Blue light ambulance up my chuff next to bus lane - Legally?

It makes me wonder why the ambulance didn't use the bus lane though?

Did they not want to risk a penalty but were happy for you to risk it?

I know that they have to appeal for any speed camera fine that they trigger so try to avoid it where possible so may be the same case?

We have had this happen in London with our work vehicles and yes they have been issued with a penalty notice, therefore I never move into a bus lane,it's sheer madness I know but that's the rules!

Wasn't my company vehicle but I know they have all been appealed don't know the outcome, I'm based at an outstation where we only operate three vehicles and none of us has been guilty....yet I've been told our company have paid the fines

Thank you all.

I started the same thread on four very different forums, knowing there are some police and law enforcement types on some, as well as those who say sod everyone.

The answers are fairly clear, keep to your legal lane, let the ambulance use the bus lane.

Unless directed by police, you should not cross a red light, etc.

I also spoke to my daughters ex boyfriend who is an EMA on the ambulances in Essex and he says that ambulances have no right to intimidate you out the way, they can use the bus lane.

So for me personally, despite my moral choice being to move over, the hassle and financial risk is not worth it (unless someone is prepared to pay the fine) to break what is technically the law, so in future I will not be moving over, even if my relative is in the rear of the "Whambulance"

Well this thread has been an eye opener for me, just another example of modern Britain I suppose.

Let the ambo use the bus lane its that simple.

Last week whilst attending an incident on a local motorway the traffic was at a stand still so I took to the hard shoulder but an ambo who was on blues was trying to fight it's way through the traffic in lane three, I sailed past on the empty hardshoulder and later asked why the Ambo's hadn't used the empty hardshoulder, after all that's why they are there and the answer was 'we are not allowed to use the hardshoulder' personally I think that is utter madness!!

And a reply from a Paramedic.

I work as a Paramedic so can add a couple of points :

Ambulances using blue lights & sirens are claiming exemptions from the law, but you are NOT exempt to undertake other road users. Therefore in my Ambulance Trust (and other trusts may differ), we are taught to position the Ambulance on the road to guide (not force) the traffic towards the near side kerb, whether there is a bus lane or not. This is particularly important for Paramedics driving a Rapid Response Vehicle (estate car) as they are no way near as visible as a full size Ambulance.

Also, Ambulances CANNOT force anyone through a red light at a junction, because they would have directly caused an accident if one happened. We are taught to keep the blue lights on but turn the siren off and wait........if the public then decide to go through the red light and the road is clear, we can continue.

Mike

What I do is to stay in the lane I am in, and only move over to the bus lane if the bus lane is blocked with buses, so the ambulance can't use it, and my being in the car lane is impeding the progress of the ambulance.

There is a blue lights awareness video going around atm, it says quite clearly that anyone driving an emergency vehicle will not expect , and should not encourage, you to break any road laws to let them pass. That includes using bus lanes, going through red lights and stopping on a kerb. Their job is to find the most efficient/safest route, yours is to make it as easy as possible to get there without breaking the law. Really the ambulance should have been using the bus lane unless they intended to turn right, they should turn their sirens off if they cannot pass without forcing you to break the law, same goes for solid white lines, if they're behind you they'll turn their sirens off until the white line breaks again where they will turn them back on and attempt to pass where safe.