A firefighter from Brussels has been given a rather unusual driving ban. He is not allowed to drive his own car for two weeks but can still drive a fire engine. The judge wanted to give him the opportunity still to be able to do his job. The man was banned from driving because he had driven his own car over an emergency lane.
Police caught the man driving on the emergency lane in his own car in November. His lawyer says he was following other vehicles that wanted to take a slip road to avoid a traffic jam. ‘He acknowledges his mistake and admits that he acted on impulsive and was following the others,’ his lawyer says.
But the judge was not impressed. He thought it was strange that a firefighter, of all people, should use the emergency lane for his personal use. ‘The emergency lane should remain free for the emergency services, for his own colleagues. As a firefighter, he should understand the importance of a free emergency lane.’
The judge decided to ban the motorist from driving for two weeks and impose a 240-euro fine. But is allowing the fire-fighter to continue to drive his fire engine as his lawyer had requested. ‘We requested an exception, which is necessary for the defendant to carry out his work as a professional firefighter in Brussels. He is a fire service driver also working on weekends and public holidays. Without this licence, he cannot perform his job’ the lawyer told the court.