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Good video that.

Yup good one

I have twice now gone through a red light to let an ambulance pass, not through and off behind it - just through by one car length so to speak. Not any more though. Bus lanes as well are a no no according to that vid.

Yes a good video that. I don't know if it's changed since I learnt to drive, but watching videos like that should be done for new drivers, and those resitting tests.

"This video contains flash photography.....!"

You can use bus lanes once the time restiction is not in use, read the signs and they will tell you when they are in force. If the time restriction is not in force, you can drive in a bus lane as a normal carrige way.

Wow think how many more deaths there will be if no-one mounted kerbs or pass the line on a red to let emergency services pass.. "sorry i was 30mins late, got stuck in rush hour traffic.".

Im sorry, but theres rules and theres common sense. If its safe to do so imo I will go do it to let emergency services pass. Give me a ticket and 3 points if you like so long as it gives an extra chance of saving a life.

Im not having a stab at you OP or anyone .

Good video, thanks for posting.

I recently followed a young lady in a Ford Ka (irrelevent but just painting a picture for you !), on a deserted dual carriageway who stopped dead at the approach of an ambulance with the siren/lights on !

Im sorry, but theres rules and theres common sense. If its safe to do so imo I will go do it to let emergency services pass. Give me a ticket and 3 points if you like so long as it gives an extra chance of saving a life.

People have been prosecuted for running red lights to let an ambulance pass. The judge's reasoning was that the law gave no leeway, that emergency responders are trained to deal with the not being able to get through a red light and that if a precident was set then people would run the light to let an ambulance through and drive into oncoming traffic.

I recently followed a young lady in a Ford Ka (irrelevent but just painting a picture for you !), on a deserted dual carriageway who stopped dead at the approach of an ambulance with the siren/lights on !

I've nearly run into the back of a few people that have performed emergency stops as soon as they have heard the sirens, Absolute muppets that end up causing accidents or delaying the emergency services through their own stupidity.

I didn't realise the part about emergency vehicles not being allowed to pass on solid white lines - something to bear in mind.

Stringbean,

this has been raised in the Yeti section first where I have asked the same question:

Can you provide any factual evidence of someone being succesfully prosecuted for this, and that does not mean Daily Mail stories?

Due to other bodies and groups I am a member of, this has been looked into, and we can find none, so I would be interersted to see your evidence.

People have been prosecuted for running red lights to let an ambulance pass. The judge's reasoning was that the law gave no leeway, that emergency responders are trained to deal with the not being able to get through a red light and that if a precident was set then people would run the light to let an ambulance through and drive into oncoming traffic.

If thats the case the Judge is a cr*p one, or the driver was actually being dangerous and not using common sense about allowing an emergency services through, or the driver who had the 'right of way' was driving dangerously.

For me if I was in the same situation, before proceeding crossing the line on the red, I would look and see if the oncoming traffic was high flowing and safe enough to edge past the line enough to let the emergency services through, if someone smacked into the emergency car its not my problem, I can judge for myself if I put my car in danger. Crossing the line when red doesn't automatically mean I will get t-boned, esp when there's a whaling siren noise and flashing blue lights behind me.

Lastly, like I said previously, give me a £60 fine and 3 points if the law really wants to be that pedantic about it. Lets see what the views of the public will say about this law, just because its law doesn't mean it cant be changed/bent

These days, blue light drivers are being trained to turn off the lights and sirens if there is nowhere for people to legally go to get out of their way. The idea is to avoid putting pressure on to drivers to do something they should not.

A blue light driver has only three legitimate dispensations, if it is operationally necessary and it is safe to do so they may:-

1. Treat a red traffic light as a give way line. (The Devon and Cornwall police regulations say that when doing so, the vehicle MUST be in first gear and prepared to stop. Contrast that with a 5th gear piece about three years which showed a Nottinghamshire car "slowing to 100 mph to go through a red light". Clearly different forces have rather differing view as to what constitutes safe driving!)

2. Exceed the speed limit, and they do not have to be using blues and twos whilst doing so.

3. Go the wrong side of a traffic island.

The video was partially shot in the Plymouth area, the dual carriageway shots are on the A38 east of the Deep Lane junction at Chaddlewood. Another part was shot on the A388 between Carkeel and Hatt (near Saltash).

It appears to be a Devon and Cornwall police car and a Hampshire fire engine, I'm not sure about the ambulance.

Anybody identified any of the other locations?

Rob.

These days, blue light drivers are being trained to turn off the lights and sirens if there is nowhere for people to legally go to get out of their way. The idea is to avoid putting pressure on to drivers to do something they should not.

A blue light driver has only three legitimate dispensations, if it is operationally necessary and it is safe to do so they may:-

1. Treat a red traffic light as a give way line. (The Devon and Cornwall police regulations say that when doing so, the vehicle MUST be in first gear and prepared to stop. Contrast that with a 5th gear piece about three years which showed a Nottinghamshire car "slowing to 100 mph to go through a red light". Clearly different forces have rather differing view as to what constitutes safe driving!)

2. Exceed the speed limit, and they do not have to be using blues and twos whilst doing so.

3. Go the wrong side of a traffic island.

The video was partially shot in the Plymouth area, the dual carriageway shots are on the A38 east of the Deep Lane junction at Chaddlewood. Another part was shot on the A388 between Carkeel and Hatt (near Saltash).

It appears to be a Devon and Cornwall police car and a Hampshire fire engine, I'm not sure about the ambulance.

Anybody identified any of the other locations?

Rob.

Amazing. Fine advice on quite roads but many of the roads I drive on in the SE England the emergency vehicle would never get there if people did not mount curbs to get out the way. This video could cost a lot of lives by driving so conservatively.

The best bit is when the emergency vehicle is sat behind a motorist with blues and twos going and the motorist has no idea theyre there for a good minute or two but then someone in oncoming traffic spots the emergency vehicle and slows to a stop so the motorist in front finally twigs and then stops their car dead opposite the oncoming stopped traffic leaving the emergency vehicle with nowhere to go.

The best bit is when the emergency vehicle is sat behind a motorist with blues and twos going and the motorist has no idea theyre there for a good minute or two but then someone in oncoming traffic spots the emergency vehicle and slows to a stop so the motorist in front finally twigs and then stops their car dead opposite the oncoming stopped traffic leaving the emergency vehicle with nowhere to go.

Yes, I've seen a video the Devon and Cornwall police made (using just police vehicles) showing the way that people react when they see blue lights. If it wasn't so serious it would be hilarious.

One of the reasons they do not want us to mount pavements or go off road is due to the possibility of damaging something on the vehicle which causes another emergency later. The video kind of builds on a section on the D&C police website that Dougie Miners (one of the police driving school trainers) put on their website about how they would like us to react.

By the way, I'm not in the police, or ex-police, but am a driver trainer. Our local ADI association has close contacts with the emergency services, so get information that way.

Rob.

Stringbean,

this has been raised in the Yeti section first where I have asked the same question:

Can you provide any factual evidence of someone being succesfully prosecuted for this, and that does not mean Daily Mail stories?

Due to other bodies and groups I am a member of, this has been looked into, and we can find none, so I would be interersted to see your evidence.

I know someone who got done. Red light camera so fair enough an auto ticket but he took it to court with the Ambulance crew giving evidence (the camera even ticketed the ambulance so further proof it was an emergency)....It made no difference, he still got done for it.

...So as it says, DO NOT go through a red light unless you want a fine and points.

I know someone who got done. Red light camera so fair enough an auto ticket but he took it to court with the Ambulance crew giving evidence (the camera even ticketed the ambulance so further proof it was an emergency)....It made no difference, he still got done for it.

...So as it says, DO NOT go through a red light unless you want a fine and points.

I guess your implying peoples lives in the midlands not worth 3 points and £60, interesting point there.

I guess your implying peoples lives in the midlands not worth 3 points and £60, interesting point there.

Not implying anything but is that person whos life you have potentially saved by breaking the law going to pay the fine, your increased insurance premium and for taxis if for example you are already on 9 points? Somehow I doubt it.

The emergency services don't expect you to break the law. That's your choice but I for one will not be risking it I'm afraid so read that how you want.

Not implying anything but is that person whos life you have potentially saved by breaking the law going to pay the fine, your increased insurance premium and for taxis if for example you are already on 9 points? Somehow I doubt it.

The emergency services don't expect you to break the law. That's your choice but I for one will not be risking it I'm afraid so read that how you want.

But that is what your implying.

"Law says this, therefore I must obey, regardless. Plus insurance premiums etc will go up, not good for financial reasons.".

I don't have any points on me, never have, but if I got banned from driving because I 'ran a red' to let the emergency services though 4 times, I will again be OK about that. Meh, I suppose I can live with public transport (Hate public transport with passion) in exchange for a potential handful of lives. imo its a fair deal, I can live with that. I don't personally think thats being righteous or brave, thought it was a normal to help others out when in need.

It is my choice, I hope/expect it will be the same as other peoples choices too if I ever get into a scenario if I needed emergency services. I suppose there is a value related to a a persons life, and I suppose it changes depending on where one lives .

But that is what your implying.

"Law says this, therefore I must obey, regardless. Plus insurance premiums etc will go up, not good for financial reasons.".

I don't have any points on me, never have, but if I got banned from driving because I 'ran a red' to let the emergency services though 4 times, I will again be OK about that. Meh, I suppose I can live with public transport (Hate public transport with passion) in exchange for a potential handful of lives. imo its a fair deal, I can live with that. I don't personally think thats being righteous or brave, thought it was a normal to help others out when in need.

It is my choice, I hope/expect it will be the same as other peoples choices too if I ever get into a scenario if I needed emergency services. I suppose there is a value related to a a persons life, and I suppose it changes depending on where one lives .

think what you want and do what you want. You must be lucky enough to be able to afford fines and points on your license, I can't, I also need my car to get to work and need my license to do my job, and a clean one at that.

The main failings i see from members of the public on a daily basis are as follows:

1) Not pulling over at all - it doesnt matter if you can be overtaken cleanly in the oncoming lane, i may well need some room for deviation back into the lane, it wont kill you to pull over for a few seconds to give me that space

2) Pulling over parallel to a traffic island - this is probably my biggest pet hate. The vehicle ahead's indicator comes on and you have confirmation they are going to try and assist you, they then promptly draw to a stop alongside a traffic island, whereby there is insufficient space to pass, leading to having to kill the speed, or look to cross into the oncoming lane.

3) Unawareness of convoy driving - We are taught to avoid convoy (one vehicle following another) driving wherever possible, because the public are very much oblivious to it, and seek out alternate routes to the same destination, however there are some instances where you have to follow one another. Whilst most emergency drivers will know to use an alternate two tone horn and maintain a substantial gap to the lead car, this still does not stop members of the public pulling over for the lead car, and then immediatley pullign straight back out without conducting any mirror or shoulder checks for any other emergency vehicles.

4)People overtaking vehicles that have pulled over for the emergency vehicle - usually drivers of white van's.

With that all said, my personal attitude to Blues and Two's is that they are an aid to making progress, they are not there to say "GET OUT OF MY WAY NOW". I was taught that emergency drivers should never pressurize other road users into taking any action, other than pulling over or stopping safely. If a road user decides to mount the kerb or proceed through a red light, it should be at their own discretion, not because im plowing up the back of them lit up like christmas and pressuring them into doing so.

The fact is, that in most of our towns and cities today, the traffic managment is such that good progress can simply be maintaining a constant 10mph through a town centre. Particularly at junctions and lights, in my experience, it can sometimes be better to just extinguish lights and sirens, progress through the junction as normal, and then pop everything back on once your out onto clearer road.

With reference to the comment above about the episode of 5th Gear where the Traffic Car goes through a red at 100mph, i have seen this and i dont know if this is outdated footage or what, but my trainers stated that they are to be treat as a Give Way type junction, proceed only once you have got visual confiration of presence from other drivers and it is safe to do so, and at a speed of 10mph max.

Furthermore, with regard to Blue Light jobs, 80% of them the vehicle will be cancelled before reaching the scene, 15% you will attend and wonder why on earth the call handler deemed fit that you should risk the safety of yourself and other road users in attending such a job as an immediate, the other 5% will be legitimate emergencies which warrant that risk. As such, i would urge all road users never to act rashly or take any unnecessary risks to assist the progress of an emergency vehicle. Chances are im NOT going to a life and death situation, i dont want you to create one.

I'll pop my soap box away now...

The main failings i see from members of the public on a daily basis are as follows:

1) Not pulling over at all - it doesnt matter if you can be overtaken cleanly in the oncoming lane, i may well need some room for deviation back into the lane, it wont kill you to pull over for a few seconds to give me that space

I can't say specifically what I'll do in any given situation, because they're all developing and varying in real time. If there's totally solid oncoming stationary traffic, you may even find me selecting "lights on" and accelerating in front of you.

I will promise that I have never, and will never, stop adjacent to a traffic island unless responding to a traffic signal or police instruction though.

To be honest, i should have explained that my above comment isnt really directed at crowded and congested traffic, in which its more down to the emergency driver to hold the centre of the lanes and "split" the two lanes of traffic to create a space for him/herself, as there usually wont be enough room for traffic to safely pull all the way over on a congested road.

It tends to be more on quieter single lane B Roads, where there is little traffic. Ive found that a lot of vehicles in lane 1 will often neither pull over or even slow for the emergency vehicle if Lane 2 is clear, they will just continue along as they were.

This can become quite awkward if a hazards develop, or the limit point of vision changes - where it really would have made life much easier if the vehicle had just have pulled over and at least slowed down to allow for easier overtaking.

It's only a minor grumble when compared to the traffic island thing though :p ...

Cheers

It tends to be more on quieter single lane B Roads, where there is little traffic. Ive found that a lot of vehicles in lane 1 will often neither pull over or even slow for the emergency vehicle if Lane 2 is clear, they will just continue along as they were.

This can become quite awkward if a hazards develop, or the limit point of vision changes - where it really would have made life much easier if the vehicle had just have pulled over and at least slowed down to allow for easier overtaking.

It's only a minor grumble when compared to the traffic island thing though :p ...

Cheers

In which case I will probably have been "making progress" to begin with, and will be actively looking for a way to create space, including using a side road, layby, or signalling left and then braking on a straight (again though, I may want to keep some speed on because a stationary car can't manoevre to help you).