"I NEVER get out of the way for Police cars..."

[Dibble]

I should have finished work at 10pm last night. I've just got in.

Unfortunately, at ten to seven last night, a radio call went out that a young person had allegedly been stabbed. People often exaggerate things on the phone. Usually, it’s never really that bad when you get there.

Tonight, it was. In fact, it was a whole lot worse.

I arrived on scene shortly after the ambulance. You know it’s going to be bad when the Paramedic says “Oh shit. We’re losing them. We’re definitely going to need an escort to the hospital for this one.”

The casualty was carried down the stairs, everyone literally grabbing a limb and running, trying to do CPR at the same time; into the ambulance, and because seconds now really matter to this young person, there’s no time to three point turn the ambulance. So we’re off, the wrong way against traffic, with everything going.

Every single traffic light is red against us. Drivers seem to want to carry on through “their” green light, regardless of the fact that I’m in the middle of every junction, blue lights going and sirens on, hand out of the window in a No 1 “stop” signal, screaming at drivers.

We get to the hospital minutes later, and it’s straight out of the ambulance, through the doors and into the emergency room, the paramedics and me still trying with CPR. Almost straight away, there are more than twenty medical staff around the victim, doing more than their best to try and save a life.

After thirty minutes of hard work, the Consultant stepped away from the victim, and looked up at the clock on the wall of the emergency room.

“That’s it, everyone. Thank you all. Time of death, 1941.”












So next time you see a Police car with its blue lights going, it probably isn’t because the officer is late for his or her dinner. It could be a member of your family, or a friend, that’s in the ambulance ten seconds behind the Police car. Please try and make way.

You could save someone’s life.

[safespeed]

Dibble said:

Every single traffic light is red against us. Drivers seem to want to carry on through ?their? green light, regardless of the fact that I?m in the middle of every junction, blue lights going and sirens on, hand out of the window in a No 1 ?stop? signal, screaming at drivers.

What a sad story. Obviously it's possible that traffic delays contributed to the death. The only good that could come of it know is if it was used as an example to educate the public and make it less likely to happen next time.

I suggest you should try contacting your force's press office and see if they'll make it into a story for you.

If they won't or can't or don't, then I'd be pleased to have a go. Pass me even more details and I'll send out a press release after removing specifics.

[Dibble]

To be honest, it was hopeles before we'd even set off.

I just remember a couple of threads on here a while back where people said they wouldn't get out of the way for a Police vehicle for reason X, Y or Z.

This was just an attempt to try and get PHers to think about it from another point of view - next time, it could make a difference to someone.

Plus, I'm also trying to wind down from it all. Apologies if I'm being too mawkish.

[safespeed]

Dibble said:

To be honest, it was hopeles before we'd even set off.

Perfectly understandable.

There's STILL a positive road safety story there. People DO need to be more aware of how they should react to emergency services vehicles.

[Mon Ami Mate]

Dibble said:

I should have finished work at 10pm last night. I've just got in. Unfortunately, at ten to seven last night, a radio call went out that a young person had allegedly been stabbed. People often exaggerate things on the phone. Usually, it’s never really that bad when you get there. Tonight, it was. In fact, it was a whole lot worse. I arrived on scene shortly after the ambulance. You know it’s going to be bad when the Paramedic says “Oh shit. We’re losing them. We’re definitely going to need an escort to the hospital for this one.” The casualty was carried down the stairs, everyone literally grabbing a limb and running, trying to do CPR at the same time; into the ambulance, and because seconds now really matter to this young person, there’s no time to three point turn the ambulance. So we’re off, the wrong way against traffic, with everything going. Every single traffic light is red against us. Drivers seem to want to carry on through “their” green light, regardless of the fact that I’m in the middle of every junction, blue lights going and sirens on, hand out of the window in a No 1 “stop” signal, screaming at drivers. We get to the hospital minutes later, and it’s straight out of the ambulance, through the doors and into the emergency room, the paramedics and me still trying with CPR. Almost straight away, there are more than twenty medical staff around the victim, doing more than their best to try and save a life. After thirty minutes of hard work, the Consultant stepped away from the victim, and looked up at the clock on the wall of the emergency room. “That’s it, everyone. Thank you all. Time of death, 1941.” So next time you see a Police car with its blue lights going, it probably isn’t because the officer is late for his or her dinner. It could be a member of your family, or a friend, that’s in the ambulance ten seconds behind the Police car. Please try and make way. You could save someone’s life.

Awful story - I wonder how many of those drivers were inattentive and how many were aware and wilfully refused to give way.

Also, I have to ask, when you talk of "every single traffic light", how many of these signals are absolutely necessary and ho wmany have been "engineered" by lefty councils to bugger up the traffic flow? How much more quickly could you have completed the journey without them (let alone any speed bumps and chicanes you may have encountered)?

[regmolehusband]

I'm with Mon Ami on that - there are far too many unecessary and unsafe traffic lights where roundabouts would improve traffic flow and alleviate the sad situation that Dibble described above.

[philthy]

Bad news Dibs. For what it's worth, some of us appreciate what you're trying to do. In the past, I've used my truck to block roads and roundabouts so you've got a clear run through.
Hope you've "wound down" a bit this morning, must be bloody awful.
Regards
Phil

[turbobloke]

regmolehusband said:

I'm with Mon Ami on that - there are far too many unecessary and unsafe traffic lights where roundabouts would improve traffic flow and alleviate the sad situation that Dibble described above.

And these unnecessary ATS junctions are there to 'gate' cars, meaning, deliberately hold them up to make driving slower and less pleasant and enforce Tiny Bliar's anti-car sentiments in favour of fg buses. That and bl00dy speed humps, which already damage and delay emergency vehicles unnecessarily with no safety benefits - their political father Ken Clarke now states openly in public his wish that he could have his time again and not introduce them.

This case may have been lost before it got going but others will be lost because of blinkered ideology and crass stupidity by the idiots in charge. Sympathies to the family concerned and to all officers facing this madness at work, from knives to speed or whatever.

[gh0st]

Dibble - what do you think of this hypothetical scenario -

Roadworks on, for example, a duel carrageway making it into a single carrageway. Speed limit reduced from NSL to 40MPH through the roadworks. Laser vans etc possibly positioned around.

You come up behind a car doing 40 with your lights and sirens going. The car desperately wants to let you past but there is nowhere to pull over and they cannot speed up to let you by as there might be scameras.

The scamera partnership CANNOT be reasoned with so therefore the car will have to hold you up at least until the end of the roadworks.

What would you expect the car to do?

[jwo]

Dibble, bad news mate. You can only do your best, no consolation though.

I think Ghost has come at with an all too possible scenario - it would cetainly make you think twice about speeding up.

The main thing that p$sses me off when I see emergency vehicles with blues and twos on is the reaction of the general public either stopping in a place where the vehicle can not get past or not even spot them and continue dawdling. Pull over/slow at an appropriate place after assessing where to stop - evn if it means speeding up to find such a place! Makes my blood boil - and I am just a bystander civvie.

John

[cptsideways]

Sorry to hear, but at least you tried.

Sadly the current situation is most drivers have no idea what to do, its usually a case of stop & block the road. A bit more education for evryone would go a very long way, sadly the only education the majority get is look at your speedo all will be fine.

I posted this up a few weeks ago & highlights exactly whats been said above about the cameras.
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?f=10&h=&t=122053

[BliarOut]

gh0st said:

Dibble - what do you think of this hypothetical scenario - Roadworks on, for example, a duel carrageway making it into a single carrageway. Speed limit reduced from NSL to 40MPH through the roadworks. Laser vans etc possibly positioned around. You come up behind a car doing 40 with your lights and sirens going. The car desperately wants to let you past but there is nowhere to pull over and they cannot speed up to let you by as there might be scameras. The scamera partnership CANNOT be reasoned with so therefore the car will have to hold you up at least until the end of the roadworks. What would you expect the car to do?

I would clog it and then get plod to argue the case for me. are generally sensible, it's the scameraships you have to watch

[Mr2Mike]

BliarOut said:

I would clog it and then get plod to argue the case for me. are generally sensible, it's the scameraships you have to watch

I'm not anti-police, but there is no way would I trust the plod to get me out of a ticket. The only way I can see you being cleared is if the emergency vehicle was driving up your chuff and managed to get into the picture with your car.

I'd certainly put my foot down in the obviously clear sections, but they would have to wait for me to slow down through the cameras.

[AMG Merc]

Dibble, a sad story whatever the circumstances.

Personally, I always try to make space for emergency vehicles starting from when I hear the siren (not when I see them) but what pi**es me off is when I signal and pull over and the plonker, or plonkers, behind me just drive straight past me like nothing's up! ;-(

[Dibble]

Here's the link to the news story.

[Dibble]

Mon Ami Mate said:

I have to ask, when you talk of "every single traffic light", how many of these signals are absolutely necessary?

Thinking back, all of the traffic lights were probably necessary. It's just Sod's law that when you need a green, they're usually red...

Most of them run on "vehicle" actuation, and as I approached every junction, there just seemed to be two or three cars getting to the lights ahead of me tripping the lights to green for their lanes.

[gh0st]

Mr2Mike said:

BliarOut said: I would clog it and then get plod to argue the case for me. are generally sensible, it's the scameraships you have to watch I'm not anti-police, but there is no way would I trust the plod to get me out of a ticket. The only way I can see you being cleared is if the emergency vehicle was driving up your chuff and managed to get into the picture with your car. I'd certainly put my foot down in the obviously clear sections, but they would have to wait for me to slow down through the cameras.

Exactly. The scamerati are a law unto themselves. If it was all delt with by the core police who would use ultimate disgression then things would probably be a lot better.

I will always move over when possible for blue light vehicles but if the only option is to continue at the speed limit in camera infested areas, then that is what I will do... I would mount the pavement as I am sure the policeman would not do me for driving on the pavement in those circumstances

[Dibble]

gh0st said:

Dibble - what do you think of this hypothetical scenario - Roadworks on, for example, a duel carrageway making it into a single carrageway. Speed limit reduced from NSL to 40MPH through the roadworks. Laser vans etc possibly positioned around. You come up behind a car doing 40 with your lights and sirens going. The car desperately wants to let you past but there is nowhere to pull over and they cannot speed up to let you by as there might be scameras. The scamera partnership CANNOT be reasoned with so therefore the car will have to hold you up at least until the end of the roadworks. What would you expect the car to do?

I'd expect the car to get out of the way. This is exactly the reason I posted this.

You could save someone's life.

I know what you're saying about the risk of getting pinged. Personally, If I thought that was happening, I'd make sure I got the vehicle number, and make contact with the Central Process Unit to have any ticket voided. And believe me, if they started to muck me about in this kind of scenario, they'd very quickly come to regret it. I have, shall we say, a "certain way" at getting my point across...

What I'd do in all likelihood is go back to the site (if it was a mobile) after the run and speak with the operator, so that the reasons were noted on the log sheet as soon as possible.

And of course, there's always the option for me to go "off road", get in front and stop the vehicle, let the ambulance through, then make up ground on it. Not ideal, but it's always a possibility.

What really irks me is the amount of people every single day who fail to make any effort to get out of the way for emergency service vehicles using their lights and sirens. I can almost gurantee that if I have to switch the stuff on today, it WILL happen at some point.

[Dibble]

Mr2Mike said:

I'm not anti-police, but there is no way would I trust the plod to get me out of a ticket. The only way I can see you being cleared is if the emergency vehicle was driving up your chuff and managed to get into the picture with your car.

If you tried this with me, it'd look like we were in the same vehicle...