traffic lights

[gina32]

just been reading that as prime minister he was allowed to go through red lights? one rule......

[jake-the-peg]

Why do you suppose that is?

A) Because it seems like a laugh now you're head of the Government?

B) Because you're more vulnerable to attack sat at traffic lights?

Take your time.....

There is a reason PMs drive around in bomb proof cars you know!

[Loosehead]

You really must engage brain before asking these "chip on shoulder" questions Gina. I'm no fan of Blair/New/Old Labour but I think that Jake is correct on this one. The red light thing is a well known exemption, ambulances have it too!

[gina32]

actually it depoends on the circumstances for ambulances, and if its a bullet proof car it shouldnt matter, and was there really any need for sarcasm? jake,and chip on the shouler, what are you on about

[MrBen5]

Hmmm, shouldnt he get special privelages for being prime minister though...

[scuzzball]

Perhaps he should - he is more likely to be the target of an assassination that you or I.

[jake-the-peg]

Well I'm sorry gina but it seems pretty obvious, and your comment "one rule" seemed to imply that you thought it was for frivolous reasons.

If you want to start the 'one rule' business I'd start off at Buckingham Palace if I were you, there's much more material to work with there!

[MrBen5]

Hmmm, leave the Queen alone.
Lots of people deserve special treatment in all walks of life.
I always seem to get special treatment wherever i go. People always seem to go out of there way to be nice to me. I dont know why...

[gina32]

jake what on earth has that got to do with a chip on the shoulder, tell you what dont bother answering cos im not that bothered, i didnt think it was for frivolous reasons, but when ambulances cant always go through red lights, it seems like i said one rule.....

[jno]

well, one rule for who exactly? If you finish your sentences people will understand you better. I've never had Blair rush through a red light and cut me off, so I'm not that bothered. The Queen Mother did once but I'm still not that bothered.

[gina32]

jno you know exactly what i mean so dont pretend you dont

[jno]

no I don't, I haven't seen the news item you refer to. Who exactly is allowed to go through red lights? Emergency services already have this right, as far as I know. The Queen Mum seems to have had it too, though she didn't cut me up herself - she had a police escort and they stopped me while her car proceeded. I would imagine if it's Blair you're talking about, it would again be an exercise of police privilege, in pursuit of their duty to get VIPs around without them being shot at. (Or rammed by a carbomb, which a bulletproof car wouldn't stop.)

[wooo12]

I saw it too today and didn't know that was permitted. fair enough its for security reasons

no need to be so mean to the poster.

heres the link

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,91211-1 275052,00.html

[jake-the-peg]

It wasn't actually me who said chip on the shoulder" I think you'll have to ask Loosehead his thinking on that

[Reverandfunk]

Emergency services do go through red lights but Im sure that it is still against the law to do so, just ask my mate on the motorbike who was killed by a fire engine going thro red lights without their sirens on...

[wooo12]

Sorry to hear the Reverandfunk.

I guess it can also be argued that the prime minister driving through red lights, as a security issue, puts others at risk. Unless he has a siren, which i doubt.

[chompu]

Emergency vehicles are allowed to go through red traffic lights but it is the individual drivers' responsibility so he would be accountable in law should he have an accident,

[tell-me-more]

It's a perfectly reasonable question. If it was to protect him, are we saying that he's not now at risk? Or is he just unimportant now that's not Prime Minister?

[jno]

my guess is yes, he's less important now he's prime minister no more. Gordon Brown will now be the bigger target. This is on the assumption that a terrorists would think it fun to kill the country's leader but not be that interested in killing a former one. It wouldn't be a personal thing about Blair himself. I'm not sure if ex-PMs get any sort of protection - they may do.

[gina32]

wooo12 thank you