Mr Bumble Was Right

[Canary42]

It's on occasions like this that I have to agree with Mr Bumble - "the law is an ass" (from Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens)

https://uk.yahoo.com/news/elderly-driver-76-fined-100-and-given-three-points-for-allowing-ambulance-to-pass-132647493.html

[bednobs]

what a loadof fuss about nothing - he should just go to court as offered. BTW is 76 "elderly"?

[douglas9401]

Yes, it is.

[naomi24]

He did absolutely the right thing. And all it needed was someone with a modicum of common sense to see that. None available then.

[bednobs]

cctv/traffic cameras do not have common sense. I presume this is an automated process. Therefore if he denies it and goes to court, some common sense can (hopefully) be applied then

[Zacs-Master]

1. Mr Bumble is a fictitious character. Agreeing with a fictitious character is a bit......strange.
2. Dicken's actually wrote 'the law is a ass - a idiot'.

But yes. The application of law is, sometimes, bewildering.

[ToraToraTora]

This is why I never do that, they can wait until the lights change. Oddly enough the other day I was driving down a street with a bus lane on my left. An ambulance came the other way, several drivers in front of me pulled into the bus lane. Not me, I got over as far as I could and the ambulance did squeeze past. I just do not trust the authorities to do the right thing in these situations,

[ToraToraTora]

nobs: "Therefore if he denies it and goes to court, some common sense can (hopefully) be applied then " - he actually did do it, so technically he has no defence. He is reliant on the beak seeing sense and deeming it some sort of exemption. A bit like the ambulance itself.

[THECORBYLOON]

In your case, the ambulance could have gone into the bus lane if it were an emergency.

[naomi24]

//cctv/traffic cameras do not have common sense. I presume this is an automated process.//

Would whoever checked the traffic camera not have seen the ambulance squeezing past?

[rockyracoon]

'Would whoever checked the traffic camera not have seen the ambulance squeezing past?'

Exactly this. When he put his appeal in, surely they could have seen the ambulance passing just after. If they can't then I'll definitely not be moving for anyone.

[ToraToraTora]

It was a still picture naomi, clearly did not get the ambulance in shot.

[ToraToraTora]

Yes there should have been another shot with the ambulance just after but maybe it changed to green by then? I just don't trust the officials in cases like these.

[THECORBYLOON]

https://www.londonambulance.nhs.uk/about-us/what-we-do/advice-on-what-to-do-as-a-motorist-if-you-encounter-an-ambulance/#:~:text=The%20ambulance%20crew%20are%20trained,the%20ambulance%20will%20do%20so.

"Do not go through a red light to try to get out of the way as you may commit an offence. If it is safe to pass the ambulance will do so.

If it is not, they will wait until there is a space to pass in a safe manner. If the lane is wide enough and there’s room for the vehicle to pass you, try to move to the left, but without going forward over the white line or into a cycle lane"

[douglas9401]

I doubt he'll win unless his magistrate had a particularly agreeable breakfast or got some sugah before setting off for work.

[rockyracoon]

It's very difficult though isn't it? All I would think about, is are they racing to a heart attack or could be fatal injury where time is everything.

[ToraToraTora]

RR, yes but if the authorities are not going to give exemption in these situations then they are the ones responsible.

[Dizmo]

Why didn't the ambulance just use the other lane? Are the pictures in the news article the same one caught of him by the camera? If so, there's another lane, and he's not even over to the left.

[bednobs]

"Would whoever checked the traffic camera not have seen the ambulance squeezing past?"
i presume it's ALL automated isnt it?

[Canary42]

Having experienced being held at a red light with a blaring ambulance stuck right behind me (which is quite intimidating), my sympathy lies with this guy.

P.S. I moved forward and let the ambulance past too.

[Canary42]

//// Agreeing with a fictitious character is a bit......strange. ////

Why ?