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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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6
Cheezit · 08/12/2025 23:33

FairKoala · 08/12/2025 07:43

Having had a fine for entering a box junction, one of the things mentioned under mitigating circumstances was if an emergency vehicle was wanting to get past.

Yes you will be fined automatically but a simple explanation will cancel the fine

As for sticking to the letter of the law, maybe local councils should look at the law before erecting non compliant signage. (Been to court and won against these so called experts)

Also if you are turning right, stopping in a box junction is legal

Yes you will be fined automatically but a simple explanation will cancel the fine

Unfortunately, not in my experience.

Mothership4two · 08/12/2025 23:33

@AmateurDad The official advice given and the fact it's illegal are for a reason - to stop what you seem to think is OK. Your criticism and advice is wrong. Maybe do some actual checking?

calkel · 09/12/2025 05:58

sittingonabeach · 08/12/2025 21:31

@calkel but the emergency services tell you not to do it

This isn’t new information to me. I’m still happy with my choice.

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 09/12/2025 07:09

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.

This is so funny, I’m assuming it has to be a pisstake.

A man stomping onto the thread to castigate people for talking with absolute authority about things they assume to be the case without actually checking…

and then talking with absolute authority about something he assumes to be the case without actually checking…

and being wrong.

As the t shirt says: God grant me the confidence of a mediocre man.

Doris86 · 09/12/2025 07:41

calkel · 07/12/2025 21:21

I can think of plenty of examples where passing a red light to let an emergency vehicle through would be perfectly safe as visibility is all around so to crawl forward a few feet would cause zero issue. Yes it’s illegal, would I do it? Also yes.

Would you get a fine for doing it if a camera caught you? Also yes.

Whytry · 09/12/2025 09:45

MyDarlingWhatIfYouFly · 07/12/2025 21:32

Show quote history

Not the point of this thread I know, but this isn't the same situation at all. He pulled over to let the ambulance past, and by the time he set off again, the green light had gone red but he continued. He wasn't stationary and edging forward to let an ambulance past.

OP, the law is in your side, and ambulance crews shouldn't intimidate, although as others have mentioned it may have been the little beep the horn does when changing sirens?

I do maintain that while the law says you can't, and I know ambulance services will say " don't run a red light for us", I would interpret that as not across the whole junction. I am yet to see a single junction where the lights aren't set back far enough that edging forward half a cars length or so to allow access for an emergency vehicle would in any way compromise the safety of a junction or any other road users. Admittedly, we have very few red light cameras round here and I might be more careful if we did, but I would hope that if appealed it would be considered appropriate, but that might be because I work in a job where we have autonomy to go against procedures in emergencies if we can justify and demonstrate why we took those actions and that they were considered and risk assessed rather than a blind panic, so it's food for thought for me, for sure!

Also, why are so many people citing tickets for moving into bus lanes to let an ambulance past... Surely if the bus lane is empty it's far easier and safer to let the ambulance use it!

TurtleHeadling · 09/12/2025 09:54

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

When I went on a red light course (naughty me) they specifically told us that going through a red light for an emergency vehicle is against the law!

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.

calkel · 09/12/2025 10:09

Doris86 · 09/12/2025 07:41

Would you get a fine for doing it if a camera caught you? Also yes.

Show quote history

And I would pay it, yes.

Acommonreader · 09/12/2025 10:36

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.

Show quote history

Wow, so patronising !
I have no moral problem with the law breaking aspect in this circumstance. Nor am I terrified of making a judgement call.
The problem is that I simply cannot afford the fine. HTH.

Badbadbunny · 09/12/2025 10:36

outdooryone · 08/12/2025 14:12

How the hell do you 'allow' another driver to collide? They are the only person responsible for their vehicle. They have brakes, steering and accelerator all available to them, as well as the anticipation and skill of driving? Totally and utterly the other drivers fault, not your exH's friends fault.

OP - you are right. You do not break traffic law or Highway Code in such a situation to let an emergency vehicle through. There are many times you can sneakily let them through, but red light on busy junction is just not one of them.

Show quote history

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.

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?

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.

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 10:49

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?

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.

Show quote history

May not be unsafe, but still against the law.

Fionasapples · 09/12/2025 10:55

BadgernTheGarden · 07/12/2025 21:24

Do you know anyone who has?

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I do

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

Show quote history

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!)

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.