Fined for letting an ambulance past - what do you think of this?

Question

In last nights Manchester Evening news, I read the following article: Please read this before answering this question.

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1059937_fined_for_getting_out_of_the_way

I would love to know what you think of this one. I am glad to know that Manchester City Council saw sense and withdrew the fine.

It does, however make me think twice about moving to assist emergency vehicles depending on where I am positioned, and on which road.

What do you think?. Has the bus lane fine thing gone too far?. And why are taxis allowed to use bus lanes when they often only have one person in them??. Why are motorbikes not allowed to use the lanes when they are less polluting and carry equal amounts of passengers to the majority of taxis.

Answer 1

there is no law in the UK  says you MUST move for emergency vehicles just common courtesy and the highway code isn't laws either

Answer 2

I have happily driven into bus lanes, gone through red lights and driven onto the pavement (so long as it's safe, obviously!) to allow an emergency vehicle to get by, and will do so again if necessary. One day it might be MY house on fire or MY mother in need of assistance.

If anyone wants to issue me with a fine for doing so, I'll see them in court!

Answer 3

uk i do not know, but us, move over to the right.. this perosn had the right idea.... the people charging him should be fined... if noone moves over how is the ambulance going to get where it is going???  

Answer 4

I think he has missed a golden opportunity, he should have gone to Court ! He could then have "invited", quite discretely ,as many of the local and National Press to the event . He could have  made a complete mockery of the Manchester Council's heavy handed behaviour, and , at the same time strike a blow for common sense. This "authoritarian state" needs to be pegged back by whichever means are possible.

Answer 5

people who work in the public sector can't think for themselves and its easy to press a button to issue a fine a little common sense will do the trick,its Briton all over.

Answer 6

What's significant here is that the motorist when he queried it was told to pay up. However, when the Manchester Evening News queried it, the fine was withdrawn.

Motto of the story? Always contact the press when you have a grievance?

Answer 7

Man I've parked on bus lanes in the past lol.

I had a fire truck come up behind me at a red light a while back. He sat on the horn, only option I had was to run the red (all the other cars had stopped so I could do so safely). Mr. policeman who wasn't far behind couldn't care less since I was giving way to the fire truck.

In my opinion it really shouldn't matter what law you break to give way to emergency services, as long as you do it safely and put no one in risk.

Answer 8

blatent money makers. i always let ambulances past regardless of whether its a bus lane or not as i would want others to do the same for me or my loved ones.

please dont let it stop you from assisting an emergancy vehicle in this way!

Answer 9

An emergency driver really does not expect any other driver to break the law to let them pass, i cringe when people start creeping through the red lights when i'm approaching. If there's no room to let us pass, we will see that and understand. I am pleased that this driver wasn't fined, he clearly wasn't driving along in the lane for his own fun. Now the ambulance may or may not have been able to drive down the bus lane themselves, which would have saved a lot of trouble, however ambulances are not automatically allowed to use these lanes (crazy i know), they must be granted permission from their local council.

To below. Some of the highway code is law and some recommendation. It depends on if it says 'should' or 'must'.

Answer 10

well for a start, this is what they want, to annoy drivers, and then be forced to withdraw the fine.

This is exactly what the entire British government are about, - and have been for that matter since 1992.

you sure you want cameras all over the place now? cos it certainly hasnt reduced crime in the 15 years that they've used them.

Crime has infact gone down since 1992, but i think thats down to people themselves, not the government dictatorship!

Answer 11

Taxis can use the lanes because the lanes were incorrectly named. They should be called public tranportation lanes instead of bus lanes. It divides traffic so everyone can get where their going faster. Why put a motorbike in a lane with buses? They have enough to worry about with other vehicles...getting hit by a bus is more sure to be fatal.

Laws require judgement. It is okay to break the law to save a life!

Answer 12

So what's the problem? She committed a bus lane violation and a penalty was issued.

On appeal it was shown that her actions were entirely reasonable and the penalty was withdrawn and an apology issued.

A mistake was made, it was pointed out and rectified. It's a non-story.

Answer 13

A mistake was made by the traffic people and it was fixed. I don't have a problem with that.

Answer 14

PLEASE dont let this affect how you respond to emergencey vehicles on the road...

One day it may be a loved one of yours in that ambulance, or it may be your house that is being burned down or being burgled.   How would you feel if people just blocked those vehicles in and stopped them from doing their job?

Yes its wrong, and its Council Jobsworths gone mad.