Traffic Laws!!

[Grease Monkey]

Anyone from the Highway Agency or perhaps PLOD want to comment on this as found on the ABD site?

Recent court cases show that facilitating the passage of an emergency vehicle is not regarded as a valid defence to a prosecution brought with evidence obtained by a red-light camera.

http://www.abd.org.uk/highway_code_2006.htm

So does that mean if you have a fire engine / Ambulance behind you at red lights with all the blues & twos going you're obliged to just sit there ?

Is it just me ???

[dave]

Insanity.
At least I didn't vote the current bunch into power.

[Robin427]

Saw this very thing this evening in lovely Crawley... would be a brave driver to just sit there whilst the rozzers screech to a halt behind you...

[robinj66]

Remember that the Highway code is guidance only and does not have to be followed - it does NOT have the weight of law.

If you were unlucky enough to be in court in these circs you would first ask the CPS to drop the case as not being in the public interest ; secondly you would run Special Reasons and ask the magistrates not to impose penalty points even though you are technicaly guilty of the offence.

[scubie]

The recent introduction of the Emergency Workers (Protection) Bill, which is in the final stages of becoming law, It'll be an offence to obstruct an emergency worker in the course of their duty. Sounds like your damned if you do and damned if you don't

[wilf]

I simply cannot believe that any Court would convict on a red light offence if there was real evidence that the driver was simply getting out of the way of an emergency services vehicle. Our courts do have some common sense.

I suspect that there was little if any supporting evidence for this drivers defence - maybe no record of emergency services vehicles being in the area at the time?

Without doubt, we do not have the full story.

[Neil O]

Same as there's probably no record of the 'emergency call' that caused a traffic car to pass me at well over 100mph on the A30 last week. No lights, no sirens, probably just late for his tea break.

[mylesdw]

Originally Posted by Neil O

Same as there's probably no record of the 'emergency call' that caused a traffic car to pass me at well over 100mph on the A30 last week. No lights, no sirens, probably just late for his tea break.

I don't think anyone can really count the police as an 'emergency service' any more. When was the last time they rushed to your aid to save you or your property? No, they are little more than a cross between a night-club bouncer and a tax collector and I can't say I particularly scramble to get out of their way.