Emergency Service Vehicles & Red Lights

neilmcl

muckybutt wrote: »

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

Surely there was no need for that driver to cross the lights given that he was in the second row of cars and the cars in front had already crossed the lights giving enough room for him to open up a gap without crossing the lights himself. I notice that the paper doesn't state whether the first lot of drivers were fined or not.

Looks like a typical Daily Mail piece to me.

maxheadroom

Heres a different one

http://m.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/news/doncaster-news/motorist-s-anger-at-barmy-road-laws-1-497020

arcon5

Turning the radio down and using mirrors more isn't always the solution. They don't always have the sirens on and it may well be they come from a blind bend or side street or something. Or it's not unseen for them to be sat in traffic without lights on then for a job to come through.

arcon5

maxheadroom wrote: »

Heres a different one

http://m.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/news/doncaster-news/motorist-s-anger-at-barmy-road-laws-1-497020

Looking at the photos I don't see why he had to cross the line tbh. Unless of course they've been doctored for effect by the paper.

Robin-i'-the-Hood

You don't cross a junction when the red traffic signal is against you. End of story. Those who have said it is ok if the police request you to are correct: the responsibility then becomes theirs (although you would obviously manoeuvre safely). I drive an emergency ambulance and would agree that going around a stationary object is miles easier than trying to guess what a driver will do as often they have no idea you are there no matter how many lights and sirens you put on. And don't get me started on those who tailgate you when 'on blue'...I am permitted to exceed the speed limit by 20mph (if the road conditions allow although I usually don't). You're not.
PS the OP should not ask such questions on here. Better to read the highway code. Then you can be sure that you are doing your best to get official advice, not internet opinion. If you had an accident after taking on board something you read in an internet forum that was wrong, how impressed with your defence is any court likely to be?

neilmcl

Robin-i'-the-Hood wrote: »

PS the OP should not ask such questions on here. Better to read the highway code. Then you can be sure that you are doing your best to get official advice, not internet opinion. If you had an accident after taking on board something you read in an internet forum that was wrong, how impressed with your defence is any court likely to be?iving

Then why are you bothering yourself to post a reply. Aren't what you doing is giving "internet opinion" along with the rest? What do you think the purpose of an internet forum is about!

1886

"You should not move for an emergency vehicle if sat at a red light" say the majority of people replying to this thread

Why is it then that I've never seen somebody not move when in this situation?

I'll tell you why, it's because when somebody is sat at home typing responses to a question they tell you what they think they would do but when they're actually in that situation they act totally differently.

arcon5

Spot on.[IMG]http://jjj junk[/IMG]

patman99

As for the double white lines, emergency vehicles are not exempt from crossing these, so if you pull in, make sure you can get fully out of the way.

muckybutt

1886 wrote: »

"You should not move for an emergency vehicle if sat at a red light" say the majority of people replying to this thread

Why is it then that I've never seen somebody not move when in this situation?

I'll tell you why, it's because when somebody is sat at home typing responses to a question they tell you what they think they would do but when they're actually in that situation they act totally differently.

You have obviously never been behind my van then

As stated many times before I will not go through a red light...never have done never will, I will move over IF there is room to do so or pull to one side once the lights have changed but I will never cross that line !