Lowered car vs emergency vehicle question

Always leave yourself a way out - it could be to move out of the way of an emergency vehicle or a nutcase or a lorry that hasn't seen the queue.

Leave yourself enough of a gap that you can move to the kerb AND straighten up. If you are at lights, maybe you can cross the line without crossing the junction in order to move out of the way.

Keep checking mirrors - the sooner you spot the emergency vehicle, the longer you have to plan and get an opportunity to shift and watch the other idiots who didn't.

On my commute there is a 2 lane dual carriageway that becomes 2 lanes of queue and when an ambulance comes, the cars and lorries to mount the kerbs onto the verge to allow them to pass down the centre, if they didn't they would be stuck for 20 minutes or more. The kerbs are only about 3-4" high. Sometimes lorries mount the kerb but there is still not enough room, if that's the case, the vehicles in the other lane need to clear it adjacent to the lorry by bunching up ahead.
 
Just to clarify the hole was about 6 inches deep and the stickers gave me the extra bhp to get out again :p

Don't get me wrong I'll get out the way if I have room but I'm not getting stuck on the verge again.
 
I'm not reading the whole thread but as someone who's been in a ambulance with a dying family member in the back of it, I've learnt its best to make every effort to move out of the way where possible. On that one journey I've seen some great drivers and some absolute ...... with no concern for safety in general (like pulling out in front of a ambulance).

Same with people in a rush somewhere. Yeah chances are its a ..... who wants to just get home early. But the one time that person is trying to rush to hospital, you may be the reason they don't see their family member live. Poor guy must have got a right ....... from his passenger (wife?) when he blocked me on purpose and then watched me drive straight to A&E.

And if it is a ...... Who is trying to get home, who cares, he's gonna delay your journey by 10 seconds if that. Hardly a big deal.
 
Kuros said:
I'd be more inclined to move out the way and damage the car for a fire or ambulance, given that could be a life or death situation for someone else.
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Right, because police don't respond to life-threatening incidents.

:confused:

Terminal_Boy said:
Don't think that Trumpton will wait behind you patiently if they're on a "persons reported" call or you're in for a surprise.

LFS considers rescuing people from fires more important than the bodywork on your car.
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Any physical contact between an emergency vehicle and another vehicle results in an investigation, they're not going to ram you out of the way.
 
I think it's common sense to allow them through if safe.
Causing or potentially causing another accident in the effort to do so may even result in the need for another emergency call out.

That said I've seen people quite often fail to give way to emergency vehicles at junctions/roundabouts when it would be very easy and only cost about 5 seconds of time to do so.
I've even been beeped at by cars behind me for slowing to a stop on a 30mph zone to allow an ambulance out of a side street, unbelievable!

As far as I know your not supposed to take any drastic action to allow them through as it's dangerous, but obviously ease their passing as best you can in a safe manner, often that can mean staying on course until the road becomes suitable for them to pass, or suitable for you to pull over slightly to allow them through. Basically be as passive and predictable as possible and let them navigate around you.
 
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the amount of cars in america you see with the windows smashed and the fire hose running through is comical. serves them right tbh.

i take it since its illegal to park in front a hydrant the owner cant do much about it?
 
Dogbreath said:
Lowering cars to the point that they become an obstruction to other road users is stupid.
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Nonsense, I bet my car is lower unmodified than his is modified.

Besides, you aren't obliged to mount a kerb for an emergency vehicle to pass - the driver of an emergency vehicle will clock pretty quickly if your car can mount a kerb or not and they'll manuvere accordingly.

Don't mount the kerb unless you absolutely have to and, even then, only if you are certain that you won't put pedestrians at risk.
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Howard said:
I'm pretty sure no emergency services driver would want you jumping a red light for them. Also, I believe if you do get caught by a camera doing so then you are still completely liable.
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Correct:-

Remember: Emergency vehicle drivers are specially trained and have exemptions to the law that you don't have, so you must not go through red lights or speed to allow them to pass.
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Source
 
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I live just down the road from a fire station , hospital and police station and always find it amusing during rush hour/busy times when you hear a siren and everyone are like headless chickens trying to make a gap :D it's like they HAVE to stop as soon as they hear a siren even if you can't actually see the emergency vehicles lights yet.

some one will always end up in a bad position and cost the emergency vehicle 10 seconds or so but They must experience it a lot because I've not seen horn rage yet


so you must not go through red lights
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Up here in Newcastle they are trailing a system where emergency vehicles can change the lights to green as they approach them
A device which switches all red traffic lights to green has been launched in Newcastle to prevent cars from ever needing to stop.

The pioneering technology is being tested ahead of trials of driverless vehicles, which would be linked to traffic lights so that fully-automated convoys could pass quickly through urban areas.

The new gadget, which attaches to the windscreen like a Sat Nav, detects traffic lights from around 100 metres away and requests priority so that they switch to green as soon as the car arrives. It also tells drivers of the speed they should be driving to make sure they always hit a green light in the event of traffic.

Currently the ground-breaking system is being trialled by the North East Ambulance patient transport service, who are hoping it will improve safety, create a smoother ride for patients and cut fuel bills.

Although it is only being tested in a small area of Newcastle City Centre, developers from Newcastle University are planning to role it out across the city in coming years, and are hoping to fit goods lorries and taxis with the gadget to ease congestion and cut pollution.
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TripleT said:
Kerb mounting, no unless it's tiny.

Hate morons who hear / see a siren about 500yards behind them and then stop as soon as possible causing a block in the road for the people and emergency vehicle behind. Just continue driving until they come near you.
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I see this so much, some people freeze when they hear sirens and just stop in the most stupid places, instead of driving on normally and letting them past at the right time.

Granted, it's easier on a bike to let emergency vehicles past, only issue is in heavy traffic we normally catch them back up within a minute or 2 :p
 
Not read the thread but regardless of what the rules are. I would not mount a 6cm'ish+ curb in my car regardless of what was needing to go past. They would have to wait or find another way around.

I would try my best to get out of the way but I wouldn't risk damaging my wheels/bumper.
 
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