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Original poster

For not driving through red light with ambulance behind me

311 replies

User34445566677 · 07/12/2025 21:13

Stuck at red lights in 3 lanes of traffic. I was in right hand lane to turn right, at the front of white line and railings to my right so couldn't pull to the side. Middle lane for straight on. Left hand lane (towards hospital) is always allowed to filter through first via green light to the left, then after a while, the forward and right turn green lights come on. Ambulance comes up my lane whilst red traffic lights on. Blue lights and sirens on, all while the ambulance is indicating left (I am the only car in this lane, other lanes have several cars in). Ambulance leaves sirens on, and even beeps while lights are on red ( though i am not 100% sure this was the ambulance, but don't know who else it would have been?). From what I have read, you should not cross during a red light even for an emergency vehicle, I would have been entering a box junction? Was I BU to not cross the red light? And I think the Ambulance would have been quicker going in the left lane which filtered through first? Very confused. TIA

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outdooryone · 09/12/2025 21:00

Badbadbunny · 09/12/2025 10:36

It's not always about the exact legal rights and wrongs of a situation. Sometimes, an entirely "innocent" driver tootling along doing nothing wrong can help to reduce the risk of an accident by taking simple actions that don't detriment them. Of course, no "legal" requirement for them to do that, but it's called being a decent human being, regardless of the legal rights and wrongs.

When I used to give advanced motorist training, I always told the drivers to always try to reduce risks, not just to themselves, but to others too, wherever possible and not to be too obsessed with the legal rights and wrongs of driving. That meant allowing more space at junctions/slip roads, moving over to lane 2 approaching slip roads, etc., if safe and possible to do so without inconveniencing others.

Why wouldn't any normal/decent human being do simple things to reduce risks to others. I just don't get all this "I was in the right" crap at all.

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While I agree, the total and ultimate liability lies with the car who a) was 'breaking' highway code norms and b) not responding.
You can help things, but FFS the car crashing carries responsibility.
(And if we're showing off, I'll pull out my advanced driving ticket, PSV, PCV and grandfather rights used to successfully instruct over 100 other PCV and PSV drivers.)

Climbingrosexx · 09/12/2025 15:42

AmateurDad · 09/12/2025 15:36

Hmm, seems I misread the Regulations. Whoops! Just tucking in to an enormous plate of humble pie…

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Got to respect that 👏

AmateurDad · 09/12/2025 15:39

Lamentingalways · 09/12/2025 11:01

Hahahaha because ‘this is the problem when women claim to know the fact…’

But we used links ton evidence to prove….

No, no, I am man, you must listen.

Wanker.

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Being a man has nothing to do with it. In any event, I have since realised I was wrong, and came back here and acknowledged that. Makes your jibe a bit hollow, doesn’t it?

AmateurDad · 09/12/2025 15:36

AmateurDad · 08/12/2025 22:47

This is the problem when people start to talk with absolute authority about things they assume to be the case without actually checking.

The law absolutely DOES allow you to break a light if not doing so would hold up an ambulance answering an emergency call - just as one would hope and indeed expect to be the case.

In any event, I find it genuinely alarming to learn that Munsnetters choose to sit stubbornly at red lights blocking ambulances on their way to cardiac arrests rather than exercising a little bit of common sense and seeking even to edge forward and out of the way. I suppose a clean licence is more important than a life.

Hmm, seems I misread the Regulations. Whoops! Just tucking in to an enormous plate of humble pie…

Climbingrosexx · 09/12/2025 14:38

AmateurDad · 08/12/2025 22:47

This is the problem when people start to talk with absolute authority about things they assume to be the case without actually checking.

The law absolutely DOES allow you to break a light if not doing so would hold up an ambulance answering an emergency call - just as one would hope and indeed expect to be the case.

In any event, I find it genuinely alarming to learn that Munsnetters choose to sit stubbornly at red lights blocking ambulances on their way to cardiac arrests rather than exercising a little bit of common sense and seeking even to edge forward and out of the way. I suppose a clean licence is more important than a life.

There's obviously a misprint in my highway code book. I must write to them and say I absolutely CAN break the law. Rule 219 of the highway code can be broken. AmateurDad said so!

daphney · 09/12/2025 14:12

AmateurDad · 08/12/2025 22:47

This is the problem when people start to talk with absolute authority about things they assume to be the case without actually checking.

The law absolutely DOES allow you to break a light if not doing so would hold up an ambulance answering an emergency call - just as one would hope and indeed expect to be the case.

In any event, I find it genuinely alarming to learn that Munsnetters choose to sit stubbornly at red lights blocking ambulances on their way to cardiac arrests rather than exercising a little bit of common sense and seeking even to edge forward and out of the way. I suppose a clean licence is more important than a life.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/3UaAb5jsMWE

Here's someone who does have a lot of authority on the subject. Curiously advising people in completely the opposite way to you. Who would have guessed.

Before you continue to YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/3UaAb5jsMWE

Keepingittogetherstepbystep · 09/12/2025 14:05

You did the right thing. The highway code is clear.

We covered this when I passed my test in 1989. Infact I had 2 emergency vehicles on my test as well as the emergency stop and a pedestrian running out in front of me.

For not driving through red light with ambulance behind me
Kibbleish · 09/12/2025 13:58

Cheezit · 08/12/2025 23:14

You forgot ‘man here!’ 😊

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😅

calkel · 09/12/2025 13:36

sittingonabeach · 09/12/2025 10:40

@calkel if you were on the limit of points, or couldn't do your job as had points on your licence, would you still do it?

I’m not very good at guess work.

daphney · 09/12/2025 13:12

You are totally in the right. Ambulance drivers are trained to go through red lights, you aren't. If you had an accident pulling forward you would be found at fault. More importantly if the you create an accident the ambulance takes even longer to get to the emergency. Also, if the junction has a red light camera then you would get fined and points, and moving for an ambulance isn't a valid excuse.

Ambulance should switch of their sirens at red lights and just sit behind you with lights on waiting. Very very very rare situations that the twenty seconds they wait makes any difference to the outcome. You were right.

JustMyView13 · 09/12/2025 11:45

Well the logic is, if you jump the red light, you risk an accident. And if you have an accident the ambulance will not be able to proceed to its destination - hence slowing it down. You done the right thing - their stress is not your problem. They shouldn’t try to intimidate drivers, and you’d be well within your right to complain about their conduct if you have the date and time.

Feelingsunny · 09/12/2025 11:27

travailtotravel · 07/12/2025 21:16

Omg you pull forward enough to let them through .... everyone can see the ambulance and gets pit of its/your way in letting it pass. When the blue lights are on get out of the way.

No you don't.

Squeeky112 · 09/12/2025 11:11

Lamentingalways · 09/12/2025 11:01

Hahahaha because ‘this is the problem when women claim to know the fact…’

But we used links ton evidence to prove….

No, no, I am man, you must listen.

Wanker.

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And if you go through the lights and get hit be someone else, the ambulance has to stop and the person in the back dies. And it would be the fault of the person jumping the red light.

Check out 'ItsBigJobber' on Instagram/threads - he's a specialist insurance bloke who explains who is at fault. And is very clear on the law - you do not jump a red light because of emergency vehicles behind you.

(Don't worry - despite his user name, he is legit and not dodgy!)

Lamentingalways · 09/12/2025 11:06

If there are 3 lanes at this junction then I should think it’s a fairly heavy flow of traffic and likely to be dangerous if you moved forward much. I personally would have edged forward as much as I could without becoming a hazard but I doubt the ambulance would have got past anyway. I think everyone knows the law on this, you didn’t do anything wrong. The ambulance probably sat at the hospital waiting for 5-6 hours and once it arrived anyway so ignore anyone blaming you. It was probably another motorist that pipped their horn, likely a man that thinks he knows best.

bakebeans · 09/12/2025 11:06

You are 100% correct. This happened to me when i first passed my test and I went through to allow the ambulance to pass and ended up with 3 points and a fine.

sittingonabeach · 09/12/2025 11:05

If there were railings to one side of OP's car and traffic to the other side, how far would OP have had to inch forward to get an ambulance through

Lamentingalways · 09/12/2025 11:01

Cheezit · 08/12/2025 23:14

You forgot ‘man here!’ 😊

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Hahahaha because ‘this is the problem when women claim to know the fact…’

But we used links ton evidence to prove….

No, no, I am man, you must listen.

Wanker.

Lamentingalways · 09/12/2025 10:57

rwalker · 07/12/2025 21:21

There’s no need to to go all the way through you creep forward the bare minimum and manoeuvre so it can get past

fingers crossed it wasn’t someone in cardiac arrest arrest who ended up dying or brain damaged because you were pissing about at the lights
every single second counts

Fuck off you nasty bastard. When they get to the hospital there will be one to look after them immediately anyway! There’s a trained paramedic in the back with them. You also don’t know if creeping forward the bare minimum would have made any difference at all to the ambulance getting through. She could have caused an accident by going too far with a child in a car coming the other direction or anything. One innocent woman waiting a minute at the lights which we’re told
to do isn’t going to make any difference when the NHS is completely fucked. I hope you have the day you deserve you absolute wanker. Imagine typing that out to guilt trip someone - shame on you.

sittingonabeach · 09/12/2025 10:57

@MasterBeth because this poster said they would drive through a red light (as do you) if you deem it safe to do so. You could get points for doing that, so if you have the misfortune to be in the position that you do this a number of times to let an ambulance through you might get to your limit

Fionasapples · 09/12/2025 10:55

BadgernTheGarden · 07/12/2025 21:24

Do you know anyone who has?

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I do

Badbadbunny · 09/12/2025 10:52

MasterBeth · 09/12/2025 10:48

If it wasn’t safe for her to do so, then of course she shouldn’t do so.

No-one is arguing for drivers to make unsafe manoeuvres.

Some of us are saying that driving carefully through a red light is not always unsafe.

It is crazy to me that anyone feels they can argue against such an obvious truth.

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May not be unsafe, but still against the law.

MasterBeth · 09/12/2025 10:49

sittingonabeach · 09/12/2025 10:40

@calkel if you were on the limit of points, or couldn't do your job as had points on your licence, would you still do it?

Well, in my case, this wouldn’t apply, because I have no points on my licence as I am a safe driver.

If this mythical driver is soo concerned about safety, why are they at their limit?

MasterBeth · 09/12/2025 10:48

VickyEadieofThigh · 09/12/2025 09:58

The Highway Code does not contain a section saying 'If stationary at traffic lights, you may go forward on a red light to allow an emergency vehicle', because that's dangerous.

Those saying that the OP could have crept forward weren't there - it might not even have been safe to do so.

If it wasn’t safe for her to do so, then of course she shouldn’t do so.

No-one is arguing for drivers to make unsafe manoeuvres.

Some of us are saying that driving carefully through a red light is not always unsafe.

It is crazy to me that anyone feels they can argue against such an obvious truth.

MasterBeth · 09/12/2025 10:44

sittingonabeach · 08/12/2025 22:38

@MasterBeth so if a policeman was standing there saying don’t move you would still plough your way through because you can’t see a hazard ahead? So if an ambulance came up behind you without blues and twos on would you go through a red light as that could still be an emergency but they have turned them off to stop a motorist going through a red light

No and no.

I would use my judgment in these situations.

If a police officer was there and able to see what was going on then I would defer to their judgment.

(I would never “plough through” in any circumstances. I might edge through if was safe to do so.)

Would I run a red light if an ambulance did not have its sirens on? No, because I couldn’t be sure it was in an emergency situation.

sittingonabeach · 09/12/2025 10:40

@calkel if you were on the limit of points, or couldn't do your job as had points on your licence, would you still do it?