Police and ambulance worst drivers on road?
Discussion
I would suspect that when you take into account miles per year (police vehicles cover 30k+ miles/year) the amount of fatalities are quite low. You can't really compare to the average driver as police vehicles and ambulances by their very nature are driven at higher speeds than average vehicles. I would suspect that the amount of police fatalities as a percentage of total fatal road traffic collisions is 1% or less. I would also suspect that not all police fatal collisions were not the police's fault.
mark69sheer said:
Also what the heck is that grunting siren used by paramedic ambulances. I almost pulled out in front of one the other day only hearing the Darth Vaderesque 'siren' when the car rounded a bend at speed and was only 20metres from me pulling out of a junction. I had to swerve.
And that's why you should never just cross a junction or intersection even if you've got the right of way. You can always come across an idiot not giving way or an emergency vehicle using it's lights and sirens.And those sirens might sound annoying there are there for all those vehicles who had a rearview mirrow but for some reason never seem to use them so they don't notice the big yellow van with blue flashy lights right behind them...
And i don't really think we classify as "worst drivers on the road" either, We get a long intensive advanced driving course before we are allowed to drive with lights and sirens and given the fact that in an average 12 hour shift we run on 8 to 10 jobs there's a lot a high speed driving involved on a daily basis.
What we often see is we've got like 5 cars in front of us whilst we approach with flashing blue lights and headlights and almost 140 decibell of sirens, and then the last car and the first 3 cars see us and pull over, and car number 4 doesn't pay attention and right at the moment we start overtaking car 5 car number 4 moves out to overtake the first 3 cars and we have to use our training to avoid both that idiot car that pulls out and the cars on the other side of the road.
And some people may moan that we drive rather fast sometimes, in some cases it really is minutes which make the difference between life and death, and i'm sure if it's your relative you want us to be there as fast as we can.
Medic-one said:
mark69sheer said:
Also what the heck is that grunting siren used by paramedic ambulances. I almost pulled out in front of one the other day only hearing the Darth Vaderesque 'siren' when the car rounded a bend at speed and was only 20metres from me pulling out of a junction. I had to swerve.
And that's why you should never just cross a junction or intersection even if you've got the right of way. You can always come across an idiot not giving way or an emergency vehicle using it's lights and sirens.And those sirens might sound annoying there are there for all those vehicles who had a rear view mirror but for some reason never seem to use them so they don't notice the big yellow van with blue flashy lights right behind them...
And i don't really think we classify as "worst drivers on the road" either, We get a long intensive advanced driving course before we are allowed to drive with lights and sirens and given the fact that in an average 12 hour shift we run on 8 to 10 jobs there's a lot a high speed driving involved on a daily basis.
What we often see is we've got like 5 cars in front of us whilst we approach with flashing blue lights and headlights and almost 140 decibel of sirens, and then the last car and the first 3 cars see us and pull over, and car number 4 doesn't pay attention and right at the moment we start overtaking car 5 car number 4 moves out to overtake the first 3 cars and we have to use our training to avoid both that idiot car that pulls out and the cars on the other side of the road.
And some people may moan that we drive rather fast sometimes, in some cases it really is minutes which make the difference between life and death, and I'm sure if it's your relative you want us to be there as fast as we can.
I hate to say it..
but I almost wish it was their Mother or Loved one in the Emergency vehicle that they just blocked from getting to the Hospital !
Medic-one said:
mark69sheer said:
Also what the heck is that grunting siren used by paramedic ambulances. I almost pulled out in front of one the other day only hearing the Darth Vaderesque 'siren' when the car rounded a bend at speed and was only 20metres from me pulling out of a junction. I had to swerve.
And that's why you should never just cross a junction or intersection even if you've got the right of way. You can always come across an idiot not giving way or an emergency vehicle using it's lights and sirens.And those sirens might sound annoying there are there for all those vehicles who had a rearview mirrow but for some reason never seem to use them so they don't notice the big yellow van with blue flashy lights right behind them...
And i don't really think we classify as "worst drivers on the road" either, We get a long intensive advanced driving course before we are allowed to drive with lights and sirens and given the fact that in an average 12 hour shift we run on 8 to 10 jobs there's a lot a high speed driving involved on a daily basis.
What we often see is we've got like 5 cars in front of us whilst we approach with flashing blue lights and headlights and almost 140 decibell of sirens, and then the last car and the first 3 cars see us and pull over, and car number 4 doesn't pay attention and right at the moment we start overtaking car 5 car number 4 moves out to overtake the first 3 cars and we have to use our training to avoid both that idiot car that pulls out and the cars on the other side of the road.
And some people may moan that we drive rather fast sometimes, in some cases it really is minutes which make the difference between life and death, and i'm sure if it's your relative you want us to be there as fast as we can.
If a scam happen to be there though.. that rather tricky as there does not seem to be a defence as far as the prats are concerned
You have to use your training und your exemption for that one these days. That the way the world appear to have gone because of stupidity over speed cams where common sense does not seem to be the "buzz word" mark69sheer said:
Does this mean per mile driven the police accident/fatality rate is worse than the average british driver?
I would suspect so.
One wonders if you have access to stats or are just guessing.I would suspect so.
The worst UK drivers on the road for accidents per mile are those under the age of 21, and by quite some margin. If police and ambulance drivers had accidents at the same rate they would not be able to stand the cost. Or, come to that, at the rate of those drivers under the age of 25, which is still very high.
Edited by Derek Smith on Wednesday 26th September 07:59
Okay...
... but we're not comparing like with like here. How well do you think Joe Public would do if you stuck a bleeding body in the boot of his car, told him the guy he's driving has ten minutes to live unless he gets to a hospital, and told him to sort it out?
... or told them there's a drunk bloke with a massive knife in the town centre threatening people, you've got to get there before anyone is injured and deal with the guy, it's rush hour, off you go?
Do ambulance crew and police drivers crash more often than other members of the public when off-duty in their own cars?
... but we're not comparing like with like here. How well do you think Joe Public would do if you stuck a bleeding body in the boot of his car, told him the guy he's driving has ten minutes to live unless he gets to a hospital, and told him to sort it out?
... or told them there's a drunk bloke with a massive knife in the town centre threatening people, you've got to get there before anyone is injured and deal with the guy, it's rush hour, off you go?
Do ambulance crew and police drivers crash more often than other members of the public when off-duty in their own cars?
i live in the town of doom where no locals can signal. i can only imagine the police have started to recruit more locally becuase they seem utterly unable to indicate any more either.....not the proper 5er driving trafpol but the women in focii. similarly they seem to struggle to change gear. i don't think my local constabulary have problems with them bumping cars to be fair but the more 'bobby types seem to make a meal out of driving a very easy to drive model of car! 
with ambulances... are they trained differently to london trafpol/all of the so19 type people? i only ask because they'll usually just drive on the wrong side of the road whereas ambulances often seem to just sit there honking away when you think 'you could get a boat through there' .. so is there a reason?
with ambulances... are they trained differently to london trafpol/all of the so19 type people? i only ask because they'll usually just drive on the wrong side of the road whereas ambulances often seem to just sit there honking away when you think 'you could get a boat through there' .. so is there a reason?
Statistically the police is the service that causes the most accidents in responding to incidents where the other services also respond, infact they cause more than the others combined.
Forget miles and all the other 'excuses' in simple terms having a cop car in your vision makes you 10 times more likely to die on the road that if it wasn't there.
Is it any wonder so many people try to avoid proximity to them... hahahaha
Forget miles and all the other 'excuses' in simple terms having a cop car in your vision makes you 10 times more likely to die on the road that if it wasn't there.
Is it any wonder so many people try to avoid proximity to them... hahahaha
Brother Mycroft said:
Statistically the police is the service that causes the most accidents in responding to incidents where the other services also respond, infact they cause more than the others combined.
Forget miles and all the other 'excuses' in simple terms having a cop car in your vision makes you 10 times more likely to die on the road that if it wasn't there.
Is it any wonder so many people try to avoid proximity to them... hahahaha
Where's the evidence to back this up? Sounds to me that someone said in the pub so it must be true. Forget miles and all the other 'excuses' in simple terms having a cop car in your vision makes you 10 times more likely to die on the road that if it wasn't there.
Is it any wonder so many people try to avoid proximity to them... hahahaha
I should imagine the police also respond to more incidents then any other emergency service which will shew any stats.
Brother Mycroft said:
Statistically the police is the service that causes the most accidents in responding to incidents where the other services also respond, infact they cause more than the others combined.
Forget miles and all the other 'excuses' in simple terms having a cop car in your vision makes you 10 times more likely to die on the road that if it wasn't there.
Is it any wonder so many people try to avoid proximity to them... hahahaha
Prove it then 'statistically' smart arse.Forget miles and all the other 'excuses' in simple terms having a cop car in your vision makes you 10 times more likely to die on the road that if it wasn't there.
Is it any wonder so many people try to avoid proximity to them... hahahaha
Dont forget with regards to collisions our recording is slightly different to your usual civilian v civilian collision.
Our is any collision that occurs due to the presence of a police vehicle. This does not actually mean the police vehicle has collided with anything or anyone or even been the cause of the collision, it just has to be there.
So we are driving on the correct side of the road and need to turn right. 2 cars coming in the opposite directions towards the police vehicle.
Lead car slows to allow the police vehicle to turn, second car doesnt slow and shunts lead car up the backside.
That will be recorded as a Polacc.
If that was a civvy car turning right and the same occurred it would probably not be recorded.
I think the fatal polaccs percentage is low on per mile KSI type stats.
Our is any collision that occurs due to the presence of a police vehicle. This does not actually mean the police vehicle has collided with anything or anyone or even been the cause of the collision, it just has to be there.
So we are driving on the correct side of the road and need to turn right. 2 cars coming in the opposite directions towards the police vehicle.
Lead car slows to allow the police vehicle to turn, second car doesnt slow and shunts lead car up the backside.
That will be recorded as a Polacc.
If that was a civvy car turning right and the same occurred it would probably not be recorded.
I think the fatal polaccs percentage is low on per mile KSI type stats.
Edited by ^Slider^ on Wednesday 26th September 11:44
Brother Mycroft said:
Statistically the police is the service that causes the most accidents in responding to incidents where the other services also respond, infact they cause more than the others combined.
Forget miles and all the other 'excuses' in simple terms having a cop car in your vision makes you 10 times more likely to die on the road that if it wasn't there.
Is it any wonder so many people try to avoid proximity to them... hahahaha
You are just on a wind up .... true to the type of rubbish often posted on this forum in PH !Forget miles and all the other 'excuses' in simple terms having a cop car in your vision makes you 10 times more likely to die on the road that if it wasn't there.
Is it any wonder so many people try to avoid proximity to them... hahahaha
liner33 said:
Mg6b said:
burwoodman said:
I think all police vehicles should have recorded video to use as evidence and random reviews done on the standards being observed
They do!Some don't!
Most have black boxes and vehicle log books. Some have video. Most drivers are dip checked by the driving school and given check tests on an adhoc and unannounced basis. This is across the board whether they are civilian employees using police vehicles, panda drivers or roads policing specialists. Even surveilance team drivers are checked.
Brother Mycroft said:
Statistically the police is the service that causes the most accidents in responding to incidents where the other services also respond, infact they cause more than the others combined.
Forget miles and all the other 'excuses' in simple terms having a cop car in your vision makes you 10 times more likely to die on the road that if it wasn't there.
Is it any wonder so many people try to avoid proximity to them... hahahaha
For your information. I will not allow any of my staff to pursue ANY vehicle that makes off from them. Their personal welfare and that of innocent members of the public are not worth YOUR stolen property!Forget miles and all the other 'excuses' in simple terms having a cop car in your vision makes you 10 times more likely to die on the road that if it wasn't there.
Is it any wonder so many people try to avoid proximity to them... hahahaha
They occasionally repsond to other incidents where they may have to use emergency repsonsedriving. I dip check them by patrolling with them and assess what they do. In the last year, only two of my staff have had incidents. None when they have been responding to incidents. Both were minor and one of them was blameworthy. I have 16 officers to look after.
Whilst it may be true with panda drivers etc, I wouldnt know but going out with a Class 1 driver is a mind boggling experience.
When you do RoSPA (or whatever its called these days) almost all the instructors if you do it through a training company are ex Class 1 drivers. The chap I did mine with was a Police Instructor before going on to do civilian instruction.
The level of observation alone is alien like, I was genuinely flabbergasted.
When you do RoSPA (or whatever its called these days) almost all the instructors if you do it through a training company are ex Class 1 drivers. The chap I did mine with was a Police Instructor before going on to do civilian instruction.
The level of observation alone is alien like, I was genuinely flabbergasted.
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