Overtaking ambulance with blues on
Discussion
Blues only... explained
https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-new...
So yes... I would have overtaken too.
As with any emergency service, once you hear any sirens, then you are on alert, & just do your best not to impede them in any way.
NB: When we see blues lights or hear sirens... we say “Teas ready or “somebody’s late fior dinner”
https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-new...
So yes... I would have overtaken too.
As with any emergency service, once you hear any sirens, then you are on alert, & just do your best not to impede them in any way.
NB: When we see blues lights or hear sirens... we say “Teas ready or “somebody’s late fior dinner”
Edited by Milkyway on Sunday 6th November 22:53
For what it’s worth, if they were clearly established at 65mph and it appeared they were going to maintain that pace then, on a quiet motorway, I’d have gone past them also. In that situation with three largely empty lanes and a hard shoulder to utilise it’d be very unlikely that you’d subsequently hold them up. Trundling along behind them for mile after mile would feel like an odd choice to me, making reasonable progress is part of driving well. At the other end of the scale if they were below the speed limit on a single carriageway then absolutely no way would I pass, even if multiple safe passing opportunities arose, the chances of subsequently delaying them would be too high.
Had a similar situation on a dual carriageway yesterday with my other half driving. The ambulance was doing about 65 with blues on but no siren. We were the only other car on the road and she was doing a similar speed in front of it. The dual carriageway ended at a roundabout in about a mile so I suggested my other half eased off and allowed the ambulance to overtake. She managed to time this so she basically stopped at the roundabout and he had to go round her then immediately negotiate the roundabout and pull back in left to go on his way. I tried pointing out that this made his job much harder than if she had eased off well before the roundabout, to let him get past us before he had to negotiate the roundabout, this was met by the 'why do you always have to criticize my driving!?' Sometimes I give up!
Just stay out it’s way, either by staying well behind or by passing it until it it disappears from your mirror.
They may need to pull over, sound here like you passed them with a delta V of 5mph and then pulled back in front of them.
I’d usually assume an ambulance wants to stay in the inside lane with free passage for access to junctions and the shoulder.
They haven’t got blues on for nothing.
I also stay well away from fire appliances with all that water sloshing about…..
They may need to pull over, sound here like you passed them with a delta V of 5mph and then pulled back in front of them.
I’d usually assume an ambulance wants to stay in the inside lane with free passage for access to junctions and the shoulder.
They haven’t got blues on for nothing.
I also stay well away from fire appliances with all that water sloshing about…..
Stupot123 said:
PolarBearsLuv2DrinkOil said:
You should never pass an ambulance with its lights on ever. They don't know you, they could have people going hands-on in the rear, they need as much space as possible to account for rare events even when it seems safe. Normally, you are just fine doing what you did, you know that and so you did what you did and it wasn't stupid but it doesn't matter.
They are not concerned with YOU in THAT spot. They know that throughout their careers there may be a small handful of times where it does make a big difference, who knows when, not often, a few times in a lifetime, maybe when a deer runs out or a road hazard you did not see presents itself, maybe you get a flat and a slight swerve on deflation...it happens. Stay away from them. In some places Im certain its the law... often by default. Passing an ambulance is illegal on a regular road, and they simple dont make a carve out for dual lanes.
That being said... I definitely have passed a few but only on 6+ lane highways I think.
So just to clarify, it’s not something you should ever do, that you have done?They are not concerned with YOU in THAT spot. They know that throughout their careers there may be a small handful of times where it does make a big difference, who knows when, not often, a few times in a lifetime, maybe when a deer runs out or a road hazard you did not see presents itself, maybe you get a flat and a slight swerve on deflation...it happens. Stay away from them. In some places Im certain its the law... often by default. Passing an ambulance is illegal on a regular road, and they simple dont make a carve out for dual lanes.
That being said... I definitely have passed a few but only on 6+ lane highways I think.
Rozzers said:
I also stay well away from fire appliances with all that water sloshing about…..
When I was working for a newspaper years ago I recall getting stuck on a country lane behind the fire engine, on blues and sirens, that was on its way to the same light aircraft crash I was heading for! PolarBearsLuv2DrinkOil said:
You should never pass an ambulance with its lights on ever. They don't know you, they could have people going hands-on in the rear, they need as much space as possible to account for rare events even when it seems safe. Normally, you are just fine doing what you did, you know that and so you did what you did and it wasn't stupid but it doesn't matter.
They are not concerned with YOU in THAT spot. They know that throughout their careers there may be a small handful of times where it does make a big difference, who knows when, not often, a few times in a lifetime, maybe when a deer runs out or a road hazard you did not see presents itself, maybe you get a flat and a slight swerve on deflation...it happens. Stay away from them. In some places Im certain its the law... often by default. Passing an ambulance is illegal on a regular road, and they simple dont make a carve out for dual lanes.
That being said... I definitely have passed a few but only on 6+ lane highways I think.
What on earth are you talking about? They are not concerned with YOU in THAT spot. They know that throughout their careers there may be a small handful of times where it does make a big difference, who knows when, not often, a few times in a lifetime, maybe when a deer runs out or a road hazard you did not see presents itself, maybe you get a flat and a slight swerve on deflation...it happens. Stay away from them. In some places Im certain its the law... often by default. Passing an ambulance is illegal on a regular road, and they simple dont make a carve out for dual lanes.
That being said... I definitely have passed a few but only on 6+ lane highways I think.
OP nothing wrong with it. Often done it. Done it in a police car (not on a blue light run). If it was a single carriageway then thats different (although I've done it on a bike after a roundabout for example as they are slow at pulling away).
Evanivitch said:
That would be a classic case of a PH story being slightly adjusted from the truth, which fortunately, mine wasn't!Thanks to everyone for the replies though, I understand all of the points of view. I'm glad that there's a reasonably even split of opinion, which is why the moment has lingered in my head for so long.
I would like to confirm that at no point was I at risk of impeding the ambulance in any way whatsoever. It was an empty 3 lane motorway, and the difference in speed was sufficient that I overtook him reasonably quickly and then moved back in to the inside lane once there was plenty of space.
Although I will admit that some people probably read my post and immediately deciphered it as "doing an Albert", in your link... which is fair enough!
Will depend on context a lot. An ambulance is a big heavy beast that doesn't go very fast. If it's trundling along an empty motorway then fair enough to overtake, they can easily move past you again if they wish. If it's going at 55 on a single carriageway NSL then I'd avoid it, but your gains would be minimal there anyhow.
Just be aware that a slow moving vehicle with blue lights may be lost and trying to find their venue (clearly not the case here). And don't go past a creeping/stationary emergency vehicle at the back of a queue at lights; they've probably held at the back to keep their options open of which way they go at a red light (eg nearside lane/offside lane/opposite carriageway) and if you go past you may spoil one of those options.
(Alternatively, a slow moving vehicle with blues may just have forgotten to switch them off!)
Just be aware that a slow moving vehicle with blue lights may be lost and trying to find their venue (clearly not the case here). And don't go past a creeping/stationary emergency vehicle at the back of a queue at lights; they've probably held at the back to keep their options open of which way they go at a red light (eg nearside lane/offside lane/opposite carriageway) and if you go past you may spoil one of those options.
(Alternatively, a slow moving vehicle with blues may just have forgotten to switch them off!)
Would I overtake? Yes.
Would I overtake at a net 5mph, prolonging the period where I'm a potential problem for the ambulance and giving the message that I'm not very good at reading the situation, so making the driver's day unnecessarily stressful? No.
I wouldn't be assuming that the change in speed was anything to do with you either, plenty of things could have changed in the ambulance that made it sensible to speed up.
Would I overtake at a net 5mph, prolonging the period where I'm a potential problem for the ambulance and giving the message that I'm not very good at reading the situation, so making the driver's day unnecessarily stressful? No.
I wouldn't be assuming that the change in speed was anything to do with you either, plenty of things could have changed in the ambulance that made it sensible to speed up.
I was on an emergency run to hospital, a car kept up with me through the local villages and passed me when I was accelerating after joining a dual carriageway but did not get far in front and held me up, so I flashed him a few times (Full beam) and passed him.
I have had family members follow me really closely that they impede my making progress as they are literally right on my bumper, and even had to stop one time and warn the family member about their driving, and they got what for at the hospital from the police who had seen them.
Also had a few try and keep up with me after being passed and they thought it would be quicker.
There are a lot of drivers out there who hear sirens or see blues and slam on the brakes thinking they are doing good.
Also, some who literally jump in their seats when you go screaming passed them as they don't look behind them.
I have had family members follow me really closely that they impede my making progress as they are literally right on my bumper, and even had to stop one time and warn the family member about their driving, and they got what for at the hospital from the police who had seen them.
Also had a few try and keep up with me after being passed and they thought it would be quicker.
There are a lot of drivers out there who hear sirens or see blues and slam on the brakes thinking they are doing good.
Also, some who literally jump in their seats when you go screaming passed them as they don't look behind them.
Edited by The big yin on Wednesday 16th November 19:38
The HC guidance is Rule 219
Emergency and Incident Support vehicles. You should look and listen for ambulances, fire engines, police, doctors or other emergency vehicles using flashing blue, red or green lights and sirens or flashing headlights, or traffic officer and incident support vehicles using flashing amber lights. When one approaches do not panic. Consider the route of such a vehicle and take appropriate action to let it pass, while complying with all traffic signs. If necessary, pull to the side of the road and stop, but try to avoid stopping before the brow of a hill, a bend or narrow section of road. Do not endanger yourself, other road users or pedestrians and avoid mounting the kerb. Do not brake harshly on approach to a junction or roundabout, as a following vehicle may not have the same view as you.
If you're not impeding the emergency vehicle, you should be fine. I've been followed on a motorway by an ambulance at some distance, for some time: he simply couldn't close the gap, so there was certainly no benefit in pulling over, I judged the appropriate action was to keep going. If we'd exited at the same slip road, I planned to move left out of his way, but that didn't arise. I guess it depends on each situation, & who determines what impeding is.
Emergency and Incident Support vehicles. You should look and listen for ambulances, fire engines, police, doctors or other emergency vehicles using flashing blue, red or green lights and sirens or flashing headlights, or traffic officer and incident support vehicles using flashing amber lights. When one approaches do not panic. Consider the route of such a vehicle and take appropriate action to let it pass, while complying with all traffic signs. If necessary, pull to the side of the road and stop, but try to avoid stopping before the brow of a hill, a bend or narrow section of road. Do not endanger yourself, other road users or pedestrians and avoid mounting the kerb. Do not brake harshly on approach to a junction or roundabout, as a following vehicle may not have the same view as you.
If you're not impeding the emergency vehicle, you should be fine. I've been followed on a motorway by an ambulance at some distance, for some time: he simply couldn't close the gap, so there was certainly no benefit in pulling over, I judged the appropriate action was to keep going. If we'd exited at the same slip road, I planned to move left out of his way, but that didn't arise. I guess it depends on each situation, & who determines what impeding is.
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