Hope I never need emergency services!

[Darsa]

Wow...

I was just at lunch break, and on my way back from the Wal-Mart shopping plaza was sitting at a light. All sides were red and there's a red flashing light at the top of each of the sets of lights going off, and sirens were screaming and OBVIOUSLY coming closer. The cars around me are TOTALLY oblivious to the incoming fire truck, ambulance, two police cars and other emergency vehicles (volunteer I assume). People still doing their rights on red, tootling along as though they have NO idea that a screaming flashing EMERGENCY vehicle is now hot on their heels... and the people who stop dead in the MIDDLE OF THE ROAD instead of pulling off to the side!!

Do people really think that their lives are THAT much more important than anyone and everyone else's???

And I have nothing but sympathy for the poor firemen and policemen who have to try to navigate through this...

Ugh. That is my vent for today, thanks for listening

 

[tonilea]

People are idiots when they see flashing lights. They may stop right in front of you or make a left turn... just crazy stuff. In some places you can actually get through traffic much faster when you don't use them.

 

[SplashMtnCrew]

OP~ I feel the same way!
Everytime I go into the store and see a car parked in the "no parking" fire lane...I pray no one in the store has an emergency and needs help

 

[Evil Genius]

I live two miles from a hospital off of a 4 lane highway, I watch what you described every day. I've seen people flip off ambulances because the ambulance has gotten behind them and blared their siren.

 

[Octoberbride03]

I swear most ppl have forgotten their driving manuals. 2 weeks ago Dh and I were heading home from work watching several EMS vehicles go up the street to answer a call. At 1 spot there's a Chevy Tahoe that tried to cut off a fire engine. That worked out well for the Tahoe as the engine couldn't stop quick enough and proceeded to damage the front axle and passenger side headlight. Fortunately for the Tahoe the ambulance ahead was able to make a Uturn and give immediate assistance.

So not only did Mr Tahoe need a minimum of 2 grand in repairs I'm sure he had several traffic violations to boot. He should be thankful that EMS decided not to respond to their original call. And I hope the 2 EMS vehicles that did answer the original call were enough to handle the job

 

[ShootingStarMom2]

.

 

[Chicago526]

It must vary by region, I've never seen people NOT get out of the way for EMS, unless they physically cannot (like you're boxed in at a light or something). I hope it stays that way. Everytime I read threads about bad drivers, I always comment about how I don't see that around here, and within six months I start to see it happening!

 

[apirateslifeforme]

I saw a good one last night. I was headed northbound with many cars in front of me in the lane. An ambulance was headed southbound toward us, lights and sirens going. Everyone on both sides of the road pulled over to let the ambulance pass. On my side, we pulled over just before a side road where there was a car waiting to turn left (to get into the southbound lane). The car actually pulled out into the road in front of the ambulance - and kept going! I couldn't believe that person did that, but I looked in my mirror and saw that they kept going...

 

[mommy*RN]

My DH complains about this all the time! In the city he works they have a system (and I can't think of the name of it right now)...but basically a light on the firetruck triggers the traffic lights to be in their favor. He said people still try to "beat the light" and turn in the way, etc. It's so frustrating. One time I was driving and almost got mowed over by an emergency vehicle. It was the chief's car (the city we live in is paid on call so they still use their personal vehicle equipped with lights and siren). I almost drove off the side of the road in shock. I felt so bad...but then my DH told me he was probably driving so fast he was out-running his siren. AHHH! That hopefully won't happen in a fire truck or ambulance since they are pretty recognizable (and we should all be checking our mirrors frequently), but this was a red car (Impala I think) with red lights in the grill and it was a sunny day. I actually called city hall about that one because it freaked me out that I could have caused an accident since I didn't realize it was an emergency vehicle. I'm sure my call went no where.

On another note my personal pet peeve is when I'm on the freeway and it's pretty clear (not bumper to bumper) and I see a sheriff has someone pulled over. Watching cars stay in the right lane, when they have plenty of room and space to move over, whizzing right by the officer freaks me out.

 

[Chicago526]

On another note my personal pet peeve is when I'm on the freeway and it's pretty clear (not bumper to bumper) and I see a sheriff has someone pulled over. Watching cars stay in the right lane, when they have plenty of room and space to move over, whizzing right by the officer freaks me out.

That's the law now in IL, you can get ticketed if you are able to move over and don't.

 

[mommy*RN]

That's the law now in IL, you can get ticketed if you are able to move over and don't.

I hope Wisconsin does this too.

 

[ChrizJen]

Yes, here in Missouri it's the law as well. You have to move over for an emergency vehicle that is pulled over on the side of the road.

I witnessed a horrible accident where a state trooper in Indianapolis was hit by a car speeding past and was thrown about 100 feet into the ravine. We stopped to assist him until emergency crews arrived, but the driver who hit him tried to drive away!!! Luckily he blew a tire and had to stop about a mile down the interstate.

Fortunately, we found out later that the only injury the state trooper had was a broken leg. It could have been worse, but it was the scariest thing I have ever witnessed!!

So yes, it really freaks me out to see a vulnerable officer on the side of the road, and cars flying by in that outside lane as if it's nothing!!

 

[LilyWDW]

I hope Wisconsin does this too.

I'd check because I am pretty sure they DO. A friend of mine in High School had an uncle who was a State Trooper in Wisconsin. He was hit by a pickup truck during a traffic stop and killed. The truck was over the shoulder line when the officer was hit and also took out the stopped vehicle. The drive was caught luckily, but not before he took this poor man's life.

I thought that after this accident that they had put through a law that you had to move over for a stopped emergency vehicle. This was 1998 or so (I graduated in 2000).

 

[ShootingStarMom2]

My DH complains about this all the time! In the city he works they have a system (and I can't think of the name of it right now)...but basically a light on the firetruck triggers the traffic lights to be in their favor.

On another note my personal pet peeve is when I'm on the freeway and it's pretty clear (not bumper to bumper) and I see a sheriff has someone pulled over. Watching cars stay in the right lane, when they have plenty of room and space to move over, whizzing right by the officer freaks me out.

Yes, the famous opticom I spoke of! I think people think it is for their car to get out of the way. Scott's law is the move over/change lanes law for emergency vehicles.

 

[4greatboys]

Yes I have noticed people do not get out of the way like they used to. It just seems business as usual for them. Always makes me so mad to see them not stopping or pulling over.

On top of that my oldest son is a paramedic so I am always worried about them getting into a wreck on a run.