Hi all just wondering if anyone can put me right on this might sound like a stupid question heres goes are the emergency services aloud to drive on the wrong side of the road comeing towards head on traffic also are they aloud to use public footpaths if needed to cheers alan.

[quote name='fiesta_lad' date='12 February 2010 - 01:21 AM' timestamp='1265937077' post='64674']
Hi all just wondering if anyone can put me right on this might sound like a stupid question heres goes are the emergency services aloud to drive on the wrong side of the road comeing towards head on traffic also are they aloud to use public footpaths if needed to cheers alan.
[/quote]

my guess is yes. if its an emergency then needs must. if its safe to do so then why not.

If it wasme they were trying to save, my answer would be... "I dont care, just HELP ME"

Technically no, they have to obey the same road laws as the rest of us and some members of the emergency services have been prosecuted after causing a crash while driving through a red light.
Of course it would be very silly if whilst responding to an emergency they cruised along at 25 mph stopping for traffic etc and no-doubt would get slagged off by the press for taking to long to get to a call out.

Can I ask why you wish to know?

Just intreed m8

ever watched police interceptors or road wars? they are forever overtaking into traffic and up on the pavement.

Yeah they are allowed to go onto the other side of the road towards on coming traffic at a maximum of 30 MPH...

And Only Police Vehicles in A Pursuit are allowed to mount public footpaths, and other emergency services must go around or try and get traffic to move.. Unless the Emergency is Located up an Pedestrian Precinct where they need to Mount the pavement but a speed limit of 10 MPH.

I think it should be no.Everyone has to follow the traffic rule.But in case of emergency they should help.But in general sense or everyone has he same traffic rule.

Pretty sure they can - but only if it is safe for them to do so. Their training is pretty rigorous for reading situations much further ahead than your normal driver.

I know they're not allowed to follow a car that goes onto the wrong side of the motorway or dual carraigeway. Not sure about the pavement thing though, no doubt the yanks can. They'll smash through anything in their paths to get the crim on the floor with a gun to his head.

[quote name='Nug878' date='02 April 2010 - 09:57 AM' timestamp='1270198077' post='75610']
[color="#FF0000"]I know they're not allowed to follow a car that goes onto the wrong side of the motorway or dual carraigeway.[/color] [color="#00FF00"]Not sure about the pavement thing though, no doubt the yanks can. They'll smash through anything in their paths to get the crim on the floor with a gun to his head. [/color]
[/quote]

[color="#FF0000"]Yeah I can believe that, probably because that's a death wish and the likelihood is you'll be able to get off the motorway at the same place they do anyway.
[/color]

[color="#00FF00"]Haha, reminds me of Team America... where they storm into that French town and destroy everything just to stop one terrorist! [/color]

I believe they can yes. I know that with the Fire Service, if they are needing to get down a street where cars have double parked and it's too narrow to get down - they can plow their way through regardless of any damage caused to said parked cars.

Well, that's unless my mate in the service was telling me a load of drivvel a few weeks back when we had a similar conversation about it all. Lol

[quote name='Stonah' date='10 April 2010 - 10:19 AM' timestamp='1270890559' post='77139']
I believe they can yes. I know that with the Fire Service, if they are needing to get down a street where cars have double parked and it's too narrow to get down - they can plow their way through regardless of any damage caused to said parked cars.

Well, that's unless my mate in the service was telling me a load of drivvel a few weeks back when we had a similar conversation about it all. Lol
[/quote]

Doubt that very much and if they can plow there way through and cause thosands upon thosands worth of damage i think there would be a major kick off because i would.

[quote name='Stonah' date='10 April 2010 - 10:19 AM' timestamp='1270890559' post='77139']
I believe they can yes. I know that with the Fire Service, if they are needing to get down a street where cars have double parked and it's too narrow to get down - they can plow their way through regardless of any damage caused to said parked cars.

Well, that's [b]unless my mate in the service was telling me a load of drivvel [/b]a few weeks back when we had a similar conversation about it all. Lol
[/quote]

Seriously - your mate is telling you a load of drivel.

To do that would be dangerous any other road user pedestrians cyclists etc, and may even damage the fire engine so it would not be able to attend the fire.
The driver of the fire engine would be open to all sorts of legal claims and would no-doubt lose his licence and possibly his job