Overtaking a responding ambulance

[Northernchimp]

What is the etiquette? A few times recently I have been held up by one of these important but painfully slow, several ton vans. Is it ever OK to overtake?


Same goes for fire engines I suppose but never had that problem.

[premio]

Overtake where, on a motorway? I've passed these on a motorway before but that's because they usually sit on the slow lane even with blue lights on.

Any other road, if they are an emergency call then there is no way I'd pass one.

[GALLARDOGUY]

I wouldn't advise it.

[Northernchimp]

What about a single carriageway that briefly has a second lane?

[premio]

Northernchimp said:

What about a single carriageway that briefly has a second lane?

No, because at some point he will still need to pass you again so what would be the point? No journey of mine will be more important than an ambulance trying to get to an emergency or to hospital.

[davepoth]

I agree. If there's a chance the ambulance is going to repass you a bit further up the road then stay behind.

[wildcat45]

Also, where is it going? In the same direction as you. You could be headded towards a accident.

[ADM06]

I do see ambulances on the motorway "belting" along at 75. Is this really what I pay tax for and the level of service I can expect if needed? The governments failure to act on fuel prices will cost lives.

[fjord]

ADM06 said:

I do see ambulances on the motorway "belting" along at 75. Is this really what I pay tax for and the level of service I can expect if needed? The governments failure to act on fuel prices will cost lives.

If you can get an ambulance to do more than 80 then you're a better man than I am.

Our LWB transits struggle at anything more than 30 tbh.

[slipstream 1985]

ADM06 said:

I do see ambulances on the motorway "belting" along at 75. Is this really what I pay tax for and the level of service I can expect if needed? The governments failure to act on fuel prices will cost lives.

are you meaning why arn't they going quicker? too much weight id think for it to be safe

[spikey78]

Nail them on the brakes into a roundabout 'laterz, dicks!'

[ADM06]

You are both failing to note the second point I made. If fuel wasn't such an almighty rip off the NHS (which you and I pay for) may be more willing to outfit their ambulances with more appropriate engines. I've been in fully loaded vans, and most vans do not have the diesel engines you see in cars like a BMW 335d. But this is about people's lives. I'd say that matters more than the difference between 30 and 40mpg.

[davepoth]

slipstream 1985 said:

ADM06 said:

I do see ambulances on the motorway "belting" along at 75. Is this really what I pay tax for and the level of service I can expect if needed? The governments failure to act on fuel prices will cost lives.

are you meaning why arn't they going quicker? too much weight id think for it to be safe

Too much weight, too much drag. Ambulances don't have modified drivetrains, but they do carry a lot of stuff in the back.

[ADM06]

davepoth said:

Too much weight, too much drag. Ambulances don't have modified drivetrains, but they do carry a lot of stuff in the back.

See above. Maybe they should do.

[Herbs]

Really????

You have to ask that question?

As tempting as it may be, there are another 364 days of the year to belt down that road so being stuck behind a responding Ambulance is no great hardship.

You will be grateful for that if it ever has to respond to you or a family member.....

[Northernchimp]

362, it's happened three times. No need to get indignant, it was a question. I am not suggesting it is OK or not OK.

[ADM06]

If an ambulance caught up to you on the motorway, chances are you were driving a lorry so don't sweat it.

[Herbs]

I'm not sure if 362 is meant to be me or not but I'm not indignant about it however you could have asked a more intelligent question

[Shaw Tarse]

Northernchimp said:

What is the etiquette? A few times recently I have been held up by one of these important but painfully slow, several ton vans. Is it ever OK to overtake?


Same goes for fire engines I suppose but never had that problem.

It's a question that gets asked quite often some advice here http://www.bluelightaware.org.uk/
(If I remember I'll link to older threads)

[David87]

On a motorway or dual carriageway then yes as you're not going to get in its way if it has to come back past, but remember you may be heading towards an accident. There is no way I would ever overtake one on a single carriageway road as you will almost certainly end up in its way at some point!

Regarding their performance - out of interest, what sort of engines do ambulances generally have? I'm assuming it'd be the biggest thing offered by the manufacturer in the Transit or Sprinter or whatever it's based on?