Family Emergency. How fast would you go? Be honest.
Discussion
Our 1st child had a long labour. So long in fact that I got sent home at half time when mum was sound asleep. I just got settled in bed then got a call saying Junior was on her way.
It's was 3 am and I got to hospital in about half the usual time and boiled the brakes on the car (saab 95 aero).
It wouldn't have been any excuse but in the heat of the moment all bets are off.
Oh and obvs I am a driving god.
It's was 3 am and I got to hospital in about half the usual time and boiled the brakes on the car (saab 95 aero).
It wouldn't have been any excuse but in the heat of the moment all bets are off.
Oh and obvs I am a driving god.
Black_S3 said:
Impasse said:
"Phone for an ambulance, love. I'll wait for you at the hospital."
Exactly. The police, paramedics or fire brigade will be there faster than you and better equipped to deal with the problem on arrival.Plus when your loved one is better, no one will thank you for being dead, injured, unemployed or banned.
It isnt about reaching the maximum velocity the car will travel at, its about getting there intact and not causing any more life threatening injuries.
Basically in these situations you need to drive swiftly and keep your emotions in check as much as you can.
I have been in a couple of situations like this, one that sticks out is my uncle getting the call that his mother, my grandma had died, I was at his house watching telly with my cousin who is the same age, anyway, he loses the plot and we drive round there at breakneck speed, him crying and massively emotional, nearly crashed when a car pulled out not expecting a Metro doing 60 in a 30, I remember being upset myself but my rational self wondered what the terrifying hurry was as she had been pronounced dead.
My father in law was taken gravely ill last July, we had to get to the hospital, picked my mother in law up and drove normally, he was with trained paramedics in an ambulance, being taken to a major hospital, me driving ridiculously fast would have only upset my wife and mother in law and not changed the outcome for him, we got there that time but he took a turn for the worst that night and we got the call that he didnt have long left, drove the same and he had died fifteen minutes before we arrived.
The only time I would go as fast as I humanely could would be if I had to get somebody to hospital myself but by and large, that is a very rare occurrence for anyone and best left to the Ambulance service, if one of the kids or my wife was ill I would go quickly but not brain out fast, as I tend to find that works until it doesnt and you end up taking longer as you damage the car, get stopped or get into some daft road rage with someone who doesnt know the situation and has taken umbridge at your driving, in fact,if someone is insistent on getting past, you do never know if they are on a mercy dash, and anyway, best just let them get past if they are being a knobhead to get them out of the way.
I always try to make sure the cars are left usable, or at least one is, the keys are to hand and they have adequate fuel for at least 50 miles say, imagine a mercy dash and running out of fuel ?
Basically in these situations you need to drive swiftly and keep your emotions in check as much as you can.
I have been in a couple of situations like this, one that sticks out is my uncle getting the call that his mother, my grandma had died, I was at his house watching telly with my cousin who is the same age, anyway, he loses the plot and we drive round there at breakneck speed, him crying and massively emotional, nearly crashed when a car pulled out not expecting a Metro doing 60 in a 30, I remember being upset myself but my rational self wondered what the terrifying hurry was as she had been pronounced dead.
My father in law was taken gravely ill last July, we had to get to the hospital, picked my mother in law up and drove normally, he was with trained paramedics in an ambulance, being taken to a major hospital, me driving ridiculously fast would have only upset my wife and mother in law and not changed the outcome for him, we got there that time but he took a turn for the worst that night and we got the call that he didnt have long left, drove the same and he had died fifteen minutes before we arrived.
The only time I would go as fast as I humanely could would be if I had to get somebody to hospital myself but by and large, that is a very rare occurrence for anyone and best left to the Ambulance service, if one of the kids or my wife was ill I would go quickly but not brain out fast, as I tend to find that works until it doesnt and you end up taking longer as you damage the car, get stopped or get into some daft road rage with someone who doesnt know the situation and has taken umbridge at your driving, in fact,if someone is insistent on getting past, you do never know if they are on a mercy dash, and anyway, best just let them get past if they are being a knobhead to get them out of the way.
I always try to make sure the cars are left usable, or at least one is, the keys are to hand and they have adequate fuel for at least 50 miles say, imagine a mercy dash and running out of fuel ?
Of course, this is condition dependent but with dry, clean roads and light traffic I'd motor along.
In the car I'd stick to 110mph-ish, mainly because it loses accelerative capability above 100mph, 110mph would be a fast cruise but not completely flat out. On the bike I'd probably do about 120mph.
If you said I'd never have to explain my actions in front of a judge then I'd probably 186mph along the bits with no cars.
In the car I'd stick to 110mph-ish, mainly because it loses accelerative capability above 100mph, 110mph would be a fast cruise but not completely flat out. On the bike I'd probably do about 120mph.
If you said I'd never have to explain my actions in front of a judge then I'd probably 186mph along the bits with no cars.
A couple of things to bear in mind if you're ever faced with a personal emergency.
Firstly, "red mist". Red mist sets in when your emotions take over and it has a very real and measurable effect on both your senses, and your ability to make rational, sensible decisions. When you're dealing with an emotional shock, your body will produce adrenaline, your vision becomes "tunnelled" & your brain starts to ignore other senses, such as your hearing and sense of touch. This isn't a state in which you're best prepared to drive a motor vehicle at speed.
Secondly, people in these situations have a tendency to take much greater risks than they would normally do. It's called "noble cause risk taking" and is often used by the drivers of emergency vehicles to attempt to justify taking excessive risks. If you're driving a police car to a shout for assistance from a colleague, or a fire pump on route to a report of "persons trapped", it's easier to justify a dangerous overtake or taking a red light at inappropriate speed.
The problem is - and drivers of emergency vehicles have this drummed into them during training - you're no bloody use to anyone if you have an accident on route to an emergency. In fact, you'll then need an ambulance to come and sort you out - possibly diverted from the emergency you were rushing to. Not a good use of resources.
"Drive to arrive" is a bit of an anachronistic term these days, but it's still just as relevant as it always was. I'm not saying, in these situations, that you must stick to all the speed limits and dawdle your way to the emergency. Just try to remember that you're driving a car and that will take most of your attention - thinking too much about what is happening at home or hospital will adversely affect your ability to see, hear and make rational decisions and will make you far more likely to make poor decisions.
Think about your driving, don't go outside your - or your vehicles abilities & if you are signalled to stop by a police officer, don't turn it into a pursuit. Stop as soon as it's safe and if you're on your way to a genuine emergency, the officer will most likely help you get there ASAP. I did it a few times during my police career & once helped a chap spend a precious last few minutes with his Mum.
Firstly, "red mist". Red mist sets in when your emotions take over and it has a very real and measurable effect on both your senses, and your ability to make rational, sensible decisions. When you're dealing with an emotional shock, your body will produce adrenaline, your vision becomes "tunnelled" & your brain starts to ignore other senses, such as your hearing and sense of touch. This isn't a state in which you're best prepared to drive a motor vehicle at speed.
Secondly, people in these situations have a tendency to take much greater risks than they would normally do. It's called "noble cause risk taking" and is often used by the drivers of emergency vehicles to attempt to justify taking excessive risks. If you're driving a police car to a shout for assistance from a colleague, or a fire pump on route to a report of "persons trapped", it's easier to justify a dangerous overtake or taking a red light at inappropriate speed.
The problem is - and drivers of emergency vehicles have this drummed into them during training - you're no bloody use to anyone if you have an accident on route to an emergency. In fact, you'll then need an ambulance to come and sort you out - possibly diverted from the emergency you were rushing to. Not a good use of resources.
"Drive to arrive" is a bit of an anachronistic term these days, but it's still just as relevant as it always was. I'm not saying, in these situations, that you must stick to all the speed limits and dawdle your way to the emergency. Just try to remember that you're driving a car and that will take most of your attention - thinking too much about what is happening at home or hospital will adversely affect your ability to see, hear and make rational decisions and will make you far more likely to make poor decisions.
Think about your driving, don't go outside your - or your vehicles abilities & if you are signalled to stop by a police officer, don't turn it into a pursuit. Stop as soon as it's safe and if you're on your way to a genuine emergency, the officer will most likely help you get there ASAP. I did it a few times during my police career & once helped a chap spend a precious last few minutes with his Mum.
Black_S3 said:
Impasse said:
"Phone for an ambulance, love. I'll wait for you at the hospital."
Exactly. The police, paramedics or fire brigade will be there faster than you and better equipped to deal with the problem on arrival.Response times are appalling.
I've had to do it twice when one of my kids was around 6 months and struggling to breathe. Given we live close to two major hospitals there definitely will NOT be a third occasion.
Edited by DoubleSix on Tuesday 3rd May 19:42
Black_S3 said:
Impasse said:
"Phone for an ambulance, love. I'll wait for you at the hospital."
Exactly. The police, paramedics or fire brigade will be there faster than you and better equipped to deal with the problem on arrival.Hope I never have to find out! Saying that, our family cat dragged himself in one evening with his neck ripped open (we suspect a dog rather than a fox) and was bleeding heavily. It was 22:30 on a quiet, dry evening with no sign of ice - must have doubled the speed limits (when safe to do so on open roads, not parked up, slowing at any sign of other road users/pedestrians and otherwise obeyed all rrgulations) to the emergency vets.
He's still alive today
.
He's still alive today
.When my eldest was ambulanced to hospital at 8 months with severe burns I broke a lot of laws to get there from work quickly - I wouldn't say I took any serious risks regarding safety but I wouldn't been at all surprised to receive a custodial sentence for either the speed (as fast as it would go) or using the shortcut I definitely shouldn't have been on. (I'd rather not give details)
So in answer to the OP. Laws went out of the window at that point - I simply got there as fast as I could.
So in answer to the OP. Laws went out of the window at that point - I simply got there as fast as I could.
For those of you in rural locations where an ambulance will take more than, say, 15 minutes to respond... Nobody has an argument with your decision to drive to hospital, yourselves. And, given such a remote event, I'd probably drive as fast as I could with reasonable safety -- up to and beyond 100MPH if necessary.
Living in rural or frontier environments is a distinct experience and comes with additional responsibilities placed upon the individual. For example, people are warned when moving house to the state of Alaska, that they cannot expect services as usual. The state is adamant about this; they place warnings about this on their state "welcome" website. Some of the warnings are not for the faint of heart.
However, for anything urban, suburban and semi-rural -- at least in most of the US (sorry, that's where I am) -- placing that 911 call will initiate the fastest response.
Additionally I would like to mention that, depending upon the situation, getting to hospital may not be the best course of action. Sometimes, best practice would be for paramedics to stabilise the patient on-location. And even to perform some procedures on-location. Transport to hospital may not be via standard ambulance. Transport might be via air ambulance.
The query made by the OP is a useful one, and it's a good reminder to have a think about your own situation. In my case, and for the vast majority of my locations, that would be calling the three-digit emergency services line.
Living in rural or frontier environments is a distinct experience and comes with additional responsibilities placed upon the individual. For example, people are warned when moving house to the state of Alaska, that they cannot expect services as usual. The state is adamant about this; they place warnings about this on their state "welcome" website. Some of the warnings are not for the faint of heart.
However, for anything urban, suburban and semi-rural -- at least in most of the US (sorry, that's where I am) -- placing that 911 call will initiate the fastest response.
Additionally I would like to mention that, depending upon the situation, getting to hospital may not be the best course of action. Sometimes, best practice would be for paramedics to stabilise the patient on-location. And even to perform some procedures on-location. Transport to hospital may not be via standard ambulance. Transport might be via air ambulance.
The query made by the OP is a useful one, and it's a good reminder to have a think about your own situation. In my case, and for the vast majority of my locations, that would be calling the three-digit emergency services line.
dave_s13 said:
Our 1st child had a long labour. So long in fact that I got sent home at half time when mum was sound asleep. I just got settled in bed then got a call saying Junior was on her way.
It's was 3 am and I got to hospital in about half the usual time and boiled the brakes on the car (saab 95 aero).
It wouldn't have been any excuse but in the heat of the moment all bets are off.
Oh and obvs I am a driving god.
I had very similar with my second, when the midwife called at 3am she told me to get there as quick as possible. About 10 miles of the outskirts of a major uk city were dispached somewhere north of 100, screeched into the hospital carpark, ran to the delivery suite and the wife proceeded to bIt's was 3 am and I got to hospital in about half the usual time and boiled the brakes on the car (saab 95 aero).
It wouldn't have been any excuse but in the heat of the moment all bets are off.
Oh and obvs I am a driving god.
k me for the fact she heard me coming!!!Inconsiderate bloody woman didnt give birth for another 12 hrs anyway!!
A bit of a derail, but a rather heartwarming dit I once heard;
HM Forces do a lot of things very badly for their people, but what they always try to excel at is getting the guys home when they really need to be home.
I was told a dit of a chap in a FOB in Afghan, early on. Gets a phone message that his heavily pregnant wife is very much not well and he needs to get back asap. Tells chain of command, who escalate through the compassionate repatriation cell. He gets a chinook to get him to Bastion where there is a Royal flight BAE146 waiting. Only person on board, he is taken straight to Akrotiri, where there is a Tornado F3 waiting with a squipper to chuck some flying kit at him. He gets blasted over the med, refuelled and is in the UK a bit over 12 hours after he got he message. Which anyone who has been on a holiday to afghan will know is about 4 days shorter than normal. Makes it home to be at his wifes side.
Almost certainly some artistic licence used as the story has been passed about, but it seems M2.0 is the limit if you're really in a hurry!
HM Forces do a lot of things very badly for their people, but what they always try to excel at is getting the guys home when they really need to be home.
I was told a dit of a chap in a FOB in Afghan, early on. Gets a phone message that his heavily pregnant wife is very much not well and he needs to get back asap. Tells chain of command, who escalate through the compassionate repatriation cell. He gets a chinook to get him to Bastion where there is a Royal flight BAE146 waiting. Only person on board, he is taken straight to Akrotiri, where there is a Tornado F3 waiting with a squipper to chuck some flying kit at him. He gets blasted over the med, refuelled and is in the UK a bit over 12 hours after he got he message. Which anyone who has been on a holiday to afghan will know is about 4 days shorter than normal. Makes it home to be at his wifes side.
Almost certainly some artistic licence used as the story has been passed about, but it seems M2.0 is the limit if you're really in a hurry!
I got a call after waking from a night shift in October that my dad had been involved in a very serious incident at work and to get to the hospital which was 40 miles away as soon as I could.
Most rules go out the window in that situation.
Hazards on, flashing people out the way (thanking them when they do so), red lights taken with caution, boiled brakes (theyve not been right since).
Youl find in such obvious distressed/hurried/getthefkouttheway driving means that people tend to do just that...they get out the way.
Theres no describing it, no rationale for it, you just do it.
Could you really sit behind someone doing 45mph in a 60 zone...overtake them and not go as fast as the car/conditions would allow in a situation like that? I couldn't
Most rules go out the window in that situation.
Hazards on, flashing people out the way (thanking them when they do so), red lights taken with caution, boiled brakes (theyve not been right since).
Youl find in such obvious distressed/hurried/getthef
kouttheway driving means that people tend to do just that...they get out the way.Theres no describing it, no rationale for it, you just do it.
Could you really sit behind someone doing 45mph in a 60 zone...overtake them and not go as fast as the car/conditions would allow in a situation like that? I couldn't
So lets say this video from the sxxt driving thread
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7r8kTedGDI&fe...
is a pher on his way to wife preggers/family member dying/etc
He is driving like a loon and from some of the post would be justified to do it if an emergency.
I just can't see why people would take the risk?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7r8kTedGDI&fe...
is a pher on his way to wife preggers/family member dying/etc
He is driving like a loon and from some of the post would be justified to do it if an emergency.
I just can't see why people would take the risk?
anonymous said:
[redacted]
Although I gather that civilian drivers escorted under blue lights tend to be a liability, hence why that sort of thing is fairly rare. You'd probably be asked to park up and get in the back of the police car, and get there faster. That'd be happier, safer way of doing it as most people who are panicked do not make good decisions at the wheel, even when given dispensation to ignore the rules of the road to a degree. Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff