People have taken to social media to express their support for an elderly driver who was fined £100 for allowing an ambulance to pass on the A52. Retired Frank Wallington, 76, of Walsall, was driving home in March 2022 after attending his cousin's funeral in Long Bennington when he saw an ambulance with flashing blue lights approaching.
Not wanting to get in the ambulance's way, Frank pulled over to allow the vehicle to pass on the A52 Grantham Road approaching the traffic light junction at Cropwell Road in Radcliffe on Trent, before the two lanes merge. Frank feared he would have been stuck in front of it on single lane ahead and cause it to be delayed if he had not done so.
However, the 76 year old was not aware a white car was driving closely behind the ambulance, and due to having to let the white car ahead as well, Frank passed through the traffic lights at the junction 1.2 seconds after the light turned red. He was contacted a month later by Nottinghamshire Police who informed him of his traffic offence and punishment of £100 and given three points, but Frank deemed the punishment as unfair and so have many social media users.
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One comment stated: "What is this country coming to. We have always been told to move over to let ambulances to pass and because Frank did he gets a fine. Absolutely disgraceful. Good luck Frank."
Another user wrote: "Surely common sense prevails in this incident as the gentleman did what he thought best. Soon people won’t be moving over for emergency vehicle."
A third added: "Good luck Frank - I genuinely hope you win your dispute. In situations like this you do your best to help ambulance and police but then get penalised." Frank has also received a great deal of support online from people that have experienced similar situations.
One user wrote: "They did this to my dad 20 years ago. He was in the work van at a red light but moved over the line slightly to let an ambulance passed and got a fine. I think it's disgusting!"
A second commented: "I did a similar thing and pulled over into a bus lane in Reading fined £30 won’t do it again common sense is not allowed to prevail."
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