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AIBU?

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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

OP posts:
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Tigerbalmshark · 07/12/2025 22:13

Notmyreality · 07/12/2025 21:26

But but.. the law!
MNetters are increased with the letter of the law especially when it comes to driving and incapable or rather terrified of making a personal judgement call.

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You’re arguing about whether you can get points and a find for going through a red light. Of course the actual law is relevant, you don’t get let off “because it was a personal judgement call” Confused

Beardedmushrooms · 07/12/2025 22:11

I was a passenger in a car in the same circumstances as you. The driver crossed the white line to make space for the ambulance to pass through, this new placement of the car didn't affect the traffic travelling across the junction at all, but it did cross the white line at a red light. Driver received a fine due to traffic light cameras picking out the maneuver.

Strawberrryfields · 07/12/2025 22:10

Gosh I hope most of you aren’t on the road if I’m ever in an ambulance! It’s an emergency, I’d move out of the way. I’ve gone through red lights for ambulances before, just enough to let them through. There’s being safe then there’s being a stickler.

calkel · 07/12/2025 22:10

BrickBiscuit · 07/12/2025 22:07

They would when you got the fine and points for crossing the line.

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People keep saying this but honestly, so what? The chances are slim, but not zero and it does happen but I would be willing to both take the chance and take the fine and points if it happens.

BrickBiscuit · 07/12/2025 22:07

PuggyPuggyPuggy · 07/12/2025 21:59

I think I'd let the the ambulance through if I could, no matter what the lights said. A junction with multiple lanes probably has enough space that someone can pull forwards and to the side enough to allow an ambulance to pass without obstructing any traffic going across the junction in another direction. Especially if the cars in the adjoining lane go the other way to make a gap in the middle. Fines and points wouldn't even cross my mind.

They would when you got the fine and points for crossing the line.

Original poster
User34445566677 · 07/12/2025 22:05

Movinginthesunlight · 07/12/2025 21:51

Theres so many selfish people about! Im sure there was room for you to at least try to manoeuvre slightly out of the way.

I'm not selfish in any way thank you, there were railings immediately to my right and beyond the white line, nowhere for me to go other than the middle of the box junction. As I have said I am very aware of ambulances down this particular stretch of road. The quickest route for the ambulance would have been the left hand lane, where traffic filters through first (towards the hospital). And if you care to have a look yourself, you should not cross a red light for an emergency vehicle.

OP posts:
Talltreesbythelake · 07/12/2025 22:03

MasterBeth · 07/12/2025 22:02

Any driver who is not able to see that, in certain circumstances, it is safe to move forward through a red light shouldn't be driving

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YOU should not be driving and you should not be encouraging others to break the law. Your arrogance is dangerous.

MasterBeth · 07/12/2025 22:02

Cheezit · 07/12/2025 21:55

I don’t think it’s selfishness, I think people really don’t know what the right thing to do is. The reason it is illegal to do it is because you’re not qualified to make decisions on whether or not it is safe to proceed through a red light, for example.

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Any driver who is not able to see that, in certain circumstances, it is safe to move forward through a red light shouldn't be driving

Joeninety · 07/12/2025 21:59

Reminds me of the case when workers in the twin towers were told to stay put for safety. Same with Grenfell.

BrickBiscuit · 07/12/2025 21:59

MasterBeth · 07/12/2025 21:56

Crossing the line at a red light is not, in itself, dangerous.

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Quite. This used to be normal practice to help a blue-light vehicle. I don't remember it being notorious for causing accidents. Then came cameras, milking the motorist cash cow and virtue-signalling rule-stickling.

PuggyPuggyPuggy · 07/12/2025 21:59

I think I'd let the the ambulance through if I could, no matter what the lights said. A junction with multiple lanes probably has enough space that someone can pull forwards and to the side enough to allow an ambulance to pass without obstructing any traffic going across the junction in another direction. Especially if the cars in the adjoining lane go the other way to make a gap in the middle. Fines and points wouldn't even cross my mind.

MyDeftDuck · 07/12/2025 21:58

You were right to not jump a red light to allow any emergency vehicle through and the ambulance driver was totally in the wrong to beep at you to move and to keep their siren wailing while stationary. You should report this to the relevant ambulance Trust for further investigation.

Iheartmysmart · 07/12/2025 21:58

A colleague of mine got fined and three points on her licence for going through a red light to let an ambulance past. She appealed and it was upheld.

It’s been a long time since I passed my driving test but I’m sure the advice at the time was to continue at the speed limit of the road until it was safe to pull over and let the emergency vehicle past. On no account should you go through a red light though.

Timeforacuppanow · 07/12/2025 21:56

The ambulance service here was saying you never go through a red light for them
www.mylondon.news/news/uk-world-news/ambulance-service-tells-drivers-never-31367914

MasterBeth · 07/12/2025 21:56

Cheezit · 07/12/2025 21:55

On a red light.

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Crossing the line at a red light is not, in itself, dangerous.

BrickBiscuit · 07/12/2025 21:56

Movinginthesunlight · 07/12/2025 21:51

Theres so many selfish people about! Im sure there was room for you to at least try to manoeuvre slightly out of the way.

Slightly over the line means slightly through a red light and slightly prosecuted. What if you drive for a living and come across this three or four times a year? That's your licence taken away and your job lost.

ThePoshUns · 07/12/2025 21:56

I am blue light trained and you were right, emergency vehicles shouldn’t push drivers through red lights . It’s dangerous, if you’d have pulled into the junction what if a car had been coming?

Cheezit · 07/12/2025 21:55

MasterBeth · 07/12/2025 21:55

Sorry, did you mean to type a bit more?

Crossing the line is not, in itself, dangerous.

EDIT: OK, you added a bit more.

Breaking the law is not the same as being dangerous.

Edited
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On a red light.

Cheezit · 07/12/2025 21:55

Movinginthesunlight · 07/12/2025 21:51

Theres so many selfish people about! Im sure there was room for you to at least try to manoeuvre slightly out of the way.

I don’t think it’s selfishness, I think people really don’t know what the right thing to do is. The reason it is illegal to do it is because you’re not qualified to make decisions on whether or not it is safe to proceed through a red light, for example.

MasterBeth · 07/12/2025 21:55

BrickBiscuit · 07/12/2025 21:53

No, THAT is nonsense. You cross the line (to get in front of the car on the left) you've gone through the red light and broken the law. If caught you will be prosecuted

Edited
Show quote history

Sorry, did you mean to type a bit more?

Crossing the line is not, in itself, dangerous.

EDIT: OK, you added a bit more.

Breaking the law is not the same as being dangerous.

Cheezit · 07/12/2025 21:53

Burningbud1981 · 07/12/2025 21:21

Not if you’ve gone through a light and stopped to allow an ambulance to pass.

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Unfortunately, this isn’t true. I’ve known people also get tickets for moving into a bus lane to let an ambulance go past, they haven’t been able to get the ticket reversed. It’s possible I might still do it, but you will not get a pass for doing it from a points or ticket perspective.

Lovemycat2023 · 07/12/2025 21:53

I pulled forward a few metres in this situation (on a 2 lane A road which always has lots of ambulances) and then got stuck in the area in front of the lights / island when the rest of the traffic went through the green light. It wasn’t a good position to be in, I felt vulnerable, and so next time I wouldn’t move. It seems like OP made a better choice than I did.

BrickBiscuit · 07/12/2025 21:53

MasterBeth · 07/12/2025 21:45

This is nonsense.

If you are at a red light in three lanes of traffic as described, there is almost definitely room to pull in front of the car to your left without putting anyone in danger.

It may be dangerous, in which case, don't do it. But there will definitely be circumstances where it is not.

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No, THAT is nonsense. You cross the line (to get in front of the car on the left) you've gone through the red light and broken the law. If caught you will be prosecuted

SwirlyGates · 07/12/2025 21:51

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 can get done for going through the red light, ambulance or no ambulance.

Movinginthesunlight · 07/12/2025 21:51

Theres so many selfish people about! Im sure there was room for you to at least try to manoeuvre slightly out of the way.