red traffic lights and emergency vehicle

Lum

Gordon861 wrote: »

The stupid thing is that he says he doesn't plan to appeal the ticket. He should at least stand in front of a magistrate and try to get the thing dropped.

You do that and you are liable to be done for up to the maximum penalty for this offence, which is 6 points and a £1000 fine, plus court costs plus £15 victims of crime surcharge.

oldbuffer

Does this answer your question?

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1130083_fined_for_letting_police_pass

sarahg1969

Gordon861 wrote: »

The stupid thing is that he says he doesn't plan to appeal the ticket. He should at least stand in front of a magistrate and try to get the thing dropped.

The more people that just rollover and accept these tickets without trying to get it overturned the longer it will take for the law to be changed and clarify exactly what they want you to do.

But going through a red light is an absolute offence. The best he could hope for (unless they decide not to pursue him through the courts) is to be found guilty but not penalised at all.

Pssst

alwaysonthego wrote: »

I just wanted to clarify a point. I was waiting at a red light waiting for it to go green when a ambulance with flashing blue lights came behind me but did not have enough room to pass as the road is too narrow. I was thinking should I go through the red lights, but I decided to wait until the lights changed from red to green and then moved over so it could pass me. My friend who was in the car said I should have gone through the red lights, but wouldn't that be more of a danger and be against the law?

If you had passed the red light, you would have committed an absolute offence.
If there had been a cam at the junction, it would have snapped you and sent you a penalty in the post.

It would also have snapped the ambulance but provided it was a genuine blue light emergency, his ticket would have been quashed.

So ,no ,you are not obliged to commit an offence in order to facilitate the progress of an emergency vehicle.

We are in the kind of society now where rules are rules and you must comply or pay the price.

Lum

Pssst wrote: »

It would also have snapped the ambulance but provided it was a genuine blue light emergency, his ticket would have been quashed.

:rotfl::rotfl:

tomstickland

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1204944/Driver-gets-60-fine-moving-yard-red-light-let-police-van-999-pass.html

Greater Manchester Casualty Reduction Partnership said emergency vehicle drivers were trained to manoeuvre around other cars.
Spokesman Karen Delaney said: 'If the lights are red you are putting yourself in danger if you go through them.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1204944/Driver-gets-60-fine-moving-yard-red-light-let-police-van-999-pass.html#ixzz0NV16iYY7

For crying out loud, what the !!!! is wrong with these people?
"putting yourself in danger"?
By moving a few metres forwards?

Gordon861

Lum wrote: »

You do that and you are liable to be done for up to the maximum penalty for this offence, which is 6 points and a £1000 fine, plus court costs plus £15 victims of crime surcharge.

That would depend on the circumstances that you could prove/convince the magistrate of when you end up in court. In my limited dealings with magistrates relating to motoring they actually haven't been too bad.

If the video evidence or statements from the emergency services match what you say you do have a chance to get off.

There is also the argument that he moved through the red light on the instruction of the Police Officer driving the van. Any Police Officer that is qualified to run under blue lights and sirens knows they are supposed to turn off the siren in the case that they end up stuck at a red light in order to lower the risk of an accident. By leaving the siren on and sitting behind him, he can reasonably argue that he understood this to mean 'move now'.

But on looking at the news article again, the photo and the illustration (if it's accurate). He had no need to go through that red light as there was plenty of room for the Police to pass on the inside, and hence the ticket.

skipsmum

I wonder how many of the people who refuse to move in case they get points are quite happy to speed wherever they think there are no cameras? Quite a few, I'd guess!

Lum

Well I stated that I'd move if there's no camera because unless you're an idiot and plough into oncoming traffic or pedestrians it's perfectly safe to do so.

Yeah, that's a bit like speeding really.

sarahg1969

skipsmum wrote: »

I wonder how many of the people who refuse to move in case they get points are quite happy to speed wherever they think there are no cameras? Quite a few, I'd guess!

And I wonder how many people who think you should commit an offence, and go through a red light for an emergency vehicle, get all high and mighty about speeding? Quite a few, I'd guess.