What do you do if you see blue lights behind you ?
Discussion
RichB said:
R6VED said:
I am an ex copper and i always liked it when people let me know they had seen me...
So what's the best way to do this? A quick flash of the hazards or a wave out the window? Also nice if someone is coming towards you on blues, to stop. I often see the car we are trying to overtake slow down, but not stop. You can bet that both cars will stop next to each other making it harder to get past.
R6VED said:
RichB said:
So what's the best way to do this? A quick flash of the hazards or a wave out the window?
A left indicator is always a give away that you have been spotted, or a slight swerve to the left - it becomes quite easy to gauge after a while if someone is oblivious or not.R6VED said:
Nothing comes close to the adrenaline rush of driving on a blue light run as not only do you have to be on top of your driving game, but also there is something "interesting" to deal with when you get there.
True but on a few occasions I've had to ask colleagues to slow down due to them suffering from 'red mist'. It does happen, even with drivers trained to a much higher standard.I always try to make my intentions obvious to the emergency vehicle, if I see am emergency vehicle coming up behind I will pull in to a safe place when its appropriate (99.9% of the time to the left) but indicate early and leave the indicator on...sometimes it can take a few seconds for the vehicle to be right on top of me so if it helps them realise I've noticed them and aren't about to pull out, then I hope that is of some help...
lesstatt said:
Busy traffic in leicester this morning, an ambulance comes up behind the slow moving queue I'm in, people just stopped. In effect blocking the road completely. Are people trained to do this these days or do they just panic and stop, surely it's far better to keep going till a suitable place appears to pull into, thus clearing the road. Or even put your foot down till you see somewhere suitable.
You have just met the "General Public" OP, never a pleasant experience...I remember a few years ago on the M6, I could see an Ambulance in the mirror, everyone, bar a low loader of sorts, had moved over to let it through. Ambulance was up its chuff, the driver must have been on planet zogg.
Anyway I opened up a gap in front of me, gave him a wave and pointed him in, no drama whatsoever, and got a wave from the Ambulance driver.
And you absolutely know that these "blockers" will be the first to complain that an ambulance, Fire Engine or Police car took "too long" to get to them when they need one.....
Personally, i've no idea how the service drivers keep calm. On a couple of occasions recently i've been on a busy dual carriage way, in the outside lane, seen blue lights in the mirror, miles back, and given the car ahead a few quick flashes of the headlamps in the hope that make them at least glance at their mirrors, then i move into the left lane. But of course, 30sec later the emergency vehicle has to slam the brakes on and anchour up behind said numpty, still oblivious, sat blocking the right hand lane. Personally, i'd put in a law that says if you block an emergency vehicle for more than 15sec they can legally PIT you ;-)
Personally, i've no idea how the service drivers keep calm. On a couple of occasions recently i've been on a busy dual carriage way, in the outside lane, seen blue lights in the mirror, miles back, and given the car ahead a few quick flashes of the headlamps in the hope that make them at least glance at their mirrors, then i move into the left lane. But of course, 30sec later the emergency vehicle has to slam the brakes on and anchour up behind said numpty, still oblivious, sat blocking the right hand lane. Personally, i'd put in a law that says if you block an emergency vehicle for more than 15sec they can legally PIT you ;-)
Most annoying thing, which has happened to me twice recently, is I observantly see the blue lights some way off, indicate left to pull over to the kerb side safely and the drivers behind who haven't a clue what's going around them pull out to pass you and give you daggers for pulling over!
Jader1973 said:
I've noticed in Aus that if the ambulance lane splits stationary traffic then there is always one t
t who, as soon as it passes them, decides to try and tailgate the ambulance through the traffic instead of filing back in in the original order.
It really annoys me.
Here too.t who, as soon as it passes them, decides to try and tailgate the ambulance through the traffic instead of filing back in in the original order.It really annoys me.
Strawman said:
What seems really stupid is people have been fined for edging through a red light to allow an emergency vehicle through, camera says you went through a red no quibbling, what they are supposed to do just sit there like a lemon until the light turns green? apparently yes.
I unfortunately have had this on my licence. Lights were green by the tube the ambulance came through so pictures showed nothing. I fought it in court and lost. So got extra costs too
A TS10 on insurance was a xie give for 5 years.
It says in the video don't go through red lights and don't enter bus lanes as it may be "Unsafe or illegal" to do so. I don't see that it's unsafe to enter an empty bus lane or even delay a bus for a second but there have been plenty of incidents in Bolton, for example, since bus lane cameras were installed of people getting fines for moving over for emergency services vehicles.
I've also seen a police officer, a diesel Astra driving one and not a proper traffic officer, sit right up an old lady's chuff at a traffic light junction with his siren going until she drove through a red light and then take time out of his hurried journey to pull alongside her and give her some over exaggerated head shaking and mouthed words. Not all response drivers seem to be of a grade where they understand the rules and expect motorists to abide by them so you're stuck between those who get themselves stuck behind you and expect you to break the law to get out of their way and the automated traffic enforcement systems that will cash in on you doing that, and get you shafted with all the repercussions of licence points and suchlike.
I've also seen a police officer, a diesel Astra driving one and not a proper traffic officer, sit right up an old lady's chuff at a traffic light junction with his siren going until she drove through a red light and then take time out of his hurried journey to pull alongside her and give her some over exaggerated head shaking and mouthed words. Not all response drivers seem to be of a grade where they understand the rules and expect motorists to abide by them so you're stuck between those who get themselves stuck behind you and expect you to break the law to get out of their way and the automated traffic enforcement systems that will cash in on you doing that, and get you shafted with all the repercussions of licence points and suchlike.
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