Police Cars using Bus Lanes??

[v15ben]

I have always wondered if the police/ambulance/fire services could use bus lanes when on emergency calls and always assumed they could, however:

I did see a rather novel use of blues and twos yesterday, namely to get round a bit of the traffic jam and slot back in further down. Pulled out of the jam, along the bus lane with blues and twos, then back into the jam a few cars further down. I assumed they were pulling in front of/behind a suspect vehicle that they were going to stop. However they just seemed to merge back into traffic and carry on their way!

Is that legal?? Surely a bit of a mickey take if nothing else??

[tim.tonal]

Sounds a bit like using a yellow flashing light on top of the car and a Motorway Maintenance sticker on the back of the car to get through traffic jams on the motorway!

[v15ben]

Yep very true Mungo, did look quite funny though!

[Flat in Fifth]

Personally I'd be very happy to see plod and other EV using bus lanes if it means them getting wherever sooner not just on blue lights either. Not a popular view perhaps but there it is.

Mind you the other day whilst sitting in a queue alongside an empty bus lane I did wonder why the vehicle 3 places behind me was in the queue.


It was a bus.

[docjan]

If they wernt allowed to use bus lanes they'd never get anywhere, half of all Londons roads are now big Red "used once an hour" lanes. .

[gemini]

most embarrassing when stood down - I used to turn off down a side street then reemerege

[MilnerR]

gemini said:

most embarrassing when stood down - I used to turn off down a side street then reemerege

I can imagine Racing along like the hounds of hell are chasing you with blues and twos going only to turn them off and slot meekly back into traffic...

[v15ben]

The instance I saw would have been especially embarassing as the police car had blues and twos on for about 100 metres then had to pull back in again!

[-DeaDLocK-]

To be completely honest with you, I have no trouble with this sort of "abuse". It's all part of the perks of the job. Goodness knows they don't get much else by way of "perks"...

[streaky]

-DeaDLocK- said:

To be completely honest with you, I have no trouble with this sort of "abuse". It's all part of the perks of the job. Goodness knows they don't get much else by way of "perks"...

Do you extend that to include speeding through London's streets at over 80 mph ... merely because the cop was late for a meeting? ( www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=171778&f=10&h=0 ) - Streaky