You aren’t suppose to ever cross a red light without explicit instruction from a police officer. That doesn’t include them coming up behind you with blues and twos on.
Stay put, they have to to wait and they aren’t allowed to bully you out of the way.
atlas man:
One of our drivers got a ticket for moving through a red light on the A64 in Leeds to let a fire engine past, he also lost his appeal even though the camera showed the fire engine, he also didn’t go right through just crossed the white line
Lennoxtown:
Are you obliged, legally or otherwise, to jump a red light for an emergency vehicle? I’ll always move out the way
where possible if I’m at the head of the queue, as it’s difficult not too when their behind you with blues and twos blaring…However, many traffic lights have cameras ( for red light jumpers! ) so what are the implications of moving through
a red light to let an emergency vehicle pass and then getting slapped with a ticket for jumping the lights?Has this happened to anyone?
never legally jump a red light. Oblige a coppers wave, but fight in court. 
■■■■ 'em. 
muckles:
Maybe this chaps letter had some effect.
The local newspaper tried, but failed, to find the “Michael P Moore” alleged to have written this letter, and it is generally considered to be a “Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells” parody.
109LWB:
You aren’t suppose to ever cross a red light without explicit instruction from a police officer. That doesn’t include them coming up behind you with blues and twos on.Stay put, they have to to wait and they aren’t allowed to bully you out of the way.
Thanks 109LWB… is that definitive and did you get that info from some authoritative source?
It’s a grey area and it’s really quite difficult to resist the urge to move forward ( even on a red light! ) and
let them through when you consider that they could be speeding to a life or death incident!
Harry Monk:
muckles:
Maybe this chaps letter had some effect.The local newspaper tried, but failed, to find the “Michael P Moore” alleged to have written this letter, and it is generally considered to be a “Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells” parody.
I did post it as light entertainment and as I said earlier I hope it was written with tongue was firmly in cheek, 
but it does play into the stereotype of a certain type of Tunbridge Wells resident, as does this article.
This is a copy of a tweet posted by the Highway Code last week:
‘When an emergency vehicle approaches, don’t panic. Take action to let it pass, while complying with all traffic signs.’
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damoq:
This is a copy of a tweet posted by the Highway Code last week:‘When an emergency vehicle approaches, don’t panic. Take action to let it pass, while complying with all traffic signs.’
It’s part of Rule 219 of the highway code.
Rule 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 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.
damoq:
This is a copy of a tweet posted by the Highway Code last week:‘When an emergency vehicle approaches, don’t panic. Take action to let it pass, while complying with all traffic signs.’
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Which means NOT moving past a red light then… well, maybe I’ll just make the emergency vehicles wait next time, but
it is very difficult to just sit there while their coming up behind you with sirens blaring, don’t you agree? 
109LWB:
There are some cracking videos on YouTube of a police driver trainer showing how it’s done.
The whole time, every second he is talking about what he is doing and why. It’s exhausting to watch.He frequently mentions sirens off or blocked passage. He always blipped the horn when approaching pedestrian crossings, or other crossings to warn people he is coming through. Also if he saw someone pulled up at the side of the road he would blip, incase they blindly got out of the car.
Pretty impressive really.Edit… found it
You aren’t kidding I only lasted watching it for 5minutes and I was feeling exhausted! But proves how much they have to be vigilant!
Lennoxtown:
damoq:
This is a copy of a tweet posted by the Highway Code last week:‘When an emergency vehicle approaches, don’t panic. Take action to let it pass, while complying with all traffic signs.’
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Which means NOT moving past a red light then… well, maybe I’ll just make the emergency vehicles wait next time, but
it is very difficult to just sit there while their coming up behind you with sirens blaring, don’t you agree?
I agree. But I very much doubt a copper would have you for jumping a red light while moving out of the way for an emergency vehicle. Getting flashed by a red light camera while moving out of the way might be harder to get out of though. It’s the chance you take for trying to help though.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Lennoxtown:
109LWB:
You aren’t suppose to ever cross a red light without explicit instruction from a police officer. That doesn’t include them coming up behind you with blues and twos on.Stay put, they have to to wait and they aren’t allowed to bully you out of the way.
Thanks 109LWB… is that definitive and did you get that info from some authoritative source?
It’s a grey area and it’s really quite difficult to resist the urge to move forward ( even on a red light! ) and
let them through when you consider that they could be speeding to a life or death incident!
It’s taken from a conversation I had with a good friend of mine who is a doctor and has a car with blues and twos. I was asking as many questions as I could think of, and of course one was " what should we do when an emergency vehicle approaches." He was very clear, if you can, legally and safely move out the way, but the onus is entirely on the driver of the emergency vehicle to make safe passage and if they can’t, they have to turn of the sirens and wait. They are highly trained to manoeuvre in these situations and what they really want you to do is just stop out of the way so they can plot a route though. When people start ducking and diving all over the place it actually makes it harder for them.
Whilst I agree the temptation is to do anything possible to get out of the way, that’s not how it’s supposed to happen.
109LWB:
Lennoxtown:
109LWB:
You aren’t suppose to ever cross a red light without explicit instruction from a police officer. That doesn’t include them coming up behind you with blues and twos on.Stay put, they have to to wait and they aren’t allowed to bully you out of the way.
Thanks 109LWB… is that definitive and did you get that info from some authoritative source?
It’s a grey area and it’s really quite difficult to resist the urge to move forward ( even on a red light! ) and
let them through when you consider that they could be speeding to a life or death incident!It’s taken from a conversation I had with a good friend of mine who is a doctor and has a car with blues and twos. I was asking as many questions as I could think of, and of course one was " what should we do when an emergency vehicle approaches." He was very clear, if you can, legally and safely move out the way, but the onus is entirely on the driver of the emergency vehicle to make safe passage and if they can’t, they have to turn of the sirens and wait. They are highly trained to manoeuvre in these situations and what they really want you to do is just stop out of the way so they can plot a route though. When people start ducking and diving all over the place it actually makes it harder for them.
Whilst I agree the temptation is to do anything possible to get out of the way, that’s not how it’s supposed to happen.
Thanks 109LWB… good advice!
I don’t care if I get a fine for running red light or entering bus lane etc.
I will always move out of the way if I consider it safe.
Do not panic?
Tell that to the bimbo on Anderson drive (Aberdeen) 5 years ago. Urban dual carriageway going past the petrol station opposite the fire station. She is in front of me and an ambulance approaches from our rear in the right hand lane. She stops in the left hand lane and would not move until it passed her even with me blasting the horn and gesturing at her to move. She is gesturing back at the ambulance who is in a completely empty lane!!!
muckles:
Harry Monk:
muckles:
Maybe this chaps letter had some effect.The local newspaper tried, but failed, to find the “Michael P Moore” alleged to have written this letter, and it is generally considered to be a “Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells” parody.
I did post it as light entertainment and as I said earlier I hope it was written with tongue was firmly in cheek,
Tunbridge Wells shoppers disgusted at the arrival of Poundland
I used to live within ten miles of two branches of Waitrose but now the nearest one is 44 miles away. Oh well I will have to make do with Aldi, Lidl, Morrisons, Asda and as a last resort Tesco. Still Poundland are local as well.
waddy640:
Possibly to reduce stress to patient.
During training for an ambulance strike that’s what I was taught
I was also posted to a unit that provide Ambulance and emergency cover for a stretch of the A1.
The sirens make the patient feel that they are on more danger thus increasing stress particularly with heart attacks.
The ambulance driver should plot his route through traffic and should (IIRC) obey all rules of the road.
The sirens also cause confusion among other road users as until you see them you don’t know where they are and most people start looking round and getting distracted.
Approach the traffic and if need be give a toot on the horn.
Again IIRC the best procedure was to go down the outside of the queuing traffic as the oncoming traffic will see you and stop or move over.
I’m sure in Germany the rules were very specific regarding emergency vehicles.
The traffic pulled left and right to open up a corridor down the middle and if you blocked one you were in real trouble.
Probably been said above but i think the sirens get turned off when they won’t achieve anything either in standstill traffic or on a clear run.
Always seem to get a nod or wave of thanks from fire engines though when I’ve moved out the way, guess the boys driving them are thankful that some of us driving similar sized vehicles do what we can and know what to do to let them past.
I still find it ridiculous that you can get a red light camera ticket for letting an emergency vehicle through, could be someones life on the line while you’re told to sit there like an idiot and not let them past because you’ll get a fine. Almost s if they never though about that when red light cameras were installed
At a busy 4 way traffic light junction back in the summer very late at night, I had a green on my approach and cruised on accordingly - got into the first half of the junction, all of a sudden this ambulance arrives at about 70 from my left with just the blues on.
Made me jump I have to say and I stood on the anchors - we just missed each other.
Can’t they sound the gong after 11 or something?
Surely doing 70 in a 40 zone against a red light has got to be iffy.