Moving out of the way of an emergency vehicle

Merlin5 · 5 Nov 2021 at 15:52

I was in the right side of lane at these traffic lights today,

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.6...yl2ZNVSl7s8l9wkKQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en-GB

Lights were red and an ambulance was coming through behind me. When it was right behind me with it's lights flashing and siren blaring, I moved through the red light to allow it through. I thought that was always the done thing. According to this police article, I'm still breaking the law and would have to prove an emergency vehicle needed access as a mitigating circumstance. How would I prove it and am I likely to get fined and 3 points?

https://www.askthe.police.uk/content/Q699.htm

Dyson · 5 Nov 2021 at 15:56

Are there cameras on those lights?

jpaul · 5 Nov 2021 at 16:00

Do ambulances have dashcams ? but if you have the day and time , I'd have thought you can make a plea with that.

Conscript · 5 Nov 2021 at 16:03

Technically you aren't meant to go through a red light to let an emergency vehicle through, but if you can do so safely, I (and I'd guess 99% of people on this forum) would do exactly as you did and creep forward if they could to allow them to pass.

If there was no camera on the junction, I wouldn't even worry about getting called out for it. Surely the only ones who might report you would be the ambulance crew themselves, and if they can see that you were clearly trying to assist them, why would they?

Rroff · 5 Nov 2021 at 16:05

I might be wrong but pretty sure they should have turned off the siren if unable to proceed due to vehicle waiting at a red light and use the horn if they wanted you to move.

Conscript · 5 Nov 2021 at 16:06

Rroff said:
I might be wrong but pretty sure they should have turned off the siren if unable to proceed due to vehicle waiting at a red light and use the horn if they wanted you to move.

I'm glad someone else mentioned this. I could have sworn I'd heard the same, but I couldn't remember where or if I'd made it up.

Finglonga · 5 Nov 2021 at 16:15

No emergency vehicle would expect you to break the law for them. The Police are the only ones that can tell you to jump a red light. Any other time you could be prosecuted and people have for doing it. However if there are no cameras I would move through enough for the vehicle to pass.

Nasher · 5 Nov 2021 at 17:03

I wouldn't even jump them for the police on junctions with cameras, because you know you'll get a fine+points and it will be a nightmare fighting it as always. They need to change the laws and make them clear if they want people to move.

a1ex2001 · 5 Nov 2021 at 17:12

I would and have in the past gone through red lights to allow an ambulance past and never heard a thing even from one in derby with a camera that flashed. I assumed because it flashed the ambulance as well then the person in the other end applied common sense!

Merlin5 · 5 Nov 2021 at 17:14

Thanks for the replies, guys.

Dyson said:
Are there cameras on those lights?

Just what you can see on this street view. I think there are some things on top of the lights. Not sure if they would get me? https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.6...1e1!3m2!1s2qO79yl2ZNVSl7s8l9wkKQ!2e0?hl=en-GB

Nasher · 5 Nov 2021 at 17:20

a1ex2001 said:
I would and have in the past gone through red lights to allow an ambulance past and never heard a thing even from one in derby with a camera that flashed. I assumed because it flashed the ambulance as well then the person in the other end applied common sense!

You'd think that, but 90% of the time nope.

robj20 · 5 Nov 2021 at 17:21

I wouldn't go through a red light. There supposed to turn the siren off.
It's actually a sad rule, it should be made much easier to get out of the way, and only prosecute you if you cause an accident.

cheesefest · 5 Nov 2021 at 18:47

My friend was driving down a road at about 6pm down a road with single lane each way with a bus lane each way too. Ambulance with blues and twos had to pass through. There was no other option but to move onto the bus lane as traffic was gridlocked. My friend and several other drivers got fined - try to challenge and failed.

Why can’t the police etc make exceptions for allowing drivers to go onto the bus lane if to let an emergency vehicle with lights on pass or to move around an obstruction? The ambulance may had someone with minutes to live and getting to the hospital is vital in speedy time.

MrRockliffe · 5 Nov 2021 at 19:04

Merlin5 said:
Thanks for the replies, guys.

Just what you can see on this street view. I think there are some things on top of the lights. Not sure if they would get me? https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.6...1e1!3m2!1s2qO79yl2ZNVSl7s8l9wkKQ!2e0?hl=en-GB

They’re vehicle/pedestrian sensors for figuring out when to let pedestrians cross

You’ll be fine

robj20 · 5 Nov 2021 at 19:05

cheesefest said:
My friend was driving down a road at about 6pm down a road with single lane each way with a bus lane each way too. Ambulance with blues and twos had to pass through. There was no other option but to move onto the bus lane as traffic was gridlocked. My friend and several other drivers got fined - try to challenge and failed.

Why can’t the police etc make exceptions for allowing drivers to go onto the bus lane if to let an emergency vehicle with lights on pass or to move around an obstruction? The ambulance may had someone with minutes to live and getting to the hospital is vital in speedy time.

Was there a reason the ambulance couldn't use the bus lane?

MissChief · 5 Nov 2021 at 19:10

robj20 said:
Was there a reason the ambulance couldn't use the bus lane?

Maybe they'd get fined too?!

Nasher · 5 Nov 2021 at 20:54

cheesefest said:
My friend was driving down a road at about 6pm down a road with single lane each way with a bus lane each way too. Ambulance with blues and twos had to pass through. There was no other option but to move onto the bus lane as traffic was gridlocked. My friend and several other drivers got fined - try to challenge and failed.

Why can’t the police etc make exceptions for allowing drivers to go onto the bus lane if to let an emergency vehicle with lights on pass or to move around an obstruction? The ambulance may had someone with minutes to live and getting to the hospital is vital in speedy time.

Jobsworths > lives.

glenimp617 · 5 Nov 2021 at 21:12

I've gone through a red light before. If an ambulance is coming up behind fast with the lights and sirens on, someone, somewhere, needs help!

ShiWarrior · 5 Nov 2021 at 21:15

cheesefest said:
My friend was driving down a road at about 6pm down a road with single lane each way with a bus lane each way too. Ambulance with blues and twos had to pass through. There was no other option but to move onto the bus lane as traffic was gridlocked. My friend and several other drivers got fined - try to challenge and failed.

Why can’t the police etc make exceptions for allowing drivers to go onto the bus lane if to let an emergency vehicle with lights on pass or to move around an obstruction? The ambulance may had someone with minutes to live and getting to the hospital is vital in speedy time.

if you read the highway code (think that's where i read it) the Emergency vehicles are trained, and will move around you, not the other way around, if you moved into the bus lane, instead of the ambulance ? the ambulance could have just gone around you rather you making a quick divert means the driver of the ambulance has to take evasive action

Blackjack Davy · 6 Nov 2021 at 01:21

robj20 said:
Was there a reason the ambulance couldn't use the bus lane?

I was going to say that if the bus lane is clear I'd expect the ambulance to take that I wouldn't move over myself