Emergency Vehicle Sirens - why so quiet?

[Resident]

Is it just me or are sirens on emergency vehicles getting quieter?

I drive large vehicles so the second I hear the faintest of a siren I'm looking and planning where and when I can get out of it's way.

However recently I noticed that by the time I've heard the siren they're practically on top of me, police vehicles especially.

My hearing is fine and I don't have radio/music playing (not fitted to the vehicle).

 

[tom_e]

I think it's probably more sound proofing is better in modern vehicles than it used to be, as outside a vehicle you can still hear them a long way off.

 

[Gorbash12346]

Not sure about the volume levels but when my sister worked as a paramedic she was told to keep the sirens off as much as possible during a blue light run as people make formal complaints about the noise.

Now how bloody selfish/stupid do you need to be to think that it's acceptable to complain about that?

So I wouldn't be surprised if the volume was being lowered/ limited.

 

[GinG]

Not sure about the volume levels but when my sister worked as a paramedic she was told to keep the sirens off as much as possible during a blue light run as people make formal complaints about the noise.

Now how bloody selfish/stupid do you need to be to think that it's acceptable to complain about that?

So I wouldn't be surprised if the volume was being lowered/ limited.

Yep happens in other Emergency Services as well.

It's not like you are using them for a laugh!

 

[TheVoice]

It'll be down to whatever equipment they've been fitted with really, rather than any deliberate attempt to make them quieter. Most police cars come from the manufacturer already kitted out these days.

Not sure about the volume levels but when my sister worked as a paramedic she was told to keep the sirens off as much as possible during a blue light run as people make formal complaints about the noise.

Now how bloody selfish/stupid do you need to be to think that it's acceptable to complain about that?

Same thing happens when the police helicopters go up.

 

[Thekwango]

people make formal complaints about the noise.

I assume complaint to EPA or whatever they are called, surely those sorts of complaints just get binned??

 

[Maundie]

I've certainly notice vehicles driving with the lights flashing but the sirens off, they do give a little blast when they approach traffic but most of the time they're silent.

Not sure why people feel the need to complain about the noise, I bet if they needed one they'd be hoping it was coming all guns blazing, the NIMBY brigade really are pathetic.

 

[ttaskmaster]

I know, right? We should just stop all emergency services and remove the public funding.
The noise is definitely an impingement on the calm tranquility of my safe space... I mean, couldn't they just hang out the window and wave Jazz Hands, or something?
What's worse is having to move aside for these speed demons with their wailing vehicles. What makes them more important than me? They're not allowed to break the law and I have as much right to be on the road as they do, you know....
But worst of all is whichever idiot thought putting FLASHING blue lights on their vehicles what a good idea..... I mean, what if someone is epileptic, eh??!! And how can they not know that blue light disrupts your circadian rhythms!!!!!

Such inconsiderate, inconvenient pricks, the lot of them!!

 

[sovietspybob]

When my stepfather was a policeman they used to get lots of complaints from the locals about them 'going really fast and using their loud sirens' when going through the next town. Like what do you expect them to do!?

 

[Gaygle]

I think they should be replaced with blue lights that gently glow and a recorded low volume tannoy that says "Excuse me, please could you kindly move out of the way if it doesn't violate your human rights too much"

 

[Clarkey]

I think it's just you tbh, round here the sirens are very much still loud AF.

 

[Luke]

I drive ambulances and response cars daily on blue light runs. Officially we are told that if we are moving with the blue lights on we should also have the sirens on. If we have an accident and don't have the sirens going too we are in a heap of trouble.
The reality is that we get as sick of the sound of them as much as the people who complain about them (including those who buy houses next to hospitals or ambulance stations, then complain about the sirens - sometimes threatening violence against us), so what tends to happen is that in times outside of rush hour we sometimes turn them off until we reach junctions, or slower moving traffic.
I don't think they are any quieter than they were, quite the opposite in fact, but as stated above modern vehicles are very well sound proofed.
Many times a day I approach a car or van (rarely a lorry or bus though) with lights and sirens going and the driver fails to notice me for quite some time, at which point they tend to brake hard and lurch to the left without even seeing what is to the left of them.
The reactions (or lack of) I get from other drivers shows a terrifying lack of awareness in many many cases.

I really enjoyed response driving at first, now I find it exhausting as driving standard are 100% deteriorating, with outright deliberate dangerous and selfish driving being seen from an increasing proportion of drivers.

 

[West]

It genuinely depends.

So, for example in WMAS i'm pretty sure we use 100amp Sirens, really quite loud! others like police forces can use less.

As some have said, yes sound proofing can effect the way you hear them, I always used to say with Staffs Police their sirens were desperately quiet and their actual blue lights dismal to see during the day. They've since improved drastically since they started using the manufacturers in house conversion rather than taking the cars and then transplanting old light bars and siren units onto the cars.

Within our driver training, we are taught that if the lights are on, the sirens should be, but at the same time we need to exercise common sense, driving through a built up area at 3am with sirens on would be a little much! however, built up area, 3pm they're on 95-100% of the time, this is as Luke as said, mainly due to lack of awareness from other road users.

 

[Terminal_Boy]

100amp? Are these WW2 air raid sirens?

 

[West]

Sorry, meant Watt

 

[Resident]

I drive ambulances and response cars daily on blue light runs. Officially we are told that if we are moving with the blue lights on we should also have the sirens on. If we have an accident and don't have the sirens going too we are in a heap of trouble.
The reality is that we get as sick of the sound of them as much as the people who complain about them (including those who buy houses next to hospitals or ambulance stations, then complain about the sirens - sometimes threatening violence against us), so what tends to happen is that in times outside of rush hour we sometimes turn them off until we reach junctions, or slower moving traffic.
I don't think they are any quieter than they were, quite the opposite in fact, but as stated above modern vehicles are very well sound proofed.
Many times a day I approach a car or van (rarely a lorry or bus though) with lights and sirens going and the driver fails to notice me for quite some time, at which point they tend to brake hard and lurch to the left without even seeing what is to the left of them.
The reactions (or lack of) I get from other drivers shows a terrifying lack of awareness in many many cases.

I really enjoyed response driving at first, now I find it exhausting as driving standard are 100% deteriorating, with outright deliberate dangerous and selfish driving being seen from an increasing proportion of drivers.

I live near a major hospital (700m ATCF) & the sirens have never bothered me tbh.

From a professional driver's stand point, I hear you on the deteriorating standards. For my sins, I drive buses & I've even been brake checked by a taxi because I dared to press the horn after he forced his way from a stationary position in a queue into my lane, which was moving.
Unfortunately however it seems that drivers within the YAS aren't immune to this detrioration and I've witnessed them on several occasions making very questionable maneuvers, including bullying traffic at red lights by edging towards them, sirens blaring, which I believe the training states to drop to blue lights only until the way is clear & not force other drivers into breaking the law in order to move out of the way.

 

[Nasher]

I've certainly notice vehicles driving with the lights flashing but the sirens off, they do give a little blast when they approach traffic but most of the time they're silent.

Not sure why people feel the need to complain about the noise, I bet if they needed one they'd be hoping it was coming all guns blazing, the NIMBY brigade really are pathetic.

It's like people who move near a race track and then complain about the noise.

(Yes that actually happens).

 

[Luke]

Unfortunately however it seems that drivers within the YAS aren't immune to this detrioration and I've witnessed them on several occasions making very questionable maneuvers, including bullying traffic at red lights by edging towards them, sirens blaring, which I believe the training states to drop to blue lights only until the way is clear & not force other drivers into breaking the law in order to move out of the way.

Sorry to hear that, but you're right. I've seen some poor driving from crews, and have on occasion rebuked myself following a bit of driving I realised was less than ideal on reflection. You are quite right about approaching cars at lights. If there is room for them to split to the sides I leave the sirens on but if they have nowhere to go without crossing the white line I'll always turn them off.

 

[Resident]

It's like people who move near a race track and then complain about the noise.

(Yes that actually happens).

Far too many times unfortunately. It's these smaller tracks that could have been used by car enthusiasts for meets etc, moving them from car parks and public roads which would separate the true enthusiasts from the ****sticks that go just to cause trouble.

Some states in the US have actually done this, opening municipal tracks or renting private ones to curb street racing by giving them a safe, off-road place.

Sorry to hear that, but you're right. I've seen some poor driving from crews, and have on occasion rebuked myself following a bit of driving I realised was less than ideal on reflection. You are quite right about approaching cars at lights. If there is room for them to split to the sides I leave the sirens on but if they have nowhere to go without crossing the white line I'll always turn them off.

BTW please don't think that I mentioned YAS because you're from S Yorks. I work in Sheffield/Rotherham/Doncaster and I'm a local boy. Also I will freely admit some of my colleague's driving isn't that great.

 

[Quartz]

I live on a rat run for ambulances. Not a main road but the hospital is only a mile or so away. The sirens don’t bother me. Then again I used to work at a hospital.