In article , MB wrote:

There was a case in the paper some years ago where someone moved forward
over the white line at traffic lights to allow an unmarked police car on
blues to get through.

He got a Red Light Camera ticket, challenged it but they could find no
record of a police car in that area at the time.

how exactly did the cop go through the red light and not generate
another photo just seconds later, one with the first vehicle still
visible (i.e., did not run the red)?

rlcs also normally take two photos in the event the vehicle lacks a
front license plate, so even if the cop car was not in any photo, it
would be clear that the first car did not run a red light as he would
still be at the white line.

It took a lot of searching before he was able to find that it was a car
from another police force so the charge was dropped.

where 'a lot of searching' is nothing more than looking at the second
photo.

in other words, they were stonewalling and hoping the person would give
up and pay.

It was suggested in similar circumstances that it might be as well to
report immediately at a police station so the reason for crossing the
white line is one record.

a better suggestion is get rid of rlcs, as they do more harm than good.

In the UK you can only go through a red traffic light when instructed by
a police officer, an ambulance or fire engine has no authority to get a
car to go through the red light and the drivers of fire engines are
usually instructed to turn sirens off at red lights so car drivers are
not forced to go through.

that's incredibly stupid.

what happens if the light cycle is several minutes, as it can be at
some busy intersections?

Incidentally the double red flashing lights used outside fire stations,
level crossings, ends of runways etc are mandatory and even a police
vehicle on blue lights is not supposed to pass them.

more stupidity.

what if there's an emergency beyond that point with no other way in?