lanerover:
I did it last year and received a nip in the post, I wrote back explaining what happened and got a letter back telling me no further action would be taken.
That backs up my earlier statement
With the facts now in mind, would those that said NO be prepared to change their thinking on this issue ?
I must admit that I am a little surprised that the poll has so many saying NO ā¦
Considering Iāve never met anyone as obsessed with safety as you Iām surprised you seem to be advocating going through red lights. They are normally red for a reason
The reason youāve so many noās is in this rule obsessed box ticking country we can no longer be certain that common sense will prevail in the event of a ticket coming through the post therefore many of us wouldnāt take the risk.
lanerover:
I did it last year and received a nip in the post, I wrote back explaining what happened and got a letter back telling me no further action would be taken.
That backs up my earlier statement
With the facts now in mind, would those that said NO be prepared to change their thinking on this issue ?
I must admit that I am a little surprised that the poll has so many saying NO ā¦
ROG As I said Iād see it the way that ( hopefully ) the emergency vehicle driver would.Do whatever you need to do.But as I said there are cases ( such as in the case of the emergency driver ( rightly ) deciding to go through on the wrong side of the road ) where your idea could be couterproductive by stopping the vehicle returning to the correct side of the road when itās got through the lights,assuming the car driver takes your option at the same time.In which case the idea stay where you are and let the emergency driver get on with it and find their own route is often best.
However having said that the bs health and safety culture and aversion to risk is zbāing it up for everyone to the point where that fire truck driver in the video these days would be scared to go hammering through on the wrong side of the road and through every red light in his way.Let alone risk his life when he gets to the fire to rescue someone instead of just standing by and letting them burn because elf and safety says he has to.
And if you read the highway code you find it in it here have a read
219
Emergency and Incident Support vehicles. You should look and listen for ambulances, fire engines, police, doctors or other emergency vehicles using flashing blue, red or green lights and sirens or flashing headlights, or Highways Agency Traffic Officer and Incident Support vehicles using flashing amber lights. When one approaches do not panic. Consider the route of such a vehicle and take appropriate action to let it pass, while complying with all traffic signs. If necessary, pull to the side of the road and stop, but try to avoid stopping before the brow of a hill, a bend or narrow section of road. Do not endanger yourself, other road users or pedestrians and avoid mounting the kerb. Do not brake harshly on approach to a junction or roundabout, as a following vehicle may not have the same view as you
And if you read the highway code you find it in it here have a read
219
Emergency and Incident Support vehicles. You should look and listen for ambulances, fire engines, police, doctors or other emergency vehicles using flashing blue, red or green lights and sirens or flashing headlights, or Highways Agency Traffic Officer and Incident Support vehicles using flashing amber lights. When one approaches do not panic. Consider the route of such a vehicle and take appropriate action to let it pass, while complying with all traffic signs. If necessary, pull to the side of the road and stop, but try to avoid stopping before the brow of a hill, a bend or narrow section of road. Do not endanger yourself, other road users or pedestrians and avoid mounting the kerb. Do not brake harshly on approach to a junction or roundabout, as a following vehicle may not have the same view as you
Donāt mount the kerb to get out a fire engineās way if you need to says it all.
In which case Iād say zb the highway code and all the zbās who wrote it and support it.
For the NO pollsters would it be fair for me to say that they are putting the possibility of getting a FPN issued (not enforced) over that of using common sense ?
I must admit I never saw the camera if I did I would like to think I would have gone through. Also I got my no further action letter within a week of the nip.
ROG:
For the NO pollsters would it be fair for me to say that they are putting the possibility of getting a FPN issued (not enforced) over that of using common sense ?
No, weāre complying with the regulations as stated above.
ROG:
For the NO pollsters would it be fair for me to say that they are putting the possibility of getting a FPN issued (not enforced) over that of using common sense ?
You would ROG. Purely because common sense is not a trait associated with those behind the FPNās
ROG:
For the NO pollsters would it be fair for me to say that they are putting the possibility of getting a FPN issued (not enforced) over that of using common sense ?
Rog. I live for the day that I should receive such a FPN.
English law is based upon what a reasonable person thinks & Iām pretty sure that a reasonable person would consider the situation & if safe to do so, would make way for the emergency vehicle to pass.
Only an unreasonable person would steadfastly block the emergency vehicle.
There isnāt a court in the land that would convict you, the judge would thank you for the best laugh in ages.
Carryfast:
Donāt mount the kerb to get out a fire engineās way if you need to says it all.
In which case Iād say zb the highway code and all the zbās who wrote it and support it.
Iām going to come across as pedantic here but what the hell.
It quite clearly states āavoid mounting the kerbā. Which is totally different from āDonāt mount the kerbā.
So avoid actually means mount the kerb if you need to but try to avoid it where possible.Which as I said would be the way the fire truck driver would see it.While at the same time saying zb the highway code and the zb who wrote it because that isnāt actually what it says at all.
FFS at the end of the day it is the LAW.
Also, donāt forget it is an absolute offence.
There are many instances of people being prosecuted in these exact circumstances. As has been said already, there is no such thing as common sense any more in this ātick boxā society that is being run by little Hitlers
Carryfast:
So avoid actually means mount the kerb if you need to but try to avoid it where possible.Which as I said would be the way the fire truck driver would see it.While at the same time saying zb the highway code and the zb who wrote it because that isnāt actually what it says at all.
Iām quite sure that the highway code ā219. Emergency and Incident Support vehiclesā says āavoid mounting the kerbā & not ādo not mount the kerbā. Both myself & the official highway code code agree on this.
Iām coming across as pedantic arenāt I?
Did you know that it is not illegal to mount the kerb? Just like it is not illegal to pass through a red light.
Theyād like us to avoid mounting the kerb. I think theyāre worried that some of you might plow into a bus queue or something similar, whenever you heard the hee haw of a 2tone siren.
I guess that theyāre trying to think on behalf of the stupid !
If you truly are stupid, then please just park up, block the whole road if you have to.
To be fair, until your actually in the position i donāt think anyone can say 100% what they would do. Different people react in different ways and given the added pressure of the lights and sirens all common sense might go out the window for some
Semtex:
FFS at the end of the day it is the LAW.
Also, donāt forget it is an absolute offence.
There are many instances of people being prosecuted in these exact circumstances. As has been said already, there is no such thing as common sense any more in this ātick boxā society that is being run by little Hitlers
It most certainly is not an absolute offence & there most certainly are not many instances of people being prosecuted in these exact circumstances.
I can think of one or two cases where people claimed to be passing through a red light to make way for an emergency vehicle but it was proven that no emergency vehicle existed.
You have your tabloid newspaper of choice to blame for sensationalising such utter nonsense.
Of course, there was also the famous case of the motorist whoās defence failed to acknowledge the fact that the emergency vehicle he āmoved out of the way ofā happened to be chasing him at the time for failing to stop.
switchlogic:
The reason youāve so many noās is in this rule obsessed box ticking country we can no longer be certain that common sense will prevail in the event of a ticket coming through the post therefore many of us wouldnāt take the risk.
^^This^^
Peoples ability to do the āright thingā or use their judgement in these sorts of situations in the UK are now completely blinded by the fear of prosecution by the all seeing eye of the state that will without conscience prosecute the otherwise law abiding man (or woman) on a technicality or a slight deviation from the law, ie 3mph over the speed limit or going through a red light camera etc. Wether or not action would be taken in the event of this scenario isnāt the point here, people are frightened that it would because theyāre so used to being prosecuted or seeing friends and family prosecuted for what most of us would consider very minor and trivial infringements of the speed limit and the like. I personally would not like to hinder anyone in an ambulance or a fire engine but the state has laid its own seed here with all these cameras and the culture of fear that it has now produced so they can reap their reward. The point here in my opinion is that no one should fear for their licence and livelyhood because of applying common sense and proceeding through a red light to let an ambulance by, but fear we do and as a result, let the ambulance by, we perhaps do not.
Unless the law was laid out in very simple terms that stated 100% categorically that I would not be prosecuted for doing the above, then I would not do it. Iām not prepared to get flashed then spend the next two weeks or more worried about getting points, which in some peoples circumstances could result in a ban and loss of job, not to mention the rise in insurance premiums and then have to inconvenience myself by contesting a charge that should never have been layed in any self respecting so called free country. Its pathetic that its even come to this and this question even needs to be asked.
This is the legal answer for those that think itās an absolute offence to jump a red light.
Mitigating circumstances
If you fail to stop at a red light, there may have been mitigating circumstances. For example, you may have had a reasonable belief that it would have been dangerous for you to have stopped at the light. Or maybe you moved your vehicle to make way for an emergency vehicle.
If youāre being prosecuted for running a red light and believe that there may have been mitigating circumstances, you should consider getting professional advice. An experienced motoring solicitor will be able to tell you whether you have a genuine case for a reduction in the penalty (or even for the charge to be dropped). But beware. Many of the factors people might be tempted to cite in mitigation (āI was tiredā or āit was raining and the visibility was poorā) might actually turn out to be aggravating factors.
ROG:
For the NO pollsters would it be fair for me to say that they are putting the possibility of getting a FPN issued (not enforced) over that of using common sense ?
Yes because that what this stupid country and itās over enforcement of petty rules and health and safety has come to. Doesnāt pay to use common sense in this country anymore, the health and safety obsessed nut jobs out paid to that.
Iāve seen quite a few people drive onto pavements to let blue light vehicles through. I assume if you ended up knocking somone over in such circumstances they would throw the [zb] book at you??
I was in a situation once where the only way a police car could get through was be me driving fully onto the pavement on the approach to a roundabout. I didnāt do that but stopped well before the line in my lane hoping lane 2 would clear so they could swing in front. Lane 2 wasnāt moving so total delay was probably 10 seconds but iām not driving on the pavement.
If as Rog and others say there was common sense, these stupid NIPās wouldnāt be being sent out.
