By Samaritan - 19/01/2010 13:20 - United Kingdom

Today, I was given a ticket for running a red light. The reason? I was moving out of the way of an ambulance. The police officer watched it go by. FML
I agree, your life sucks 35 725
You deserved it 2 999

Same thing different taste

Top comments

Bribe him with a doughnut. If that doesn't work, file a complaint.

Comments

Kristoffer 35

That would be my advice as well. I believe the beacons of an emergency vehicle override normal traffic control in the eyes of the law.

xmagster 0

I definitely think if you took it to court, they would take away your fine. There are so any bored cops out there looking for something to do... ¬¬ so yeah, FYL, but it is fixable.

atomicmrpelly 2

I don't know what the law in America is but in the UK you wouldn't win that case. It's a sad situation I know, but the police would rather the ambulance was delayed in case somebody used it as an excuse for running a red.

keithm_2010 0

I ran a red light directly in front of a police officer without getting a citation. The reason, the officer was the one I had to get ouf of the way of. But, I did not just ffly out into crossing traffic. I carefully viewed the situation and saw no traffic was coming so I could move through the intersection safely. Now if I had pulled out and cause an accident, I am sure I would have been found at fault and been cited. As for the person who hates all cops, not all are assholes and will use some common sense. That being said, their are many who view their badge and uniform as an excuse to run roughshod over others. I even saw an officer turn on his red lights once so he could make a left turn at an intersection where his light was red and then immediately turn them off one he was aroumd the corner. Did I follow to call him to task? Hell no. You do not follow any emergency vehicle for any reason. If I had the car number, I could have turned him in that way.

48- Ambulances do that too. Sometimes emergency vehicles need to get somewhere rapidly but it's not a matter of life and death. Cute how you try to blame everything on the cop's personality.

Maddoctor 10

What the hell else is he going to base his argument on?

#48- Actually kinda funny story, I have actually seen a city cop do that(turn their lights on to run the red) and then have an O.P.P(provincial police) pull them over and write them a ticket.

Adman567 9

#48 Thanks for the cool story bro

If a cop or any other emergency vehicle needs to get somewhere in a life or death situation they would keep their lights and sirens on. Turning them on to make a turn the cutting them off is just abuse of power.

Bribe him with a doughnut. If that doesn't work, file a complaint.

perdix 29

The city just needs the money. There was no one in the ambulance -- the paramedics and the cops do this little game just to generate revenue.

shooter308 0

Oh ya? I've worked in 3 major counties in California, and have never done this.

That cop is an asshole. I had one cause an accident. We were in the intersection and he turned on his sirens and started driving. Everyone hit their brakes and we were rear ended. He just looked and drove off

sublime93 0

What a ******* dick! I hate all cops. Too bad there's nothing we can do.

I hate _traffic_ cops, not ones who are actually useful in fighting violent crime and rape etc. But the ones who give me a ticket for going 45 in a 35? Or being a couple days late in renewing my registration? Gimme a break. The only traffic cop I do like: http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=332203 (Read some of the comments left by the OP as well).

Hmm I guess I can't comment much since my town does have these things #56 talked about. Whenever an ambulance is approaching an intersection they turn all opposing lights red and somehow make the one way a green light. I was at an intersection with an ambulance coming up behind me, and the light turned green and i was able to just move forward and turn down the street I was going to in order to get out of the way.

Crasken 0

don't assume things about a group of people; not all cops are like that, it's just that the bad cops tend to make themselves noticeable.

5... maybe, just maybe that cop had an EMERGENCY... Like, sometimes, they have life and death situations, weird huh? I'm assuming your fender bender was not. 56, I'm like 99% sure in most areas, traffic cops are the same as real cops. it just depends what duty their on or if they've got down time. At least that's how it worked when I was a dispatcher. Oh, and you soul be AMAZED how many accidents are caused by people running red lights, there is such thing as a shoulder, try moving to that before you are the cause of a T-bone accident.

I know that at least in Canada. If you are sitting at a red light and there is no possible way of getting to the shoulder (cars on both sides of you or w.e) you are supposed to run the red if it is safe and then immodestly pull over.also I hate how people say "oh I hate cops" what would you do if some crazy guy came after you and you called the cops and they didn't show up? Like go runs into a place where a guy has a gun and everyone' else is running away? The cops. There are a lot of ass hole cops but there are also good cops. Unfortunately everyone only focuses on the bad ones

wow that police officer is a douche! you have to move for an ambulance. if you don't you get a huge fine! I swear cops think they have the power to do anything.. psshh they are nothing without a badge

Take it to court. Make sure you have a witness.

Fight it in court with the traffic cameras as your witness. Or even the cop dash cam.

Dude ur never supposed to run a red light to move for an ambulance.. Dumbass did u think oh ill just drive ahead and pullover? It would have been more helpful if u just didnt ****** move ..lol YDI for not thinking

Not true. Sometimes you have to do that if they are behind you and need to get by.

Actually, He was right. When stopped at a red light, you are supposed to not move. Imagine how frustrating for the driver it would be if all of a sudden, 80 cars stopped at a red light started driving and trying to pull over to the same spot creating a large backup. The ambulance driver is responsible for finding his own way around the stopped cars to prevent further injury. (We learned this in Drivers Ed, which I finished yesterday.)

xmagster 0

You don't know the intersection he was in... What if the ambulance was blocked, and the only way it could get by is if he ran a red light? Granted, maybe he could have tuned instead, but we don't know. I highly doubt that it's against the law to run a red light if a ambulance is stuck behind you, even if it isn't an ideal situation. I don't think you can truly say YDI without seeing it....

Is in Virginia at least. Legally you can not run a red light even for an ambulance- You either make a legal right on red, or wait for the light to turn green and move ASAP.

Nice try. I'm in VA as well. Law says to get out of the way. Doesn't matter if you're at a red light, green light, stop sign, or in front of an alligator-infested pond. Now of course, if there's cross-traffic, that's different, but they're supposed to stop for the ambulance as well, which would make it safe for you to pull into the intersection.

Psych0path77 4

well if you know anything you are by law to move out of the way of an emergency vehicle i dont know what driving school you went to but its info is way off

littlelemur 2

I don't know about anywhere else, but in CA the law is that you pull to the side and stop, or if you cannot safely pull to the side, just stop. The ambulance gets to run the red light, not you. For any reason.

In Colorado, it's situation based. I was downtown Denver and it was packed (Coors Field after a game). There were a few cops there and a few of us had to run the red because there was nowhere to go. No cross traffic, and no one pulled over.