Useless old bats - how do they get away with it?

[Jasandjules]

Driving down the road, I see an ambulance with the blue and twos, no problem, I slow down as he has a good 150 yards to get to me and overtake the old bag in front of him. He overtakes and she matches his speed, I kid you not, I then have to slam on my brakes as I flash the Ambulance (who was starting to pull back in behind the useless cow - I guess they don't have huge power) who then manages to overtake and pull back into his lane in front of the dozy bint who is still driving down the road at the same speed... Ambulance driver thanks me and goes on his way, old bat still bumbles along in her own little world....

FFS..

[Patrick Bateman]

Time and time again these things happen, I've come to the simple conclusion that a lot of people are just morons.

[HellDiver]

Despite most people's idea, most ambulances are just basic builder's vans. Usually a bog basic Sprinter 312CDi.

Last truely quick ambulances were the V8 powered Sherpa based ones.

[Rollcage]

HellDiver said:

Despite most people's idea, most ambulances are just basic builder's vans. Usually a bog basic Sprinter 312CDi.

Last truely quick ambulances were the V8 powered Sherpa based ones.

Still available on eBay from time to time - hilarious old buses!

[joebongo]

Riding in those V8's doing blue light transfers across London was what got me into big engine motors properly.

Awesome machines all things considered. Haven't done it for a few years so I expect a watery experience in a diseasel these days.

[Skylinecrazy]

Because it's young people that are at fault didn't you know.

In all honestly I have no idea, there should be a retake for everyone over 65..

[vonhosen]

The V8 Sherpas weren't quicker they just sounded more impressive. They had shocking brakes too.

[Chicane-UK]

I once was driving down a straight bit of road near home. Heard some sirens in the distance, looked in my rear view and saw an ambulance gaining on me quickly. There was one other car behind me but I assumed with the noise and the fact it was early evening (low light) the blue lights in his mirror would be freaking obvious so I began to indicate left and slow to pull over - and the imbecile behind me proceeds to overtake me. About 5 seconds later the penny drops and he too has to indicate and pull in to get out of the way.

What did they THINK I was doing, randomly pulling in on deserted stretch of road?! IDIOTS.

[ellroy]

I know exactly what you mean.

Sat behind one in York today, pelican traffic light on green, she sat there for a good 30s+!

Guy waiting on the pavement at the crossing looked at me and just raised his eyebrows.

There must be an argument for mandatory re-testing above a certain age.

[catman]

I (and almost everyone else) pulled over for an ambulance a while ago, except for a young (late teens, early 20's) asian man, who completely ignored the sirens and flashing lights.

He held the ambulance up for a good 200 yards, until it overtook him on the inside. I'd have had his licence if it were possible.

Tim

[parapaul]

It's truly frightening, the number of drivers (who have all been declared as proficient by the omnipotent DVLA) who are completely oblivious to both the blue strobes and the sirens until the ambulance is just feet from their bumper.

Which reinforces my belief that observation is the single most important skill when driving.

[whoami]

Skylinecrazy said:

Because it's young people that are at fault didn't you know.

Statistically, yes.

[Silent1]

Because PCSOs and cameras can't catch people who are incompetent as they do 46.8mph everywhere but only slow down for speed cameras.

Twice this week have I been overtaken in a 30 in a village like im going backwards despite doing 30.
It's not uncommon and it seems people think that 60 through a village, past schools is safe. Were talking cars on the side of the road and the village isn't on a main road or a real thoroughfare so it's not a sped limit for speed limits sake, it's genuinely valid

Unfortunately the police only do their speed checks during the day and not at 07:00 - 09:00 and 16:00 - 20:00.
To top it off they send out the aforementioned PCSOs who can only send you a letter asking you not to do it again or you might kill a bunny

Edited by Silent1 on Sunday 3rd October 05:44

[Pints]

whoami said:

Skylinecrazy said:

Because it's young people that are at fault didn't you know.

Statistically, yes.

Young 'uns tend to have accidents they can see because it happens in front of them.

Old biddies are completely oblivious of the waves of destruction they leave in their wake, and are therefore never at fault.

[uncinquesei]

my father bought a Bedford CF ambulance as a service barge for rallying. 2.3 slant four auto! fitted benches and a bottle opener in the back and a towbar. Was an amazing thing to a teenager, dreamed of the day i could drive it. Best memory was Stig Blomqvist retiring on the Welsh Rally (mid 80s) on "our" stage. He walked out of the stage, stopped for a beer with my dad and his mates in the ambulance, reminisced about Ypres and Monte in the 70s and was eventually collected by his team! Approachable people in rallying...

[essexplumber]

I see this sort of thing everyday driving around London. The ones that piss me off are the ones see the blue lights behind them and just stop! Not try to get out of the way, just stop dead! If I'm on a bit of road that means the emergency vehicle can't get past me I speed up untill I find a place to pull in.
It must be so frustrating for the copper etc whos driving. I think they should ban people for this, I mean imagine if it was you laying in the road in need of help but the Ambwilans can't get to you because of some useless tt that can't drive.

[Craigyp79]

I wonder if you took into account the average time spent driving per accident of someone who is young versues that of OAP's if that would actually show that younger people are safer drivers. I'd imagine that your average 20 something does alot more milage than an 70+ year old.

[catman]

The one that I saw, was clearly a deliberate action. the ambulance was just a couple of yards from his rear bumper, with all of the lights and sirens going. He was even using the normal horn to get him to move.

The tt just kept driving as if the ambulance didn't exist!

Tim

[Graebob]

Approaching a roundabout on single carriageway through a busy town centre, spot blues and twos 100yards back in the mirror but I have time to safely navigate the roundabout and get out of the way much more conveniently on the other side. As I come off the roundabout and move left the fking retarded old farmer tosspot in a Mitsubishi 4x4 Hickmobile towing a low trailer sees my brakelights and OVERTAKES ME, DIRECTLY INTO THE PATH OF THE AMBULANCE AND ACROSS THE ROUNDABOUT ENTRY/EXIT HASHLINES. I let the Ambulance pass and Farmer wksock PROCEEDS TO DOODLE ALONG AT 35 IGNORING THE fkING HUGE BLINKY LIGHTED WAILING BANSHEE BEHIND HIM. There's now pedestrian islands every 50yds so the AMBULANCE WHICH IS PROBABLY SAVING SOMEONES LIFE cannot overtake this fkstick unless he slows down, which he ABSOLUTELY WON'T DO. This lasts until the next set of traffic lights where the Ambulance dodges onto the wrong side of the road and gets by, to the blissfully traffic free road in front.

I was fking livid. Where's the fine and discipline for this cocksocket?

[Jasandjules]

I wonder if we should ask MPs to kit out ambulances with cameras so that they can record these kinds of idiots to refer them for prosecution for undue care etc..

The thing that got me was where I stopped and flashed the ambulance - if I hadn't he'd have been stuck behind this useless bat for miles as it was a windy, busy, single lane each way road..