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Original poster

Family 'did Asda shop in blue-light ambulance'

26 replies

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 28/01/2021 11:58

Early entry for CF of the Year Awards 2021!

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-55813850

A disqualified driver who reportedly went shopping in a second-hand ambulance with the emergency lights flashing has been arrested. The ambulance was carrying a family when it arrived at the Asda store in Harpurhey on Wednesday, Greater Manchester Police said. Traffic officers tweeted that the "occupants promptly went inside to do their shopping". The ambulance has been seized and the driver has been arrested, police said. The driver was found to be disqualified and wanted by the court. In a tweet, GMP Traffic said the ambulance was "reportedly carrying a family when it arrived at #Asda Harpurhey with blue lights flashing. Occupants promptly went inside to do their shopping". They said the vehicle was "believed to have been purchased second hand. The driver has been arrested and is now en-route to custody".

OP posts:
LApprentiSorcier · 28/01/2021 12:17

I've just read this. I had no idea that emergency services vehicles were sold second hand with their livery and flashing lights intact!

CigarsofthePharoahs · 28/01/2021 12:30

Purchased second hand? Probably stolen.
They've got balls, I'll give them that.

LouLou198 · 28/01/2021 12:40

Why are ambulances being sold second hand?

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JesusInTheCabbageVan · 28/01/2021 12:41

I wondered the same!

MaddeningtheUnhelpful · 28/01/2021 12:43

ambulances are sold at auction although I'm almost certain the sirens, horns etc are removed. Stickers and markings also removed. There's some genius people who use them for business purposes, there is a mobile dog groomer round my way that operates out of one!

Daisypaisy2 · 28/01/2021 12:48

I didn’t know this was allowed. I don’t know what’s more silly the fact that it’s allowed or the person driving the ambulance!

Imagine if someone thought they were a paramedic!

Carysmatthews · 28/01/2021 13:01

@LouLou198

Why are ambulances being sold second hand?
All emergency vehicles are sold second hand. They generally go through the auction. They are stripped of all their emergency equipment and emergency markings though.
mindutopia · 28/01/2021 13:04

I once saw actual paramedics blue light it to Tesco. They nearly ran me off the road as I tried to give way to them coming off the round about. I saw them turn into Tesco, park right in front, turn off blue lights. By the time I parked, got my shopping trolley and headed in, they were coming out with their meal deals. Hmm

CoronaIsWatching · 28/01/2021 13:07

@mindutopia

I once saw actual paramedics blue light it to Tesco. They nearly ran me off the road as I tried to give way to them coming off the round about. I saw them turn into Tesco, park right in front, turn off blue lights. By the time I parked, got my shopping trolley and headed in, they were coming out with their meal deals. Hmm
I would have confronted them and asked they why are they doing that and taken down the reg
itsgettingweird · 28/01/2021 13:12

It's very early in the year to win the year award but with that they could definitely be contenders!!!

81Byerley · 28/01/2021 13:20

My son bought a second hand ambulance. It had the lights disconnected, but all the inside was intact, stretcher, cupboards etc.. One interesting thing was it had bins fixed to the wall for dressings, etc., and they had cat flaps on them ( Complete with pet brand names!)
These people probably reconnected the lights.

MySaladDays75 · 28/01/2021 13:31

Ridiculous - everyone knows you should shop alone 🤣😂🤣

Updatemate · 28/01/2021 13:31

@LouLou198

Why are ambulances being sold second hand?
Because they come to the end of their life - they are no longer up to date and refitting would cost more especially as mileage is incredibly high and they become uneconomical to run.

I know a few people with old ambulances, they make great vans! And yes, the lights and sirens still work.

Updatemate · 28/01/2021 13:33

@mindutopia

I once saw actual paramedics blue light it to Tesco. They nearly ran me off the road as I tried to give way to them coming off the round about. I saw them turn into Tesco, park right in front, turn off blue lights. By the time I parked, got my shopping trolley and headed in, they were coming out with their meal deals. Hmm
It's entirely possible they were called out to a casualty who turned out to be totally fine, not needing to be looked at in the van and then went on their lunch break...
islockdownoveryet · 28/01/2021 13:39

Yes you can buy second hand I know someone who has one . Funnily enough he is a paramedic.
No blue flashing lights though they are removed not sure how this vehicle still had them

Updatemate · 28/01/2021 13:45

@islockdownoveryet

Yes you can buy second hand I know someone who has one . Funnily enough he is a paramedic. No blue flashing lights though they are removed not sure how this vehicle still had them
I think some are more diligent with the removal than others - I know of 2, one where it was literally a cut wire, so very easy to repair and the second was more permanent, but the actual lights were still on the top.
QueenOfLabradors · 28/01/2021 13:46

Before I had children I had an ex police patrol car bought at auction, it had had the blue flashing lights bits etc removed although you could see where they'd been. Possibly the best car I've ever owned! Sailed through loads of MOTs and lasted nearly 200K miles (petrol).

Blacktothepink · 28/01/2021 13:48

Ohhh, I want a second hand ambulance now!

BarbaraofSeville · 29/01/2021 05:47

People use them as campervans and all sorts of other reasons.

That's not the issue, nor is the family all going to the supermarket together, they may have had good reason to, or they may have gone at a quiet time when it really doesn't matter.

What is the issue, that most people seem to have missed is that the driver was disqualified. It's also probably illegal to use the blue lights unless you're actually an emergency service worker at work.

Lockdownbear · 29/01/2021 08:20

I thought that it had been stolen rather than a legit second hand ambulance.

EdersonsSmileyTattoo · 29/01/2021 08:58

This happened just down the road from me! Nothing surprises me round there!

I used to live in that area and crazy stuff like this was a very regular occurrence!

CandidaAlbicans2 · 29/01/2021 13:57

That's both brazen and stupid. Seriously, for someone with no driving license or insurance you'd think he'd not want to draw attention to himself by blue lighting it to Asda 🙄

peak2021 · 29/01/2021 14:24

I believe a prison sentence has resulted.

murbblurb · 29/01/2021 14:33

Yes, always puzzles me why these high profile dickheads always turn out to have no insurance, license etc. There was a lot of this in the first lockdown - arseholes doing massive speeds on empty roads and then apparently surprised to be caught out.

AliceAir · 29/01/2021 17:54

I thought that special permission was needed by ambulance drivers to use the lights so @Updatemate's scenario could be correct.