cster

Would you be inclined to go through a red light camera to get out of the way of an emergency vehicle with blue lights etc?

bugeyeandy

Yes but only if it absolutely could not be avoided.

scoobynutta555

No I'm afraid, as you'll get done.

logiclee

Yep,

I would fight it in court, remember take the emergency vehicle's number if possible.

Could be a life or death call and you'd have to be a complete **** not to let an emergency vehicle through.
One day it could be your own life on the line, I've been there myself.

Cheers
Lee

AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

Unfortunately, the law doesn't allow going through a red light, even if there's an emergency vehicle behind you. There's no exception provided.

I guess that if that vehicle is a police car, and the officer inside actually signals you to go through, then that would be OK because the police have the power to direct traffic. You could claim in court that you were signalled to go through the light by a police officer.

m1cks

I wouldn't. I would try to move over as much as possible but wouldn't go through. Insurance companies aren't interested in the dynamics of points on a licence and 3 points for going through a red would be more harsh than three for a sp30.
AFIK emergency services are told not to encourage you to run a red.

scoobynutta555

Or you could be some bloke on 9 points whose living is made by driving with a big mortgage, kids to feed etc etc and the emergency vehicle is not in the emergency you think it is. Not me BTW.

Still, we'd see what I'd do in the situation, but either way I'd be taking no points for it.

logiclee

So are you saying you would sit at a red light with and Ambulance behind you with blues and two's on?
An Ambulance that could possibly have someone's Mother/Daughter/Father/Son/Wife/Husband in the back in a life threating situation and your conscience would allow you to just sit there?

I'm sorry I couldn't do that even if it meant that I maybe fined.

Magistrates do have the ability to not issue penatlties in exeptional circumstances.

Cheers
Lee

m1cks

A magistrate can only deal in fact. Did you or didn't you go through the light? You could try and plead exceptional circumstances but that is not an automatic let off.

If you stop properly at the lights, you should have a gap between you and the line. Therefore you can pull forward and over to the edge giving the emergency vehicle more room, without going through the red.

Due to the fact the cameras do not discriminate nor have the ability to show discretion, peoples attittude will soon swing towards not breaking the law. As said above, if you have 9 points, mortgage, family to feed etc, you are taking a big gamble.
If the lights don't have a camera, thats a totally diferent scenario.

rooferman

iTrader: (6)

Some one once told me that Post Office vans can go through red lights because they have the Queens head on them!!!!!!!!!!


LOL....LOL....Very Bizarre if true..........lolololol

GC8

Further to this, you can actually be nicked if they have a picture of your bumper overhanging the line, as ridiculous as that is. At least you would have a di minimis* defence.

*de minimis non curat praetor or de minimis non curat lex: the law does not concern itself with trivial matters (unfortunately no longer the case..... )

jods

Ambulance / fire - yes, if at all possible

Police - no. not if I had to go through a red light or mount the pavement.

I've had occasions to meet the three public services above and that is precisely what has precipitated my different approach. Sad to say it but imho the police have a long way to go to earn the respect of the general public and I lay the blame for this 50% at nu-labias door and 50% at the increasing number of woodentop jumped up little hitler plastic bobbies out there. Tw@s.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

LMAO at the Infraction for "Insulting other Members"
Does this mean that there is someone out there who considers themselves a "Woodentop Jumped up little Hitler Plastic Bobby" who takes offence at being called a TW@ ??

fast bloke

If you get into a position where you can only release someone on blues and twos by running a red light, then you haven't been paying attention and you haven't been reading the road. Go and learn to drive

(In reality, they will slow down a bit and then drive down the other side of the road if it is really urgent)

Underworld

lets get 'queens head' stickers on our bumpers and get a move on....

fast bloke

Would a 10p and a bit of blu tack do?

Underworld

y not try and let us know

r32

Sorry its no for me!

SwissTony

iTrader: (19)

How does having a sticker of your local pub help you

speedking

I have watched others trying to mount an 8" kerb from lane 2 onto a central reservation to get out of the way of an ambulance , I couldn't do it, a gap soon opened in lane 1

It would be quite simple for the law to be amended, adding the phrase "Thou shalt not pass a red traffic light unless moving out of the way of an emergency vehicle displaying blue lights and sounding its siren" should do it. But that would be too simple.

Surely if no accident is caused then there is no reason to prosecute?

fast bloke

60 quid fine for the coffers?

Underworld

just ask a copper

stilover

Personally speaking, I'd sit there until the lights changed. It would be very hard though, as your conscience says get out of the way as someone life could be in danger.

However after watching a case on Watchdog (I think) about a bloke who did just that and got zapped by a traffic light camera. Went to court pretty sure he'd get it withdrawn due to the circumstance. Didn't go as planned. Guy was still prosecuted. 3 points and a fine. May have been more than the standard fine/points as he dared fight it.

Dracoro

You could then be done for obstructing an officer in his duties, worse punishments for that than 3 points I think....

In most cases, you don't need to go through the junction (or even the light), just be moving over out the way.

Of course, if you've stopped one inch from the car in front or right on the line of the junction then you've dug your own grave!

Leslie

I agree with what you say, it is the obviously correct action.

There was a case however of some chap who moved forward to let an ambulance pass the lights, but in doing so he just managed to trip the camera behind him, he did not cross the lights. He was still fined even though his story was backed by the ambulance station in Court! I seem to remember this was posted on this forum once.

Les

Dracoro

You see, this is what I don't understand, WHO is the plonker in the court that hears this info and then says "ah I see, a reasonable reason for going through but I'm gonna fine you anyway, just coz I can". Where's the reasoning? Or is there more to the story than what we let on when posting on the forum?

pimmo2000

iTrader: (6)

I'd go through and take the points if needed... after the paramedics saved my dad .. I would do just about anything I can to help them !!

Underworld

if the red light gets you, this means it should get the emergency vehicle as well, who goes after you..... u got proof there that u let him pass......

scoobynutta555

Not if the light changes to green just after you go through

wagrain

If it was a cop car, then to be totally honest I'm not 100% sure.

But if it was an ambulance or Fire engine then to me its a no brainer . . .

Get the F*ck out of the way!

If you're observant enough ( you use your mirrors), you will have seen / heard the emergency vehicle approaching, and should have moved out of the way before it gets behind you.

The number of times I've pulled over for an ambulance and a car following me has simply overtaken me because they haven't seen it

Diesel

That is clearly the right way to think and the right thing to do, however the black and white punitive way the public is dealt with these days makes that approach less and less likely.

As someone else said camera partnerships and magistrates are allowed to deal only in fact. If you did jump a red then the fact that it was for a very good and altruistic reason does not even nter the equation. It is an absolute offence. I therefore would not ease through a red if it had a 'computer says no' camera on it. I just couldn't deal with the hassle, cost, paperwork and days off work fighting the system.

They have caused this negative approach due to their greedy adherence to blind invoicing, statistics that big themselves up and due to a complete absence of common sense in many matters.

D