As this site is full of professional drivers who know how to weigh up sensible options when driving then I thought this poll might get interesting as well as any comments on the subject
Unlikely to be an issue when driving a LGV because its unlikely that there will be a safe place to move it to but most of us also drive cars so what would you do when driving your car ?
You are the first and only vehicle at a set of red traffic lights which have a red light camera and they have just changed to red and the wait will be quite some time before they change
An emergency vehicle on blues & twos comes up from behind and the only way for it to proceed is for you to pull over the stop line into a safe space but the camera will get you
Yes, Iād move. If I received a NIP I would write back asking them to check the next photo in the sequence, which would show the emergency vehicle passing the red light, although they possibly do that anyway, certainly I had to exceed the speed limit by a fair margin to get round a bend to let an ambulance pass, there was a speed camera van parked right on the bend and I never heard anything. I took the number of the ambulance as it overtook so I could have defended any charge which arose.
Harry Monk:
Yes, Iād move. If I received a NIP I would write back asking them to check the next photo in the sequence, which would show the emergency vehicle passing the red light, although they possibly do that anyway, certainly I had to exceed the speed limit by a fair margin to get round a bend to let an ambulance pass, there was a speed camera van parked right on the bend and I never heard anything. I took the number of the ambulance as it overtook so I could have defended any charge which arose.
On a recent dcpc course we were told do not proceed through a red light for any emergency service. According to the bloke running the course if they cannot get through they should turn all lights and sirens off as not to intimidate the motorists in front, and just bide their time
tinytrucker77:
On a recent dcpc course we were told do not proceed through a red light for any emergency service. According to the bloke running the course if they cannot get through they should turn all lights and sirens off as not to intimidate the motorists in front, and just bide their time
once upon a decade on bomb disposal we only used them for getting back to girdwood park for dinner!
I moved before and didnt here anything ,i didnt see the camera flash as it was a none flash truvelo type ,i moved slowly to the left, i think anyone looking at a picture would know why i moved.
No I wouldnāt. Iāve known at least two people from when I was working in London who got points and the ambulance in one case and fire engine in another was no defence for them. Am I right in remembering only the police can break traffic laws and in theory ambulances and fire engines could in theory be done themselves for going through a red? Obviously they never are.
switchlogic:
No I wouldnāt. Iāve known at least two people from when I was working in London who got points and the ambulance in one case and fire engine in another was no defence for them. Am I right in remembering only the police can break traffic laws and in theory ambulances and fire engines could in theory be done themselves for going through a red? Obviously they never are.
+1
Know someone that had the same on a yellow box junction in London.
The authorities have made their bed on this one. I certainly donāt want anyoneās treatment to be delayed by the ambulance not getting there but canāt afford to lose my livelihood because some paramedics ade trying to get back for Eastenders.
IMO people should be more outraged about things like this.
tinytrucker77:
if they cannot get through they should turn all lights and sirens off as not to intimidate the motorists in front, and just bide their time
Own Account Driver:
The authorities have made their bed on this one.
Exactly what I was thinking. They created this daft situation not us and youāre right we canāt afford to take risks like this left right and centre simply because the authorities take an unreasonable view when cameras are concerned
No i wouldnāt! Any other instance id do my best to get out the way but i wouldnāt risk 3 points and a 60quid fine. As for them checking the next sequence picture what does that matter? They donāt give a hee haw about excuses, you have ran a red light and by the letter of the law that is an offense regardless of circumstance.
If itās just a car then itās probably possible in most cases that you wonāt need to actually cross the junction to make enough room.While in most cases so long as thereās no central barrier Iād leave it to the emegency services to go through on the wrong side of the road because pulling across the junction in that case could actually make it worse for the emergency driver when getting back across onto the correct side of the road through the lights.
switchlogic:
Good old Carryfast, a YouTube link for every eventuality.
At least you canāt say I donāt know what Iām talking about because Iāve never driven a fire truck even though I didnāt ever need to drive one through a red light.
sorry to say no,wouldnt do it in Uk and certainly not over here in Manitobaā¦
this happened to my team driver ā¦he moved through to let an ambulance& a fire engine through the redlight ,the company got a letter wi the fineā¦he had to attend court and plead his case ā¦judge let him off with awarning not to do it again ā¦good result .mmmmm no he lost 3days work that wk as i was running single.
jimmy.
damoq:
To those of you who wouldnāt move through a red light, how would you feel if the emergency vehicle was on route to save someone in your family?
You really wanted to post āThink of the children,ā didnāt you?
If the emergency services drivers are as skilled as teyāre meant to be, theyāll find a way around.
theyāre trained to do that on emergency calls 
we were told do not proceed through a red light for any emergency service. According to the bloke running the course if they cannot get through they should turn all lights and sirens off as not to intimidate the motorists in front, and just bide their time
we only used them for getting back to girdwood park for dinner! 
