Ambulance etiquette

[Harshan]

Here it's sort of a discipline expected from drivers to allow an ambulance or a fire truck to pass you easily. However, nowadays young blooded drivers and maniac bus drivers on the roads doesn't know heck about disciplines and they tend to make idiotic moves which would end up an ambulance with a patient inside to get blocked on colour lights or bumper to bumper traffic. Ambulance drivers know this and they stick to the oncoming traffic lane and avoid blocked stretches and colour lights.

There’s another set of buffoons, who allows the ambulance to pass by and goes right behind the ambulance to avoid traffic and get to point B quickly, risking them and the ambulance too.

About police cars, drivers tend to let go a flashing police car or parades of politicians vehicles not because law says to do so clearly but due to the fear factor ;). Well at least let's say common man drivers like us.

Having said that driving a 406 gives me bit of recognition than a fellow who drives a corolla simply because, this model is heavily used and using by Police and Armed forces and some Politicians.

[eoin27]

On the back of this epic discussion, I asked my dad (a copper ) what the story was with this. He said that there is no law or obligation to move for police or ambulances. He wasnt saying that people shouldnt, of course they should. But at least now I realise that I dont have to put my car or passengers at risk to get out of the way by aiming the car towards a ditch. I think the point here is that people should have common sense and not just act like a hero and put others at risk.

that whole tailgating the ambulance thing really annoys me but it could be somebody who knows the patient in the ambulance and is following them to the hospital. Like in 'About a Boy'

[sirwiggum]

On the back of this epic discussion, I asked my dad (a copper ) what the story was with this. He said that there is no law or obligation to move for police or ambulances. He wasnt saying that people shouldnt, of course they should. But at least now I realise that I dont have to put my car or passengers at risk to get out of the way by aiming the car towards a ditch. I think the point here is that people should have common sense and not just act like a hero and put others at risk.

With all respect, in the RoI the law seems to be fairly lax compared to the soviet nuLabour regime.

The thing about the traffic lights mentioned earlier was mean on the constabularys behalf.

There has been an occasion on the past where I have been overtaking an HGV then saw the blues and twos coming through the traffic behind me whereby I have actually sped up to get past the HGV and let the policecar through.

However now the PSNI are planning to put SPECS on the motorways here (despite the fact that motorways are our safest roads, most killed here are on rural S2 country roads), I would be more inclined to either slow to nip behind the HGV or to stick to 70 and get round it.

that whole tailgating the ambulance thing really annoys me but it could be somebody who knows the patient in the ambulance and is following them to the hospital. Like in 'About a Boy'

I sometimes think that what if it was a normal car looking to get someone to a hospital in an emergency. How would you let people know that you aren't just driving like a [strikethrough]bmw driver[/strikethrough] aggressive idiot but have a genuine issue?

[eoin27]

With all respect, in the RoI the law seems to be fairly lax compared to the soviet nuLabour regime.

Very true. No traffic light cameras here

would be more inclined to either slow to nip behind the HGV

Thats so dangerous doing that. They might not penilise you for that but they'd get you for speeding up to get out of the way faster.

[sirwiggum]

would be more inclined to either slow to nip behind the HGV

Thats so dangerous doing that. They might not penilise you for that but they'd get you for speeding up to get out of the way faster.

Just annoyed at plans for SPECSing the whole bloody motorway system

It was only speeding up for a couple of seconds, nowhere above 90 or anything, let the turbo spool to get in front of the HGV and back to 70.

Getting behind the HGV is probably not a realistic proposition, unless you are just starting to get past it and it is quicker to pull behind it again.

The English motorways don't have as big an issue as they are 3 lanes and everyone sits in the middle lane except for Hyundai drivers in the inside and Audi drivers on the outside.

[kevtherev]

i saw one incident of pure stone cold panic from one elderly driver. sat at an island giving way to the right as you do, fuzz come speedin up behind him blues and twos, so a range rover on the island stops to let the old man out so police can be on their merry way. no this guy doesnt move the cops are waving sirens ,horn all goin and still nothing from the old dude. so it ends up with the passenger copper jumping out does a slide across the bonnet of his car like something out the movies runs up to the drivers side of the car and is SMACKING the bonnet shouting GO GO GO GO and this old guy just floors it wheels spinning. oh i nearly wet myself

[sirwiggum]

i saw one incident of pure stone cold panic from one elderly driver. sat at an island giving way to the right as you do, fuzz come speedin up behind him blues and twos, so a range rover on the island stops to let the old man out so police can be on their merry way. no this guy doesnt move the cops are waving sirens ,horn all goin and still nothing from the old dude. so it ends up with the passenger copper jumping out does a slide across the bonnet of his car like something out the movies runs up to the drivers side of the car and is SMACKING the bonnet shouting GO GO GO GO and this old guy just floors it wheels spinning. oh i nearly wet myself

The bits you didn't get seeing from The Professionals

[mjb]

I royally pissed off a pair coppers the other day. Sitting at a set of traffic lights on a crossroads, and instead of driving through into oncoming traffic, he tries to bully me out the way. He was getting right annoyed and I could pretty much lip-read the obscenities he was screaming in my direction Even saw the passenger door swing open, although the lights changed and I made it onto the junction and let him pass before carrying on...

If he wanted to drive my car through a red light camera, he could have been my guest, but I sure as hell wasn't going to!

[neildavies]

What I've done before now is overtaken an ambulance and fire engine (both times, I was only doing 70mph), then when there was a roundabout coming up, I've pulled across it to stop traffic.

Foolish or not, up to you, but both times the emergency services have given a grateful toot/ thumbs up.

[plod]

I guess the way to see it, is what if they were going to your house?
How would you feel if you got home, and found them there?

Highway code says pull up or slow down depending on what is appropriate, so that's what I do.

Although too many people overly slow down in an inappropriate place, rather than carrying on or speeding up to find somewhere more suitable.

[DaiRees]

What I've done before now is overtaken an ambulance and fire engine (both times, I was only doing 70mph), then when there was a roundabout coming up, I've pulled across it to stop traffic.

Foolish or not, up to you, but both times the emergency services have given a grateful toot/ thumbs up.

There's a reason they've got bright colour schemes, flashing lights and loud sirens mate. Driver on the roundabout is distracted by the approaching carnival, you pull onto the roundabout, crash bang wallop, your fault! Mr plod and the insurance wouldn't give a crap that you were trying to help . Best bet is to get out of their way then leave them to it!

[Doggy]

I was the only car stopped in the right hand of two lanes at a set of lights with 3 cars in the left lane, when I heard sirens behind. Looked in the mirror, fire engine tooling up the road, but still 300 yds back. I made a beautiful job of backing briskly up & pulling in neatly behind the cars in the left lane, leaving the right lane clear......

Fireman Sam & his mates drive straight through the junction in the oncoming carriageway instead.

[Welly]

briskly

Now now doggy, it was a beautiful post until you started exaggerating unnecessarily......

[eoin27]

[puggy]

briskly

Now now doggy, it was a beautiful post until you started exaggerating unnecessarily......

Come on doggy , given the state of your motah will it reach Briskly speeds