Emergency Vehicles and Red Traffic Lights.

[Ted]

Ah, ignore that. Just checked and it says ‘wait behind the stop line on the carriageway’ in the Highway Code.

 

[Dryce]

Ah, ignore that. Just checked and it says ‘wait behind the stop line on the carriageway’ in the Highway Code.

Problem is that the term 'cross' is often used. If somebody tells me I must not cross a line that - to me - means it's OK to encroach on the line as long as I don't reach the other side.

However AIUI the strict interpretation of the law is that you must not encroach on a solid line but keep ensure your vehicle is entirely to the correct side of it. So technically no overhanging bumper or wing mirror even a smidgin over the edge of the line nearest your vehicle.

 

[Deleted member 6183]

Problem is that the term 'cross' is often used. If somebody tells me I must not cross a line that - to me - means it's OK to encroach on the line as long as I don't reach the other side.

However AIUI the strict interpretation of the law is that you must not encroach on a solid line but keep ensure your vehicle is entirely to the correct side of it. So technically no overhanging bumper or wing mirror even a smidgin over the edge of the line nearest your vehicle.

John McEnroe could make a right song and dance over it.

 

[st13phil]

However AIUI the strict interpretation of the law is that you must not encroach on a solid line but keep ensure your vehicle is entirely to the correct side of it. So technically no overhanging bumper or wing mirror even a smidgin over the edge of the line nearest your vehicle.

Your understanding is correct.

 

[putbinoot]

As a lot have said, don't mount kerbs, don't go through red lights, don't brake suddenly, don't speed a head if you can't pull over just continue at normal road speed until an opportunity to pull over or slow down appears and take your time on deciding what to do so you can do it safely. If you stop past an island try and go far enough past so that all the vehicles behind you can also clear the island so there is space, if they pull out to overtake you, you can just lift of the gas to allow them to get past quicker and back on to the correct side of the road, don't brake just lift as there might be other traffic behind you and you don't want to slow up that much that you then cause a problem for them. Remember if there is one there might be 2 or more and if you are stuck at lights or an obstruction and they are behind you they should turn of their sirens but will leave their blue lights on, this is not to pressure you but to let you know they will still want to clear you as soon as they can past the obstruction. Yes you will get someone who comes up behind you at the lights and keeps their siren on but that's a training issue everybody can't be perfect all the time. See i told you they where just using their blue lights to go to the shops they have just turned them off now they have gotten through the lights/past the traffic etc etc etc, no as with most emergency's there will be vehicles dispatched from different locations and usually when you see them turn there lights of it's because some one else form a different location has now arrived on scene and does not require further assistance.

 

[grober]

In this day and age of autonomous vehicles , prioritising the passage of emergency vehicles through traffic light systems should not really present a technical problem? Traffic signal preemption - Wikipedia

 

[putbinoot]

In this day and age of autonomous vehicles , prioritising the passage of emergency vehicles through traffic light systems should not really present a technical problem? Traffic signal preemption - Wikipedia

Some cities used to or maybe still have on certain routes but not for a long distance a thing called green wave which did in fact turn lights to green along a certain route but like all things it costs money to maintain.

 

[Deleted member 6183]

It's not difficult, if you can make room do so and if you can't you can't.

 

[AMGeed]

It's not difficult, if you can make room do so and if you can't you can't.

I moved over on a narrowish road just outside Weymouth Dorset a little while ago for an ambulance flashing blue lighs and sirens going.
I misjudged the edge of the road and kerbed a rear AMG alloy really badly.
I did think for a second about booting it and getting well ahead, but I was in a 30mph village. Knowing my luck I'd have set off a fixed speed camera.
I'd still do it again though. Life is precious.

 

[tbourner]

As above the emergency services will turn their siren off when approaching a red light, they will then happily sit behind you and wait for the light to change before turning the siren on again. No need to run red lights or panic.

 

[flying haggis]

what often amuses me is when the emergency vehicle is coming from the opposite direction and drivers panic and stop!!! I have on one occasion sped up to not hold up an ambulance as there was nowhere on the road suitable to pull in ( I was driving an HGV so needed big layby) A26 Northbound uphill through Five Ash Down twists and turns with mainly double white lines in case anyone knows that road.

 

[John]

what often amuses me is when the emergency vehicle is coming from the opposite direction and drivers panic and stop!!! I have on one occasion sped up to not hold up an ambulance as there was nowhere on the road suitable to pull in ( I was driving an HGV so needed big layby) A26 Northbound uphill through Five Ash Down twists and turns with mainly double white lines in case anyone knows that road.

I see drivers slow down or even stop when the emergency vehicle is totally within the opposite carriageway motoring on like any other vehicle with no obstructions ahead of them. Uh?

 

[219]

I was driving home earlier on road through a town with a three lane road either side.

On the opposite side of the road to me I saw an ambulance with blues and wailer approaching the junction I'd just been through from a side turning - so the lights for it were red.

All three lanes had at least two vehicles waiting at the red light and the ambulance opted for the outer lane which had a Merc behind a Transit waiting at the line.

As the ambulance approached the Merc, it was clear the Merc was willing to move but the Transit remained stationary until the light changed to amber and then set off to move out the way (nothing coming out the turning in front of them which I'd used nor were there any pedestrians I could see (there are almost never any there anyway).

It could be the Transit did not spot the ambulance behind but with blues and wailer at night this seems unlikely.

I tend to move out the way if I can although I am conscious you could breach a traffic light camera albeit that's never happened. My instinct is someone could be dying so it seems selfish not to but I can well imagine there are those who don't care and wait.

Just made me wonder what people do in those situations.

I will move every time , never been a problem .

 

[219]

You may be right, but even so my experience is that if you cross the stop line but then stop, you won't be fined.

I would always move forward and out of the way just sufficiently to allow the EV through , not completely across the junction .

 

[219]

I would also try to get out of its way, but know the law says i should not jump a red light even in that circumstance, i am pretty sure emergency vehicles should also not jump red light either and causes a shit storm if they clip another vehicle doing so which is madness. I know if I or a loved one was waiting on an emergency vehicle and it was a matter of life or death i would want it as soon as possible. another way to look at it is, if a loved one was in the car with you and you knew you had to get to hospital or they were going to die, would you stop at a red light because I know I would not, slow down yes but sorry against the law or not I would get to the hospital as soon as i could and i would gladly take my punishment afterwards.

Emergency vehicles have an exemption , but it is still the drivers responsibility to use it without endangering others

 

[219]

I would not run a red light or pull into a bus lane or mount the pavement ect ect
This subject came up in conversion a few weeks ago on my first aid course. The trainer used to be a 1st team responder and he said they are trained to work around traffic and be prepared for people that cant/won't give way. He's lost count how many law suits hes heard of in the big cities where everything is on camera.
If they can't get through he said he just sit back, no point in panicking and wait for a safe path. His health priority as well as other road users around him. Also he mentioned that all 999 services are not actually allowed to run red lights or speed through speed cameras, but they waiver them in good will.

We DO have legal exemptions .

In the Fire Service we have internal rules re how much we can exceed speed limits by , but this is not legislation . The police can go as fast as they need to as long as the situation justifies it .

There are exemptions for automatic traffic signals at red .

detailed in para b) in this link

The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002

 

[Headhurts]

A police car on an emergency call came up behind me whilst I was stationary at a red light, he merely slowed slightly and went around the lights whilst being cautious of oncoming traffic.

There was no drama and very little loss of time.

Robin


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