Butkus

My sister phoned yesterday and said she'd had to drive through a red light to let an ambulance through. She was concerned that the camera would have taken a picture and she'll get fined. She said there was no alternative but to go safely through the light, and another car did the same. I suggested that she just note down the date and time of when it happened, and worry about it only if something comes through the post.

Do you think she'll get anything in the post? And what do you think she should do?

kris130

Your sister shouldnt get anything in the post.
1.) The camera should have a picture of the ambulance going through as well that is providing there was any film in it in the first place. If she does get a summons (unlikely) She has a reasonable excuse for driving through the light.

My job involve me driving through speed cameras and red lights on a daily basis you would be suprised how many dont have film in!

Reffro

Sorry but that's wrong. You are not allowed to go through a red light for any reason. Yes the ambulance is a very good excuse, but its not a legal reason to ignore the red light. On the positive side, most cameras won't have any film in, so the chances of being prosecuted for it are slim.

Harsh I know but that's the law as it stands I'm afraid.

Brendan Hughes

Someone else got done for this IIRC. As Reffro said, it's not good enough to get you off the hook, in theory.

However, it would be worth going to court and telling the judge, rather than pleading guilty by post. See if they think it's "not in the public interest" to prosecute/convict you.

suprabeast

why is this country such a petty f*ck up?? I cant understand how we have to live with this kind of cr*p . If an ambulance has to get through, then it should be allowed by any means necessary... People shouldnt get fined for it. Its discusting

Andrew Dixon

Not strictly true. The courts will waive prosecution in mitigating circumstances.

Dazza01

As stated in th HIGHWAY CODE

I very much doubt she will get done, after all if she didin't move out of the way how else would the ambulance get through ?

Reffro

I know it was a excellent excuse, but the fact remains its still illegal and she could be subject prosecution if caught.

I always move through red lights to give way to emergency vehicles, but I do so knowing that I could unfortunately be prosecuted for it

Also included in the Highway code are the paragraghs below:-


Junctions controlled by traffic lights


You MUST stop behind the white 'Stop' line across your side of the road unless the light is green. If the amber light appears you may go on only if you have already crossed the stop line or are so close to it that to stop might cause an accident.
Laws RTA 1988 sect 36 & TSRGD regs 10 & 36

You MUST NOT move forward over the white line when the red light is showing. Only go forward when the traffic lights are green if there is room for you to clear the junction safely or you are taking up a position to turn right. If the traffic lights are not working, proceed with caution. Allow cyclists and buses time and space to move off when the green signal shows.
Laws RTA 1988 sect 36 & TSRGD regs 10 & 36

Nowhere above does it say you can move if you have an emergency vehicle behind you.....

Gridlock Mikey

I got away with it

Got NIP, said i was moving out of the way, they checked the film, caught the ambulance, let me off. They are too busy to bother. Trust me Far easier to do Mildred for doing 35 in a 30 cos mildred won't resist!

Gridlock Mikey

Reffro, you'd make a good "Jobsworth" in either the Police or some sort of stock taking role
No some sort of grey job in a grey office wearing a grey suit, where the only person who cares about accuracy and implementation of petty rules is you

InvisibleMan

ive gone through a red light cos a police car was coming through. It was a busy road so had to weave in & out cos most people dont seem to have a clue what to do. Most wont move from a red light so blocking the police. The police gave me a wave & thumbs up when i moved...and as i was out in the junction i just followed behind...

Reffro

I am a superb jobsworth I'll have you know. But I wonder why you choose to criticise me, when I'm just giving the honest facts to a less than simple question.

Between all the answers we have established that moving through the red light is an offence. Whilst we all know that is the correct thing to do, in our crazy legal system, Butkus' sister might be prosecuted for it, but she probably won't if the police have half a brain about it. And if she is prosecuted, we also now know there is prescedent for her to use to ask for the prosecution to be avoided.

Butkus

Thanks for the replies and I now have a clearer picture of where the law stands on the subject. We'll just have to wait and see if anything happens.

kend

The NIP for setting off a red light camera still has the speed you were travelling at printed on it. (The first time I received one it took me a while to work out why I'd been sent NIP for 12mph)
The speed printed on it may help her argument, if for example speed came up as 40mph, would be difficult to argue that you were getting out of ambualnces way, if speed sufficiently low would probably add wieght to her argument

hedgehog

Unfortunately as the law stands you are not allowed to cross a red light under any circumstances. Hence why ambulance drivers are trained to avoid you but you are not given any training in avoiding them in these situations.

Technically your sister has comitted a crime and so you are now depending on the operators of the camera to apply common sense and not fine her. Their wages are paid from the fines they gather so I am sure that will encourage fair laws that have the support of the population.

Echo

Picture the scene. Missis comes up to lights on dual carriageway below speed limit (it's wet etc) with lorry behind. Lights go reds o she brakes. She realises that the lorry isn't braking and has no alternative to go through as the lorry realises very late and smoke is coming off its tyres. She gets snapped and gets letter in post for doing 20mph through lights.

I told her to go and fight it but after calling in to the police station to ask they said tough 'should have let it hit you'.

If a police car was there at the time and saw I am certain she would have been congratulated on her awareness. Unfortunately, the machine has no discretion and she's got 3 points.

BTW, I was sure that going through lights, if safe, to allow an emergency vechicle through was what you're supposed to do?

Mike

chris's scooby

My step dad was driving a fire engine on a shout to a fire at a school a few years back and he came up to some lights with an old driver who wouldn't get out of the way cos the lights were on red.

He slowly rolled up to its rear bumper and pushed it out of the way...

Butkus

Just an update seeing as the subject has come up again in another thread. Nothing came through the post about this for my sister, so it seems she's in the clear...

Freak

I saw an ambulance do that to some kevs in a nova once. Quite funny to watch