RE: More 999 Crews Done for Speeding?
Monday 15th September 2003
More 999 Crews Done for Speeding?
Welsh authorities' intolerance of speeding becoming legendary
Discussion
They're not going to get done, but they've still got to fill in the paperwork.
And it isn't just the cameras they have to be worried about:
www.abd.org.uk./
ABD Incredulous at Fire Engine Speed Limits
The Association of British Drivers has responded with incredulity to speed limits being imposed on fire engines in the West Midlands by fire chiefs.
From September West Midlands fire engines en route to an incident will have to stay under 45 in 30 zones, and under 80 on the motorway.
A particular irony in the situation is that over recent years many former 60mph limits have been reduced to 30. Under the new rules fire engines will have to stick to 45mph on their way to a fire, when only a few years ago they would have driven at nearly 60 on the way back.
ABD spokesman Nigel Humphries said:
"It is hard to imagine anything more stupid than training an emergency driver to drive safely and fast - and then imposing a meaningless and arbitrary speed limit for the sake of "safety".
Now, as well as watching the road, the traffic, and concentrating on his life saving mission, the fireman is expected to keep an eye on the speedometer. Just in case the fire chief behind is planning disciplinary action for "speeding" to a house on fire, with persons reported inside.
A few short years ago, rules like this would have only been encountered in the script of a Monty Python style farce. That such rules are now to be enforced is a frightening indication of the extent to which Political Correctness has infected senior officialdom, even in the fire service.
There is a frightening parallel to be drawn with a recent London ambulance service denunciation of speed humps. LAS says that more people die from delays to ambulances than are claimed to be saved by speed humps ? how long will it be before we hear that more people have died in fires as a result of the delays in attending incidents, than would ever have been saved from accidents involving fire engines?
A sombre Brian Gregory, the ABD's chairman said
"This is quite unbelievable, utterly crass, and is likely to be the direct cause of deaths. We hope that this action by the West Midlands Fire Service will not start a trend amongst brigades in other parts of the country."
www.abd.org.uk./
ABD Incredulous at Fire Engine Speed Limits
The Association of British Drivers has responded with incredulity to speed limits being imposed on fire engines in the West Midlands by fire chiefs.
From September West Midlands fire engines en route to an incident will have to stay under 45 in 30 zones, and under 80 on the motorway.
A particular irony in the situation is that over recent years many former 60mph limits have been reduced to 30. Under the new rules fire engines will have to stick to 45mph on their way to a fire, when only a few years ago they would have driven at nearly 60 on the way back.
ABD spokesman Nigel Humphries said:
"It is hard to imagine anything more stupid than training an emergency driver to drive safely and fast - and then imposing a meaningless and arbitrary speed limit for the sake of "safety".
Now, as well as watching the road, the traffic, and concentrating on his life saving mission, the fireman is expected to keep an eye on the speedometer. Just in case the fire chief behind is planning disciplinary action for "speeding" to a house on fire, with persons reported inside.
A few short years ago, rules like this would have only been encountered in the script of a Monty Python style farce. That such rules are now to be enforced is a frightening indication of the extent to which Political Correctness has infected senior officialdom, even in the fire service.
There is a frightening parallel to be drawn with a recent London ambulance service denunciation of speed humps. LAS says that more people die from delays to ambulances than are claimed to be saved by speed humps ? how long will it be before we hear that more people have died in fires as a result of the delays in attending incidents, than would ever have been saved from accidents involving fire engines?
A sombre Brian Gregory, the ABD's chairman said
"This is quite unbelievable, utterly crass, and is likely to be the direct cause of deaths. We hope that this action by the West Midlands Fire Service will not start a trend amongst brigades in other parts of the country."
I do hope how ridiculous this is becomes so obvious to the powers that be that something can be done.
Blue Lights On = Emergency = Speed Limits do not apply.
When my house is burning down/is being burgled/has me in it dying I hope the Fire/Police/Ambulance Officers on their way don't give a flying
for the speed limit.
Blue Lights On = Emergency = Speed Limits do not apply.
When my house is burning down/is being burgled/has me in it dying I hope the Fire/Police/Ambulance Officers on their way don't give a flying
for the speed limit.Pistonheads said:
High level talks are to be held between the police and fire services in the area.
Yeah i can see it now.
A Fire-stations worth of irate burly fire crew, just back from a job tired,pissed off and covered in ash, descend on Wrexham Police station to "av a word" with the guy in charge.
This is not unusual and has been happening for years.
Last year I had a tray full of NIP's and Section 172 notices. At one point I had 8 to deal with which all required hard copies of the control log attached to them plus the completed exemption notice so that the FPT office would write them off.
The easy answer now is to slow down to the limit when on blues if you have to pass through a camera site. Result= this year, so far no exemption forms to fill in
Last year I had a tray full of NIP's and Section 172 notices. At one point I had 8 to deal with which all required hard copies of the control log attached to them plus the completed exemption notice so that the FPT office would write them off.
The easy answer now is to slow down to the limit when on blues if you have to pass through a camera site. Result= this year, so far no exemption forms to fill in
Just out of interest if it could be proved that this adherence to limits, say, cost a person their life (faster speeds meaning a better response time) who would be responsible - if anyone? The Fire Brigade / Ambulance Trust? The Scamera Partnership? Surely this would a case of corporate manslaughter?
madcop said:
This is not unusual and has been happening for years.
Last year I had a tray full of NIP's and Section 172 notices. At one point I had 8 to deal with which all required hard copies of the control log attached to them plus the completed exemption notice so that the FPT office would write them off.
The easy answer now is to slow down to the limit when on blues if you have to pass through a camera site. Result= this year, so far no exemption forms to fill in
I guess that bwe are fortunate in the Met...never had to deal with one.
However, a friend of mine did recently after he set one off in TVP area.
I know a retained Fireman who recently got done by a couple of cops in a patrol car for speeding.
Situation was, my mate who has to carry a pager with him at all times, got paged 3 times within two minutes so he knew that it was urgent (persons reported)and raced off to the Fire Station.
He got pulled at 50 in a 30 and they nicked him, even when he explained the situation
and has a big sticker in the back window of his car 'Fire Brigade personnel'the Wiz said:
Just out of interest if it could be proved that this adherence to limits, say, cost a person their life (faster speeds meaning a better response time) who would be responsible - if anyone? The Fire Brigade / Ambulance Trust? The Scamera Partnership? Surely this would a case of corporate manslaughter?
Think about it.
A camera site is about 100 meters from start to finish. Most journeys on blues will pass at most three or four sites. Slowing down to the limit for 400 yards is no different to having to slow down because someone with their thumb up their arse has not seen you or will not move out of the way. This is a varaible on many blues runs. Slowing down to the limit over 400 yards will not a make an appreciable difference to the overall response time.
Filling in many copies of NIP's exemption forms and trawling the command and control logs to attach hard copies, may well do so!
swilly said:
What next emergency services attending on push-bikes to cut down on emmissions.
Fruckers the lot of em, lentil-munching fruckers.
Not to cut down on emissions; but the London Ambulance Service does have a Bicycle Response Team that deals with the Leicester Square/Oxford Street area. They carry defibs, oxygen, and full drugs kit and invariably get to their casualty quicker that any other form of response. The guy that started it is an ex-British BMX champ that also happens to be a paramedic...www.londonambulance.nhs.uk/news/archive/pressreleases/jul22_02.htm
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