Is this illegal?
Discussion
Was in a car with a friend (the driver) about a week ago, when we overtook an ambulance in a 60, we were above the limit a bit (maybe) but not going a ridiculous speed. He flashes us with his normal lights, we carried on driving. He kept on flashing for quite a while and we kept on ignoring him (the fact that he was still behind us shows my friend wasn't going that fast). He then put on his blue flashy lights, so we had to pull over into a pub car park to let him past. Instead of tearing off ahead however, he pulls in behind us and starts to have a go at my friend for speeding. I can perfectly understand his motives for doing this, as a paramedic he's probably seen a lot of crashes involving young drivers, so there's no need to point this out, but what I'd like to know is whether it's illegal to abuse his power in this way, i.e. using his emergency lights to pull someone over instead of using them for their intended purpose.
cheers.
cheers.
So he stopeed for an ambulance? let him pass if he is fast enough or you are causing him to slow down whilst on a call but to get pulled for an ambulance 
We have overtaken an ambulance on the Mway with blue flashing etc but he wasnt going above 70is, so long as you are not holding him up, cant see a problem with overtaking and staying in front if you are pulling away.
We have overtaken an ambulance on the Mway with blue flashing etc but he wasnt going above 70is, so long as you are not holding him up, cant see a problem with overtaking and staying in front if you are pulling away.
Hehe, I was the driver, and yeah, we weren't holding him up. I overtook him doing about 70, maybe a bit more in a 60, on a long, straight, very clear road. Of course, his macho pride is insulted, and he starts flashing me, but I just carry on and pull away.
Anyway, we come to some traffic lights along the same stretch of road, and he ends up right behind me. The lights go green (We're now in a 40) and I pull away. I get up to about 45, and see he's still right on my arse, so I put my foot down a bit (when I say that, I mean I put my foot to the floor, and we very slowly accellerated upto about 50).
Anyway, at this point, he puts his blue lights on, so of course, as a law abiding citizen, I pull over because there's a pub just on the left, and get out of his way, thinking he's got a call, only to find he pulls up behind me and screeches to a halt, spraying everything with gravel, at which point he gets out of the ambulance and starts shouting and behaving aggresively.
Both myself and Ben were tempted to say something, but the irony of being beaten up by a paramedic was too rich for our liking.
Anyway, we come to some traffic lights along the same stretch of road, and he ends up right behind me. The lights go green (We're now in a 40) and I pull away. I get up to about 45, and see he's still right on my arse, so I put my foot down a bit (when I say that, I mean I put my foot to the floor, and we very slowly accellerated upto about 50).
Anyway, at this point, he puts his blue lights on, so of course, as a law abiding citizen, I pull over because there's a pub just on the left, and get out of his way, thinking he's got a call, only to find he pulls up behind me and screeches to a halt, spraying everything with gravel, at which point he gets out of the ambulance and starts shouting and behaving aggresively.
Both myself and Ben were tempted to say something, but the irony of being beaten up by a paramedic was too rich for our liking.
mattyb123 said:
I think you should be less concerned about whether this is legal or not. I applaud the driver for giving your friend a lecture about safe driving.
Yes, I was breaking the speed limit, but this was late at night, and on the 20 minute journey, other than the ambulance, I think we saw 2 cars. It's a long straight road with nothing in the way of houses or any built up area. Yes, speeding, No, not driving unsafely.
mattyb123 said:
I think you should be less concerned about whether this is legal or not. I applaud the driver for giving your friend a lecture about safe driving.
I didn't know that ambulance drivers were so employed, nor are they qualified to ( at least to the best of my knowledge ) make a determination as to what constitutes safe driving.
Driving in excess of the speed limit does not equate to being unsafe, as I am sure Mr Ambulance driver is well aware, given that he will do it when necessary.
mattyb123 said:
I think you should be less concerned about whether this is legal or not. I applaud the driver for giving your friend a lecture about safe driving because I've never once in my whole life wanted to make progress just that little bit quicker than the NSL allows. I'm also wearing a lovely pair of grey slippers.
Oh yes, totally agree
bengoodwin said:
Was in a car with a friend (the driver) about a week ago, when we overtook an ambulance in a 60, we were above the limit a bit (maybe) but not going a ridiculous speed. He flashes us with his normal lights, we carried on driving. He kept on flashing for quite a while and we kept on ignoring him (the fact that he was still behind us shows my friend wasn't going that fast). He then put on his blue flashy lights, so we had to pull over into a pub car park to let him past. Instead of tearing off ahead however, he pulls in behind us and starts to have a go at my friend for speeding. I can perfectly understand his motives for doing this, as a paramedic he's probably seen a lot of crashes involving young drivers, so there's no need to point this out, but what I'd like to know is whether it's illegal to abuse his power in this way, i.e. using his emergency lights to pull someone over instead of using them for their intended purpose.
tell the ambulance driver next time to mind his own business and drive off. i would of.
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