Does anyone else see the problem with this?

[JPINFV]

[sarcasm]

But this FF was being an absolute idiot. It sounds like he only had his four ways on not any other lights. And it is that way everywhere else with regards to lights. Did you know that legally the only person allowed to run a red light is the post office if delivering mail, and the military? Cops, ambulance, firetrucks, none of them are allowed to go through a light. Especially not with just a whacker light (blue or red depending on the state). If a cop blows a light on the way to a call, it's his fault. Usually the person he hits happens to be some smuck who doesn't have insurance or something so they get into trouble rather than the cop. Go figure.[/sarcasm]

I hope I just fixed your post for you. If not, I can drag up a source saying (at least locally for California) that any emergency vehicle displaying a forward facing burning red light is exempt from traffic control devices (except for intersections under manual direction or the flashing reds of a school bus).

[scratrat]

Welcome aboard Jester!!

I learned a lot, just not spelling.....

[scratrat]

I hope I just fixed your post for you. If not, I can drag up a source saying (at least locally for California) that any emergency vehicle displaying a forward facing burning red light is exempt from traffic control devices (except for intersections under manual direction or the flashing reds of a school bus).

Maybe in CA, from every other state you are by no means exempt. If we run a red light, it's our fault no matter what the circumstances. You are not exempt in any other states that I've ever heard of.

[scratrat]

And no, you didn't "fix" my post...

[JPINFV]

Exemption of Authorized Emergency Vehicles

21055. The driver of an authorized emergency vehicle is exempt from Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 21350), Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 21650), Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 21800), Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 21950), Chapter 6 (commencing with 22100), Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 22348), Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 22450), Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 22500), and Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 22650) of this division, and Article 3 (commencing with Section 38305) and Article 4 (commencing with Section 38312) of Chapter 5 of Division 16.5, under all of the following conditions:

(a) If the vehicle is being driven in response to an emergency call or while engaged in rescue operations or is being used in the immediate pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the law or is responding to, but not returning from, a fire alarm, except that fire department vehicles are exempt whether directly responding to an emergency call or operated from one place to another as rendered desirable or necessary by reason of an emergency call and operated to the scene of the emergency or operated from one fire station to another or to some other location by reason of the emergency call.

( If the driver of the vehicle sounds a siren as may be reasonably necessary and the vehicle displays a lighted red lamp visible from the front as a warning to other drivers and pedestrians.

A siren shall not be sounded by an authorized emergency vehicle except when required under this section.

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc21055.htm

Chapter 2. Traffic Signs, Signals, and Markings

Article 3. Offenses Relating to Traffic Devices

[JPINFV]

Actually, upon further research into Florida (your home state according to your profile), it does appear that emergency vehicles can run red lights.

(5) AUTHORIZED EMERGENCY VEHICLES.--

(a)1. The driver of an authorized emergency vehicle, when responding to an emergency call, when in the pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the law, or when responding to a fire alarm, but not upon returning from a fire;

2. A medical staff physician or technician of a medical facility licensed by the state when responding to an emergency in the line of duty in his or her privately owned vehicle, using red lights as authorized in s. 316.2398; or

3. The driver of an authorized law enforcement vehicle, when conducting a nonemergency escort, to warn the public of an approaching motorcade;

may exercise the privileges set forth in this section, but subject to the conditions herein stated.

( The driver of a vehicle specified in paragraph (a), except when otherwise directed by a police officer, may:

1. Park or stand, irrespective of the provisions of this chapter;

2. Proceed past a red or stop signal or stop sign, but only after slowing down as may be necessary for safe operation;

3. Exceed the maximum speed limits so long as the driver does not endanger life or property;

4. Disregard regulations governing direction or movement or turning in specified directions, so long as the driver does not endanger life or property.

© The foregoing provisions shall not relieve the driver of a vehicle specified in paragraph (a) from the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of all persons, nor shall such provisions protect the driver from the consequences of his or her reckless disregard for the safety of others.

http://www.flsenate.gov/statutes/index.cfm...%20072#0316.072

[FFEMT4100]

Speaking of getting the information right with regards to the story, does anyone know what the local police procedures are with regards to a chase? There seems to be a lot of bashing of this particular cop. Did he follow his organization's SOP for a chase? Did he do anything any of his coworkers wouldn't do? Did he break the law within the State?

Until we know if the cop acted inappropriately or outside organizational SOP, I don't know that we can really condemn his actions.

All we know is that the whacker volly endangered himself, his family, the cop and everyone on the road. Until information on the cop's response becomes available we might want to back off on saying he should be punished or go to jail.

-be safe

The cop knew that there were kid's in the car".. . . . . . ."SOG and SOP DO NOT CONDONE THIS TYPE OF RESPONSE TO THE SITUATION". . . . . . ."

FFEMT4100

[bassnmedic]

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc21055.htm

Chapter 2. Traffic Signs, Signals, and Markings

Article 3. Offenses Relating to Traffic Devices

Circular Red or Red Arrow

21453. (a) A driver facing a steady circular red signal alone shall stop at a marked limit line, but if none, before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection or, if none, then before entering the intersection, and shall remain stopped until an indication to proceed is shown, except as provided in subdivision (.

( Except when a sign is in place prohibiting a turn, a driver, after stopping as required by subdivision (a), facing a steady circular red signal, may turn right, or turn left from a one-way street onto a one-way street. A driver making that turn shall yield the right-of-way to pedestrians lawfully within an adjacent crosswalk and to any vehicle that has approached or is approaching so closely as to constitute an immediate hazard to the driver, and shall continue to yield the right-of-way to that vehicle until the driver can proceed with reasonable safety.

© A driver facing a steady red arrow signal shall not enter the intersection to make the movement indicated by the arrow and, unless entering the intersection to make a movement permitted by another signal, shall stop at a clearly marked limit line, but if none, before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection, or if none, then before entering the intersection, and shall remain stopped until an indication permitting movement is shown.

(d) Unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian control signal as provided in Section 21456, a pedestrian facing a steady circular red or red arrow signal shall not enter the roadway.

Amended Sec. 1, Ch. 14, Stats. 2001. Effective January 1, 2002.

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc21453.htm

That said,

21056. Section 21055 does not relieve the driver of a vehicle from the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of all persons using the highway, nor protect him from the consequences of an arbitrary exercise of the privileges granted in that section.

still applies.

I think it would be stupid to be sitting at a red light with your lights and sirens on. Kinda of defeats the entire purpose of an emergency response/transport.

[Timmy]

:?

[JPINFV]

So you think you should buzz right through the light without any regard to traffic? Do you know what due regard means? The lights and siren are "asking permission" from the other drivers to cross the intersection against the red light, You do not and I repeat do not have the authority to bust any light at any time, and if you decide that is what you need to do because you are an emergency vehicle and you hit someone, guess what.......It's your fault.

Yes, with my lights and sirens on, I am allowed to proceed through an intersection against a red light. That is why I specifically quoted and bolded the section about due regard in my post quoting the California Vehicle code. The lights and sirens are not "asking permission." They are demanding, under penalty of law, the right of way. While "demanding" is a poor choice sematically because people tend to let it get to their heads and drive like assholes, it is still a demand neverless. Just as with operating any other device that can be deadly (car, boat, plane, gun, etc), it is still the operator's duty and responsibility to operate such item in as safe a manner as possible.