For not driving through red light with ambulance behind me

[User34445566677]

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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”

I'm not arrogant. I am sensible and cautious.

It's ludicrous that you cannot imagine circumstances in which it would be prudent and safe to cross a red light.

You might, but some people might lose their livelihood if they drive for a living and encounter this frequently. It happens regularly to me as I cross a junction on an ambulance route. I would always do it when it was accepted without prosecution, but never would now.

Any driver who does not know the law definitely should not be driving... thats you by the way

I did this exact thing and got fined and had to do a course. I just pulled in past the red light slightly, didn’t cross this junction completely or even block it.

I’m not suggesting other people do what I do though. Just pointing out that the ‘you will get points/fine’ isn’t a deciding factor for me, and probably some others.

Accidentally voted YABU and it won’t let me change! You were correct and I hope it wasn’t the ambulance that beeped you! Even if no obvious danger pulling slightly forward etc you would still be prosecuted had there been a camera on the junction.

it might be prudent and safe but I’m not risking a fine and points and the subsequent insurance rise and having to declare it to my job
its not being stubborn it’s that I need to follow the law and that involves not going through a red light

I do know the law. The law says don't do it.

I am saying there are circumstances where you might find it a better option to disregard the law.

If I can see that is safe for me to cross a white line at a red light, that could be one of those situations.

Well, yes. But it would be too late then, wouldn't it? I'm not claiming to be the arbiter of right and wrong, or legal and illegal (which are different things). I'm just saying that in that moment, I'd just be thinking "oh fuck I need to get out of the way if I can" and by "if I can", I would mean "is there space to do this without causing an accident". Millions of people every day pull out at junctions and entrances that are not regulated by a set of traffic lights, and manage not to collide with other vehicles. And the way a lot of people drive, I assume that there is not some all-seeing god of traffic clocking and fining 100% of traffic offenses, so I might not get fined.

I have already seen this, but for others:

The OP was not 'pissing about at the lights', they were obeying the law.

They are in no way, shape or form responsible for the person in the ambulance and I'm shocked that you have suggested they may have contributed to someone's death.

This seems like a good thread to ask on but are emergency vehicles allowed in bus lanes? Cars here regularly move into the bus lane to let them through (luckily no cameras so no one gets fined) but the ambulances seem to frequently use the bus lane whereas the police cars don't.

I work for the ambulance service and I can confirm that we are NOT allowed to bully anyone through a red light. It is dangerous and you can and will be prosecuted.

We are trained to hang back, sirens off and actually put on the hand brake until it is safe to proceed.

Any crew doing different is in the wrong.

Well you crack on then, but don't tell others they shouldnt be driving if they follow the law, some people drive for a living and cannot afford points on their licence.