I was driving on Athlone Avenue, Dalview/Larrendale, on January 22, at 2.08pm, when I stopped behind some other vehicles at the red traffic light at the corner of Athlone Avenue and Norfolk Street, Larrendale.
A blue vehicle passed us all and stopped in the right turn only lane.
It had an orange rotating light on the roof.
As the traffic light turned green, the blue car took off, past the cars in the straight only lane and continued to Carnival Mall.
I met up with the vehicle at the red traffic light at Carnival Mall and asked the two males in the car (it seems they were in a celebratory mood) if they thought they were an emergency vehicle.
They laughed at me and told me that they can do what they want and that I could phone the traffic police if I wanted.
Only emergency vehicles (SAPS, traffic police and ambulances) are allowed to use emergency lights to circumnavigate traffic rules in emergency situations.
I see a lot of tow truck drivers also believe, erroneously, that they are emergency vehicles.
Editor’s note:
Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) spokesperson, Chief Supt Wilfred Kgasago, confirmed that only ambulances, SAPS and traffic police vehicles are allowed to use emergency lights.
“In future should something like this occur again, kindly report it to 011 458 0911 so that we can attend to it,” he said.
