For not driving through red light with ambulance behind me

Incorrect, thanks for playing though!

They’ll just tell you to pay the fine. It’s happened before
I am not risking points for it

Who is arguing about what it says in the Highway Code?

I showed it to my dh who is an ADI and a damn good one at that (according to his reviews) its mad how many people don't know the highway code yet will spend hours on here arguing the toss

No, I did not say anyone who doesn't break the rules under some situations shouldn't be driving.

I said "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."

It entirely their prerogative whether they choose to break the law to carry out a safe manoeuvre in order to let am ambulance through. I know I would.

Yeah, but realistically, you would just get told to pay the fine. The magistrate wouldn't be bothered by your grandstanding, just guilty, pay the clerk, next please.

I would assess the situation and make way for the emergency vehicle if it was safe to do so.

I agree with the first few posts op as that’s all I’ve seen. It’s obviously awful however the public can’t (and aren’t) expected to put themselves in danger to accommodate an ambulance and thso defeats the objective!

I would go to court and argue my case and get the ambulance crew to testify on my behalf and potentially appeal a fine to clarify the law.

What if there was no red light camera?
What if there were no police to see?
These are judgment calls and sometimes sticking strictly to the law isn't the most effective thing to do.

I didn't say it was always dangerous I said there are rules which you think you can pick and choose (highway code rule 219 regarding ambulances and red lights and rule 176 regarding broken traffic lights). You said anyone who doesn't break the rules under some situations shouldn't be driving. Unfortunately for some, points on the licence and fines can have a pretty damaging impact

@MyrtleLionso you’d ignore the bit that you put in bold about complying with light signals?

Which is fine if you’re happy to accept the fine and points. Some people can’t/aren’t if they need a clean license or points totting up would be a ban etc

@travailtotravel NOPE. You don’t.

I'm sure someone must have posted this already, but here is the relevant section from.the Highway Code (my emphasis):

219 Emergency and Incident Support vehicles. You should look and listen for ambulances, fire engines, police, doctors or other emergency vehicles using flashing blue, red or green lights and sirens or flashing headlights, or traffic officer and incident support vehicles using flashing amber lights. When one approaches do not panic. Consider the route of such a vehicle and take appropriate action to let it pass, while complying with all traffic signs. If necessary, pull to the side of the road and stop, but try to avoid stopping before the brow of a hill, a bend or narrow section of road. Do not endanger yourself, other road users or pedestrians and avoid mounting the kerb. Do not brake harshly on approach to a junction or roundabout, as a following vehicle may not have the same view as you.

Strictly speaking, the OP was correct not to go through a red light, but the ambulance may have considered that she could have moved to the right or crept through the light to allow them to pass without endangering others.

I imagine they saw one car in the right lane and thought we'll go that way and she'll move over or forward a bit and we can then turn left.

Personally I would have driven slowly through the light to give them room.

@rwalkeryou are wrong, you should absolutely NOT creep forward. I’m a paramedic so I know what you should and shouldn’t do.

No-one has suggested anyone should do a dangerous manoeuvre.

Why can't you Google the Highway Code?

Just showed this to DH who is police. You absolutely did the right thing. People should absolutely not do dangerous manoeuvres to allow emergency vehicles through. In his exact words “the onus is on the driver of the emergency vehicle to find a route. The onus is not on other drivers to do dangerous manoeuvres to allow an emergency vehicle through”.

So you did the right thing. People suggesting otherwise need to brush up on their high way code.

I am not wrong about the ambulance. You don't even know what I've written about the ambulance!

I have never said crossing a red light is not against the law. I have said crossing a red light is not always dangerous. You are making my point for me.

This

What a vile human being you are.

I don't think 'allowed' is the right term, there's certainly no ambulance driving law that says you must shut off the siren if unable to proceed through a red. Theres guidance to do so as it can be intimidating but it's just guidance not a rule.

I drive regularly on blue lights and do shut off the siren if the junction is blocked. I find even in doing so the majority of people edge through the red to make a gap and if they do I'll continue on my way. The majority of the jobs we goto a few seconds won't likely effect an outcome so I certainly don't try to pressure. However on the rare occasion going to something like child not breathing then a 20-30s delay can easily be the difference between life a death so in those very rare cases I will be a bit pushy

u most certainly shouldn't "pull right if possible" if you're in the UK!

It's clearly American from the spelling. I didn't read further than 'offense' and 'license'.

Why ask ChatGPT or Google anyway, why not just look at the Highway Code and get a definitive answer?

I'm not making your point because you are still breaking the law by going through a red light for an ambulance. If you are certain lights have failed proceed with caution and treat as an unmarked junction which of course is for both temp and permanent lights. Must admit I am getting confused as to what your point actually is. You are wrong about the ambulance bit so are throwing failed lights into the mix