This Section does not prohibit persons from doing the following: 

a. Delivering or offering to deliver a tangible thing to an occupant of a motor vehicle or receiving a tangible thing from an occupant of a motor vehicle at a legal stop in a travel lane when the person is on the side of the vehicle that is closest to the edge of the roadway and the vehicle is located in one of the following locations:

i. On a one‑way street with only one travel lane, and the vehicle is located in the travel lane;  
ii. On a one‑way street with two or more lanes of travel, and the vehicle is located in the travel lane that is rightmost or leftmost from the driver’s viewpoint; or
iii. On a two‑way street with two or more lanes of travel, and the vehicle is located in the travel lane that is the rightmost from the driver’s viewpoint. 
iv. In all interactions with motor vehicles in the rightmost travel lane, the person must stay on the rightmost side of the vehicle during the interaction.

(b) This prohibition shall not apply to the following persons:

1. Government law enforcement officers, fire rescue, or other government employees acting within the scope of their governmental employment and/or authority; 

2. A person conducting legally authorized collection of solid waste or recyclable or recovered materials, construction work, or maintenance work, or other legally authorized work;

3. A person responding to an emergency, such as medical personnel, roadside assistance, or towing and recovery personnel; or

4. A person instructed to stand in the traffic separator by law enforcement personnel or fire rescue personnel.

(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to inhibit political campaigning on the public right-of-way or to require a permit for such activity.

(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a), any commercial vehicle used solely for the purpose of collecting solid waste or recyclable or recovered materials may stop or stand on any public street, highway, or road for the sole purpose of collecting solid waste or recyclable or recovered materials. However, such solid waste or recyclable or recovered materials collection vehicle shall show or display amber flashing hazard lights at all times that it is engaged in stopping or standing for the purpose of collecting solid waste or recyclable or recovered materials.

(e) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a), any commercial vehicle used solely for the purpose of collecting or delivering persons or property may stop or stand on any public street, highway, or road for the sole purpose of collecting or delivering persons or property. However, such commercial vehicle shall show or display amber flashing hazard lights at all times that it is engaged in stopping or standing for the purpose of collecting or delivering persons or property.

(f) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a), any vehicle of the U.S. Postal Service used solely for the purpose of collecting or delivering mail may stop or stand on any public street, highway, or road for the sole purpose of collecting or delivering mail. However, such vehicle shall show or display amber flashing hazard lights at all times that it is engaged in stopping or standing for the purpose of collecting or delivering mail.

(g) Any person or persons who violate the provisions of this section, upon conviction, shall be punished as set forth in F.S. ch. 316 and ch. 318.

(Ord. No. 2005-21, § 1, 6-21-05; Ord. No. 2022-17, § 1&2, 6-07-22)