When to go through Red Traffic Lights?

thelawnet

dacouch wrote: »

If I'm on my cycle and hear I siren, I slow down and look around, if it's on the same road as me (Either direction) I always pull over and look at the emergency vehicle driver. I get the impression that a lot of them are not aways sure if a cyclist has seen them and slow down in case they have not. I assume this helps the driver realise I have seen them so they can carry on unimpeded (And it keeps me safe).

Perhaps Bigal can say whether I'm assuming correctly or not

Dunno, I had a situation where I was climbing up a fairly steep hill on my bike (about 6% gradient), doing just under 10mph. Could see emergency service vehicle coming the other way with lights on (but I think no siren), so I tried to signal to the car behind me to stay behind me, unfortunately he was too clueless/selfish and overtook me regardless. Thankfully the emergency services driver was aware that the situation was hazardous and was not going that fast, so there was no problem.

I did have a police car annoy me a few weeks ago - I was approaching a 30mph A-road in a residential area from a side street, preparing to turn left into the through road. I was doing about 20mph on my bike and saw a police car approaching, within the speed limit, from the right, visible through the bushes. I had plenty of time to pull out but the police car put his lights on a sort of slower speed, I wasn't sure what was going on so I stopped at the give way line. When he passed me he turned them off!

I caught up and passed him at the traffic light at the end of the road, I'm not really sure whether he just didn't want the annoyance of having a cyclist in front of me, or if he was warning me because he thought he and I would reach the junction at the same time (in that case him slowing down would have been more appropriate I think).

Outpost

easy wrote: »

I've been know to mount the kerb - yep even a high one - to clear the way for a siren .... OK, a police car can get thru a narrow-ish gap, but what if it's a huge great fire-engine coming your way ??

But it wasn't a fire engine. We can play the 'what if' game all day long with larger and larger vehicles but I'm not entirely sure what bearing that will have on the situation I described.

easy

Outpost wrote: »

But it wasn't a fire engine. We can play the 'what if' game all day long with larger and larger vehicles but I'm not entirely sure what bearing that will have on the situation I described.

Ah, well I've been in a situation that I can hear the siren, see cars in the lane behind me moving over, but not necessarily know exactly what sort of vehicle is trying to get thru' so I make as much room as possible.

Outpost

easy wrote: »

Ah, well I've been in a situation that I can hear the siren, see cars in the lane behind me moving over, but not necessarily know exactly what sort of vehicle is trying to get thru' so I make as much room as possible.

Okay. Good to know.

gaz_jones

easy wrote: »

.......because some folk were being precious about their BMW's ??

Stereotyping much?


I (wrongly) would go through a red light if I had to to move out the way of an emergency response vehicle. I would stop as soon as is safe to do though, and would never just carry on down the road. In my experience, you only really need to drive a couple of feet forward to be able to move over enough for the vehicle to get passed.

The amount of people you see panicing the second they hear/see sirens. The one that annoys me is dual carriageways when people in the left hand lane slam their brakes on and try to pull over to let them passed, even though there's a free lane on the right.

Scooby_Doo.

bigjl wrote: »

Very noble Lee. However in my experience the only people.nocked.for jumping a red light in this situation are the numties that take it as an excuse to.drive off down the road. What experience is that then, you work for the LAS.

It is a tricky situation as there is also a law.making it illegal to obstruct an member of the blue light services. Under what act and section please?

I personally don't bully drivers across junctions i just turn off the noise till the light changes. Though most junctions there is no need you just go down the wrong side of the keep left bollard and off you go.

I assume the OP is on a rant due to not being able to claim exemptions to certain parts of the RTA since this is the second post abiut this subject.

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thelawnet

Scooby_Doo. wrote: »

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goo.gl/zfCyO

gaz_jones

Scooby_Doo. wrote: »

Under what act and section please?

I imagine the Emergency Workers (Obstruction) Act 2006 would cover that quite well.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/39/section/1

Scooby_Doo.

gaz_jones wrote: »

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I imagine the Emergency Workers (Obstruction) Act 2006 would cover that quite well.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/39/section/1

Read reasonable excuse.;)

The fact you would be forced to break the law is reasonable enough.

Flyboy152

wazza wrote: »

From my knowledge on reading posts here and from highway code etc....

We all should know that under no circumstances should we go through a red traffic light. Even if we have the fire brigade or ambulance behind us. They should wait patiently till the lights change and we can move out of the way safely. They should not force us to go through the red lights.

If you do go through a red light and is caught by the red light traffic camera you will be prosecuted. It has happened regardless of the picture showing an emergency vehicle behind you.

However only the police can instruct you to go through red traffic lights. This is allowed according to the highway code.

My question is that for the police to instruct you to go through a red traffic lights can they do it from inside their car or do they have to come to you and instruct you to move? Do you have to take their badge number or car reg number in case you are caught on the camera and have to attend court?

Personally i will move to let them pass when i know if there is no red light camera.

What are your opinions?

Hmm.....always thought that was an exception. I have never seen a blue light sitting at a red light waiting for it to change.

ETA: I thought I was correct:

http://www.ukemergency.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=52&Itemid=61

Blue Light Exemptions
There is no authority that issues permission to use blue, green or amber lights on your vehicle. You must just follow the law.
Any driver can drive using blue lights without needing any higher qualification that a driving licence. Most services do insist on their drivers undergoing some form of advanced driver training though, and there are moves to establishing a national standard.


While using blue lights, drivers are exempt from a number of motoring regulations, including

• treating a red traffic light as a give way sign
• passing to the wrong side of a keep left bollard
• driving on a motorway hard shoulder (even against the direction of traffic)
• disobeying the speed limit (police, fire and ambulance services only)

However, they are not allowed to

• ignore a 'no entry' sign
  
  
• ignore a 'stop' or 'give way' sign
• drive the wrong way down a one-way street
• ignore flashing signs at level crossings or fire stations
• cross a solid white line down the middle of the road*

*except in the same circumstances as everyone else (for instance to pass a stationary vehicle, slow moving cyclist or horse, or a road maintenance vehicle). This can cause problems for emergency drivers when other road users slow to let them pass where road markings indicate no overtaking.

Sometimes emergency vehicles may need to disobey other signs and regulations. This will depend on the professional judgment of the driver.