Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 11:06 am
Interestingly, on Mix 94.5 every few weeks they have an inspector from WA Police on the breakfast show answering phone-in questions about road rules etc.
About a month ago on the way to work, someone raised exactly that question and the response from the inspector (and I'm paraphrasing here...) was that it's better to get out of the way of the emergency vehicle if it's possible and safe to do so. If that means going far enough over the white line at an intersection to make way by pulling across in front of someone else waiting behind the line then that's probably the best course of action. I don't think he was saying go *through* the intersection, just move kind of sideways
The inspector also said that if you did so and triggered a red light camera then the motorist should contact the police and "we would take a reasonable view" (or words to that effect).
Whichever way it goes, as someone who's been in an emergency vehicle trying to get through traffic, and as someone who's had to get our of the way of an emergency vehicle, I'd do whatever it took *that was safe* to give that emergency vehicle as clear a passage as possible. If that means I trigger a camera then so be it ... I'd kick up a fuss later, but right there and then, looking for a camera on a pole would be the last thought going through my mind
My 2c worth!
About a month ago on the way to work, someone raised exactly that question and the response from the inspector (and I'm paraphrasing here...) was that it's better to get out of the way of the emergency vehicle if it's possible and safe to do so. If that means going far enough over the white line at an intersection to make way by pulling across in front of someone else waiting behind the line then that's probably the best course of action. I don't think he was saying go *through* the intersection, just move kind of sideways
The inspector also said that if you did so and triggered a red light camera then the motorist should contact the police and "we would take a reasonable view" (or words to that effect).
Whichever way it goes, as someone who's been in an emergency vehicle trying to get through traffic, and as someone who's had to get our of the way of an emergency vehicle, I'd do whatever it took *that was safe* to give that emergency vehicle as clear a passage as possible. If that means I trigger a camera then so be it ... I'd kick up a fuss later, but right there and then, looking for a camera on a pole would be the last thought going through my mind
My 2c worth!