Almost wrecked my fire engine last night

[fireman17]

While returning from a call last night coming down the main highway in town as I was approaching the intersection I see a car coming from the side road to my right.
Now I have the green light and I'm still watching the car as I'm traveling in the right lane something told me to let off the accelerator and sure enough with about 30 feet to spare don't you know she blows the red light and pulls in front of me.
I let out a full burst on the air horns and my Captain holds on bracing for impact and by luck I just miss the rear of her car by six feet and get this, I look down to yell at her AND SHE'S ON HER CELL PHONE!!!!
My battalion chief was behind us and saw the whole incident he gets behind the car calls our dispatch center with the cars description and plate number luckily a police officer is down the street and pulls her over.
With the statement from him as a witness the officer sites her for use of a cell phone while driving and running the light.
And the best part she was 16 years old only had her license for less than a year and told the officer she thought I would move out of her way because she was turning!!

 

[Kimberle]

Glad everyone was OK. Talking on cell phones is really bad down here as well (lower CT). When they enacted the law, people stopped for a while, now it's as bad as ever. I especially "love" when I see people smoking with one hand, talking on the phone with their other and sortof driving with their elbows.

 

[LaraK]

Frightening! I'm glad no one was hurt, cause you would have mushed her flat and then would have felt terrible, even though it was totally her fault.

 

[dizluvah]

Glad to hear it was a close call rather than an accident. Hopefully the ticket, and (fingers crossed) her parents wrath will be enough to scare that teen driver into putting down the phone and focusing on her driving.

 

[dispor]

While returning from a call last night coming down the main highway in town as I was approaching the intersection I see a car coming from the side road to my right.
Now I have the green light and I'm still watching the car as I'm traveling in the right lane something told me to let off the accelerator and sure enough with about 30 feet to spare don't you know she blows the red light and pulls in front of me.
I let out a full burst on the air horns and my Captain holds on bracing for impact and by luck I just miss the rear of her car by six feet and get this, I look down to yell at her AND SHE'S ON HER CELL PHONE!!!!
My battalion chief was behind us and saw the whole incident he gets behind the car calls our dispatch center with the cars description and plate number luckily a police officer is down the street and pulls her over.
With the statement from him as a witness the officer sites her for use of a cell phone while driving and running the light.And the best part she was 16 years old only had her license for less than a year and told the officer she thought I would move out of her way because she was turning!!

Too bad this doesn't work with regular citizens, too.

 

[mtdevine615]

And as I'm sure you know that's how a lot of us die everyday. Going or returning from calls. It's still hard for me to understand how some people never see this big red truck with lights and siren coming down the street or behind them. Stay safe.

 

[agnes!]

Hmmmm...using the cell-phone while driving AND running a red light? Her insurance is going to go through the ROOF! Will she lose her license on points? I think under-age drivers have different restrictions...

If she were my daughter, I would yank her license and institute some really tough love. Glad that no one was killed or maimed for life.

agnes!

 

[Stargazer]

Glad you followed your gut and slowed when you did!

It's like I always tell my daughter "It's not enough to be a safe driver; you always have to look out for those who aren't"

It seems like every day on my commute, I have a few near misses and I would say about 90% are because of cell phones (either people running red lights or crossing the median).

 

[debbi801]

Thank goodness no one got hurt. That could have been so much worse than it was. I don't understand people who think they are the only ones out on the road.

OT, I'll be up in Groton this summer for a family reunion in Esker Point.

Hmmmm...using the cell-phone while driving AND running a red light? Her insurance is going to go through the ROOF! Will she lose her license on points? I think under-age drivers have different restrictions...

If she were my daughter, I would yank her license and institute some really tough love. Glad that no one was killed or maimed for life.

agnes!

Here, that would actually happen. New drivers are not allowed to use cell phones while driving. If caught, they lose their licesnes.

 

[~disneydiva~]

And the best part she was 16 years old only had her license for less than a year and told the officer she thought I would move out of her way because she was turning!!:furious:

Seriously?!?!?!? I'm glad everyone is ok. At least you weren't on your way to the call. My dh and I are active with the Citizens Fire Academy in our town and I can't believe how disrespectful/stupid people can be. My dh was doing a rideout at one of our stations and they got a call for a grass fire. My dh said that 2 cars actually tried passing the engine!!