Family Emergency. How fast would you go? Be honest.

[danrst171]

Not to try and steer off topic, but what would be classed as a reason to speed? Obviously, the first thing that comes to mind with medical emergencies is that an ambulance should be called and you can't really help so there is no need to speed.

Taking a worst possible scenario, do the police allow you to "reasonably" speed to get to a dying loved one?

What other situations would be classed as an emergency? Obviously touching cloth on the M25 in heavy traffic allows use of the hard shoulder (jokes), but any serious suggestions?

[SlimJim16v]

As fast as is safe under the weather and traffic conditions, also taking into account the car I'm in, so 100mph - 150+mph. My car only has a top speed of 140mph though, the other 110mph.

I have had a friend bleeding heavily from a neck wound, so bad we couldn't wait for the ambulance. It was about 10pm in town, so speed wasn't great, but I wasn't stopping for anything. He was very lucky.

If not life threatening, what's the rush?

[numtumfutunch]

Impasse said:

"Phone for an ambulance, love. I'll wait for you at the hospital."

This with knobs on

A local consultant was done for speeding going to the hospital for some life saving thing or other and after an appeal still took the points and fine

Waiting for you to get home surely delays the time it would have taken to get the little 'un to a place of safety too

Glad it all ended well

[anothernameitist]

If I was in Bradford I'd just keep up with the rest of the traffic.

Else where as safe as possible.

[lostkiwi]

danrst171 said:

Not to try and steer off topic, but what would be classed as a reason to speed? Obviously, the first thing that comes to mind with medical emergencies is that an ambulance should be called and you can't really help so there is no need to speed.

Taking a worst possible scenario, do the police allow you to "reasonably" speed to get to a dying loved one?

What other situations would be classed as an emergency? Obviously touching cloth on the M25 in heavy traffic allows use of the hard shoulder (jokes), but any serious suggestions?

I would imagine that if an ambulance cannot get there as fast as you can get them to hospital that may be justification, especially if its a condition that cannot wait (as for example above).

[Kentish]

I kept with the ambulance all the way to the hospital when one of my parents colapsed.

Basically because they forgot to tell me where they were going before rushing off (it could have been any one of 3 different hospitals).

No idea what speed we did but it was quite brisk.

Sadly, he died on arrival

[caelite]

I would make sure that the apropriate authorities where called then I would safely stick to the limit, its just not worth risking your own life and the life of other road users.


Sorry HAH! Nah flat out as fast as my broken ass Subaru would take me. Actually had a bit of a situation like this not so long ago when I arrived at my mums house to find her collapsed in the garden, thinking back about that drive to the hospital would have been... most likely more than just a driving ban if anyone decided to take chase.

(She turned out fine, was having blood pressure issues which are now medicated)

[Yacht Broker]

i had the call everyone dreads a few years back... wife phoning me in absolute hysterics telling me that someone had just smashed into the car, that she was trapped in it, the ambulance and fire brigade hadn't yet arrived and she had really bad abdominal pains... she was 3 months pregnant at the time.

this was about 4 miles from where i was.... i arrived there fairly swiftly...

[JQ]

danrst171 said:

Not to try and steer off topic, but what would be classed as a reason to speed? Obviously, the first thing that comes to mind with medical emergencies is that an ambulance should be called and you can't really help so there is no need to speed.

For me, whilst at my 6 month old sons bedside in hospital in Manchester whilst he was recovering from surgery I got the call from the intensive care unit that my mother was in in Liverpool that she was dying and I had circa 20 mins to get there if I wanted to say my goodbyes. I didn't make it in time but I certainly gave it a good go in my car that was restricted to 155mph.

I don't think I'd do it if it was a sick person at home, I'd get them to call an ambulance.

[Theophany]

Impossible to know until you're in such a situation I suppose. I would imagine genuine panic and a burning desire to get to where I'm going would mean I'd pay less attention to the speedo and more attention to relative closing speeds of other vehicles. The general difference between driving on the seat of your pants and driving within the letter of the law.

[Glasgowrob]

A few years back I was heading home and got a panicked call from the wife saying there was someone in the house. Needless to say I made a panicked call to 999 then my father in law who lives local and may have ignored both speed limits and rules of the road to get home if I had encountered any form of resistance I would not have stopped for anything or anyone

Not long after that I had just dropped a punter off in Liverpool and was sitting feet up just down from Anfield having a brew and got word one of my kids had been rushed to hospital. Again no horses spared back to Glasgow. Turns out a total false alarm really wouldn't have liked to have been nabbed and had to try and explain that one to a magistrate

Edited by Glasgowrob on Tuesday 3rd May 17:01

[David A]

When / if you ever get one of those phone calls common sense can largely sit in the backseat. Very easy to sit at a speed just under ban territory in long stretches of mway while you can engage your brain but it's very easy to drive like a complete c*** to get under/round/past people who are in the way.

[2pad]

Happened to me and I deciced to stick to speed limit as it was more important I arrived safely than have two of us in crtital condition. Don't get me wrong the urge was there and have the the car for it, but I was not in the right frame of mind to drive safely, fast.

[kiethton]

In a similar situation I saw the limiter on my old 335i and was fully on it between traffic - slowing down when necessary due to traffic obviously

(dad in intensive care (Kings) after a bike smash, I had to get there, via Orpington, from Barnet - thankfully the M25 was free flowing and the spec's cameras weren't up then)

[Icehanger]

only done it once..

It is possible to make serious progress without driving like a loon (excluding high speeds on DC's and Mways)when panic doesn't set it.
I did get a wake up call on the DC while taking a bend that you normally take at 70-80, at a lot more than that and thought, "oh blimey I didn't realise its that tight"..deep breath and slowed down...a little.

[HustleRussell]

Does this happen in the real world?

Wouldn't it almost always be quicker to get a paramedic followed by Ambwilans?

[bigbob77]

Yacht Broker said:

i had the call everyone dreads a few years back... wife phoning me in absolute hysterics telling me that someone had just smashed into the car, that she was trapped in it, the ambulance and fire brigade hadn't yet arrived and she had really bad abdominal pains... she was 3 months pregnant at the time.

this was about 4 miles from where i was.... i arrived there fairly swiftly...

Sorry to hear that, sounds horrible . I hope it ended OK.

I would probably drive at about 14mph which seems to be the fastest I ever manage between my house and work .
If it was clear... I don't know. The temptation would be to drive as fast as I feel is safe, which is a lot higher than the speed limit in the dry. But there are too many unmarked police cars and getting pulled would cost more time than driving slower.

[CaptainMorgan]

I'm not a paramedic, so while I'd get there as quick as I could, I'd not be doing anything silly, no reason, I'm not going to be any use to a poorly 6 month old.

[bigbob77]

HustleRussell said:

Wouldn't it almost always be quicker to get a paramedic followed by Ambwilans?

I assume the question most people are answering is "how fast would you go after calling 999"... Otherwise no matter how fast you go you're just wasting time.

[zebra]

RMK87 said:

Long story short, partner rings me to say 6 month old is seriously ill. Lets say I got home asap.

Question is, how fast would you go? Would you hurry or not hurry? Speed/ Drive faster than ever before?

Woke up thinking maybe I drove too fast. But it was a heat of the moment thing.

30 mile drive, 99% motorway journey, 10PM.

How fast would you go?

70/80+
90+
100+
120+

Just curious to know everybody's opinion as to what they would do.

"Sorry pet, I'm playing golf with the lads after work and then going for a few drinks. Can you take Tyrion to the hospital yourself and Facebook the outcome for me."