An OAP could be hit with a 'reprehensible' punishment after he ran a red light while slowing down to allow an ambulance to pass him.
Frank Wallington, 76 of Walsall was driving home to the West Midlands after attending his cousin's funeral when he pulled over to let an ambulance through on the A52 in Nottinghamshire.
However, his good willed gesture resulted in him being given a £100 fine and three points on his licence after he made the 'split-second decision' to run a traffic light 1.2 seconds after it turned red, Nottinghamshire Live reports. The 76-year-old had pulled over on the A52 Grantham Road approaching the traffic light junction at Cropwell Road in Radcliffe on Trent, which merges the two lanes.
However, had not realised there was a car driving closely behind the ambulance and after waiting to let the white vehicle pass too he went through the lights a second after it turned red. He was informed a month later by Nottingham Police of his track offence and punishment but the pensioner has contested this 'unfair' decision and wants the mitigating circumstances to be considered.
After the incident which happened last March, Frank said: "It's frustrating because I'm an advanced driver and I've always had a completely clean license. I actually feel I could have carried on and driven straight through the traffic lights without any problem, but then I would have delayed the ambulance and what I assume was a car with perhaps a relative of the patient in the ambulance with it being so close to the ambulance.
"I can't deny that I was 1.2 seconds late going through the traffic lights, but my point is that it was mitigating circumstances. If I had carried on I would have blocked the ambulance's procedure through those traffic lights as the road went into a single lane shortly afterwards.
The 76-year-old continued "A split second decision on my part has caused me to go through the lights after they had turned red, but I was distracted of course as they were overtaking me. I wasn't looking at the traffic lights, I was looking at them in my rear view mirror whilst they overtook me."
"Even if that white car hadn't been behind the ambulance which I couldn't see as they were right behind the ambulance the lights were on green, and if I had been able to pull right behind the ambulance I would have still gone behind the lights on green".
Despite explaining the situation in further detail, Frank has been ordered to appear the Nottingham Magistrate's Court on February 14 2023 if he wants to dispute the punishment. The frustrated OAP complained: "They are not listening to what I am explaining happened. It's going to be expensive to drive over there in fuel alone, to have a day in court just to say exactly what I would say in a letter and what I have already said to them.
After hearing the situation, Hugh Bladon, a spokesperson for the Alliance of British Drivers, said: "If somebody gets out of the way of an ambulance and then gets fined, I think that is absolutely reprehensible and I don't agree with it whatsoever. If someone drives through a red traffic light then they deserved to be fined, but if they are doing that because they are getting out of the way of an ambulance then that was fair dues.
"The chap was doing the right thing. What is more important, to grab a bit of money from a motorist or to delay someone who may be needing precious help somewhere.
"Therefore it's absolutely quite right for this chap to get out of the way, and that's what we should all do." Speaking of the expected procedure in these types of situations, Hugh argued that 'there is absolutely no leeway given'.
He said: "There seems to be no common sense, they just want to grab money all the time and punish. There are circumstances when you need to do something which may not technically be correct, but on the other hand it is the correct thing to do."
"Guidance from East Midlands Ambulance Service states that if drivers hear sirens they should not panic, and if the road is congested they should look to see if there is any space and move over when it is appropriate and if it is safe to do so".
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