Would you break a red light...

cormie

If you were top of the queue of 2 lane traffic with barriers blocking access to the path/oncoming traffic lane on either side and traffic going on their green across your path... if an ambulance was stuck behind and going wild on the oul siren and no hard shoulder or room for anyone to let it through?...

JohnCleary

Nope...

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055224631

milltown

As I understand your scenario, no I wouldn't.

No point in causing a potentially worse accident than the ambulance is on it's way to or from. Hopefully the traffic crossing your path will see or hear it and allow people room to get out of the way, but as it stands, no.

Guy:Incognito

JohnCleary wrote: »

Nope...

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055224631

I seriosuly doubt any Gard wil do you for moving out of the way of an ambulance.

Either way. Theres generally enough space at junctions (assuming you'v enot overshot the line to begin with) to move forward a bit to make space for an emergency vehicle to get by, even if you have to end up a bit sideways.

Seth Brundle

Stekelly wrote: »

I seriosuly doubt any Gard wil do you for moving out of the way of an ambulance.

Either way. Theres generally enough space at junctions (assuming you'v enot overshot the line to begin with) to move forward a bit to make space for an emergency vehicle to get by, even if you have to end up a bit sideways.

+1

Anan1

If I felt I could slowly shove my way out without causing an accident then yes, I would.

craichoe

Everyone has to break the rules of the road if they move to let an ambulance pass.

Personally i would do whatever is safe to get out of the way, the vital minutes and seconds getting to the scene can mean life or death for the person affected.

Anan1

JohnCleary wrote: »

Nope...

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055224631

Surely you don't think the possibility of being pulled for breaking a red light is good reason for delaying an ambulance?

MarkR

Not a definitive answer, but I found this in the rules of the road.

Emergency services vehicles
In the course of their duty, Garda, fire brigade vehicles or ambulances and other
emergency vehicles can be exempt from some of the road traffic law as long as
this does not put other road users in danger. As a user of the road, if you hear or
see a Garda or emergency vehicle approaching under emergency conditions
and/or using a siren or flashing lights, you should exercise caution, and give
way if it is safe to do so. Never ‘tailgate’ an emergency vehicle.

and

Some of the actions you might need to take in normal conditions include:
making way for an ambulance, fire engine or Garda vehicle,
watching and stopping for children emerging from between cars, and
waiting until a vehicle has started its left-hand turn before you emerge
from a side road.

If I could move safely out of the way I will.

Wossack

Id generally try and make room, but wouldnt impede the crossing traffic in anyway.

though in the scenario you've described above, me breaking the red light I doubt would help the ambulance in any real way. The queue of cars behind me would still be blocking the ambulance, and since you say theres no way for the cars to pull over, the ambulance will have to overtake in the opposite lane to get by you. And if the ambulance is already overtaking in the other lane, no need for me to do anything imo - only person breaking lights will be the ambulance.

Just my take on the vaguely described scenario anyway!

peasant

Of course I would .

Go slowly forward and out of the way. The oncoming/crossing traffic should hear and see the ambulance as well and be prepared for it coming through ..so you carefully inching into their path to allow the ambulance through should be safe enough.

DJ Hafez

I had to break a red on Sunday night because some crazy drunk guy was trying to get into the car. Minute i broke it i saw the gardai ahead of me and I'm sure they noticed as they started walkin out into the middle of the road. I pulled over, told them what happened and about breaking the light and they said it was no problem and they would have done the same. So I think there are some circumstances in which the gardai will turn a blind eye

peasant

In some countries it is an offence to impede an emergency vehicle

kida

peasant wrote: »

In some countries it is an offence to impede an emergency vehicle

what about motorbike cops escorting Bertie and the gang - no way am I moving for them!!

JohnCleary

Anan1 wrote: »

Surely you don't think the possibility of being pulled for breaking a red light is good reason for delaying an ambulance?

I missed the ambulance bit... so forget that post

cormie

JohnCleary wrote: »

I missed the ambulance bit... so forget that post

lol

I would too, I'm obviously not going to dash out in front of the crossing traffic, but if they can see the ambulance coming, then if safe, I'd probably go forward leaving enough room behind me for the amount of cars that were between the ambulance and I to pull in behind me and let it pass. I don't think any Garda would go after you for doing it safely, although you never know..

meathstevie

+1 for trying to make way

Mimikyu

This post has been deleted.

Omcd

MarkR wrote: »

Emergency services vehicles
In the course of their duty, Garda, fire brigade vehicles or ambulances and other
emergency vehicles can be exempt from some of the road traffic law as long as
this does not put other road users in danger.

Was wondering about what would happen in the case of an ambulance driver (or any other emergency vehicle driver) causing an accident due to wild driving.

Does anybody know who do you complaint to if you've nearly been wiped off the road by one ?

I know in general they do a good job and we have to do all we can to let them through, and I have no problem with this, but sometimes you get one or two doing absolutely CRAZY things

For example, an ambulance (jeep type) travelling at high speed enters a left curving T junction (going straight on) on a narrow road on the wrong side of the road through a red light completely blind to oncoming traffic (which is right turning on green from the road entering on left) as he is overtaking a large opaque high sided coach (which is left turning on an arrow) and he hasn't bothered to sound his siren until a second or two before entering the junction.

The first car in the oncoming traffic in the example was me, and if I hadn't have slammed on in the middle of the junction (almost being rear ended) the instant I heard the siren I wouldn't be in the land of the living right now:eek: I hadn't a clue what direction the ambulance coming from :mad: and almost made a fatal decision to exit the junction on the basis of not blocking the ambulance if it were coming from behind. An extremely loud siren was the difference between life and death - pity he didn't sound the thing a few seconds earlier.

Jeez, I seriously dont want to meet him again...

I was wondering if the ambulance had hit me who would have been deemed to be at fault (not that it would have been much use to me at that stage if had hit me), me on principle for not managing to give way to an emergency vehicle travelling on blue lights, or him on the basis of reckless driving if such offence exists while driving under blue lights. From the quote above, the ambulance driver might well be taken legally to be at fault.

Just wondering also has anyone else had any similiar experiences ? How often does this kind of thing happen - is it just a one off that I encountered, or does it happen more frequently and people just dont say anything about because they dont want to be seen to be knocking the good work of the emergency services?

In the situation presented by the OP, I'd move as far as was safe to do so considering the traffic on the green light - if I cant get out of the way without having an accident (in which case I would still be in the way, and for a lot longer) then that, unfortunately, is that. I wouldnt have too much issue with the red light in that circumstance so long as I was only doing what was absolutely necessary - I have seen drivers taking advantage of the the 'getting out of the way of an emergency vehicle' situation to loosely excuse a general free for all through red lights when it is not necessary, even after the emergency vehicle has passed.