Emergency Service Vehicles & Red Lights

Markyt

Certainly not. A friend of mine received a fine for red light jumping, because he moved out of the way of an emergency vehicle. Their drivers are trained to get around obstacles - don't make it any more difficult by turning into a moving chicane.

skivenov

withabix wrote: »

You wait until the lights change to green.

It is up to the emergency vehicle to find another way or wait.

They are committing a traffic offence when running a red light as well and are liable if they cause an accident.

Not quite. They can claim an excemption from the Road Traffic Act meaning they are not committing an offence in crossing a red light (same applies for speed limits), most services are trained to treat a red light as a give way.

As is said above, if you as a civilian cross a red light, then you are committing an offence.

Personally though, I would, provided it actually aids the emergency driver and I can wait somewhere between the red light and causing a hazard to crossing traffic (eg if I were in a large van, cross the line and move onto the central reservation without emerging into traffic). Yes, I'm committing an offence, but if I got a summons, I'd make sure all the local press heard all about it and were invited to come to court with me.

arcon5

I cross the line. Usually you only need to pull your car to the side a few meters and everybody behind you does the same to create a space. I ain't being that jack !!! that holds up an ambulance.

As for their special training in dealing with obstacles... Unfortunately this doesn't extend to them having to ability to move objects such as traffic islands... With out the assistance of motorists they wouldn't get anywhere.

DUTR

arcon5 wrote: »

I cross the line. Usually you only need to pull your car to the side a few meters and everybody behind you does the same to create a space. I ain't being that jack !!! that holds up an ambulance.

As for their special training in dealing with obstacles... Unfortunately this doesn't extend to them having to ability to move objects such as traffic islands... With out the assistance of motorists they wouldn't get anywhere.

Cross the line where there is an active TLC and report back
As others have mentioned, you will more than likely get prosecuted.

rdwarr

withabix wrote: »

You wait until the lights change to green.

It is up to the emergency vehicle to find another way or wait.

They are committing a traffic offence when running a red light as well and are liable if they cause an accident.

They are trying to save somebody's life. Do what you can to help them rather than trying to find reasons not to.

C_Mababejive

I wouldnt cross a stop light. Society cant change the rules to suit itself and neither can the "system". They cant fine people for motoring offences,petty parking infringements and nipping in a bus lane and then expect them to break the law when it may suit others.

Anyway,i almost always perceive the EV from some distance away and make appropriate changes to my speed/position so that it may pass unimpeded. I dont do what so many thick motorists do and immediately jam their brakes on/pull over thus causing further danger and blocking the road.

muckybutt

rdwarr wrote: »

They are trying to save somebody's life. Do what you can to help them rather than trying to find reasons not to.

Its not a matter of not helping them, its a matter of law end of.

bluelightawarevideo have a watch of the blue light aware video, this clearly states what you should do in the event of a blue light coming towards you.

maxheadroom

Turn the stereo down a bit and use your mirrors so our approach is no a surprise

Pull over and stop its easier to negotiate a stationary object

This is a must on single carriageway roads with double white lines down the middle, we have no special exemptions from these - so if you slow from 60 t o 30 we still cant pass you so we have to slow to 30 as well - so please pull to the left and stop, but dont stop on a blind bend as im not going to go around you

As for traffic lights let us do the work if you can pull to the sides to create a path great even if it just gets us to the front of the q then it helps as we are first off when they change.

If you go through a red the you have no defence (unless its the police instructing you to do so) and worse than that if you cause an accident doing so then a) were going to have t o stop going what we were going to and b)iit is termed a proximity accident and causes problems for directly as it can be deemed we contributted to it

Look a t this site

http://www.bluelightaware.org.uk

Errata

Shift out of the way and stop if you can. The fire engine may be in a hurry to put out the fire in your house!

muckybutt

As above, if drivers paid more attention to the road and the surroundings life would be made so much easier.
If the radio is on that little bit quieter then you should be able to hear the sirens well in advance of even seeing the emergency vehicle.
Keep using mirrors and judge where the vehicle is coming from, look for traffic moving out of the way behind or in front of you, if you are moving towards a junction then pull to the side of the road but keep goingdont just brake suddenly as this causes more problems for them.

You can go on with this thread but at the end of the day its down to common sence and being aware of what is going on around you not just in your little cocoons

This from one driver that got prosecuted for going through a red light http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1204944/Driver-gets-60-fine-moving-yard-red-light-let-police-van-999-pass.html