On my way to work and approaching a traffic light junction, with lights on red. I?m only car in LH lane to turn left, queue of cars in RH lane for straight ahead and right. Just as I come alongside cars to my right, an emergency vehicle appears in my mirror, approaching us fast, but we are blocking its route.
I have a good view, can see the junction is clear, and can quite safely drive through the red light, and clear the emergency vehicles route.
Alternative is to obey the red light, but the emergency vehicle is then trapped behind me.
What would you do?
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Run the red light as long as it were safe to do so.
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Given that I know of someone who got flashed in this situation and let off, I'd be tempted to say drive through - or at least make enough room for the ambulance/cops/fire brigade.
Regardless I'd move forward. I don't want someone's death on my conscience.
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Adam
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if the junction was clear I would move sufficiently to give the EV room to pass but no further.
JaB
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In this situation, I'd turn left and pull over asap.
I've done this turning right across a dual carriageway, interesting but not too bad - did find that everyone was focussing on the ambulance and not me which you have to be careful of.
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Get out of the way, safely. If you were "flashed" by a camera, it aught to do the same to the EV behind you. If a nip was issued, you have the chance to state your case, mitigating circumstances.
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The golden rule is as for everything else whilst driving. Only do it if it is SAFE to do so and does NOT place you at risk or the emergency vehicle.
It would be pointless to move forward, taking a risk, and thereby delaying the emergency vehicle even further. Remember, the emergency service drivers are trained to a higher standard and if you cna do nothing else then simply stop and let them negotiate their way round you.
And jsut like anotehr commentator has alreayd said, those few seconds could be vital for that prson and I wouldn't want to impede an emergency vehicle on an emergency run anymore than I might have to.
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Don't do what I saw a young girl do a few weeks ago and drive your 54 plate Corsa SXi alloys up a foot high concrete kerb at +15mph to try to make room for an ambulance.
PP
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ouch !
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Ambulances seem to love me recently. I was driving around a bend when one came around the other corner. I pulled onto the kerb but you always think of the poor suspension/alloy/hub and all that when you do.
Still - you feel even sorrier for the poor bloke in the back of the Ambulance!
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Adam
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That's exactly the word a mouthed at the time, along with a few other choice less repeatable ones.
If I was her boyfriend / husband I'd have left her! :-)
I was on the wrong side of her car to see what damage she inflicted but I should think the alloy was pretty much scuffed to pieces.
PP
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Wonder if she had a spacesaver?!
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I wondered if she had a licence or brain at the time.
PP
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Remember seeing one of these docu programmes and the advice they gave was slightly different. Apparently the Emergency Vehicle Drivers prefer the other drivers to just drive as normal. They do not want people suddently moving over, swerving out the way etc as it provides an extra obstacle / distraction for them.
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The Corsa was probably a hire car. That's why I never buy 'nearly new'.
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