HI my wife reads your blog all the time and she asked me to comment on the Maverick Driver First responders. I am a Police Officer and I think I can give best advice on the law concerning this. Before recently ambulance, fire and the police could use their emergency equipment and were allowed exemption under the Road Traffic Act 1988, if they were using their equipment for an appropriate excuse. However, there has been a change within the law very recently. I think it is called the 'Road Regulations Act 2006' in which it basically says you are not allowed to use your emergency equipment for exemption from prosecution from speeding, going through red lights etc to ascertain smooth, safe progress through traffic UNLESS you have attended an 'Appropriate Fast Road Response Course'. In the Police we have the 'Stage One Response Course'. (This was also the part of the law with which the Government outlawed speed camera detectors etc). This means Police Officers, Fireman, Ambulance Drivers unless they have done the course will be acting illegally if they use that emergency equipment in a response. It sounds like from you Blog these First Line Responders are Acting illegally and these drivers and the Trust should be prosecuted. With the change of the law it is not just another hurdle to overcome or unnecessary bureaucracy, it also allows a Police Officer who has been called in on a Rest Day from their Senior Police Officer to allow them to respond quickly in their own car to work and give them exemption from prosecution; if they have passed the 'Stage One Response Course'. It should allow someone in the Police Force for example to drive and ambulance for a charity or another organisation that has emergency equipment provided, for example St Johns or the TA. However, I have not heard anyone doing that yet!! Matt