Ideally most people would go through the red light to allow emergency services free passage. The problem of people not going through and moving has been caused by councils and highways issuing fines and points to drivers who have done so. A judge in one case of a man who ran a red light to allow an ambulance to pass was told under no circumstances should he have gone through a red light. There is however a defence in UK law for a motorist to go through a red light in a medical emergency. But must treat the lights as a give way junction. And take the consequences. The law should be made much clearer on these issues.

The police or any emergency service wouldn't expect anyone to break the law. You should move when it's safe and LEGAL to do so. Any ticket got there should be cancelled but I can't see it personally.

Well done that taxi driver, not going through a red light until told to by an officer. Nice to see then actually following the law.

As a blue light driver I am instructed to turn the sirens off when approaching traffic waiting at a red light. By leaving the sirens on you are effectively telling the drivers to push through the red light junction, if a collision then occurs it won't look good for the blue light driver and the service could be liable.

If moving out of the way of an emergency vehicle you are still bound by the Highway Code. Going through a red light or mounting the pavement is carried out at your own risk. If you have an accident you are liable

Until told to go through the red light the taxi driver was correct. When challenging a red light ticket they do not accept the defence that you were moving out of the way for an emergency vehicle, so you end up with points and a fine for trying to be helpful, regardless of how safe it might have been.

The UK Courts have ruled that you must NOT shoot red lights for emergency services vehicles. What the taxi driver did here was correct and given there was an ATS camera he would have received points on his licence. His defence in court would have to be that he was ordered, by a police officer, to shoot the light as it's also an offence to ignore direction from a police officer. The court ruling annoys me. If it's an ambulance on it's way to a cardiac arrest or a stroke it could be a matter of life or death.

A well known case in London when a driver did appeal and lost. Judge said don't drive through red light for any emergency vehicle.

It is illegal for any vehicle to pull forward at a red light, the taxi could not pull to the side of the road because of pedestrian crossing and the cross traffic made it impossible to move forward (which would be illegal anyway)

If the lights are red you don't have to move out of the way. Police car should have turned the sirens off and kept the lights on

Welcome to the Internet, where people have different answers for the same video.

Hey Cobra! Nice video man. :)

As an emergency response driver in Central London I'd like to comment, the Taxi Driver, although I agree him being completely unhelpful and not even attempting to move is unhelpful... there is a precedent. A few years ago, the taxi trade association in London (Licenced Taxi Drivers Assc) advised drivers, following a case where they defended a taxi driver but lost, who did go through a red light, to allow an emergency vehicle through, advised all drivers along the lines... "Do so at your own risk" Personally, especially if I am several vehicles back from the red light, I turn off the siren and wait until it goes green again and then push forward. I have to concede as a Fire Brigade Officer, my need is not as urgent as an Ambulance or a Fire Engine where seconds matter as I no longer carry out a hands on life saving role. I know my own crews will judge this dependent on the call, they are not going to attempt to push half a dozen vehicles through a red light for a fire alarm going off in an office block, but may do for a fire in a flat with persons believed inside.

You know that if you go through a red light and you get 'caught' on a Red Light Camera (even if you got a Police Car behind you with it's Blues & Twos on) you still have to pay the fine, right? And I'm pretty sure you get points too. So, bearing in mind that a Driving Licence is pretty important to a Taxi Driver, I can't understand why people don't understand this! Also, it not like the people have stopped crossing the road there is clearly traffic crossing the junction. Who's responsible if he goes forward and hits someone?!? That stupid woman walks in front of the Taxi and gestures to the driver to move forward. But, what would she have done if he had moved forward as she was approaching the Taxi?!? Shouted at him for moving forward wile the 'Walk' sign was up! Why were all those people still walking across the road anyway? Did they not think that the traffic would move forward through the red light? The driver was right to stay put. UK Police are Dicks! No one has respect for them anymore (not even Black Cab Drivers)

Great video catch @CobraEmergencyVideos - Europe. That police car duo was clearly intimidating other drivers and had no right to behave in such aggression. The Highway code is clear on these instances (highway code rule 219) and in summary "Do not endanger others - while complying with all traffic signs".

Always been told you cant go through a red even to let emergency vehicles through as we get ticketed, tough shit

cab driver in the right, firstly the lights have red light cameras so if he'd gone through he'd have got a ticket, secondly there were pedestrians and crossing traffic meaning taxi couldn't move, of course you help the emergency services get through where you can, but when your up to the white line you can't move forward. police should have either turned off sirens and waited or got off and directed traffic to clear taxi safely.

Emergency services cannot legally force a driver through a red light, you cant use sirens as an excuse and will still get fined.

Absolutely correct driving on the part of the taxi driver. He must not break the line when the red light is shown because he is liable. If an officer directs him through the junction then he can move. For the unit to keep the siren sounding and even sound the bullhorn is against training and not safe.

Epic video!

cars in the uk are not allowed to go past the line on a red light for any emergency vehicle by law. so the blackcab driver was in the right

Highway code is very clear on what to do when an emergency vehicle is approaching: Don't panic, obey the signs, don't endanger other road users and pedestrians. There is nothing in there that says you must break the law to allow them to pass. That plod was out of order and should be disciplined. Kudos to the taxi driver, he did everything correctly.

Probably got cameras at that junction You can wait like all the rest of us

Hold on a sec the copper is telling the taxi driver to break the law The law states You must not break the law to move out of the way for an emergency vehicle, and you will be liable for prosecution if you do.

Cab driver completely in the right and police officer in the wrong for trying to FORCE another road user to go through a red light. Big NO NO.

To be fair, the taxi driver is stuck either at a red light of an obstructed junction and isn't moving because a police officer is not guiding him through the junction. I work for the police so I'm not just out to bash them, but response driving does not permit you to hammer on your bullhorn and sirens to get someone to commit a traffic offence. If you want a vehicle to move out of the way that is unable to progress further forward, you immediately get out, chuck a high vis on and explain to the driver you'll direct them through. The Police Driver in this video wasn't very professional in my opinion. People are saying "what if your mother was having a heart attack etc". Of course, I want a quick response. But the Government has no defence for drivers written in law so I wouldn't expect anyone to commit an offence they can't easily argue out of. If you want to contest a 'ticket' of such nature you go to court. There's no simple appeal process like you would have with your local authority for a parking notice. Sure, it's frustrating to police drivers when just one car is in the way from you making progress, but Roadcraft and national response driving guidelines makes it quite clear that you simply switch off equipment and wait for a safe, legal opportunity to arise before you stick the noise back on again and progress through.

Pretty cool catch, even though it's a shame they have to get hold up so much.

Onnthis junction there are red light cameras. My experience: you have to drive trough the red light but will get a ticket. Try to prove there was a police car bihind you is impossible.

Most of the yellow bays and lights have cameras on them and you get a fine and points automatically sent through the post .. then you got to argue with the computer that says no ..

OK, ... to anyone who is in doubt on this matter, allow me to suggest reading the following, it may prevent one of two things occurring, or both! 1) You could be prosecuted for contravening the red traffic signal if you cross it, 2) You could cause a serious accident if you contravene the red traffic signal. Either way, you'll be in the wrong. Please see below. It cannot be argued against in my opinion, but I daresay someone will want to try! I'm on the side of the Association of Chief Police Officers. See their Emergency Response Manual. I quote from it below. You can google it. *"When exercising the exemption to pass a red traffic light, drivers of emergency response vehicles should avoid causing a member of the public to contravene the red light. It should be borne in mind that the public do not have an exemption in law to contravene red traffic lights."* "If an emergency response vehicle approaches a set of red lights, and vehicles occupy all the entry lanes at the stop line, the driver of the emergency response vehicle should consider one of the following options:" *"1. Stop short of the queuing traffic and switch off all the emergency equipment until the lights change to green."* "2. Position the emergency vehicle to straddle the white lines between lanes to encourage the public ahead to move sideways, ‘parting the waves’ "3. Move into the opposing lane and approach the junction slowly." "This should ensure that the emergency response driver does not cause the queuing traffic to drive into the junction against the red lights." "4. Certain traffic light junctions are too dangerous to cross whilst the lights are red. These are normally where views are restricted, multi lane carriageways or where the speed of cross traffic is high."

Taxi driver knows the law very well.

Exactly as Dr Pellypo says below, there was a guy on radio 2 a few months back, ran a red to let an ambulance through on blues, got done for it - no appeal.

Taxi is correct. You do not go through a red light unless directed to do so by a uniformed police officer. And let's face it - it couldn't have been that much of an emergency - the officer was in no hurry to get back into the police vehicle and wasn't even wearing a vest.

Had the taxi moved forward he would have been fined. It is a sad fact about London.

you must obey the highway code even when moving out of the way of any emergency service.

From what I know & have been told is .. don't go through a red light even though your instincts tell you to do so. Emergency service drives are trained to manoeuvre around you. If you go through a red light and get "flashed" by a red light camera you will still be fined and get penalty points on your license, if you cause an accident by going through a red light you will be charged.

Read the highway code... you don't have to make way for an emegency vechcle if it means you have to break the law... such as traffic lights or crossings.. the taxi driver knew the highway code and the knob behind with the blue lights did not

Your under NO OBLIGATION to move forward on a Red Light!!

Dear Mr Police officer the taxi driver was not a TWAT as you so nicely put it! The traffic light for him was red and until you told him personally to move he was within his rights!!

I have actually had this happen to me but with a police car/ambulance convoy which i thought you know its an ambulance they need to get there but also read going through a red light for emergency vehicles doesn't give you a pass so i waited, police knocks on window tells me get over now so i do and guess what i get through post a few weeks later? no matter what you tell the court they don't care, if you ever find yourself being forced to run a red just don't and take whatever action the police throws at you because they cant do anything....whatever charge or ticket they give wont hold up when its law that you cant run a red light under any situation..... The police car or whatever emergency vehicle is behind you they dont care what you do as long as you move for them and its not them paying your tickets, of course when it comes to a ambulance its totally up to you if you want to take a ticket if it means them getting there on time to save life but anyone who chooses not to shouldn't be abused as prices are sky high, people cant afford heating on never mind paying tickets.

Lol you would be mad if you moved on red light your immediately fined and can also get charge of dangerous driving if people are crossing. Red light means stop and even police have to get permission to pass each speed camera. I was told by police officer never to go on red light even if police are behind you and never proceed if police car uses its headlights as there no recognised signal.

Taxi driver is totally in the right. You cannot go thru a red signal except if you are directed by a police officer in uniform. Sitting behind with the tones on does not constitute direction. The Regs say that at a red signal they should turn off their lights and siren and wait for a green light. Also note that the junction was fitted with a red light camera

did that taxi even know it was behind it lol

The response driver is naughty there. You are trained to not bully your way through traffic, if the lights are on red and you cannot get through, leave lights on, turn siren off untill it is safe for the vehicle infront to move. Its not worth causing an accident by forcing someone to go through a red light just so you can attend an incident which may turn out to be less of an emergency than the potential accident the officer caused on his way.

If you want 3 points and £100 pound fine go through the red light my mate did it and was caught on camera was sent fine in post phoned up they said never go through red light for any reason pay up and it was a ambulance pay up never go through on red so you make your choice

That police car just broke the rules. You can't force or bully another driver to commit a road traffic offence or do a dangerous manoeuvre. That taxi had no place to go except through a red light. It is not the taxi drivers decision as to make room for the police car it's for the police car to work round other road users.

This exact question was posed at a meeting of South London Institute of Advanced Motorists, where the speaker was a rather well known Traffic Chief Insp. He confirmed you could be fined for going thru a red light in exactly this scenario

Okay this video has made me change my understanding of moving for emergency vehicles completely... confusing.

And no seat belt...

Legally, an emergency vehicle cannot force you to go through a red light. This potentially puts you at risk as other drivers may not be expecting you and cause another accident. Emergency vehicles have to wait behind you until it is safe for you to move. The police in this case were in the wrong.

I don't know what England's law says, but in Australia you can proceed through a red light "with care and if it is safe to do so" in order to provide access for an emergency vehicle which is operating its lights and siren.

Taxi driver completely in the right here. If he drove through the red light he risked being done with it and would have no defence. I wouldn't cross the white line where a red light shows. The emergency vehicle would have to wait. If they want me to drive forward then I would be quite happy to however not if I risk points on my licence and a fine.

If drivers didn't get fined/prosecuted by councils and courts for doing this, then I'd have a dimmer view of refusing to move - but frankly, the average driver is right to limit their legal exposure. It's not drivers that are the problem, it's not even the law; it's the way it's applied in practice. In this case, the taxi was 100% right. I'd be frustrated if I was a police officer, don't get me wrong - but that doesn't change the fact that drivers are not compelled to run a red light to clear a path for emergency vehicles.

It is illegal to go through a red light under any circumstances and fines have been issued in the past for drivers proceeding to go through a red to let an emergency vehicle through.

It’s illegal to go through red light regardless if there is a emergency response behind you

1:05 'TWAT' haha ... good video

Worth noting that unless directed by a police officer the taxi driver is breaking the law by crossing white line at a red light.

Your not meant to have your sirens on in traffic if you can't get through. But a uniformed police officer can instruct traffic to move.

London is moving Well done TFL

I thought it was legal to jump a red light if you have to make way for emergency services. I've done it before.

In the UK, if you cross the stop line at the junction whilst the lights are on red, you will commit the offence of contravening a red traffic light. However, if there is an emergency vehicle behind you with its emergency warning signals on it might be possible for you to manoeuvre out of the way to allow it through. Ideally this should be to the side of the road without encroaching into the main area of the junction. It should only be done when it is safe to do so without putting yourself or other members of the public in danger and it should only be done slowly and carefully. It is important to remember that in committing the offence (crossing the stop line) the onus will be on you to provide evidence that you did so to allow an emergency vehicle through, and this may be considered as mitigation.

Even in an emergency the police are still required to bide by the Highway Code and can’t force cars out of their way, if it is safe to do so most driver will move but if there is a chance of getting a fine or points on their licence a driver is not required to brake the law

Always remember a few years ago my wife and I were travelling to the hospital in freezing fog one morning when a fire engine came upon us from behind with blue lights on and sirens on. When we got to the next village which was called Cowie in Stirlingshire there was the fire engine sitting at the local shop, we got stopped with the traffic but what we both noticed was two firemen coming out of the shop with papers and other things, anyway when we were coming home I stopped at the shop and happened to mention to the shopkeeper about the fire engine, he told us that they quite often go into his shop for papers and various other things. So it wasn’t an emergency, it was a line of slow traffic in freezing fog and frosty conditions that must have been holding them up. Quite sad that they can do this.

I've had the exact same as that at a pedestrian crossing, the light at red with people crossing in front of me with the policeman waving and shouting at me as well as the siren blasting and blue lights going. If I'd have done like he wanted I would have had to mow down about 8 people. What would that have been for me? A murder charge most probably... I'd never go through a red light especially when the police are right behind... this is uk police for ya in 2018..

The police cannot tell you to move across a red light. People have been prosecuted for doing so. DONT DO IT

While you are not supposed to obstruct a police car with blue lights, its up to you to move or not based on your assessment of the risks (people crossing etc) and not theirs. Also, you cannot be forced to commit a road traffic offense such as go through a red light in order to give way to an emergency vehicle.

Go through the signals u get fined cameras on the lights

He was at a red light and there is a camera there. You can see that by the markings on the road. You think the police would back him up when he contested the fine for going through a red? No way! It's automated judge jury and executioner cameras that force the cabbie to do what he did.I'd be asking for a signed waiver document from the police before running a red light!

And all for a cup of tea😂😥

Protocol for the blue lighter is approach the lights, turn off two tone, wait til light goes green, then put two tones back on. He should not have been squawking at the taxi. As has already been mentioned, immediate fine for driver going through red, and no guarantee that appeal will win. For a professional driver such as that taxi, how many fines could he potentially accrue in the middle of London in any given day by going through reds?

Generally emergency vehicles turn off sirens when approaching traffic at a red light, however, they may leave siren on and tell you to move out of the way. If you're stopped at a red and they are behind you with the sirens on, look in the mirror as they are probably instructing you to move - which they can do.

Didn't look to me like the person in the black car had anywhere he could go at first.

the taxi driver was correct the officer driving in the aggressive changing his tones wasnt.

Coppers as usual being Met have got it wrong.....wot a surprise! They're supposed to turn the sirens off but leave the blues on otherwise you may panic a driver to move forward into oncoming traffic and cause an accident. If double crewed, lard arse (if he had some high viz ) could of got out and made a safe path by stopping oncoming traffic.

If the traffic light has a red light camera, you can still be prosecuted if you cross the line when the lights are red. Moving for emergency services is no excuse in the eyes of the courts.

Taxi was under no obligation to move, and was in the right. It was a red light and they would still get a fine / points for driving through it. The police car needs to wait until a green light before continuing to make progress.

Thought these were 2 Series Active Tourers

Taxi driver obeyed the law it's illegal to cross line on red see highway code

A taxi driver knows the laws about moving for emergency services better than anyone. He wouldn't move because he knows he would of been fined.

Notice there was a Red Light camera facing the black cab hence why it didn't want to move.

For a change... I think the cabbie was acting correctly. You can't jump red lights even if there's an emergency vehicle behind you (assuming it was a red light). The officer might have coerced the cab into committing an offence. They're usually only in such a hurry and willing to break rules if one of their colleagues need help... And occasionally if they just want to beat the traffic.

lol this still going on same people with the same flawed arguments. fact blue lights at a red traffic light does " NOT" mean you cross the line to make room! only exception to this is if an officer in uniform controls traffic. then and only then can you jump a red light. FACT!

You guys gotta realise that there is a traffic light camera in operation at that stop

Police car cannot force you to move at red light.. they must turn off there sirens. But can keep there blue light on. If do drive passed a red light you can be fined and points.

Well I thought emergency vehicles was supposed to turn sirens off at lights with traffic and wait as it can create an accident ahh but they can they are the law and make it up as they go along forgot bout that pfffft

This is bad driving by the cop .. You shouldn't 'force' any other motorist to commit any kind of traffic offence .. If the taxi had driven forward through a red light and hit a pedestrian or another vehicle, that would have been entirely his own responsibility .. The recommendations from the police driving school is that if you cant go around the traffic, and they can't or wont make a gap for you then you turn the twos and blues off and wait until they do ... There are times when the traffic in London is just gridlocked and no amount of angry horn honking is going to change that ... If the call is that important (and to be fair sometimes they are) then it's the job of the individual officer to take responsibility for his own driving and take his own risks ...

What kind of bmw was that the first one

Most BMWs barge through the traffic like they own the place, maybe that's why they are ideal cop cars.

I make the Taxi driver right for not moving under theses circumstances.

In uk emergency services cant make u run a red light so the policeman is in the wrong

I wish I can get my way in life by flashing my blue lights..

Remind me never to call the police in an emergency in londinium...

Well done taxi driver - you upheld the law lol. the taxi driver was right for staying put cause if he went through a red light he would most likely have been fined.

should have moved far enough to let the cops go.

In the past I would have moved but not anymore when our insanely stupid legal system books people for going through a red light to let emergency vehicles through. You are only allowed to go through a red light in this instance if you are specifically instructed to by a police officer - and that's what happened.

We all know he's just going for his lunch break just wait like everyone else

Just goes to show that absolute idiots are running this country. The cabbie was in a no win situation here - run a red light, get done, insurance goes up or he could even lose his licence. Stay put and the cops do him for causing an obstruction or wasting police time. This is typical of what happens when you take out the human element and allow technology to be the be all and end all.

Actually the taxi driver was in the right because if there is a line of cars at a traffic light the cars cannot move over for Cop cars

Whats the NEW bit got to it at all???

More shocked at all the people crossing the road in front of a blue lighter obviously quite anxious to pass.