Blue Light Aware - Emergency Vehicle Guidance

[Tim.]

I stumbled on this video and thought some might find it useful/informative.

 

[ColinG]

Good video that, my fiancee is always saying you should mount the kerbs etc to let one past...I will make sure to show her this! Thankfully she knows all too well not to kerb my wheels!!!!!

 

[daydotz]

Worth a watch

 

[Dave..]

Thank god! Nothing pisses me off more than people stopping in the most awkward places, forcing emergency vehicles to pass them on double white lines or round the outside of bends

 

[Jason_E]

I always carry on around bends, brows of hills etc. What use is it pulling over there? Great they cant see s**t all and have to go around you now. Good watch!

 

[MarcoB]

Does it explain that if you want to get somewhere quickly that you should follow them?

 

[Sunglasses_Ron]

It can be very frustrating when people stop on bends and brows of hills etc. it's really just common sense.

 

[Spinksy]

It can be very frustrating when people stop on bends and brows of hills etc. it's really just common sense.

I hate this aswell...

Kinda confused as to it saying not to go through red lights or pull up curbs though :S nothing irritates me more than when there is an emergency vehicle stuck behind several cars that refuse to move because of a red light or they are scared of curbing their wheel...

Surely it would be common sense not to go through the red light into other traffic but moving to the side doesn't hurt?

 

[MarcoB]

When I see blues and twos behind me I drive it like I stole it.

 

[Dave..]

Response drivers are trained to go around the cars waiting at red lights. For members of the public, going through a red light could put them in the path of oncoming traffic.

 

[Spinksy]

Response drivers are trained to go around the cars waiting at red lights. For members of the public, going through a red light could put them in the path of oncoming traffic.

I understand that mate which is why I said move to the side but how does a response driver go past 2 lanes of traffic on a main road when both lanes are full at the red light and there is a barrier so they can't go up the curb themselves....

If no-one moves the response driver has to wait for the green for the dopey t***s to move so they can swerve between traffic

 

[sbridgey]

I think you are the dopey t**t, most people will move over to clear a path, its also pretty obvious that going through a red light is daft and no one should be expected to mount a kerb.

 

[McGherkin]

It's safer to wait for the light to go green than try to force a member of the public to jump it - and then either receive a ticket from the nearby traffic light camera or get hit by unsuspecting traffic. Often they'll turn the sirens off as well.

The general public can be fcuking moronic when it comes to dealing with emergency vehicles. For example some people genuinely believe that at a zebra crossing, you still have right of way to cross even though a police car is bearing down on you at speed with lights and siren running. So they just walk across. Worse are the local fcukwits who think it's funny to throw things at ambulances and fire engines as they go past.

 

[Kchristmas]

I hate this aswell...

Kinda confused as to it saying not to go through red lights or pull up curbs though :S nothing irritates me more than when there is an emergency vehicle stuck behind several cars that refuse to move because of a red light or they are scared of curbing their wheel...

Surely it would be common sense not to go through the red light into other traffic but moving to the side doesn't hurt?

Without sounding like a pr*ck I certainly wouldn't curb my nice wheels to shave a couple of seconds of there journey as the emergency service aren't going to pay for the expenses of repairing them

 

[Spinksy]

I think you are the dopey t**t, most people will move over to clear a path, its also pretty obvious that going through a red light is daft and no one should be expected to mount a kerb.

You misunderstand I am talking about my experiences with the local idiots that don't move over and just sit there bemused while the response driver is sat there blazing the horn/sirens/lights....

The sort of idiots that sit there confused when common sense says if both lanes just moved over slightly to clear a gap through the middle no-one has to go through any lights

 

[LiamR172]

Without sounding like a pr*ck I certainly wouldn't curb my nice wheels to shave a couple of seconds of there journey as the emergency service aren't going to pay for the expenses of repairing them

Of course, your alloy wheels are more important than someones life.

Your not going to go flat out and smack the kerb, you can slowly drive up it and cause no damage at all.

I never knew they are not allowed to pass on solid white lines, learn something new every day!

 

[Ian_182]

Nobody has mentioned revin kevin and his girlfriend driving along eating a maccys and texting each other on the phone whilst they drive.

Glad i watched it though i have actually moved through a red light when an ambulance was behind me,only about 10ft or so but enough to let them past.Could i have potentially been done for doing this then ???

 

[Beef-Mc]

Quite interesting that, especially about the junction part. My work is quite close to a set of traffic lights where fire engines go past regularly, often here them with the siren on and blasting their horns whilst people are sat at the lights. Are those drivers likely to see any leniency for "jumping" a red for an emergency vehicle?

 

[shortos]

You shouldn't force cars through red lights. It's better to turn all the lights and sounds off and wait for the green, then begin making progress again. It takes away the undoubted pressure the car at front is feeling to go through the light..I don't expect people to do red lights for me or kerb wheels, our calls are not often that urgent... If there's a rare occasion when there's a life and death type call I will find a way through without putting people's lives and property in jeopardy.

 

[Beef-Mc]

Just a thought I had as sitting there at a red with the siren blaring plus the horn on a fire engine, has to be really intimidating to just sit there and do nothing.

I guess it depends on who the driver is though?

 

[Slammed172]

Don't use a bus lane ? Lol, really - not for a few seconds to let a ambulance get to a dying person. (granted the blue and twos will most probably be using the bus lane themselves)

 

[Chris Lewis]

Response drivers are trained to go around the cars waiting at red lights. For members of the public, going through a red light could put them in the path of oncoming traffic.

It's also illegal even if there is an emergency vehicle behind you with lights on. Highway codes states you MUST wait for the lights to go green before proceeding.

 

[Chris Lewis]

Highway code is very clear on this. It is the responsibility of the emergency vehicle to pass you. You have no obligation to move or slow or stop if it is not safe to do so. You must obey ALL traffic laws and should not attempt to transgress any highway legalities for the benefit of the vehicle behind.

 

[Slammed172]

Ok you stick to the highway code. I personally will let an ambulance get to a dying person and if that means I have to mount a kerb or use a bus lane, then so be it.

 

[James28]

Isn't this all common sense?

 

[Jason_E]

Isn't this all common sense?

Judging by the comments in this thread, no. Evidently not. This forum is full of retards.

What you have to remember, is that they arent thinking "We dont want people to curb a wheel". They don't want you mounting the pavement for pedestrian safety reasons. In the heat of the moment people panic, and fly up curbs without looking.

Same with bus lanes. I live near Oxford, I drive there all the time. The Emergency vehicles always use the buslanes to get round you. Plus, there are cameras everywhere that fine you the second you enter one.

 

[Spinksy]

Judging by the comments in this thread, no. Evidently not. This forums is full of retards.

This forums is full of retards?

Really??? Irony bomb right there!

 

[McGherkin]

Isn't this all common sense?

The problem with common sense is that it's not very common.

 

[Jason_E]

This forums is full of retards?

Really??? Irony bomb right there!

FFS thought I corrected that before anyone noticed. f**k DA POLICE

 

[Spinksy]

FFS thought I corrected that before anyone noticed. f**k DA POLICE

It's cool, we all knew what you meant, and I see the logic behind it I just don't see why people couldn't move to the side slightly...

They don't 'have' to mount the curb for me but moving close to it to allow the space a response vehicle would need to slip past would be the best choice IMO when sat at a red light when there is no bus lane etc and no where for the vehicle to go other than through the junction that everyone is sat blocking.... Hard to explain without pics tbh... Il be back later

 

[_Tom]

Isn't this all common sense?

My thoughts exactly although I resisted comment until now. You all have licenses, right?

 

[Slammed172]

Common sense comes two ways. I've sat on the M40 after a crash a couple of weeks ago. Ambulance decided to plough straight through the traffic. Hard shoulder was free.. Speechless.

 

[Jaff.]

Police car pulled up behind me whilst at a red light yesterday. Wouldn't have got through if I hadn't moved. I crossed the line. Policeman thanked me and didn't arrest me! Mental!