Is there an offence for impersonating an ambulance?

[un1corn]

So, I see this White Audi estate driving around, badged up as an ambulance. It came to light on facebook because a traffic warden gave it a ticket. (most people are saying its fake, the envelope isnt the right type for round here and its been put on upside down etc) anyway, forget that st, nobody cares about the ticket.

here it is;



And it looks good. It's got all the battenburg, it's a newish model,lightbar and everything. Looks genuine right?

Anyway, i'm not going to go into the specifics, but i know for 100% certainty, this is not a regional emergency ambulance. it is not connected to, associated with, or linked to the nhs or ambulance service.

Instead, its used by a private company who provide "medical training". I'd imagine its some loser who set up his frist aid training company after being rejected for the NHS.

Anyway, assuming the vehicle is just being driven around, no blues, normal driving etc, is this an offence?

I know impersonating the Police would be, but is this legal?

[ruggedscotty]

Its not an offence.

you hit the nail on the head, it could very well be a training vehicle. Do you think that they can just drop an ambulance out of service so some can get training? there are organisations around that undertake training and will use marked vehicles such as this and they will have permission to do so.

[Shaw Tarse]

Fake Ambiwlans https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeuJ_6skbF4

[Psycho Warren]

May well be staffed by a non-nhs paramedic or ex-paramedic. Every first aid course I have done with proper medical companies has had paramedics or retired paramedics doing the training.

Also could be used for event medical cover hence the marking up as well.

[Drive Blind]

Psycho Warren said:

Also could be used for event medical cover hence the marking up as well.

this is my guess

one of the many private medical cover companies that offer cover to public events

[poo at Paul's]

Shaw Tarse said:

Fake Ambiwlans https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeuJ_6skbF4

I remember that on the show, hilarious oddball of a man!

[ElectricPics]

Fitting of blue lights on private ambulances is only legal if authorised - generally by an NHS Trust. There's no visible details of who's operating it which legit private and NHS services have. Any hazchem markings for gas bottles or lettering on the back?

[V8RX7]

I believe an offence is committed if you have a blue light fitted to a non emergency service vehicle

(which it looks like it does)

Some Police got very shirty when my father (an American car dealer) had a black and white Sheriff's car with blue lights and even stopped it when it had a cover fitted over the light bar.

They weren't overly keen when he had one with red lights either.

[Dedders]

Unless you’ve seen them illuminated they could well be amber lights so there would be no offence whether they had permission or not. Some people will fit light bars like that just to give the impression they are a real ambulance.

[pavarotti1980]

ElectricPics said:

Fitting of blue lights on private ambulances is only legal if authorised - generally by an NHS Trust. There's no visible details of who's operating it which legit private and NHS services have. Any hazchem markings for gas bottles or lettering on the back?

It's use not fitting that is the issue

[Matt-il77s]

There's a few like this near me, owned by a private company and used for transporting patients. They have a fleet of silver Nissan Jukes.

[Psycho Warren]

pavarotti1980 said:

It's use not fitting that is the issue

Exactly.

When doing event cover they are usually off road so can use blues and twos to get across site legally.

[ElectricPics]

pavarotti1980 said:

ElectricPics said:

Fitting of blue lights on private ambulances is only legal if authorised - generally by an NHS Trust. There's no visible details of who's operating it which legit private and NHS services have. Any hazchem markings for gas bottles or lettering on the back?

It's use not fitting that is the issue

Agreed, but it's still an offence just to have them fitted. Interesting point though if there's no blue lens visible as in this case because they're blue emitting LED's.

[saladdays]

This "emergency ambulance" is quite ridiculous. It even has blue flashing lights!

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/circumcisio...

[Cat]

ElectricPics said:

Fitting of blue lights on private ambulances is only legal if authorised - generally by an NHS Trust.

What legislation specifies this? There is nothing to that effect in the lighting regs.

Cat

[Blue Oval84]

Cat said:

ElectricPics said:

Fitting of blue lights on private ambulances is only legal if authorised - generally by an NHS Trust.

What legislation specifies this? There is nothing to that effect in the lighting regs.

Cat

I was about to say the same thing.

Company I worked for a while back had their own vehicle liveried up and fitted with blues and twos, it was used to transport blood and medical supplies.

Mind, Sussex Police did get a bit shirty when they replaced it with an unmarked Focus ST that just had the light bar and blues fitted in the grille. Not that it ever got them anywhere, as no offence was being committed apparently, they only ever had a legal case when they caught it exceeding the speed limit (which is definitely not allowed).

[Shaw Tarse]

saladdays said:

This "emergency ambulance" is quite ridiculous. It even has blue flashing lights!

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/circumcisio...

Found after a"tip off" https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/stolen-circu...

[Pothole]

There is an offence

Use vehicle on a road fitted with blue warning beacon / special warning lamp / device resembling...



Standard Offence Wording

On **(..SPECIFY DATE..) at **(..SPECIFY TOWNSHIP..) used on a road, **(..SPECIFY ROAD AND LOCATION..), a vehicle, namely **(..SPECIFY VEHICLE MAKE AND INDEX NUMBER..), fitted with a

(A)_[blue warning beacon]_
(B)_[special warning lamp]_
(C)_[device resembling a blue warning beacon]_
(D)_[device resembling a special warning lamp]_



Legislation

Contrary to regulation 16 of the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989, section 42 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 and Schedule 2 to the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988.



Points To Prove

date and location
use a vehicle
on a road fitted
with a blue warning beacon OR
special warning lamp OR
device resembling a blue warning beacon OR
device resembling a special warning lamp

[Cat]

Pothole said:

There is an offence

Use vehicle on a road fitted with blue warning beacon / special warning lamp / device resembling...



Standard Offence Wording

On **(..SPECIFY DATE..) at **(..SPECIFY TOWNSHIP..) used on a road, **(..SPECIFY ROAD AND LOCATION..), a vehicle, namely **(..SPECIFY VEHICLE MAKE AND INDEX NUMBER..), fitted with a

(A)_[blue warning beacon]_
(B)_[special warning lamp]_
(C)_[device resembling a blue warning beacon]_
(D)_[device resembling a special warning lamp]_



Legislation

Contrary to regulation 16 of the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989, section 42 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 and Schedule 2 to the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988.



Points To Prove

date and location
use a vehicle
on a road fitted
with a blue warning beacon OR
special warning lamp OR
device resembling a blue warning beacon OR
device resembling a special warning lamp

That offence applies to vehicles other than emergency vehicles (the lighting regs define an ambulance as an emergency vehicle).

Electricpics said that the fitting of blue lights to private ambulances is only legal if authorised. Where is this specified? It's not in the lighting regs which permit any vehicle which meets the definition of an ambulance (regardless of whether it is NHS, private etc.) to be fitted with blue lights.

Cat

[Blue Oval84]

Road vehicles lighting regulations 1989 defines an emergency vehicle as-

“Emergency vehicle”
A motor vehicle of any of the following descriptions–

(a)a vehicle used for fire brigade, ambulance or police purposes;
(b)an ambulance, being a vehicle (other than an invalid carriage) which is constructed or adapted for the purposes of conveying sick, injured or disabled persons and which is used for such purposes;
(c)a vehicle owned by a body formed primarily for the purposes of fire salvage and used for those or similar purposes;
(d)a vehicle owned by the Forestry Commission or by a local authority and used from time to time for the purposes of fighting fires;
(e)a vehicle owned by the Secretary of State for Defence and used–
(i)for the purposes of the disposal of bombs or explosives,
(ii)by the Naval Emergency Monitoring Organisation for the purposes of a nuclear accident or an incident involving radioactivity,
(iii)by the Royal Air Force Mountain Rescue Service for the purposes of rescue operations or any other emergencies, or
(iv)by the Royal Air Force Armament Support Unit;
(f)a vehicle primarily used for the purposes of the Blood Transfusion Service provided under the National Health Service Act 1977(4) or under the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978(5);
(g)a vehicle used by Her Majesty’s Coastguard or Coastguard Auxiliary Service for the purposes of giving aid to persons in danger or vessels indistress on or near the coast;
(h)a vehicle owned by the British Coal Corporation and used for the purposes of rescue operations at mines;
(i)a vehicle owned by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and used for the purposes of launching lifeboats; and
(j)a vehicle primarily used for the purposes of conveying any human tissue for transplanting or similar purposes.

And it goes on to say that-

Restrictions on fitting blue warning beacons, special warning lamps and similar devices
16. No vehicle, other than an emergency vehicle, shall be fitted with–

(a)a blue warning beacon or special warning lamp, or
(b)a device which resembles a blue warning beacon or a special warning lamp, whether the same is in working order or not.

Can't see anything in that about needing the NHS Trust to approve your vehicle