Personally I'd speed up a bit to let them past, but I'd be much more cautious if there was a speed camera, or if it meant running a red light. As Burnsy pointed out, camera operators are not known for their discretion, and you are breaking the law technically, however good your intentions. The issue is "Can you prove the officer directed you to make such a manoeuvre?"
You’re in a 30 zone…
- Thread starter Skunkworks
- Start date
You're under observation and they're gathering evidence. Same principle as here, if you see lots of moderators have viewed your profile it's probably a sign you've been naughty.
Same as when loads of IP addresses from 'places' are viewing here. It's because I've had a word and told them to take down 'The Mods'.
Friends in high places and all that
They still do you for speeding.not true - if someone jumped in your car and held a gun to your head then you'd have a valid defence
As they would class it as you be putting the person holding the gun to your head in serious danger as he may get hurt if you crashed at speed.......
Last edited:
Soldato
I used to live in Manchester above a busy junction.
It seems the Prison vans are typically the exception to the rule, every week at rush hour (I assume after the courts were done for the day) you would get a police escorted prison van heading to Strangeways, and wow do those guys not **** around!
This is the layout, they are turning left at the red light
I assume they can't take chances for high profile cases by being stuck in traffic but the police motorcyclists would often routinely go up alongside a car at a left turn traffic light and tell them to go through the red light and pull over, the bikes would then go through, block the traffic and the vans and police escort would go through.
You would often see people being told to mount the pavements and when people sat at the red lights unsure whether to go through or not, more often than not a smack to the window and vigorous gesticulating by the police motorcyclist would get them moving.
Soldato
Personally, I'd probably speed up. Eery situation is different though, and needs to be assessed differently. I've never found myself in such a situation though, either as a driver or a response driver. There's rarely nothing you can do. If there's genuinely nothing that can be done, I'd be turning the sirens off.
People do all kinds of really stupid things when you come up behind them. Braking being the biggest one. In what world does you slowing down help?! Indicate and move over as soon as you can. If you are at lights and can safely go through, we'll be grateful for the help, but I'd understand if you don't. Most of the time I'll go round you on the offside anyway.
People do all kinds of really stupid things when you come up behind them. Braking being the biggest one. In what world does you slowing down help?! Indicate and move over as soon as you can. If you are at lights and can safely go through, we'll be grateful for the help, but I'd understand if you don't. Most of the time I'll go round you on the offside anyway.
Soldato
I've seen an officer get out of their patrol car with blues and twos on and ask a woman to move through red lights to get out of the way.
You can proceed through red lights only under direction from a uniformed officer.
Soldato
Never been in this particular situation but I would probably speed up a little. I have gone through red lights though a couple of times for them (without instruction from anyone).
Associate
- Joined
- 21 Jul 2005
- Posts
- 112
I normally floor it to get out of the way- cops near my end appreciate getting out of the way to let them get on with their emergency.
Soldato
30. It's the limit and it's only 400m. Imagine flooring it and then getting a speeding ticket. You'd feel like a fool.
Just drive normally at the limit and/or provide space for them to overtake if possible by tucking in a bit.
Just drive normally at the limit and/or provide space for them to overtake if possible by tucking in a bit.
Man of Honour
OP I can tell you what happened to me in a similar situation back around 1976.
I was at the front of a dual carriageway with one lane blocked off and a Police car was about 4 cars behind me.
I kept to the 50mph speed limit even though the cars behind me were flashing and eventually pulled over when I came to the end of the roadworks.
The Copper in the passenger seat gave me a right dirty look and a few days later I received a letter where I had to go to Longton Police Station for a talk.
It hasn't happened since then so I really don't know what I'd do but if it was an ambulance or Fire Engine I probably would speed up.
I was at the front of a dual carriageway with one lane blocked off and a Police car was about 4 cars behind me.
I kept to the 50mph speed limit even though the cars behind me were flashing and eventually pulled over when I came to the end of the roadworks.
The Copper in the passenger seat gave me a right dirty look and a few days later I received a letter where I had to go to Longton Police Station for a talk.
It hasn't happened since then so I really don't know what I'd do but if it was an ambulance or Fire Engine I probably would speed up.
Man of Honour
What happened in this talk?
Endangering yourself by driving faster just to save a few seconds for the emergency vehicle shouldn't be mandatory.
Soldato
Yeah, I was thinking more shoot towards the gap with clear indication you're swinging in hard to let him by.
Soldato
- Joined
- 1 Mar 2010
- Posts
- 6,306
Yep, stoppers/reversers I could never understand. Floor it, if you absolutely must, be a 'pro', lol, but don't risk lives in the process.
Surprisingly, I recall that junction in Manc too! In fact, I had been close to meeting my end near that no stopping sign many a time. Never by an emergency vehicle mind.
Surprisingly, I recall that junction in Manc too! In fact, I had been close to meeting my end near that no stopping sign many a time. Never by an emergency vehicle mind.
And the woman could have told him no.
The public should not break the law to assist Emergency Services.
Man of Honour
I could make something up but it was 40 years ago and I can't remember exactly what was said but obviously along the lines of holding up a Police vehicle.
You need to appreciate that in the real world people sometimes have to break rules to save lives, though this may not be one of them of course. In your perfect law abiding world people would die, but at least there would be no fines or points.
Soldato
- Joined
- 1 Mar 2010
- Posts
- 6,306
I think too many in this thread fought the law, and it won.
Man of Honour
Like I've said before, very, very few calls that the emergency services get called to are that urgent that another couple of minutes matters.
Man of Honour
If she told him no, then she could be prosecuted for not following a traffic direction from a constable in uniform. If you are directed, then you must follow that instruction.