Overtaking ambulance with blues on
Discussion
Just wondering about peoples opinions on this? It was a scenario that occurred a couple of years ago, but I have never really known whether it was allowed or not.
I was driving home on an empty 3 lane motorway at probably 11pm. When I say empty, no other vehicles travelling in my direction within view. An ambulance with blues on (but no siren) joined the motorway in front of me and proceeded to do about 65mph.
I was doing approx 70mph on cruise control, so moved out and passed him like I would anyone else, there was no-one around and I wasn't hampering his progress in any way.
As I was overtaking him, he put his siren on, then once I had moved back into the inside lane in front of him, he sped up and came alongside, then drove alongside me with his siren on for a few miles before I came off at the next junction. At no point did I change my speed through the whole thing, but I felt like I didn't do anything wrong? I never hampered him, but I can only assume that he wasn't impressed by me overtaking him and switched his siren on to try and prove a point.
I have wondered ever since if I was in the wrong for overtaking an emergency vehicle with it's lights on, or whether I was allowed to do what I did.
I was driving home on an empty 3 lane motorway at probably 11pm. When I say empty, no other vehicles travelling in my direction within view. An ambulance with blues on (but no siren) joined the motorway in front of me and proceeded to do about 65mph.
I was doing approx 70mph on cruise control, so moved out and passed him like I would anyone else, there was no-one around and I wasn't hampering his progress in any way.
As I was overtaking him, he put his siren on, then once I had moved back into the inside lane in front of him, he sped up and came alongside, then drove alongside me with his siren on for a few miles before I came off at the next junction. At no point did I change my speed through the whole thing, but I felt like I didn't do anything wrong? I never hampered him, but I can only assume that he wasn't impressed by me overtaking him and switched his siren on to try and prove a point.
I have wondered ever since if I was in the wrong for overtaking an emergency vehicle with it's lights on, or whether I was allowed to do what I did.
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!
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