Sin bin for red light jumping cyclists

[DRM]

I'm trying to imagine how such actions might be helpful. Maybe on 4 lane, sparsely trafficked roads like I have seen in parts of America (is that where "here" is?). But on the average narrow Victorian streets of the UK towns, please do NOT do this!! Get out the way. And if that means jumping a red light, do it CAREFULLY.

You DO NOT jump a red light for any emergency vehicle, if seen you will be prosecuted, and you will be guilty, no if's or buts, the emergency services are trained to break the law, you aren't

 

[classic33]

You DO NOT jump a red light for any emergency vehicle, if seen you will be prosecuted, and you will be guilty, no if's or buts, the emergency services are trained to break the law, you aren't

I agree, which is why I went through.
Along with what I've already said, there was some self preservation in my action. I was on two wheels, with no idea of how the driver of the car immediately behind would react.

There's times for standing your ground, and times just to get out of the way.

 

[blackrat]

"Where on earth is "here"?"
anywhere that is not "there".
Typical scenario on a typical city street "here" with four lanes going in each direction:
An emergency coming up from behind with horns/sirens/farts aloud, sounding like Toad in his stolen car, approaching a long queue of stationary vehicles waiting to cross another typical 8 land city street.
What to do? Convention has it that the stationary vehicles waiting at the lights DO NOT THEN PROCEED INTO THE CROSS STREETS MASSED WITH FAST VEHICLES AND CAUSE ADDITIONAL NEED FOR THE SAID EMERGENCY VEHICLE(S) TO REQUIRE TO STOP AND RENDER AID. What we tend to do then is to wait. The emergency vehicle then usually approaches the shortest queue, comes up behind, blasts everything he has which alerts the crossing traffic ahead, that he is there alerting them to stop thus allowing the queue of vehicles to slowly drive across the now stationary crossing stream of vehicles.
And it works, actually. Although, probably for the typical bloody minded Brit, it wouldn't.
People 'here" are much more tolerant.

 

[DRM]

I agree, which is why I went through.
Along with what I've already said, there was some self preservation in my action. I was on two wheels, with no idea of how the driver of the car immediately behind would react.

There's times for standing your ground, and times just to get out of the way.

On a bike it's generally better to just get out of the way, but the advice by Brandane is plain wrong, coming from a former emergency vehicle driver,is surprising to say the least.

 

[Brandane]

You DO NOT jump a red light for any emergency vehicle, if seen you will be prosecuted, and you will be guilty, no if's or buts, the emergency services are trained to break the law, you aren't

Different times, I know. In my day, who was going to see you and prosecute you, the Police driver who you had done the favour for? I don't think so! Yes I know there are cameras these days which do not have the power of discretion. But, this is a personal thing - stuff the law. If there is some poor person having a heart attack in the back of an ambulance, and I am preventing it from making progress because I am sitting in my car at a red light, I WILL go through it and try to clear the way. If I get a court summons then so be it. I will argue my case and hope for a sympathetic judge, and if I don't get that? So be it, I will take the points and fine. At least my conscience will be clear.

 

[Brandane]

On a bike it's generally better to just get out of the way, but the advice by Brandane is plain wrong, coming from a former emergency vehicle driver,is surprising to say the least.

It might be wrong in the eyes of the law, but in certain circumstances I don't have a problem with breaking it. Sometimes the law IS an ass, and I say that as someone who used to make a living enforcing it.

 

[DRM]

Different times, I know. In my day, who was going to see you and prosecute you, the Police driver who you had done the favour for? I don't think so! Yes I know there are cameras these days which do not have the power of discretion. But, this is a personal thing - stuff the law. If there is some poor person having a heart attack in the back of an ambulance, and I am preventing it from making progress because I am sitting in my car at a red light, I WILL go through it and try to clear the way. If I get a court summons then so be it. I will argue my case and hope for a sympathetic judge, and if I don't get that? So be it, I will take the points and fine. At least my conscience will be clear.

There was a case very recently of a driver doing just that & getting prosecuted for getting out of the way for an ambulance, the Judge said he had no choice but to fine the driver, despite doing the right thing, there is no get out clause, the law is adamant on this, you do not go through a red traffic light, there are cameras all over to catch you out

 

[Brandane]

thus allowing the queue of vehicles to slowly drive across the now stationary crossing stream of vehicles.

Then they haven't actually "slowed to a stop" as a result of seeing/hearing an emergency vehicle, have they? They have stopped for a junction. Then one lane has moved off carefully to clear a path for the emergency vehicle. Completely different to what you initially described.

 

[DRM]

Sometimes the law IS an ass, and I say that as someone who used to make a living enforcing it.

That is basically what the Judge said, but it would become a free for all if it was allowed

 

[Brandane]

There was a case very recently of a driver doing just that & getting prosecuted for getting out of the way for an ambulance, the Judge said he had no choice but to fine the driver, despite doing the right thing, there is no get out clause, the law is adamant on this, you do not go through a red traffic light, there are cameras all over to catch you out

There are NOT cameras all over to catch you out. And as I said above, I don't care. If I can safely help out the driver of an emergency vehicle then I will. In the unlikely event of being prosecuted then I will take my medecine.

 

[Rusty Nails]

At least my conscience will be clear.

Unless you know that the outcome of the emergency call was the death of a patient because of a delay of a few seconds your conscience will soon clear up about it.

 

[DRM]

There are NOT cameras all over to catch you out. And as I said above, I don't care. If I can safely help out the driver of an emergency vehicle then I will. In the unlikely event of being prosecuted then I will take my medecine.

Might not be in Scotland,but in England they're everywhere

 

[classic33]

"Where on earth is "here"?"
anywhere that is not "there".
Typical scenario on a typical city street "here" with four lanes going in each direction:
An emergency coming up from behind with horns/sirens/farts aloud, sounding like Toad in his stolen car, approaching a long queue of stationary vehicles waiting to cross another typical 8 land city street.
What to do? Convention has it that the stationary vehicles waiting at the lights DO NOT THEN PROCEED INTO THE CROSS STREETS MASSED WITH FAST VEHICLES AND CAUSE ADDITIONAL NEED FOR THE SAID EMERGENCY VEHICLE(S) TO REQUIRE TO STOP AND RENDER AID. What we tend to do then is to wait. The emergency vehicle then usually approaches the shortest queue, comes up behind, blasts everything he has which alerts the crossing traffic ahead, that he is there alerting them to stop thus allowing the queue of vehicles to slowly drive across the now stationary crossing stream of vehicles.
And it works, actually. Although, probably for the typical bloody minded Brit, it wouldn't.
People 'here" are much more tolerant.

Not all roads are eight lanes wide over here, "here" for the post in question being Shipley, in West Yorkshire.

Owabout we don't derail the thread any further?

 

[blackrat]

Then they haven't actually "slowed to a stop" as a result of seeing/hearing an emergency vehicle, have they? They have stopped for a junction. Then one lane has moved off carefully to clear a path for the emergency vehicle. Completely different to what you initially described.

Satisfied now? I wouldn't want you to go to bed tonight knowing someone thinks your are a 'richard'!

 

[icowden]

"Where on earth is "here"?"
anywhere that is not "there".

Obviously. I am assuming you are not in the UK.

What to do? Convention has it that the stationary vehicles waiting at the lights DO NOT THEN PROCEED INTO THE CROSS STREETS MASSED WITH FAST VEHICLES AND CAUSE ADDITIONAL NEED FOR THE SAID EMERGENCY VEHICLE(S) TO REQUIRE TO STOP AND RENDER AID. What we tend to do then is to wait

Same in the UK. It is an offence to break the law in order to facilitate an emergency vehicle.

People 'here" are much more tolerant.

Are you sure? You seem very shy of saying where "here" is...