Twice recently, I have seen an emergency vehicle coming up behind me, blue lights flashing, while I was in a moving queue of traffic.
Both times I pulled over left as far as possible, indicating as I did so and definitely not doing an emergency stop.
Both times the following two cars have overtaken me - almost causing an accident with the emergency vehicle.
I am afraid that a crash will occur the next time.
Should I carry on behaving like this?
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I wasna fu but just had plenty.
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That's a difficult one. Whenever I am aware of an emergency vehicle behind me (with its lights flashing) I try and weigh up whether I will cause less hold up by slowing down and pulling over, or by maintaining my speed as much as possible.
Yes, there are some people who will try and muscle in, either by overtaking ahead of the emergency vehicle, or by streaking down the outside closely in its wake.
I'm just glad to be out of the way, and (if it's the police) thankful it's not me they are after.
On the other hand, the other day I was followed along a country road so closely by an ambulance that it was virtually tailgating me. It didn't have its lights or siren going, and there was nowhere to pull over. The speed it clearly wanted to go at was faster than I judged safe, considering the narrow road and blind bends.
What should I have done?
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I can't think of a situation when I wouldn't indicate and pull over, but there probably are some.
You can never be sure if the cars behind the ambulance are the family of the patient, or chancers. More often than not I suspect they are chancers, and deserve to be in it, not behind it.
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"On the other hand, the other day I was followed along a country road so closely by an ambulance that it was virtually tailgating me. It didn't have its lights or siren going, and there was nowhere to pull over. The speed it clearly wanted to go at was faster than I judged safe, considering the narrow road and blind bends. What should I have done?"
As you say, they were not driving under blues and twos, so go as fast as *you* feel is safe and no faster. If being tailgated - inexcusable by a driver, but especially of any emergency vehicle, unless they're into work creation schemes now :-), back off a bit more speed to allow for the lack of gap behind you. And to be honest, even if he was using lights and sirens, I would do the very same..there wasn't many options from what you say.
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The only rule about this situation is 'Get out of the Emergency Services way as quickly as possible'.
Mostly, this will involve indicating and pulling over immediately, mounting the pavement / centre reservation as necessary. Worrying about others 'pushing in' is irrelevant.
Sometimes, eg narrow country lanes or when first in the Q at the lights, the best method of getting out of the way is to put your foot down. Easy to do if you are a confident driver in something reasonably sporty. More difficult if you are elderly, timid, inexperienced or driving a 2CV.....
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As has been said, all you can do is pull over when it is safe to do so, what I have noiticed is that you tend not to notice emergency vehicles as early these days. I suppose this is because of better sound insulation and better stereo's, but having A/C also plays a part as we no longer have our windows down and so our cars are far more insular then ever before - maybe the sirens should be louder???
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Had a cracker on Sunday. B road, not massively wide and quite winding. Approaching me is a bmw compact (or "German Ford Escort" as I call them), followed by an ambulance with blues and twos on. Bimmer is showing no sign of being aware of ambulance and said ambulance is setting up for an overtake.
I put everything on the middle pedal as I signalled and pulled as far across onto the verge as a could as I came to a halt. The bimmer driver wakes up, sees me doing this and repeats the process, nearly causing the ambulance to take out his OSR.
The best bit? He came to a halt level with me, giving the width of the ambulance and about 6 inches between our cars.
Muppet. I hope all his children are born with small penises*
ND
(*especially his daughters)
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Both times the following two cars have overtaken me - almost causing an accident with the emergency vehicle. I am afraid that a crash will occur the next time.
I'd suggest that you're pulling over too early - wait until the EV is behind you.
While the other drivers may well have just been taking the opportunity to get ahead, it's also highly likely that they hadn't registered the sight or sound of the EV - it's a good example of the extent to which people exist in their own little worlds.
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The police and ambulance services' vehicles (in my area at least) have been using a different siren sounds combination for some time - they are more penetrating and quicker to hear than in previous times.
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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Bill Payer,
I'm sure that the cars behind had not clocked the EVs.
As for waiting untill the EV is behind; well that may mean I am in a location where I can not pull over easily.
I'd hope that the cars behind me would have followed suit and pulled over as well.
Seconds count in an emergency.
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I wasna fu but just had plenty.
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I drive A&E ambulances, and can confirm that it is not unusual for a car that is three cars ahead to see an ambulance coming up "on red," take appropriate action and the following car or cars who are almost certainly driving along in their own little world, are puzzled by this and start to execute an immeadiate overtake manouvre looking in their mirrors when nearly commited to going past, then slam all on, swerve vilontly and pull back in, unless of course they just proceed with the manouvre then notice the ambulance and then pull in, or even just don't notice.
Solution, keep back, watch for obvious signs that they have seen you, and proceed with caution.
It is sometimes better for cars to keep going and find somewhere that you can pull in, or where the road is wide enough for example and therefore let the ambulance pass safely rather than stop on a bend with double white lines on it and put many people in danger, but people who do stop in places where you can't overtake, or it is difficult to, I realise that they are only trying to help.
If you see an emergency vehicle behind you, basically,try not to panic and use your best jugement to proceed if you think that by stopping where you are it is likely to cause a problem getting past.
Also, some people think that ambulances are performance vehicles, whereas they are in fact diesel vans and sometimes struggle to pass cars who don't ease off the throttle a bit.
Reggie
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How timely.......just this afternoon an abulance about 4 cars back at a set of lights at a sort of crossroads. Very narrow road with only the one lane and me at the head to the Q :-(
So what to do....nowhere to get off the road, so drove very carefully through the red's to go left(all view visible) and....not sure what everyone else did, but they must have moved too, as once again he caught me up and ended up behind me again as I was now turning right!!! Forunately the oncoming car let me go otherwise I'd have been holding him up....talk about pressure ;-)
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I think it was in the paper a week ago, where someone "jumped" a red light to let an emergency vehicle through and was then fined for jumping the light.
With that in mind and the legal argument that was raised, I would think twice about "jumping" a light. My common sense would tell me to pull over, but at what penalty. Another case of bureaucracy over ruling common sense.
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That's fine if there is somewhere to pull over - the point being that there was no such place, railings left and right... and yes it is a judgement call everytime. Also, smacks of poor highway design when you think about it.
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