I'm an idiot - Drove in bus lane twice in a day...

My friend pulled over into a 24/7 bus lane to let an ambulance. She got caught and fined £130. Normally ambulances can drive in bus lanes but 2 buses were at bus stops.

She appealed and failed.

If anyone pulls over to let an emergency vehicle on blues and gets fined, they should have the fine cancelled. As those drivers could have saved the emergency vehicles time to keep someone alive
 
cheesefest said:
My friend pulled over into a 24/7 bus lane to let an ambulance. She got caught and fined £130. Normally ambulances can drive in bus lanes but 2 buses were at bus stops.

She appealed and failed.

If anyone pulls over to let an emergency vehicle on blues and gets fined, they should have the fine cancelled. As those drivers could have saved the emergency vehicles time to keep someone alive
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The issue here is not about courtesy, or saving lives, the issue here is you shouldn't break laws to help, or in this case, let the police or ambulance pass. So don't pull over on a double yellow, or mount a kerb or go into a bus lane.

Why you broke a law and the fact a law is broken, don't seem to go hand in hand, it's very frustrating sometimes especially in instances like this.
 
Raymond Lin said:
The issue here is not about courtesy, or saving lives, the issue here is you shouldn't break laws to help, or in this case, let the police or ambulance pass. So don't pull over on a double yellow, or mount a kerb or go into a bus lane.

Why you broke a law and the fact a law is broken, don't seem to go hand in hand, it's very frustrating sometimes especially in instances like this.
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What was she supposed to do in this instance? When got flashing blue lights in rear view mirror, you don’t have much thinking time
 
cheesefest said:
What was she supposed to do in this instance? When got flashing blue lights in rear view mirror, you don’t have much thinking time
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You keep driving normal, let the police break the law. Consider it just another impatient driver.
 
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cheesefest said:
What was she supposed to do in this instance? When got flashing blue lights in rear view mirror, you don’t have much thinking time
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Same thing you do if they're sat behind you at a set of red lights. Nothing, unless you can give them the space they need without going through the lights.
 
No legal requirement to move and lets emergency vehicles past if it puts you in a position to break road rules/laws.
 
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If it is safe and legal to move out of their way then you do so.
If its neither then you carry on as gives them best ability to navigate you.
This is not always just stopping, sometimes its make progress through the lights for example and then pull over.

They have specific (assuming they are actual ambulance drivers) permission to break the law.
Its interesting that when eg the army drive an ambulance they do not have permission to break the law.
 
I used to drive and park there a lot to go down south but haven't for years. I would have absolutely made the same mistake if I drove there today. Thanks for getting a ticket so I don't have to :D

There's something to be said about complacency. I've caught myself speeding on roads that have been dropped 10mph since I last drove them. Easier said than done when sometimes the signage is as clear as mud and gives you little scope for anticipation of the situation.
 
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On the subject of tickets. With councils cost cutting by not trimming back vegetation etc. You are driving down a road you are unfamiliar with. You get caught doing 45mph as the sign for 40mph was hidden by a tree.

Can you appeal to say that you weren’t able to see the 40mph sign?

I noticed many signs are hidden by vegetation where I live
 
tom_e said:
Same thing you do if they're sat behind you at a set of red lights. Nothing, unless you can give them the space they need without going through the lights.
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When I was learning to drive we were told it was ok to go through lights to let ambulances etc though. But when cameras started appearing everywhere and people fined, that seems to have changed.
 
Nasher said:
When I was learning to drive we were told it was ok to go through lights to let ambulances etc though. But when cameras started appearing everywhere and people fined, that seems to have changed.
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Never been ok unless instructed to by a uniformed constable IIRC
Obviously in the real world if there's no red light camera then most people will exercise common sense.
 
tom_e said:
Never been ok unless instructed to by a uniformed constable IIRC
Obviously in the real world if there's no red light camera then most people will exercise common sense.
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I'm not sure even then I would if it's on a junction with a traffic light camera, a constable is not going to be able to stop the camera triggering and issuing you a fine/points.

I believe emergency vehicles are told to switch off the siren if they get to a junction that they can't get through due to stationary traffic as it just causes people to panic and move out of the way potentially making dangerous manoeuvers, or crossing things like red lights.

Certainly watching enough police interceptors/traffic cops they get frustrated when stuck behind cars, but it's clear the cars can't move anywhere without potentially breaking the law.
 
Dup said:
I used to drive and park there a lot to go down south but haven't for years. I would have absolutely made the same mistake if I drove there today. Thanks for getting a ticket so I don't have to :D

There's something to be said about complacency. I've caught myself speeding on roads that have been dropped 10mph since I last drove them. Easier said than done when sometimes the signage is as clear as mud and gives you little scope for anticipation of the situation.
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You're welcome bud :p

Yeah, the Grain road got me a while back when they introduced the lower 40mph limit.
 
Semple said:
I believe emergency vehicles are told to switch off the siren if they get to a junction that they can't get through due to stationary traffic as it just causes people to panic and move out of the way potentially making dangerous manoeuvers, or crossing things like red lights.
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This is what should happen.

Back to the OP, yeh those signs are bad and really far back from the junction but pay up. You've no really got a leg to stand on and I would expect given that it has been in place since 2019, someone would have challenged it by now and if they won, the signs would have been changed already.

It could be worse, there is a section of the A140 in Norfolk which I am assuming they have reduced to 40mph, I'm not actually sure because while some 40mph signs have been added, they didn't actually remove all the 50mph signs or the giant 50mph painted on the road. One of the old 50mph signs is literally a few meters behind a new 40mph sign, its actually ridiculous.

Goole maps isn't new enough yet but its been like it for months.
 
Raymond Lin said:
I feel for you Martyn and you have my sympathy but if the ticket comes, there is no defence i am afraid. There is a sign that says No Right Turns so with that alone you've broken a rule.

Chalk it up to experience on this one, unfortunately.
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This. Not sure I understand the confusion - the bus lane part is almost irrelevant as it's clearly signposted No Right Turn anyway?
 
Wth.. ppl would block an energency vehicle because of rule following rather than getting out of the way if it's safe... while whoever that vehicle is going to just dies? Seriously?
 
throwaway4372 said:
Wth.. ppl would block an energency vehicle because of rule following rather than getting out of the way if it's safe... while whoever that vehicle is going to just dies? Seriously?
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I remember pulling over for an ambulance during a driving lesson, I asked what happened if it was a double yellow and it was when the instructor told me not to break the traffic code to let them pass. Keep driving normally, may slow down a little when it is safe to do so but don't break the law to let them pass.
 
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