If you're sat at a red light and an emergency vehicle comes up behind you with lights flashing and siren sounding, is it against the law to cross the red light in order to allow the vehicle to proceed?.
Just observed such a situation.
The car driver was reluctant to cross the red light, but was intimidated to do so by all the surrounding drivers hooting at him.
My understanding is the driver would be breaking the law going across the white line against a red traffic light unless instructed to do so by a uniformed police officer / traffic warden.
Having said that if it was safe then I would probably cross the white line to let a vehicle through on Blues and Twos
(20-12-17, 11:32 AM)windyg link Wrote: My understanding is the driver would be breaking the law going across the white line against a red traffic light unless instructed to do so by a uniformed police officer / traffic warden.
Having said that if it was safe then I would probably cross the white line to let a vehicle through on Blues and Twos What about ones that are covered by a camera
I don't do rain or threat there of. dry rider only with no shame.
It is against the law to cross the stop line at a red light. FULL STOP. Only if directed to do so by the police can you legally do so. Them sitting a few cars back on blues/twos is not them telling you to do so.
That's said, common sense prevails and if it is safe to do so and there isn't a camera about, I would pull forwards and to the side to let them past.
Another ex-Fazer rider that is a foccer again
I've read a lot over the years about people moving into bus lanes to let emergency vehicles pass, then they've received a ticket in the post with a fine.
Bit harsh I reckon, as it is an emergency situation and is not done for your own gain.
More people are born because of alcohol than will ever die from it.
Yes it is harsh. It's instinctive to pull out of the way isn't it.
How would you prove you'd moved over for an ambulance and is there any exemption for that anyway. Very much doubt it.
They just love fining people at every opportunity nowadays.
It’s just the thought of standing your ground not breaking the law versus risking someones life.
No way people should be fined for common sense.
More people are born because of alcohol than will ever die from it.
(20-12-17, 12:32 PM)darrsi link Wrote: I've read a lot over the years about people moving into bus lanes to let emergency vehicles pass, then they've received a ticket in the post with a fine.
Bit harsh I reckon, as it is an emergency situation and is not done for your own gain.
I have been told that even blue light drivers if they go through a red light with a camera fitted have to prove they were on a 999 call via logs etc otherwise the driver can get fined!
(normally sorted out at a higher level than the driver themselves!)
It ain't what you ride, it's who you ride with!!!
Interesting points of view, I wonder however why that person has stopped at the lights in such a position that they had to move over if an emergency vehicle should appear. Why hadn't they considered this when stopping, does no-one plan ahead any more?
As for legality, I wouldn't care if I got a ticket, someones life could be on the line. If you have a dashcam (who hasn't these days) it should be easy to argue the case.
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Here’s another one for you to ponder, as it happened to me AGAIN tonight.
What do you do when you can blatantly see that the lights are stuck on red?
This has happened to me about 8 times now at the same lights, over the years, and you can probably guess what i do.....but what are you meant to do???
More people are born because of alcohol than will ever die from it.
(20-12-17, 07:26 PM)celticbiker link Wrote: Interesting points of view, I wonder however why that person has stopped at the lights in such a position that they had to move over if an emergency vehicle should appear. Why hadn't they considered this when stopping, does no-one plan ahead any more? Thats easy to explain - you were already stopped at the stop line before the emergency vehicle appeared.
How exactly is the red light camera triggered anyway
I don't do rain or threat there of. dry rider only with no shame.
(20-12-17, 12:11 PM)BBROWN1664 link Wrote: It is against the law to cross the stop line at a red light. FULL STOP. Only if directed to do so by the police can you legally do so. Them sitting a few cars back on blues/twos is not them telling you to do so.
That's said, common sense prevails and if it is safe to do so and there isn't a camera about, I would pull forwards and to the side to let them past.
This is exactly how I understand it.
I'm not sure I could sit there and not move out of the way whether or not there was a camera about to send me a ticket.
(20-12-17, 07:58 PM)fazersharp link Wrote: [quote author=celticbiker link=topic=23573.msg272680#msg272680 date=1513794388]
Interesting points of view, I wonder however why that person has stopped at the lights in such a position that they had to move over if an emergency vehicle should appear. Why hadn't they considered this when stopping, does no-one plan ahead any more? Thats easy to explain - you were already stopped at the stop line before the emergency vehicle appeared.
How exactly is the red light camera triggered anyway
[/quote]
So you are saying that when you (the global you, not you personally) approach a set of light or other junction, you just stop wherever you happen to be in your lane?
You don't check your mirrors and assess the traffic around you and position your vehicle accordingly before stopping?
Whether there is an emergency vehicle around or not why would you position your vehicle in such a way as to prevent one from passing if necessary?
How many times have you been filtering and come up against two cars tight up against the lane divider and you have to stop and wait for them to move or make them aware of your presence. They aren't moving and gain nothing from it. It's just lack of forward planning and lack of consideration for other road users.
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(20-12-17, 10:32 PM)celticbiker link Wrote: So you are saying that when you (the global you, not you personally) approach a set of light or other junction, you just stop wherever you happen to be in your lane?
You don't check your mirrors and assess the traffic around you and position your vehicle accordingly before stopping?
Whether there is an emergency vehicle around or not why would you position your vehicle in such a way as to prevent one from passing if necessary?
How many times have you been filtering and come up against two cars tight up against the lane divider and you have to stop and wait for them to move or make them aware of your presence. They aren't moving and gain nothing from it. It's just lack of forward planning and lack of consideration for other road users.
Unless you've already seen/heard the emergency vehicle coming, and have time to hang back a bit, everyone pulls up at the white line by the lights don't they?.
In a car you don't have a lot of leeway either side to let an ambulance through if they can't use the opposing carriageway do you.
(20-12-17, 10:32 PM)celticbiker link Wrote: [quote author=fazersharp link=topic=23573.msg272682#msg272682 date=1513796285]
[quote author=celticbiker link=topic=23573.msg272680#msg272680 date=1513794388]
Interesting points of view, I wonder however why that person has stopped at the lights in such a position that they had to move over if an emergency vehicle should appear. Why hadn't they considered this when stopping, does no-one plan ahead any more? Thats easy to explain - you were already stopped at the stop line before the emergency vehicle appeared.
How exactly is the red light camera triggered anyway
[/quote]
So you are saying that when you (the global you, not you personally) approach a set of light or other junction, you just stop wherever you happen to be in your lane?
You don't check your mirrors and assess the traffic around you and position your vehicle accordingly before stopping?
Whether there is an emergency vehicle around or not why would you position your vehicle in such a way as to prevent one from passing if necessary?
How many times have you been filtering and come up against two cars tight up against the lane divider and you have to stop and wait for them to move or make them aware of your presence. They aren't moving and gain nothing from it. It's just lack of forward planning and lack of consideration for other road users.
[/quote]
Sorry I was referring to being in a car, so no room to "position" other than stopping a cars length before the stop line which is what I would do to give me options when in the car if I see blues approaching from behind,
I don't do rain or threat there of. dry rider only with no shame.
(20-12-17, 08:52 PM)Hugh Mungus link Wrote: I'm not sure I could sit there and not move out of the way whether or not there was a camera about to send me a ticket.
I suspect most people feel that way, but in that case they should frame the law in such a way that you don't get a ticket simply for being a good citizen.
Financial punishment for just doing a good turn seems like injustice to me :rolleyes
You lot obviously live in a different world.
In my area you fight your way to the front of the half mile traffic and plonk yourself in front of the lead car at the lights.
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.
More people are born because of alcohol than will ever die from it.
(20-12-17, 11:59 PM)darrsi link Wrote: You lot obviously live in a different world.
In my area you fight your way to the front of the half mile traffic and plonk yourself in front of the lead car at the lights.
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.
Well said.
That's the reality of how it is most of the time in these situations.
(21-12-17, 12:11 AM)YamFazFan link Wrote: [quote author=darrsi link=topic=23573.msg272705#msg272705 date=1513810759]
You lot obviously live in a different world.
In my area you fight your way to the front of the half mile traffic and plonk yourself in front of the lead car at the lights.
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.
Well said.
That's the reality of how it is most of the time in these situations.
[/quote]
Also, if you stop at the white line, or before the cycle area, 5 other motorbikes will jump in front of you :lol
More people are born because of alcohol than will ever die from it.
(20-12-17, 11:25 AM)YamFazFan link Wrote: If you're sat at a red light and an emergency vehicle comes up behind you with lights flashing and siren sounding, is it against the law to cross the red light in order to allow the vehicle to proceed?.
The simple answer is "Yes".
Unless you are directed to cross a stop line by a Police Officer in uniform, it's illegal to cross the Stop line.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btRHvQEIkcU
Having said that, a lot of people do it, although some areas are bloody-minded enough to fine you for doing so...
https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/drivi...ambulance/
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