Police Sirens - What to do where you hear it?

anewman

movilogo wrote: »

See here
http://www.thisislancashire.co.uk/mostpopular.var.1700710.mostviewed.motorist_fined_for_red_light_good_deed.php

Someone is £370 out of pocket for going thru red light to allow an emergency vehicle.

The law is illegal

Suppose that's it then. Don't move for emergency vehicles is the best policy if you have to go through a red light. Suppose then you'd be fined for obstructing the police?

shaileytuff

I always get confused at this one but hubby (as pc himself) gave me a great tip, just indicate so the police or emergency vehicle knows what you are going to do, this then allows them to choose the safest route for them to take no point just stopping or pulling over if you don't make it clear - hope that makes sense

tomstickland

Many times I've pulled over, let whatever it is past, and they then get stuck behind someone oblivious to the flashing lights and noise. Makes me wonder how out of it some people are.

davetrousers

wazza wrote: »

2. If you are in a lane next to a 24 hour bus lane are you allowed to pull over into the bus lane?

Surely the emergency vehicle would use the bus lane.

C_Ronaldo

You move over to the side if you can, ive had to move over the crossing point at some lights so the police car could get by

watcherman

movilogo wrote: »

See here
http://www.thisislancashire.co.uk/mostpopular.var.1700710.mostviewed.motorist_fined_for_red_light_good_deed.php

Someone is £370 out of pocket for going thru red light to allow an emergency vehicle.

The law is illegal

He went through after the Police van had been through, and at 16mph. I think the story has two sides and has been reported for its sensational value, rather than factual.

Badger_Lady

I commute every day down a busy main road that houses the local ambulance, fire and police stations, so this is a very regular occurance.

There is a traffic-light controlled crossroad in front of the police station, with two lanes which are both queued up with traffic waiting for the lights to change.

An emergency vehicle blasts its siren from the back of the queue... everyone in the left lane moves forward and left (with a couple of wheels on the grass embankment), and everyone in the right hand lane does the same, creating a path through the middle.

The two people at the front of the lanes (and I've been one of them) cross the stop line by about 4 feet in order to make room for this. (still in front of the crossroad, so no blocking of paths takes place).

The emergency vehicle gets through quickly and everyone seems happy...

This thread has really enlightened me to the personal dangers of carrying out such a manoevre... but it's much more dangerous to the general public for individuals to be too scared to make room (in a safe and sensible way)!

**woody123**

o.k, so how about if there is an emergency vehicle approaching with sirens flashing the opposite side of the road coming towards you trying to overtake cars on that side, what do you do? luckily for me yesterday the pavement was low so i could just indicate and mount the curb a little to allow the emergency vehicle to use my side of the road to overtake... I did have the know it all that he was trying to overtake papping his horn several times for me to do this even though the emergency hadn't reached him yet..

redux

I think someone who drove right out into the whole junction would be a mug.
I've once pulled across the stop line, from the left lane, about a car length and half on to the pavement so they could s around me.

Last time, I saw the police about 300 yards back as the lights just changed to red and I stopped on the cross-hatching in the middle, just before the centre island.

The main point is, don't panic. I was nearly knocked over on a pavement as some idiot drove up on to it with a police car behind him, and held them up as there was not actually enough gap for them to overtake him anyway, when he could have just gone past the green light 10 yards away and stopped in much more space a few yards beyond.

the_big_fact_hunt

You can NOT cross a red light, NOR can you use the bus lane, the emergency services do NOT have right of way, however, they are trained to manouver through traffic.
If you can SAFELY get out of the way, do so.
The highway code states that you must obey traffic directions, and directions from Police officers, blue lights and sirens do not constitute directions.
If you see an ERV approaching, try and make it easier for the driver to pass i.e. if you are approaching traffic lights stop early and leave a path through the lights on the correct side of the road for obvious safety reasons etc
I am a highly experienced driver and i will do whatever i see fit for the safety of all road users, whether it means moving further out into the road to block ERVs passing from behind when it is unsafe then allowing a clear path, or pulling onto an island and blocking traffic to make a clear route (i drive a large vehicle which CAN be seen when i do this).
Safe driving means being alert and aware, most new drivers are not taught to read the road ahead as i was, which means i can often tell what you are going to do before you decide it for yourself, its called experience.