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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
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.

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.

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.

Kibbleish · 09/12/2025 13:58

Cheezit · 08/12/2025 23:14

You forgot ‘man here!’ 😊

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😅

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
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

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!

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…

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?

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 👏

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.)

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