Emergency Vehicle

[SIRandyraven]

Your at a junction the lights are red.
In your mirror and also you can hear the sirens of an emergency vehicle behind you.
The only way they can pass , is for you to pull forwards and past the red light.
If like in my case the junction has a camera.
I was lucky and the lights turned Green and I was able to move forwards and they passed me.
If I had pulled forwards ...and the camera had triggered ....would I still get a ticket ?
Could I dispute it ?
ie Are you allowed to break minor traffic laws to allow emergency vehicles to pass you ...but of course staying safe ...

[TWR]

No vehicles are allowed to go through a red light, but it is courtesy & common sense prevail in these circumstance, if flashed & taken to court you would be let off due to the emergency but if an accident happened you AND the emergency driver would get done

[Hymie]

TWR is incorrect – a number of drivers have been prosecuted for driving through a red light to allow an emergency vehicle through. In such a situation – you may only pass a red traffic light if instructed to do so by a police officer. Claiming that you conducted an illegal manouver in order to allow an emergency vehicle through, will cut not ice with New Judge (even if it is true).

[alexanderd]

Hymie is right I remember a case like this a while ago the person got taken to court but judge let him off with a warning.

[boxtops]

One thing which really gets my goat (sorry SirAndy) is people these days who don't know how to behave on the road when an emergency vehicle is behind them. People seem to feel they have to outrun them here rather than pull over and get out of their way - or is it just me...?

[boxtops]

PS Sorry SirAndy, I don't mean this to refer to you in the situation you describe...;-)

[welshlibranr]

I agree with Boxtops, I used to drive Emergency Vehicles, and the number of drivers who think it best to try to outrun them rather than just pull over! I think they just get into panic mode!.............not helpful though!........

[Mojo-Jo-Jo]

There was a case recently where a driver was done for pulling into a bus lane to get out of the way. He was going to appeal but I don't know the outcome.

[TWR]

Hi all. interesting QS, I have checked a few sites & come across Motor Lawyers a question was put in the same as SIRandy, In certain / circumstances the law would take a lenient view of the offence. thats the reason for my answer.

[SIRandyraven]

Seems the best thing is to just sit and the red light and wait for green.
Then let them pass.
Saves the hassle of going to court , taking time off to attend , the stress involved etc ...
Thanks for the reply.

[redcrx]

sparky, you seem to have a problem with your posts.
They all appear to have a link, advertising a forum, attached to them.

[4getmenot]

Its a crap forum red they didnt know how to sort my leaky roof

[bobjugs12]

I have seen some absolutely shocking examples of driving when i've been on blues. sirandy, your attitude to 'hassle' is disgraceful. Can you guarantee that it's not one of your family that ambulance is heading too, or that there isn't a kid on board who needs to get to hospital or he will die? We don't use blues for fun, we use them because speed counts!

[redcrx]

surely if the lights were on red the emergency vehicle can still proceed with caution (as they are trained to do) through the other carriageway?

after trying and failing to get out of way of a fire engine once, i was told that i could speed up and outrun it to a point where i could pull over safely.

[Ankou]

"your attitude to 'hassle' is disgraceful"

why? when you are potentially penalised for trying to be helpful.

[bobjugs12]

Yes red. I can go through reds, but no amount of driver training can get me through a gap that's to small for my truck. In my opinion, it's going to be a bad judge who prosecutes a motorist in the situation described. Same with flooring it to get to a safe point to pullover. The thing is, if i have an obstacle in my path then i will drive on the wrong side of the street which increases the danger to my wagon, my patient, and other road users.

[bobjugs12]

Ankou, because a lot of the time we are talking about saving peoples lives.

[redcrx]

I can understand what you mean, bob. But how would a motorist manage to persuade a judge that they were moving for an emergency vehicle if the ticket is just from a fixed camera?
Plus if a car has to pull fair enough over a red light to trigger a camera arent they also putting themselves into a possible collision scenario, just as the blue lighted vehicle would be? The blue lighted vehicle has the bonus of blue lights and has got to drive against the flow of the traffic lights anyway, presumably crossing traffic going in opposite direction at times.

I think that it all has to be judged at the time.

[bobjugs12]

Yes red. I can go through reds, but no amount of driver training can get me through a gap that's to small for my truck. In my opinion, it's going to be a bad judge who prosecutes a motorist in the situation described. Same with flooring it to get to a safe point to pullover. The thing is, if i have an obstacle in my path then i will drive on the wrong side of the street which increases the danger to my wagon, my patient, and other road users.

[Ankou]

http://yourfreedom.hm...ey-are-at-a-red-light