Emergency Vehicles, is this wrong?

[Tr1p]

Evening,

Tonight whilst driving home, I encountered an ambulance with flashing lights.

Moving over safely to let it past, a few miles later the same ambulance (which never went above the speed limit) signalled to the left, pulled over and stopped with its lights still on. As it was quiet and safe to do so I overtook. About a mile and a half later the same ambulance then came up behind at a higher speed, I moved over in plenty of time to not hinder progress.

Now, this got me thinking. Was I correct to overtake? Or would you class this as dangerous driving/driving without due care and attention?

I presumed as the vehicle wasn’t speeding then stopped they were carrying out medical procedures etc on a patient.

What’s your thoughts?

 

[Tr1p]

This is what has intrigued me, already two replies and two completely different answers.

A fine and points given the circumstances would seem excessive to be honest.

 

[Tr1p]

Actually now you mention it, several times when I've been on my motorcycle on a dual carriageway or motorway in heavy traffic.

You can filter of course, but realistically only up to about 30mph, even that's pushing it really.

Anyway, if you get an ambulance coming up behind you, get out the way obviously, then get right up behind it and use it as a blocker.

So satisfying lol.

Terrible behaviour, I thought that was a big no no.

Having said that, can’t trace you from the front of a bike.

 

[Tr1p]

I believe what I did was right, it was just a couple of people who I mentioned it to thought it wasn’t the correct thing and could be deemed driving unsafe. This got me thinking.

I suppose some are overly cautions about these things and would sit behind them indefinitely.

 

[Tr1p]

I can definitely understand that seeing a vehicle repeatedly slow down and then speed up, might introduce doubts over whether to continue to pass it more than once. But in the OP's scenario, the ambulance passed him then stopped and so he then "overtook" it. Just seems a bit odd to have any question marks around that at all.

Guess the reality maybe just doesn't come through very well on a forum post.

What details could be missing?

In 20 years of driving I’ve never experienced where there is an ambulance driving with lights on, stops a few miles ahead for 1 minute or so and then carries on at a higher speed.

This prompted me to mention to a few people who have reacted with dangerous driving. Now I’d agree if the ambulance was moving at the speed limit or more and I then broke the limit to overtake but that isn’t the case.

It was more to asked a wider audience what their thoughts were. You say I may as well asked if it’s ok to overtake a parked car but an ambulance with lights on is slightly different.

I should have said passed rather than overtake as that implied it was still moving.

 

[Tr1p]

All I meant was that I don't see anything which even remotely hints at you doing anything "dangerous". I really struggle to understand why there's any doubt in your mind and why anyone might have suggested such a thing to you. That's why I wondered if there was maybe something missing.


Are the people who responded with "dangerous driving" trying to say there is some law which means nobody can ever pass a parked ambulance (with lights on)?

I believe they do think there is a law about passing parked emergency vehicles.

In hindsight it’s easy to believe, people will sit behind a buses stopped at bus stops for ages without passing. Emergency vehicles with lights on will be a big no to them.