Beat the Rap!
NOISE ~ PARKING ~ PARTIES ~ OPEN CONTAINERS ~ PUBLIC INDECENCY
FRONT PORCHES ~ UNDERAGE CONSUMPTION
We asked our Team Patrol (an officer from The University of Toledo’s Police Department and an officer from the City of Toledo Police Department), Unit 618, to put together a list of city and state laws that students are most often cited for. If you don’t know the laws it can cost you! Here are some of the most frequent reasons students are issued citations.
Noise – The City of Toledo has a noise ordinance. You are violating the ordinance if your noise is “unnecessary, excessive or any offensive noise which annoys and/or disturbs the comfort, health, peace of safety of others.”
Most of the time the “offensive noise” is yelling or loud music late at night.
Unless your neighbors are students, they probably go to bed earlier than you, may have to get up for work early the next day, may have children who need to get sleep, etc., etc. If the sound from your house or apartment can be clearly heard several yards away, someone is likely to be disturbed by it. Keep control of your guests (inside and outside) and keep the music/TV turned down after nine at night. A little bit of consideration for your neighbors really does go a long way. Toledo Municipal Code (TMC) 507-03 and 507-04
Parking – Make sure you park on the right—not the left—side of the street (unless it is a one-way street).
Be sure you’re not parked within ten feet of a fire hydrant.
When you park, make certain you are not blocking a crosswalk. In fact, the law states you can’t “stand or park a vehicle within twenty feet of a crosswalk.”
Keep your tape measure out! Keep your vehicle at least 30 feet from a stop sign, yield sign, flashing light or traffic signal.
Make sure you’re not blocking a driveway.
Keep your cars out of the front yard – no parking permitted. Also make certain you’re not parked across a sidewalk.
If you park on the street, do not leave your car for more than 18 hours. TMC 351.07
Parties – Have fun, but keep control of yourself and your guests if you own or rent the property and/or host the party. Things to remember:
Charging your guests at the door when alcohol is present is not legal.
If you rent, you are liable for damages to the property that occur during your party. You could even be evicted.
You, as the renter, owner or host, are responsible for everyone at your party and their actions. If someone is in a fight, for example, and someone is injured, you could be sued. If they drive away and are involved in an accident, you could be sued by everyone involved.
If underage drinkers are caught, the minimum fine is $500 and you could be arrested.
If you are caught serving alcohol to an underage person, you face a maximum penalty of six months in jail and/or a $1,000 fine.
You cannot even allow an underage person to remain in your house or apartment if they are in possession or drinking beer or liquor. TMC 331.43, Ohio Revised Code (ORC) 4301.632, ORC 4399.09
Beginning August 9, 2000, anyone buying at least five kegs of beer won’t be able to pick it up for five days and the buyer will have to complete forms issued by the Ohio Department of Public Safety.
The person buying the beer must promise that none of it will be given to anyone younger than 21 and identify the person responsible for the party. The paperwork will be filed with the beer distributor.
Open Containers – Not permitted out in public or in a motor vehicle—whether you are a passenger or driving—whether you are moving or parked. TMC 331.43
Public Indecency – Just so there is no confusion as to what can get you in trouble, keep your private parts in private—not where others can see them. That means do not go to the bathroom outside—go to the bathroom in the bathroom. And no naked hot-tubbing outside!
One should never engage in any kind of sexual activity outside where others might happen to observe it. TMC 533.07
Front Porches – Sometimes people place couches on their front porch, maybe for comfort or extra seating. There is a law against this. We have had incidents in the past of someone flicking a lit cigarette onto a couch which caused a house fire. Plus rodents and other multi-legged creatures will very quickly take up residence in the furniture.
Under 21 – You cannot buy alcohol and you cannot consume it!!! You are also prohibited by law from presenting a fake ID to try to buy it. Anyone who is 21 or older and buys it for you is violating the law. ORC 4301.632 and 4399.09