stopping for emergency vehicles
How do you interpret having to stop for emergency vehicles?
Do you stop where you are or try to get out of the way if there is time?
I interpret the law as having to clear the road THEN stop so if I can duck into a driveway or side street I will do that, I mean on 2 lane roads where there is a curb instead of a shoulder.
I can't stand seeing drivers who just freeze in their tracks on a 2 lane road and leave no room for the ambulance or firetruck to drive around them [:(!]
Do you stop where you are or try to get out of the way if there is time?
I interpret the law as having to clear the road THEN stop so if I can duck into a driveway or side street I will do that, I mean on 2 lane roads where there is a curb instead of a shoulder.
I can't stand seeing drivers who just freeze in their tracks on a 2 lane road and leave no room for the ambulance or firetruck to drive around them [:(!]
0
-
move to the side of the road as far as you can safely 0 -
quote:Originally posted by jwb267
move to the side of the road as far as you can safely
+10 -
+2 the only way
quote:Originally posted by git_r_done
quote:Originally posted by jwb267
move to the side of the road as far as you can safely
+10 -
If you can safely pull over please do so in a safe manner. If Im running 10-33(Emergency) through town at the red lights I usually if both lanes are blocked turn off my lights and siren. I dont want to cause an accident while going on a call. If I can make it through the light I will creep through making sure all traffic hears and see's me. If you have heavy traffic and come barreling up on a light it often makes the person your behind panic and feel like they must go through the light etc. Its a judgement call on my part and is my responsibility to the public to operate in a quick but safe manner. 0 -
In Boston or downtown Philadelphia, I've even driven up onto
the sidewalk to let them go by - I don't mess with that one -
the next one can always have your wife/kids in the back.0 -
quote:Originally posted by jwb267
move to the side of the road as far as you can safely
+4 exactly..Loko[;)]0 -
+5...that is the spirit of the law here in Illinois.... 0 -
I move over to the side and then stop unless I'm in a turn lane or at an intersection with a red light. In those cases I simply stop where I am and wait and see what to do mainly because I've seen emergency services get hung up by people doing their best to get out of the way and inadvertently getting in the way.
But for the most part, I pull over to the right and stop. No forward movement until that EMS vehicle is good and gone.0 -
+6...... Thats the "written" law here in Cal. The law says you must pull to the right side of the roadway and stop.
Here its called code-3... lights & siren. I have been on hundreds of these runs and there are lots of people out there who are clueless when it comes to knowing what they are supposed to do.
I have had many drivers just stop right in front of me without even trying to move to the right. I understand if the traffic is heavy and they cant move to the side of the road, but some of these boozos just slam on the brakes and stop in the fast lane.
I will sometimes tail our fire trucks when they are on code-3 runs and ticket "failure to yield" drivers.0 -
By law here, I pull as far to the right as I can and stop.
I can't stand to see people who have passed their driving test just continue down the road as if they still have the right to their lane, and screw everyone else including police cars, fire trucks and ambulances.
Idiots.0 -
quote:Originally posted by jwb267
move to the side of the road as far as you can safely
Seems a hard concept for some.[:(]0 -
Pull over, stop. If at a red light make sure the opposing traffic is heeding the truck then either (left lane): make the left turn, pull over and stop, (center lane): pull through, pull over and stop (right lane): make the right turn, pull over and stop. That's what I was taught, twenty years ago. I've never been in the left or center lanes in that situation, and I'm not sure I'd trust opposing traffic well enough to do as I was taught.
Once in NYC there was an ambulance trying to get through an area that was completely blocked by about 30 cabbies, none of whom were making way. After about three minutes of this about a dozen cops showed up, cleared a path and cited all the cabbies. It was a nice sight to see.0 -
quote:Originally posted by git_r_done
quote:Originally posted by jwb267
move to the side of the road as far as you can safely
+1
That's what the Florida DL. test says is the correct answer...
Jeff0 -
Pull to the right and stop. In that order. Annoys the hell out of me when Granny gets it backward. 0 -
quote:Annoys the hell out of me when Granny gets it backward.[:D][:D][;)] 0 -
Get out of the dam way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 0 -
People are getting more and more inconciderate. I imagine Hell is a lot like downtown Birmingham. 0 -
quote:move to the side of the road as far as you can safely
Yep.
Jon0 -
Pull over to the right as far as possible and stop. Also If you are stopped at a light be aware that some firefighters/paramedics (myself included) are trained to pass on the left. Meaning if you are in the left lane of a four lane intersection and I am making a right turn I will pass you on the left even if the right lane is open. The best is the illegals that dont know how to drive and just block you. 0 -
Traffic laws nationwide state for you to move to the RIGHT and stop, not just get out of the way. This still applies if you're in the left lane and the right lane is clear, even (at least in my state) if you're traveling in the opposite direction if it's an undivided roadway.
The driver of that emergency vehicle does not want to pass you on the right, because at the last second you might surprise him by actually deciding do what the law states.0 -
Emergency vehicles do not have the right to run red lights. It is just a macho thing. They still have to follow traffic laws. Don
PS. At least here in Ga.0 -
TXS......yeah thats what I was trying to point out.
Dcon.....you are correct, we are required to stop at all red lights and stop signs to make sure that the intersection is clear before proceeding. Unfortunately it is not always done and innocent civilians and firefighters are killed. Due to an increasing number of lawsuits this has been a very hot topic in my profession.0 -
quote:Originally posted by dcon12
Emergency vehicles do not have the right to run red lights. It is just a macho thing. They still have to follow traffic laws. Don
PS. At least here in Ga.
Macho has nothing to do with it....... Its trying to get to the EMERGENCY as quickly as possible.
If we have to "follow traffic laws" then we must stop for the red lights and wait for them to turn green to proceed.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Laredo Lefty
quote:Originally posted by dcon12
Emergency vehicles do not have the right to run red lights. It is just a macho thing. They still have to follow traffic laws. Don
PS. At least here in Ga.
Macho has nothing to do with it....... Its trying to get to the EMERGENCY as quickly as possible.
If we have to "follow traffic laws" then we must stop for the red lights and wait for them to turn green to proceed.
don't emergency vehicles have some kind of IR strobe that interrupts the cycle on the newer "smart" traffic lights. I swear that they could manipulate those in my town when they needed to.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Laredo Lefty
quote:Originally posted by dcon12
Emergency vehicles do not have the right to run red lights. It is just a macho thing. They still have to follow traffic laws. Don
PS. At least here in Ga.
Macho has nothing to do with it....... Its trying to get to the EMERGENCY as quickly as possible.
If we have to "follow traffic laws" then we must stop for the red lights and wait for them to turn green to proceed.
I was in center lane stopped at a busy intercection and Ambulance was coming up behind me with no where to go. All traffic heard the siren and I ran a red light to get the hell out of the way. Ticket me if you want but the ambulance took priority.0 -
marksman..... Some emergency vehs, usually fire vehs have the strobe lights for changing signals.
Our fire dept has them on some of their vehs, our police dept has none.
select-fire...... You did the right thing. If cross traffic has stopped and you go into the intersection against the red to allow the ambulance to get by..... no one I know would ticket you for that.0 -
The name of the strobe is an Opticom system........and once again although we are responding to an emergency we DO have to stop at all red lights and stop signs. We then proceed once clear. Vehicle accidents while responding to an incident is the #2 killer of Emergency Response personnel. 0 -
I've heard stories of motorists in heavy traffic falling in line behind the ambulance to get through traffic quicker. Joe 0 -
pull to the right and stop.
not pull to the right and slow down or pull to the right and keep going. pull over and stop. immediatley. pulling to the left is approprieate in certain circumstances, but please for the love of all that is good and holy use your signal
in ma, we have every right to run lights and its a citable offense if you ignore me. not only can you get a ticket, you can do 90 days in the pokey for the 1st offense0 -
if i may, i think the reason 90% of people DONT pull over and stop is, a good majority of the people know that many emv's abuse sirens and lights. and, since a VAST majority of calls end up being a cut finger, the population just gets tired of emv's making everyones so called emergency into total chaos.
bottom line, im very sorry if someone is REALLY in a life/death situation and emv's need to move fast. thats what it was meant for. but unfortunatley, as we know, most calls are people calling emv's so they can get their kid to be seen first at emergency rooms for a scraped knee. dont believe me? follow an emv to a hospital some day and watch how long the patient sits in his gurnie before a doc see them after their sized up for abc's. all that so called time saved by driving like a maniac running YOU off the road is lost.....waiting for care anyway.
and whats with this crap of having to call a pumper out to a 911 call for a domestic injury? you mean to tell me the emt's cant man handle a patient? you have to call 5 firefighters IN A PUMPER to assist? thats tax money folks. next time swing by the fire station, interrupt their ping pong and bell polishing, and take them with you to the scene. leave the truck home.[8][xx(]0
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
35 comments