Curious what would have happened...
Discussion
2 days ago I was heading through a short tunnel/ bridge which is traffic lighted due to it being a single cars width. My approach is dead on with the tunnel whereas the people on the other side queue at an angle to the tunnel. I waited for the lights to change to green and drove on ahead, I was therefore slightly suprised to have to jump on the brakes as a police car with blues on almost smacked into me head on. He'd clearly jumped the red light on his end or rushed through pretty late on an amber at least. Nothing happened fortunately although the guy behind me almost shunted me from behind too and the cop car had to reverse out of the way. Now if he had shunted me would this have been excused due to his blue lights or was he being a bloody idiot and driving damgerously? It shook me up a bit anyway.
deevlash said:
2 days ago I was heading through a short tunnel/ bridge which is traffic lighted due to it being a single cars width. My approach is dead on with the tunnel whereas the people on the other side queue at an angle to the tunnel. I waited for the lights to change to green and drove on ahead, I was therefore slightly suprised to have to jump on the brakes as a police car with blues on almost smacked into me head on. He'd clearly jumped the red light on his end or rushed through pretty late on an amber at least. Nothing happened fortunately although the guy behind me almost shunted me from behind too and the cop car had to reverse out of the way. Now if he had shunted me would this have been excused due to his blue lights or was he being a bloody idiot and driving damgerously? It shook me up a bit anyway.
Difficult one without being there. However if he had hit you he would be considered at fault and be looking at charges. If the guy behind had hit you he also would be looking at careless. It would depend on what happened the other end of the tunnel. We should always be able to stop in the distance we see to be clear.
If a complaint had been made against the police driver or accident had resulted then a FULL investigation would have taken place, file prepared and submitted to CPS for their consideration.
Their view on such matters as follows from their charging standards:
Members of the emergency services do not enjoy any special exemption from prosecution when responding to emergency calls: they owe the same duty of care as anyone else would in all the circumstances of the case. Nevertheless when a member of the emergency services commits an offence while responding to an emergency call discretion should be used in deciding whether or not a prosecution is needed in the public interest. A prosecution is unlikely to be appropriate in cases of genuine emergency unless the driving is dangerous or indicates a high degree of blameworthiness. In each case it is necessary to weigh all the circumstances of the case, particularly the nature of the emergency known to, or reasonably perceived by, the driver and the nature of the driving.
dvd
Their view on such matters as follows from their charging standards:
Members of the emergency services do not enjoy any special exemption from prosecution when responding to emergency calls: they owe the same duty of care as anyone else would in all the circumstances of the case. Nevertheless when a member of the emergency services commits an offence while responding to an emergency call discretion should be used in deciding whether or not a prosecution is needed in the public interest. A prosecution is unlikely to be appropriate in cases of genuine emergency unless the driving is dangerous or indicates a high degree of blameworthiness. In each case it is necessary to weigh all the circumstances of the case, particularly the nature of the emergency known to, or reasonably perceived by, the driver and the nature of the driving.
dvd
My brother in law was side impacted by an ambulance at traffic lights and the Police were ready to charge him. They didn't, but he lost his no claims as his insurance would not pursue a claim in such a case.
The way I see it RED means stop, amber means stop and Green means Proceed with caution.
The way I see it RED means stop, amber means stop and Green means Proceed with caution.
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