Emergency Vehicle/Red Light Question

[BBROWN1664]

Anyone on blues uses the other side of the road, or wherever they please to go past you, there are no niceties about it, they just aim to get to the destination regardless.

Only where they can Darrsi. In some places round here the traffic lights are on dual carriageways that have a central barrier preventing them from doing this. Even the bus lanes are stupid guided bus jobs meaning there's a kerb preventing people (or the emergency vehicle) getting into it.

[YamFazFan]

Even the bus lanes are stupid guided bus jobs meaning there's a kerb preventing people (or the emergency vehicle) getting into it.

Is that the Luton busway?.

We've got one in Cambridge. It went massively over budget and behind schedule.

The County council and the contractor are still wrangling over it years later.

Cars regularly get stuck in the traps that are designed to stop them driving up it.

[BBROWN1664]

Even the bus lanes are stupid guided bus jobs meaning there's a kerb preventing people (or the emergency vehicle) getting into it.

Is that the Luton busway?.

We've got one in Cambridge. It went massively over budget and behind schedule.

No, Crawley Fastway (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fastway_(bus_rapid_transit))

Same thing though, massively over budget and behind schedule. Has kerbs for about 200m and then a normal bus lane. Means all the normal busses have to pull out into the traffic and back into the bus lane again afterwards. Complete farce.

[His Dudeness]

If it were inevitable that I was going to receive a fine then they can wait.

Surely they wouldn't want you to cross a red light if it's illegal.

You know they could be responding to medical emergencies right? Someone living or dying could depend on them getting there in time. If it was you or one of your family members having a heart attack or a stroke or choking to death or bleeding to death would you want people to move out of the way or just sit there blocking help?  Move out of the way

[Robbie8666]

Just happened down here in Pompy all cars moved out the way & front car went over white line,  as you say it may be me in the back one day!!

having said that I was taught to leave enough space in front to be able to manoeuvre around the car in front in. still drive like that , we called it Northern Ireland Driving technique!! lol

[fazersharp]

I have done and would still do in both car and on bike using cautiously and safely.  any camera's would pick up the emergency vehicle crossing as well so I'd have my reason to appeal any fine

I think that the cameras take two pictures 1/2 second apart and the second picture will show that you were moving so by the time the blues get to your position you have had your picture and the bill is already in the post.
I would move over the line every time so long as there was no camera.
I always thought that traffic lights had a sensor on them that sees the blues and changes the light to green - or is that an urban myth.

The issue with going over the line is that when there is a que of traffic there is enough room to pull over but they cant because of the gap infront is not big enough so the one at the frount needs to move up a bit and over the line to give everyone else room to move over.

[fazersharp]

having said that I was taught to leave enough space in front to be able to manoeuvre around the car in front in. still drive like that , we called it Northern Ireland Driving technique!! lol

Yes very easy on a bike but not so easy in a car and if everyone did that 1/2 mile of traffic would be 2 miles

[YamFazFan]

You know they could be responding to medical emergencies right? Someone living or dying could depend on them getting there in time. If it was you or one of your family members having a heart attack or a stroke or choking to death or bleeding to death would you want people to move out of the way or just sit there blocking help?  Move out of the way

Then they should alter the law so that there's no chance of people receiving a fine for doing the right thing.

If my reward for doing a good turn is a fine and/or points, I ain't shifting I'm afraid.

[YamFazFan]

One point that hasn't been mentioned is the high possibility of the car driver, who lets remember isn't trained in safely crossing a red light such as the emergency services are, actually CAUSING an additional emergency situation by coliding with another vehicle.

It's an illegal manoeuvre.

[His Dudeness]

You know they could be responding to medical emergencies right? Someone living or dying could depend on them getting there in time. If it was you or one of your family members having a heart attack or a stroke or choking to death or bleeding to death would you want people to move out of the way or just sit there blocking help?  Move out of the way

Then they should alter the law so that there's no chance of people receiving a fine for doing the right thing.

If my reward for doing a good turn is a fine and/or points, I ain't shifting I'm afraid.

They should alter the law but that doesn't make sitting there right. Hopefully your decision doesn't cost someone their life. If you got pictured going through a red for moving there would most likely be a picture of the ambulance going through the same red a few moments later so it wouldn't take the world's greatest lawyer to appeal the ticket

[YamFazFan]

They should alter the law but that doesn't make sitting there right. Hopefully your decision doesn't cost someone their life. If you got pictured going through a red for moving there would most likely be a picture of the ambulance going through the same red a few moments later so it wouldn't take the world's greatest lawyer to appeal the ticket
[/quot

Sitting there is right in the eyes of the law though. They clearly haven't been swayed enough by the morality of the issue to alter it have they. I wish they had.

You can only speculate on the nature of the emergency they are travelling to.

I'd be gutted if I found out later on that they'd gone to the aid of a burgler, or such like, stuck on the remains of someone's window he's just smashed and I'd copped a fine for that trash.

 I'd definitely want a refund then.

[YamFazFan]

Sorry Dudeness, messed the quote bit up there and my post has appeared inside yours.

[His Dudeness]

Well if you were in trouble YamFazFan I'd move out of the way and take the ticket and let help get to you. Hopefully you'd do the same for me or anyone else. It's as simple as that.

[YamFazFan]

Obviously I'm always giving way and pulling over for emergency vehicles and if i knew there would be no punishment for doing so I expect I'd nip over the white line to help them on their way.

But I'm not paying for the privilege of helping them out.

Naturally Fazer owners are a special case!😉.

[mtread]

How far ahead does the camera detect a 'pass'? Is it not possible to move enough ahead without triggering the camera?

[darrsi]

They should alter the law but that doesn't make sitting there right. Hopefully your decision doesn't cost someone their life. If you got pictured going through a red for moving there would most likely be a picture of the ambulance going through the same red a few moments later so it wouldn't take the world's greatest lawyer to appeal the ticket
[/quot

Sitting there is right in the eyes of the law though. They clearly haven't been swayed enough by the morality of the issue to alter it have they. I wish they had.

You can only speculate on the nature of the emergency they are travelling to.

I'd be gutted if I found out later on that they'd gone to the aid of a burgler, or such like, stuck on the remains of someone's window he's just smashed and I'd copped a fine for that trash.

 I'd definitely want a refund then.

If i had the knowledge they were racing to the aid of a burglar i would not be in any particular hurry to move or chance a fine, and hope the fucker suffers in the mean time


I don’t like burglars......scum of the earth.

[DILLIGAFF]

Many years ago when driving into Heathrow central area I was going through the tunnel in the outside lane, as I needed to turn right into the central carpark, when a police car came screaming up behind me on blues and twos. Now in the preceeding weeks they had been enthusiastically fining drivers for crossing the double white lines that run through the tunnel so I held my position.
I could see the occupants having a heated discussion, presumably about my driving, but I was not going to risk a fine for crossing the doubles and anyway the nearside lane was clear. The police car then started furiously flashing his lights so I assumed he wanted me to stop, which is what I did. Only then did the "highly trained" drivers behind seem to grasp the reason for my actions and drove around me, which they could easily have done earlier.

[BBROWN1664]

Only then did the "highly trained" drivers behind seem to grasp the reason for my actions and drove around me, which they could easily have done earlier.

There is nothing "highly trained" about your average panda driver.

[darrsi]

Only then did the "highly trained" drivers behind seem to grasp the reason for my actions and drove around me, which they could easily have done earlier.

There is nothing "highly trained" about your average panda driver.

This is very true....

[YamFazFan]

[quote author=darrsi link=topic=23573.msg272798#msg272798 date=1513935944
If i had the knowledge they were racing to the aid of a burglar i would not be in any particular hurry to move or chance a fine, and hope the fucker suffers in the mean time


I don’t like burglars......scum of the earth.
[/quote]


You're not wrong darrsi.

We've been burgled twice over the years.

The last time they took items that were of little monetary value, but great sentimental value as they originally belonged to my deceased Grandmother.

I'd happily pay them double to have them back.

These people are rotten to the core and the dregs of humanity.

[Wharfe]

There is nothing "highly trained" about your average panda driver.



Damn right. nearly got t-boned in my local Morrison's car park a few months ago by some plod far more interested on talking to the WPC next to him than looking for other vehicles as he pulled out. Looked V. sheepish afterwards though..

[tommyardin]

Well if you were in trouble YamFazFan I'd move out of the way and take the ticket and let help get to you. Hopefully you'd do the same for me or anyone else. It's as simple as that.

Hey Dudeness we are talking about YamFazFan here, if he was in trouble the majority in here would reverse back up and try and run over him again, it's only fair.

[YamFazFan]

Well if you were in trouble YamFazFan I'd move out of the way and take the ticket and let help get to you. Hopefully you'd do the same for me or anyone else. It's as simple as that.

Hey Dudeness we are talking about YamFazFan here, if he was in trouble the majority in here would reverse back up and try and run over him again, it's only fair.

Hold on!, how did I did suddenly get lumbered with that reputation!?. I've only disagreed on one issue!

[5LV]

God son failed his 1st driving test crossing  the white line at a red light moving for a popo car.
Examiner said it was bad luck and common sense to move but also against the law.

[darrsi]

God son failed his 1st driving test crossing  the white line at a red light moving for a popo car.
Examiner said it was bad luck and common sense to move but also against the law.

Rather harsh, you'd think they'd let that one slide?