red traffic lights and emergency vehicle

1984ReturnsForReal_2

MrsBartolozzi wrote: »

I remember when I was a child my friends Dad (a firefighter who often drove the engine) told me that while they did do this, it was still ILLEGAL for a fire engine (and I would assume police/ambulance too) to run a red light. The rules of the road are the same for them as for us lesser folk.
Has the law changed in the 20-odd years since then?

lol


Go & have a proper conversation with your friends dad & ask him how many points he & his mates got given running red lights in them 20 years.

Unless they killed someone the answer is none..

dacouch

I think I read somewhere that technically you a breaking the law if you drive through the red light to allow an emergency vehicle through unless you are directed to go through the red light by a member of the emergency services. I may be wrong on this so feel free to correct me.

As pevious posters have mentioned if its safe to do so I would not worry about the fine / points as you could be saving someones life. I would also assume that in a lot of cases the police may waive the conviction if the only way you could allow them through was to go through the red light.

In most cases you would not need to go through the red light as the emergency vehicle would simply gon through the traffic lights on the "wrong" side of the road and then return to the correct side of the road as this is normally the quickest route for them assuming the traffic in the area is aware they are going through

DCodd

shandypants5 wrote: »

Nice signature Goldspanners,

So your telling me that if you were holding up an ambulance at the lights and the driver got out and told you that your loved one was in the back, and had 20 min to live .

Then you would say, "yes certainly ,I will move just as soon as these light change".

That is as extreme as saying that it's ok to run the red light and plough into a minibus with 20 kids on it, killing all because the ambulance behind you may have your lovedone in it.

shandypants5

DCodd wrote: »

That is as extreme as saying that it's ok to run the red light and plough into a minibus with 20 kids on it, killing all because the ambulance behind you may have your lovedone in it.

NO, no it isnt.

I am NOT saying run the red light.

I am saying

IF its safe then make room for the emergency vehicle to pass.

If that means poking your car half over the line or one wheel on the kerb , then do it.

DO NOT endanger yourself or anyone else, But please if you can, then make room for the ambulance to pass.

I cant believe the amount of people on here saying "I am not moving, I am "Not allowed" to cross the red light line.

Hopefully most people would assess each situation and help the ambulance as much as they could, without causing furthur danger.

internet baiting is one thing but I think the average driver has the sense to do the right thing when required.

Pew_Pew_Pew_Lasers!

shandypants5 wrote: »

NO, no it isnt.

I am NOT saying run the red light.

I am saying

IF its safe then make room for the emergency vehicle to pass.

If that means poking your car half over the line or one wheel on the kerb , then do it.

DO NOT endanger yourself or anyone else, But please if you can, then make room for the ambulance to pass.

I cant believe the amount of people on here saying "I am not moving, I am "Not allowed" to cross the red light line.

Hopefully most people would assess each situation and help the ambulance as much as they could, without causing furthur danger.

internet baiting is one thing but I think the average driver has the sense to do the right thing when required.

It is the responsibility of the driver of the emergency vehicle to pass any obstructions in his/her path. You, as an ordinary driver, do not have the authority to ignore a STOP line. If you do, you risk points on your licence and a fine. The courts are intransigent on this matter; if you ignore the signal, you will be chastised.

Its all very well using silly emotive arguments to strenghten your case, but it's just as easy for me to do exactly the same. Just imagine if crossing that STOP line would ensure the removal of your licence, and your ability to earn a living. Imagine then if you had a family of three children to support, and could no longer do so. Imagine if one of those children was undergoing expensive cancer treatments not funded by the NHS. Your selflessness has just cost your child its life.

The problem isn't people being selfish. The problem is an unwavering legal system that cannot use discretion in such instances.

As a final point - what if you ignore that red light, cross the STOP line, and collide with another road user? Are you prepared to accept responsibility for that?

omelette451

Pew_Pew_Pew_Lasers! wrote: »

You, as an ordinary driver, do not have the authority to ignore a STOP line. If you do, you risk points on your licence and a fine. The courts are intransigent on this matter; if you ignore the signal, you will be chastised.

Really? Are you really saying that police and the courts wouldn't be at all lenient about it, even if the ambulance driver submitted a report saying it was safe and the action was necessary? I'm sorry but I just don't buy that. Obviously we never read in the papers "man acquitted for letting ambulance pass", we only hear about the (hopefully small number of) instances where for whatever reason it didn't happen.

I think the scenario has a huge number of 'if's attached. If it were safe, if there were no other way for the ambulance to pass, if it were clear other drivers at the junction knew there was an ambulance trying to get past, and if the driver weren't using it simply as a way to get away quicker (i.e. he/she immediately pulled over at the first safe point after the stop line), then yes I think it would be considered acceptable to do it. Even if I were caught doing it and punished I'd still readily do it again - after all, I could be saving a life, and would never let selfishness stop me doing that.

(Oddly enough, if it were at a crossroads and the driver wanted to turn right but considered it safer to go left or straight on he would actually be inconvenienced by it... so you're saying he'd be punished for both being inconvenienced and saving somebody's life?)

wazza

In the past i always gave way to emergency vehicles when at traffic lights until i heard it is an offence to go through red lights. As stated some people have been prosecuted for doing so. Having red light cameras does not help matters. What i tend to do is stop well before the stop line and near to the kerb just in case.

If an emergency vehicle approaches you from behind they should not force you to go through the red light. They should switch off the siren if they see you won't move. Only the police can instruct you to go through a red light. If that is the case i advise you to take down his number (if it is not covered) the reg of the police car, time and date just in case.

Sad innit

Pew_Pew_Pew_Lasers!

omelette451 wrote: »

Really? Are you really saying that police and the courts wouldn't be at all lenient about it, even if the ambulance driver submitted a report saying it was safe and the action was necessary? I'm sorry but I just don't buy that. Obviously we never read in the papers "man acquitted for letting ambulance pass", we only hear about the (hopefully small number of) instances where for whatever reason it didn't happen.

I think the scenario has a huge number of 'if's attached. If it were safe, if there were no other way for the ambulance to pass, if it were clear other drivers at the junction knew there was an ambulance trying to get past, and if the driver weren't using it simply as a way to get away quicker (i.e. he/she immediately pulled over at the first safe point after the stop line), then yes I think it would be considered acceptable to do it. Even if I were caught doing it and punished I'd still readily do it again - after all, I could be saving a life, and would never let selfishness stop me doing that.

(Oddly enough, if it were at a crossroads and the driver wanted to turn right but considered it safer to go left or straight on he would actually be inconvenienced by it... so you're saying he'd be punished for both being inconvenienced and saving somebody's life?)

Tell it to this chap:

http://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/free/MOTORIST39S-ANGER-AT-BARMY39-ROAD.1084700.jp

Bowdyjan18

I always thought it was up to the ambulance driver to decide if they want to travel through a red light..I'm sure i read it is technically ilegal for them to do so.

flyingscotno1

Bowdyjan18 wrote: »

I always thought it was up to the ambulance driver to decide if they want to travel through a red light..I'm sure i read it is technically ilegal for them to do so.

Not at all it is treated as a give way.

Ambulance, police and fire do not have authority to go through flashing red lights, seen at level crossings etc. I believe even if a level crossing lights are stuck on, the police are not allowed to let anyone through, the road is shut instead until railway personnel are there.