The legality of emergency vehicle lights

[CopperCyclist]

As short as I can make it. . . Emergency vehicles don't have to use lights, but as they are there to warn other drivers you'd better have a reason of you don't use them (I. E. I didn't want to make the suicide jumper jump/warn the burglars I was coming).

Any vehicle choosing not to use warning lights and sirens needs to expect traffic to treat them as any other vehicle. What you did was no problem at all.

The only thing we really get annoyed at is the people who don't seeus with lights and sirens going!

 

[Roadrider48]

Not relevant to the right turn part of your question, but don't assume that an ambulance not using lights/sirens or speeding is not responding to an emergency.

Theres evidence that driving at speed can have an adverse effect on the condition of some seriously ill patients in the back of ambulances. Drivers will be expected to drive steadily. Lights and sirens may well only be used in order to get through traffic as research suggests that use of lights and sirens can effect the drivers behaviour, making them more likey to drive in a way that can adversly effect the patient.

I've been in the back of an ambulance with some of the sickest patients imaginable without using lights and sirens for a whole 60 mile transfer.

I take your point, but in those circumstances how is anyone else on the road supposed to know what is going on? They could just flash the blue lights, that would do it! I'm sure an external flashing blue light would cause no further complications to the sick occupant, as they can't see it.

 

[Matthew_T]

As short as I can make it. . . Emergency vehicles don't have to use lights, but as they are there to warn other drivers you'd better have a reason of you don't use them (I. E. I didn't want to make the suicide jumper jump/warn the burglars I was coming).

I saw that on the link above. This was an ambulance though, and it continued down the road so I cannot see any plausible reason for them to turn their lights off and continue to drive like they were on.

Also from the blue coloured battenberg it looks like a police are rather than a ambulance. Blue= police, green = ambulance, red = fire.

I can understand that it might look blue (or a greyish) but it was indeed green. It also had yellow on it which police cars (at least in Wales) dont have.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/61592178@N07/7113322507/

 

[BimblingBee]

It also had yellow on it which police cars (at least in Wales) dont have.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/61592178@N07/7113322507/

lol. ok then.

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgu...a=X&ei=QsOXUpDHIuz07Aa3woGIDA&ved=0CDcQ9QEwAw

 

[Matthew_T]

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgu...a=X&ei=QsOXUpDHIuz07Aa3woGIDA&ved=0CDcQ9QEwAw

Haha, forgot about those bits!

 

[Crackle]

Shouldn't this be in General Driving Discussions?

 

[GuardTwin]

There are legitimate reasons on why emergency services has turned off their lights whiles waiting in traffic, if they can not pass they are meant to turn off their siren and if im not mistaken lights aswell to reduce drivers worrying or panics which increases accident rates but this is not the case for you. (Sirens are to declare it is there in the area and lights to pin point its position as we all know)

The first response unit that is in your video should of gone by the highway code, because it is too dark and I have no idea on what the road is like I am having to trust that you was in the right and the first response should of not done that, if he was in response then he should either turn on the lights back on at green or allowed you to pass waiting for his turn.

(I've seen a police car using the right turn only lane to cut ahead of me and 3 cars as a bus is on coming to turn right.)

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Also from the blue coloured battenberg it looks like a police are rather than a ambulance. Blue= police, green = ambulance, red = fire.

Looked green to me

Alan...

 

[vernon]

Shouldn't this be in General Driving Discussions?

It should be anywhere at all. There's far more trivial things to worry about.

I am also saddened by the the revelation that Matthew_T has, and is willing to use, a screen cam to inflict untold misery upon us all.

 

[Arch]

The only thing we really get annoyed at is the people who don't seeus with lights and sirens going!

It's amazing how many people seem to be oblivious until the last minute.

Last week I was at a blind junction (where a road goes through the city wall and a big fortification sticks out) and when the light went green I moved off, but slowly, and I waited before nosing out beyond the blind bit. The reason? An ambulance coming the other way was doing a U-turn, but without siren. I'd spotted the reflection of the blue lights in a shop window opposite. Simple observation,but I wonder how many drivers would spot it.

 

[Sara_H]

I take your point, but in those circumstances how is anyone else on the road supposed to know what is going on? They could just flash the blue lights, that would do it! I'm sure an external flashing blue light would cause no further complications to the sick occupant, as they can't see it.

They're not suppsed to know. The ambulance is driven normally. I was just making the point because I often see it mentioned o thes boards that ambulances always use lights and sirens when attending to an emergency. Thats not the case.

 

[slowmotion]

They're not suppsed to know. The ambulance is driven normally. I was just making the point because I often see it mentioned o thes boards that ambulances always use lights and sirens when attending to an emergency. Thats not the case.

The pistonheads link ( post #3 ) is worth a read. It seems there is no necessity for emergency vehicles to display their lights/sirens for them to be exempt from various parts of the Highway code. All that they require is a state of emergency that qualifies them for the exemption. For example, a police car might speed to follow a suspect and not wish to alert them with a siren or lights. As I understand, the lights etc are merely there to alert other road users.

 

[Matthew_T]

The first response unit that is in your video should of gone by the highway code, because it is too dark and I have no idea on what the road is like I am having to trust that you was in the right and the first response should of not done that, if he was in response then he should either turn on the lights back on at green or allowed you to pass waiting for his turn.

Link to streetview: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/previ...Gw!2e0!5m2!1sWT9XKA2halEyeU_7QYJjGw!2e0&fid=5

 

[GuardTwin]

Link to streetview: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/previ...Gw!2e0!5m2!1sWT9XKA2halEyeU_7QYJjGw!2e0&fid=5

He was turning so yeah he should of waited but didn't and he beeped so it is not like he "did not see you." If you want to complain to their department where the first response unit comes from you're entitled to and also in the right of law to bring up this concern about the driver and his skill on the road.

 

[Roadrider48]

The pistonheads link ( post #3 ) is worth a read. It seems there is no necessity for emergency vehicles to display their lights/sirens for them to be exempt from various parts of the Highway code. All that they require is a state of emergency that qualifies them for the exemption. For example, a police car might speed to follow a suspect and not wish to alert them with a siren or lights. As I understand, the lights etc are merely there to alert other road users.

"Alert other road users" that was what I was saying about the blue lights.