Driving through contraflow / roadworks on a dual carrigeway

The-Computer-Saint

The-Computer-Saint

Well-known user
Sep 6, 2010
325
13
North East UK
So if the speed limit is 50mph but some emergency vehicle is behind you with their blues and twos on and the next lay-by is miles down the road what should you do?

If I speed up then I might get a ticket and (if there are workers) put them at more danger but if I don't get out of the way the guy or girl can't get past me and sits at 50mph.

I'd like to know if I was dying and expecting a new body organ being transported that speed limits shouldn't be an issue for the driver.

I've never actually been in the situation (obviously if there is no hard shoulder)
 
I'm pretty sure you can only get out of the way if it's safe to do so. People have been caught going through red lights and stuff to let emergency vehicles through and still charged.
 
The-Computer-Saint said:
I'd like to know if I was dying and expecting a new body organ being transported that speed limits shouldn't be an issue for the driver.
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I remember a case in the local news a few years ago about an ambulance driver carrying a transplant organ getting done for breaking the speed limit.
It wasn't a proper ambulance, just an estate car with markings and lights.
I can't remember if he got done or not but the fact it went to court suggests that ambulances should also stick to speed limits.
 
It's the same with motoway cops.

Yes they get training to try and look out for signs and prevention, reading the traffic and such, but no amount of training will reduce your reaction times just anticipation, so why they have an umlimited speed limit is beyond me. After all there still human, and actually have more distractions than the average driver. (radios, partners in conversation, a number of bright computer screens inhibiting there vision in the night. Not to mention a BBC camera crew in the back seat.

I know an ex sargeant from the traffic force that retired with very generous package, and afterwards was employed as a consultant based package training the traffic officers fellas.

He's openly admited to me despite the training he and his colleagues had they have written off dozens of volvo t5's and such, and the training is nothin more than the officials gettin itself out of legal charges thanks to a certificate. he said there no more better than the rest of us.

The same can be said about my profession, I have over a dozen licenses for driving heavy plant machinery around quarries and such, as long as you get past that assesment then your home free. And coppers are no different, human errors are made.

On another point back to your original points on motorway roadworks, I heard those average speed camera points loose track / can't determin your speed if you change lanes between them (fact or fiction i'm not sure).
 
I think the rule here is:









DON'T PANIC!




"Let the ambulance PASS, at the earliest opportunity" Do NOT race it! or cause it to swerve, no more interpretation given iirc in the Highway code.
In anycase, if there is a contraflow on a motorway, i'm sure the police/highways depot would alert the ambulance service to an alternative route, maybe via TomTom :LOL:

Manos, re the speeding Ambulance driver: I think this is common practice, i'm sure i've heard that even police occifers have to go through the motions of a "speeding ticket" even after an emergency breaking the limit. Applies to all emergency service drivers.
 
Although I once stopped at the side of a road to let a fire engine to come by, next to a gatso I realised when the flash happened but I never got a ticket.

I suppose court would be the only sensible way of doing it. That could be wide open to abuse if they just had XYZ number plate does not need to get speeding tickets.
 
Pid_16V said:
I think the rule here is:









DON'T PANIC!




"Let the ambulance PASS, at the earliest opportunity" Do NOT race it! or cause it to swerve, no more interpretation given iirc in the Highway code.
In anycase, if there is a contraflow on a motorway, i'm sure the police/highways depot would alert the ambulance service to an alternative route, maybe via TomTom :LOL:

Manos, re the speeding Ambulance driver: I think this is common practice, i'm sure i've heard that even police occifers have to go through the motions of a "speeding ticket" even after an emergency breaking the limit. Applies to all emergency service drivers.
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well done that man. spot on
 
I'm sure if THEY were desperate to get past then THEY'D drive in the road works, the workers must have to anticipate this.
I've seen a fire engine drive the wrong way down a dual carrige way before now (an A road, the trafic was stopped at the lights so the driver stuck it in the free lane and booted it) and I came up up'on a police car doing the same thing the other day, wrong way around a traffic island
 
from what i remember the emergency services have to prove that they were breaking the speed limit for a legitimate reason, i.e if they hadn't broken the speed limit then lives would have been in danger otherwise they are subject to the same traffic laws and punishments as the rest of us
 
Correct. Several colleagues of mine have been on the receiving end of speeding fines incurred whilst driving marked Police cars in Germany. Apparently, "I only had 10 minutes to get to McDonald's for the shift's order before it shut." isn't a justifiable reason...
 
ginja said:
I'm sure if THEY were desperate to get past then THEY'D drive in the road works, the workers must have to anticipate this.
I've seen a fire engine drive the wrong way down a dual carrige way before now (an A road, the trafic was stopped at the lights so the driver stuck it in the free lane and booted it) and I came up up'on a police car doing the same thing the other day, wrong way around a traffic island
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I doubt that Matt. Those guys, working at the side of the motorways, traffic flying by, a few yards away at breakneck speeds, deafening noise from both the traffic and their own machinery etc. I would be extremely surprised if any one of them would ever "anticipate" an Ambulance or any other emergency vehicle taking a diversion through their workspace.:eek:
 
What you actualy mean to say, that people actualy work on the roads ;) never seen any myself :LOL: (although saying that a nice big pot hole I was going to complain about filled itself in the other day, as if by magic ;))
 
ginja said:
(although saying that a nice big pot hole I was going to complain about filled itself in the other day, as if by magic ;))
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Dangerous, if they hadn't managed it you could have lost a few posts in the chasm!:devilish::devilish::devilish:
 
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