As traffic wardens and police officers will readily tell you, parking on a double yellow line is a strict no-no. Every so often, though, those who uphold the law sometimes flaunt it because they can get away with it.
Well, not this time. This time, they got caught after a picture was snapped of an ambulance struggling to get past a police car that had parked on double yellow lines on a very narrow street - even though there were two empty parking spaces on the other side of it,
The incident took place in Swanage, Dorset, and meant that one of the paramedics on the emergency call had to get out of the vehicle and guide the ambulance driver through the tight gap between the cop car and the vehicles parked opposite.
The photograph of the one paramedic guiding the other through was taken by Robin Brasher, who witnessed the incident as it unfolded. He said that the ambulance was held up for between one to two minutes. Which might not sound like much, but it's enough to save a life.
Credit: RobinBrasher/BNPS
Mr Brasher, 67, a retired civil servant, took a photo of the parked police car at 3.30pm, when he saw what was happening from his bedroom window.
Mr Brasher said: "Not long after I took the first picture I heard the siren of the ambulance which then suddenly stopped outside my house."
"The ambulance was heading out of Swanage so it was probably taking somebody to Poole Hospital.
"I guessed what had happened and I knew the ambulance would have a job to get through the gap.
"The cab was narrower than the rear of the ambulance and clearly the driver wasn't sure if it would squeeze through.
"Somebody guided her and then it went on its way. It was held up for a minute or two.
"I have lived here for 20 years and it has always been an issue of motorists parking on the kerb and damaging the pavement.
"We have complained about it to the police before but they tell us it is a matter for the local council.
"I know police cars are allowed to park on double yellow lines but there were two empty spaces on the other side of the street the police officer could have used without blocking an emergency vehicle."
However, Dorset Police confirmed that the incident that officers were called to was an also an emergency.
Credit: RobinBrasher/BNPS
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A spokesperson from Dorset Police said: "The officers responded to a 999 call relating to an assault at an address in the High Street in Swanage.
"The incident was graded as a highest priority incident based on an assessment of immediate threat, risk and harm.
"The priority for the officers was to give immediate assistance to a victim and therefore get to the scene as quickly as possible. In these situations they are allowed to park on double yellow lines.
"During the incident an arrest was made, however, after the subsequent investigation the person has been released without charge."
Featured Image Credit: RobinBrasher/BNPS