Flashing green light privileges
Discussion
I was followed by a car this morning (Qashqai IIRC) that turned a green flashing light on on his dashboard whilst behind me.
Once he moved over and got round me he then proceeded to do a 3-lane swoop, passing through an artic's braking zone for some traffic lights, and go through a red light into the local hospital.
A quick Wiki seems to show this was way beyond what a green flashing light empowers the driver to do.
Not being one to trust Wiki 100%, can anyone in the know say for definite what they're allowed to do, as my understanding was inline with Wikipedia?
Once he moved over and got round me he then proceeded to do a 3-lane swoop, passing through an artic's braking zone for some traffic lights, and go through a red light into the local hospital.
A quick Wiki seems to show this was way beyond what a green flashing light empowers the driver to do.
Not being one to trust Wiki 100%, can anyone in the know say for definite what they're allowed to do, as my understanding was inline with Wikipedia?
They grant the user no extra rights - but hopefully they mean that other road users will make allowances (and room) for somebody who will be driving in a hurry for genuine medical reasons.
Much as anyone driving to A&E might decide to (illegally) press on a bit, a doctor may decide that the risk genuinely IS worth breaking the law for.
Much as anyone driving to A&E might decide to (illegally) press on a bit, a doctor may decide that the risk genuinely IS worth breaking the law for.
Looking at the OP's post count and topic I wonder if OP is the Devil's Advocate....
Assuming no major issue was caused and the Dr was enroute to some emergency, and that it could have been a relative of yours/mine he/she was helping, we will cut them some slack and not moan about it..
Assuming no major issue was caused and the Dr was enroute to some emergency, and that it could have been a relative of yours/mine he/she was helping, we will cut them some slack and not moan about it..
Edited by peterperkins on Friday 18th August 10:24
Would be my usual outlook^ (see my opinion on allowing police to park where they like).
However, the swoop through the artic's braking zone was a dick move for a full blue light emergency, nevermind someone with a green light which it would appear endows it's user with no special privileges whatsoever.
However, the swoop through the artic's braking zone was a dick move for a full blue light emergency, nevermind someone with a green light which it would appear endows it's user with no special privileges whatsoever.
Dick move or not - if we accept the driver was truly responding to an emergency, then so long as no collision occurred, I'd still be happy to let it go. They probably had other things on their mind!
I think "anti-social" driving from a green light medic would be ok with most people, downright dangerous driving wouldn't be. Forcing a lorry to slow *probably* falls in the former category, along with (reasonable) speeding, dubious lane use at roundabouts, red-lights (if and only if nobody is there to see it happen) etc
I think "anti-social" driving from a green light medic would be ok with most people, downright dangerous driving wouldn't be. Forcing a lorry to slow *probably* falls in the former category, along with (reasonable) speeding, dubious lane use at roundabouts, red-lights (if and only if nobody is there to see it happen) etc
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