Family Emergency. How fast would you go? Be honest.
Discussion
I can - and have - driven as fast as I can without feeling I'm endangering anyone else but myself, to the point of the car being flat out - but the minute it's taking any risks with what is around the corner, visibility, anywhere built up, etc, I won't do it.
Nobody else deserves to get the same phonecalls that night.
Nobody else deserves to get the same phonecalls that night.
TartanPaint said:
I'd stay on the phone, drive normally, provide moral support and direction and manage the situation as calmly as possible, while you lot are still looking for a telephone box to get changed in... 
There are two really obvious reasons not to try and really go for it, in order of importance:
1. you might kill someone else, or yourself, especially because your mind won't be focussed on driving; and
2. you won't actually save very much time over any plausible distance!
Think about it: if you average 80mph on the motorway normally and the hospital is 30 miles away, then averaging 120mph (which will be extremely difficult, not to say dangerous, even in a fast car), then you will arrive the grand total of 7.5 minutes sooner. Hardly likely to be worth it, is it? On any other normal roads, you're not going to be able to average 40mph more than normal, so the time saved will be even less...
I've had two such calls, one for my father in law, my wife and I worked at the same location so I got her to the hospital as soon as I could. All 30mph limits with traffic, I made time when I could, but no crazy overtaking, we were both sure it would be too late and just wanted to get there for her mum. As it turned out he had died at the scene and my wife's mum got confused about where we worked so it took a while for the hospital to get a call through to us. I probably gained the most time by dropping my wife off at the hospital entrance while I went to find somewhere to park.
The second was for my mother in law, my wife was with her so I legged it home to pick up the car then drove over to the M-i-L's house, only a couple of miles so there was little time to be saved and I would not be there before the paramedics so no need to drive like a loon. I made it before the ambulance left so I was there to comfort my wife and take her to the hospital, no rush her mum as was gone by then.
I'll admit on both occasions there was the temptation to use it as an excuse to drive fast, but what I really wanted to do is get there and any kind of accident would have delayed that, plus I have no right to endanger other people. To put it another way I would not drive any faster than I might normally if there were no speed limits to worry about.
The second was for my mother in law, my wife was with her so I legged it home to pick up the car then drove over to the M-i-L's house, only a couple of miles so there was little time to be saved and I would not be there before the paramedics so no need to drive like a loon. I made it before the ambulance left so I was there to comfort my wife and take her to the hospital, no rush her mum as was gone by then.
I'll admit on both occasions there was the temptation to use it as an excuse to drive fast, but what I really wanted to do is get there and any kind of accident would have delayed that, plus I have no right to endanger other people. To put it another way I would not drive any faster than I might normally if there were no speed limits to worry about.
GTIAlex said:
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/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
Ditto this entirely. Done this twice, coincidentally both times with my mum in the car.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
Once when I got to hers for dinner at 8ish, right out in the arse end of knowhere, to find her passed out just outside her front door. Got right back in the car, put her in and belted her up, her eyes where open at this point but she was dilearious and I couldnt get anything coherant out of her. Drove straight to Cowal hospital. 40 minute mountain drive turned into 20, went right up the centre of the main road in Dunoon hazards on with the horn being blasted, everyone just got the hell out of the way, thinking about it now it was pretty amazing, car was in a bad way when I got to the hospital mind (an mk1 Fabia VRS), smoke off the brakes & a smelly clutch. The ambulances in the highlands are notoriously slow although in foresight they may have send the helicopter in that situation. She was up and responsive an hour later, doc said if they had got her any later brain damaged might have been caused (She had taken a bad reaction to some medication). Dont regret anything I did that day & would do it again even if I had to explain my actions to a judge.
The second time was a slightly less frantic drive. While I was at hers, our dog had eaten some s
t on the beach and had started having siezures queue a less frantic but still somewhat illegal drive to the nearest vetenary hospital 2 hours away, that one was more spirited hoon speeds with aggressive flashing to everyone I caught up on. Still very thankful to all the folks to slowed down and let me pass that day. The dog had to get put down at the vet as its kidneys had failed, again im atleast happy I saved it ~25minutes of complete agony (renal failure is supposedly one of the most painful things that can happen to a dog).I got a phone call to say that my Dad couldn't breath, a motorcycle paramedic had attended and he was being taken to resus. I was in the West End and had to get to Whipps Cross at the end of North East London, which during rush hour should usually take 1 h.
I drove more calmly and safely than I usually do, not breaking any limits, because I was conscious that any mistakes could result in a delay and the fastest way was to have a clear head, and got there in 45 mins.
I drove more calmly and safely than I usually do, not breaking any limits, because I was conscious that any mistakes could result in a delay and the fastest way was to have a clear head, and got there in 45 mins.
Some of the responses in this thread beggar belief, especially the "yeah I'd go at least 120 and screw everyone else, it's me famm-lee innit" types.
I can just picture some people screaming through 30 zones at dangerous speeds because their wife might be having a baby, or some such nonsense. I can't think of a bigger recipe for death and destruction than testosterone fuelled PH types panic-driving through residential areas at 100mph or more. Seriously, some people need to get a better grip on the realities of life before they kill somebody.
I will now get flamed by the aforementioned "it's me famm-lee innit" types and lectured about their driving God skillz and how nothing in the world must come before their "famm-lee", not even other people's lives.
I can just picture some people screaming through 30 zones at dangerous speeds because their wife might be having a baby, or some such nonsense. I can't think of a bigger recipe for death and destruction than testosterone fuelled PH types panic-driving through residential areas at 100mph or more. Seriously, some people need to get a better grip on the realities of life before they kill somebody.
I will now get flamed by the aforementioned "it's me famm-lee innit" types and lectured about their driving God skillz and how nothing in the world must come before their "famm-lee", not even other people's lives.
Edited by zarjaz1991 on Wednesday 4th May 06:09
Edited by zarjaz1991 on Wednesday 4th May 06:19
zarjaz1991 said:
Some of the responses in this thread beggar belief, especially the "yeah I'd go at least 120 and screw everyone else, it's me famm-lee innit" types.
I can just picture some people screaming through 30 zones at dangerous speeds because their wife might be having a baby, or some such nonsense. I can't think of a bigger recipe for death and destruction than testosterone fuelled PH types panic-driving through residential areas at 100mph or more. Seriously, some people need to get a better drop on the realities of life before they kill somebody.
I will now get flamed by the aforementioned "it's me famm-lee innit" types and lectured about their driving God skillz and how nothing in the world must come before their "famm-lee", nit even other people's lives.
The sentiment is good, the way it's written leaves a lot to be desired.I can just picture some people screaming through 30 zones at dangerous speeds because their wife might be having a baby, or some such nonsense. I can't think of a bigger recipe for death and destruction than testosterone fuelled PH types panic-driving through residential areas at 100mph or more. Seriously, some people need to get a better drop on the realities of life before they kill somebody.
I will now get flamed by the aforementioned "it's me famm-lee innit" types and lectured about their driving God skillz and how nothing in the world must come before their "famm-lee", nit even other people's lives.
There were two instances last year when I received a phone call from my wife to say that my son had been taken to hospital. Both times I was around 40 miles away from the hospital.
The first time I rushed off as fast as my rented Peugeot 1.6 could go (so not much faster than walking pace...) and then when I came to the first traffic jam I took stock and realised that no matter how aggressively I drove, it would only save a couple of minutes at most. My wife got flashed by a speed camera while driving my son to the hospital though - for doing 35mph in a 30mph limit.
The second time, an ambulance took my son to the hospital. Because it was the second time it had happened in a short space of time I realised that the time saved between driving like a lunatic and driving normally would make very little difference to the situation, so I drove maybe 5 or 10 mph faster than I would have done normally.
Many years ago, one evening soon after I passed my driving test, I dropped a friend home who lived near the sort of holiday camp you could go to on the Sun newspaper's £10 holiday deal. On the pavement outside our house was a woman who was clearly in need of medical help, surrounded by members of her family.
I lent them my mobile phone to call an ambulance and then they started stressing because the ambulance was going to take 20 minutes to arrive and they were convinced she was going to die if she didn't get her medication within 15 minutes.
Being young and foolish, I allowed this woman and her husband into my car and I drove like a lunatic to the hospital 15 miles away. How we all survived I'll never know, and I would like to apologise now to everyone I cut up, and everyone who had to take evasive action due to my rubbish driving.
I think now I am a grown up, I'd leave that sort of thing to the professionals.
The first time I rushed off as fast as my rented Peugeot 1.6 could go (so not much faster than walking pace...) and then when I came to the first traffic jam I took stock and realised that no matter how aggressively I drove, it would only save a couple of minutes at most. My wife got flashed by a speed camera while driving my son to the hospital though - for doing 35mph in a 30mph limit.
The second time, an ambulance took my son to the hospital. Because it was the second time it had happened in a short space of time I realised that the time saved between driving like a lunatic and driving normally would make very little difference to the situation, so I drove maybe 5 or 10 mph faster than I would have done normally.
Many years ago, one evening soon after I passed my driving test, I dropped a friend home who lived near the sort of holiday camp you could go to on the Sun newspaper's £10 holiday deal. On the pavement outside our house was a woman who was clearly in need of medical help, surrounded by members of her family.
I lent them my mobile phone to call an ambulance and then they started stressing because the ambulance was going to take 20 minutes to arrive and they were convinced she was going to die if she didn't get her medication within 15 minutes.
Being young and foolish, I allowed this woman and her husband into my car and I drove like a lunatic to the hospital 15 miles away. How we all survived I'll never know, and I would like to apologise now to everyone I cut up, and everyone who had to take evasive action due to my rubbish driving.
I think now I am a grown up, I'd leave that sort of thing to the professionals.
Early hours of the morning and I was into the triple digits (I think V-max was 126) down a DC on the way to hospital - although I was obviously more sensible around the village.
Passed a police car on the way who decided to give me an escort (of sorts). They were brilliant at the hospital when they realised the reason I was "making progress" - as is the term into new these here parts.
Thanks again, PC and WPC from Swindon (Nov 2009).
Passed a police car on the way who decided to give me an escort (of sorts). They were brilliant at the hospital when they realised the reason I was "making progress" - as is the term into new these here parts.
Thanks again, PC and WPC from Swindon (Nov 2009).
Edited by Pints on Wednesday 4th May 09:14
Silent1 said:
The sentiment is good, the way it's written leaves a lot to be desired.
Well I'm not going to beat about the bush. I've no time for people who think they can simply drop all of society's rules and regulations and put people's lives at risk just because they happen to think it's necessary. Someone has to scrape the bodies off the floor. Someone's family gets torn apart. All because someone panicked and decided normal rules of living can be dropped on a whim. Does the idea of a highly stressed, panicking person with average driving skills at best, suddenly driving through residential areas at more than double the speed limit because of a 'medical emergency' not fill you with abject terror? Because it does me. Some of the posts in this thread are truly terrifying.
Getragdogleg said:
unsprung said:
+1
I might be disappointed in my wife if, in a true emergency, she would choose to prolong the situation by calling anybody apart from the skilled respondents waiting 24/7 at the other end of the emergency line.
Just tap three digits on your phone, et voila.
Where I live "wait for ambulance" = a half hour to just get to us if they are not busy and can send one from the nearest town, often the ambulance comes from the nearest available town so it could be an hour or more.I might be disappointed in my wife if, in a true emergency, she would choose to prolong the situation by calling anybody apart from the skilled respondents waiting 24/7 at the other end of the emergency line.
Just tap three digits on your phone, et voila.
Its always quicker to put the person in a car and DIY here.
Funnily enough had this sort of scenario last night.
Partner received a call to tell her that her 18 year old daughter had been in a car smash as a passenger and was being spinal boarded. Call dropped out and then couldn't get hold of anyone.
Daughter was in Horsham, Sussex. We were in Reading.
M4 was cruised at just tickling 3 figures, nipped through Bracknell and down the M3 and had to abide the 50 average limit. Then onto the M25 where I didn't dare do much more than 80 as I don't know when the gantry cameras kicked in.
Got to Horsham to eventually find she was in Tunbridge Wells, so the cross country jaunt to there was done at 8/10ths.
If it had been a genuinely life threatening situation, speeding tickets would have been inevitable...
Partner received a call to tell her that her 18 year old daughter had been in a car smash as a passenger and was being spinal boarded. Call dropped out and then couldn't get hold of anyone.
Daughter was in Horsham, Sussex. We were in Reading.
M4 was cruised at just tickling 3 figures, nipped through Bracknell and down the M3 and had to abide the 50 average limit. Then onto the M25 where I didn't dare do much more than 80 as I don't know when the gantry cameras kicked in.
Got to Horsham to eventually find she was in Tunbridge Wells, so the cross country jaunt to there was done at 8/10ths.
If it had been a genuinely life threatening situation, speeding tickets would have been inevitable...
Christmas day 2014 just sitting down for dinner in Romford we get a call that the father in law had just had a heart attack in Soham, Cambridge and the air ambulance had been called.
Air ambulance was dispatched from Addenbrookes (also in cambridge)
We left Romford and got to the hospital before the air ambulance had returned.
Being Christmas day the roads were thankfully empty, it was bright, clear and bone dry - got 'near' the limiter at times.
Turned out to be a stroke which thank god didn't have any lasting effects.
Air ambulance was dispatched from Addenbrookes (also in cambridge)
We left Romford and got to the hospital before the air ambulance had returned.
Being Christmas day the roads were thankfully empty, it was bright, clear and bone dry - got 'near' the limiter at times.
Turned out to be a stroke which thank god didn't have any lasting effects.
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