Soldato
Sorry, I'm wanting citations for being allowed to cross a red light for police which Jokester is suggesting
Red light camera
- Thread starter Brutal biff
- Start date
Caporegime
Aye saw that afterwards. Can only assume difference would be obstructing the police.
I'm not sure they'd ever be able to argue the obstruction point as the law is on your side regarding the not crossing of a red light.
Frankly I think the police could be doing a much better job of situations like this. Yes, it should be pretty rare for most people to be a) at the front of a set of lights, b) at the same time as a police car is coming through, c) along with their being a traffic light camera on that set. But it's completely unreasonable to be prosecuting law abiding citizens when they're just trying to get out of the way.
Soldato
My problem in that situation would be sitting there at the line surrounded by people looking at me thinking "what a **** not moving out of the way" 
Soldato
I had never considered this. I guess its only particularly relevant if your the only vehicle and a blues and twos comes up behind you. If there is more than one vehicle then by the time a few people safely navigate the junction, even if this is possible, then the lights would have changed anyway.
If I was at the lights as the only car and they kept the lights on I would try to move very left (or right if applicable) and slightly cross the line if necessary (another good reason for not stopping dead on the line). I would never go as far as actually encroaching into the area the other traffic needed. I would do this on the logic it would hopefully make the emergency services vehicle far more visible to the other traffic and that the other drivers would then create the gap they needed to progress.
When I see/hear a ES and I am driving I tend to slow, move well over but not stop. I used to stop but I found frequently if you do the numpties behind will end up stopping in the normal road position as they are not paying attention and dont realise why you did what you did. If you slow and move well over they can follow once they wake up.
If I was at the lights as the only car and they kept the lights on I would try to move very left (or right if applicable) and slightly cross the line if necessary (another good reason for not stopping dead on the line). I would never go as far as actually encroaching into the area the other traffic needed. I would do this on the logic it would hopefully make the emergency services vehicle far more visible to the other traffic and that the other drivers would then create the gap they needed to progress.
When I see/hear a ES and I am driving I tend to slow, move well over but not stop. I used to stop but I found frequently if you do the numpties behind will end up stopping in the normal road position as they are not paying attention and dont realise why you did what you did. If you slow and move well over they can follow once they wake up.
Don
https://www.askthe.police.uk/content/Q699.htm
https://www.bluelightaware.org.uk/?p=239
As mentioned before, people can and do get off for going through a red light in the presence of an emergency vehicle, but only the police have the actual power to tell you to do it.
Soldato
"may be considered as mitigation" =/= "legitimate defence"
Soldato
It does, really. They don't give an absolute affirmative because it's a legal process.
Deleted member 651465
D
Deleted member 651465
This is one instance where I’d rather take the hit and argue my case than sit there like a fool blocking an emergency vehicle.My problem in that situation would be sitting there at the line surrounded by people looking at me thinking "what a **** not moving out of the way"
Don't know if proven to be the case (Anybody have figures) but I am sure I remember reading a while back that response times had been noticeably increased since red light cams were introduced because large numbers of people now will not cross the line anymore.
I wonder how many people have been killed by "Safety Cameras" to date?
I have only once jumped a red when the driver of the police care directed me to, no emergency vehicle would expect you to break the law to let them past. Ambulances actually have got a blue light that is on constantly on the rear when they are on a call so it shows when they trigger a traffic camera. Before that some drivers were getting points and fines as the timing of the lights meant none of the blues were showing.
Thing is, it used to be perfectly acceptable (And yes, expected) for drivers to make way for emergency vehicles, even if it meant crossing the line.
It is only since we got Robocop enforcing the rules that this has become a problem
None of this was an issue when we had real people doing the job :/
As an example from the past;
Back in the 80's during my Jag V12 era, (Fun but Brutal. The kickdown 1>2 gear change was like a rocket stage separation! Not refined at all!
)There I was cruising just shy of 90 L3 on the M25 (Normal at that time) when all of a sudden, there it was, Police Jag, right up my arse, blues and twos.
Obviously not for me (Really, they would not have gone nuts for 85 or so back them) L2 was choker at around 65, I could see gap 2-300 yard ahead.
Anyway, rather than brake and hope to find a gap (And thus delaying them). I just hoofed it with Mr Police-car in close pursuit. Once I got to the large gap I pulled over and as the Police car flew by the passenger gave me a little wave.
At this point we were probabally both touching 120.
This would not happen today!
Soldato
Not quite that excessive but I did have two unmarked white transits follow me at 90 ish for a few miles down the M62. Bit of a shock when they lit up the blues and twos as we hit the variable speed camerasAt this point we were probabally both touching 120.
This would not happen today!
Motorway was fairly quiet and they definitely had somewhere more important to be