Stupid drivers and Emergency Vehicles
Discussion
This thread has no real purpose other than to give me a sounding board for a rant.
Quite simply I am amazed by some peoples complete lack of awareness about their surroundings whilst driving. Honestly, the inability of some people to see whats approaching them from behind, whats overtaking them and what that really loud nee-naw noise is, is breathtaking.
Three times today we've nearly been wiped out by poor drivers with no awareness at all.
Idoit No1) Im in the back of the ambulance with a VERY poorly patient moving through traffic. All of a sudden I'm chucked from one end of the truck to the other as we did an emergency stop. I didn't hear my crewmate shout "brace" because of the noise of the sirens etc. When we got to hospital I asked my crewmate what had happened. He explained that because traffic on our side of the road had come to a standstill at a red light, we had moved into the oncoming lane. The drivers ahead of us had seen this and had flashed their lights to allow us safe passage. Mr Numpty in his silver Focus however hadn't seen or heard the giant yellow, noisy, blue-lighty-flashy thing. He had however seen there was no traffic coming from the left and reversed from his obscured driveway straight into our path. My crewmate slammed the anchors on and I got airborne. Mr Focus then sat in the road blocking our path for ages whilst he continued his manouvere, straightened his vehicle and pootled off; totally oblivious to us. He then carried on at 30 for about half a mile before he finally spotted us and pulled over.
Idiot No2) White van man on motorway, in outside lane dawdleing along at 70mph despite us being very noisy behind him, oncoming traffic flashing him and my very bad thoughts directed at him and his 'more delicate' body parts. He kept us held back for nearly five miles, and then when he eventually realised and pulled over gave us a gesture that was not very polite. Thank you Mr Whoever-You-Are of Smiths Furniture Repair. I hope you get Syphilis!
Idiot No3) Young girl in old Clio with big stereo. Again oblivious to anything in the ouside world. If you are reading this then I hope you realise that the line of cars that pulled over in front of you was not to make life easier for your hairdressing appointment, nor was the stationary traffic parting to allow you quick access to the traffic lights, where once you got to the line you stopped, holding us up further still. Finally, when we eventually managed to get to a point to pass you, you didnt notice us till after our bumper had drawn level with yours. Then you did an emergency stop. ALL WHILST ON THE BLOODY PHONE
Anyway, rant over. I feel better after all that.
Thanks
Quite simply I am amazed by some peoples complete lack of awareness about their surroundings whilst driving. Honestly, the inability of some people to see whats approaching them from behind, whats overtaking them and what that really loud nee-naw noise is, is breathtaking.
Three times today we've nearly been wiped out by poor drivers with no awareness at all.
Idoit No1) Im in the back of the ambulance with a VERY poorly patient moving through traffic. All of a sudden I'm chucked from one end of the truck to the other as we did an emergency stop. I didn't hear my crewmate shout "brace" because of the noise of the sirens etc. When we got to hospital I asked my crewmate what had happened. He explained that because traffic on our side of the road had come to a standstill at a red light, we had moved into the oncoming lane. The drivers ahead of us had seen this and had flashed their lights to allow us safe passage. Mr Numpty in his silver Focus however hadn't seen or heard the giant yellow, noisy, blue-lighty-flashy thing. He had however seen there was no traffic coming from the left and reversed from his obscured driveway straight into our path. My crewmate slammed the anchors on and I got airborne. Mr Focus then sat in the road blocking our path for ages whilst he continued his manouvere, straightened his vehicle and pootled off; totally oblivious to us. He then carried on at 30 for about half a mile before he finally spotted us and pulled over.
Idiot No2) White van man on motorway, in outside lane dawdleing along at 70mph despite us being very noisy behind him, oncoming traffic flashing him and my very bad thoughts directed at him and his 'more delicate' body parts. He kept us held back for nearly five miles, and then when he eventually realised and pulled over gave us a gesture that was not very polite. Thank you Mr Whoever-You-Are of Smiths Furniture Repair. I hope you get Syphilis!
Idiot No3) Young girl in old Clio with big stereo. Again oblivious to anything in the ouside world. If you are reading this then I hope you realise that the line of cars that pulled over in front of you was not to make life easier for your hairdressing appointment, nor was the stationary traffic parting to allow you quick access to the traffic lights, where once you got to the line you stopped, holding us up further still. Finally, when we eventually managed to get to a point to pass you, you didnt notice us till after our bumper had drawn level with yours. Then you did an emergency stop. ALL WHILST ON THE BLOODY PHONE
Anyway, rant over. I feel better after all that.
Thanks
jim,if it makes you feel any better here in norfolk drivers are just as thick,slam on the brakes,stop next to a traffic island or just refuse to move over,the wxxxxr sign or the finger is a regular occurance,13 years on ambulances im now on an rrv and cos im smaller i now appear to be invisible,mobile phones and thick drivers who drive with their mirrors folded in(this seems to be in fashion at the mo)are the worst.........
Poor rant - not enough swearing etc
Very good points though, it never ceases to amaze me how unaware people are of what is going on around them. You do an amazing job, its not good that your efforts can be undone and possibly lives cost because of morons.
I remember riding in the ambulance with my 2 year old daughter after she had a febrile convulsion, we had to travel for about 6 mile behind a muppet doing 40 on an NSL road because he didn't know we were there, and it was critical that my daughter got to hospital ASAP
Very good points though, it never ceases to amaze me how unaware people are of what is going on around them. You do an amazing job, its not good that your efforts can be undone and possibly lives cost because of morons.
I remember riding in the ambulance with my 2 year old daughter after she had a febrile convulsion, we had to travel for about 6 mile behind a muppet doing 40 on an NSL road because he didn't know we were there, and it was critical that my daughter got to hospital ASAP
I think the scariest thing I ever saw (and I'll openly admit it was partially my fault) was a young lady on the motorway in a yellow Ka doing an emergency stop in Lane 3 when she finally saw me coming. A 1 ton car at 70mph stops a hell of a lot quicker than a 3 ton van at 90mph. I think a little bit of wee came out on that one!!
As to the jumping reds comment, as an ambulance on an emergency call (ie blues and two's) I can treat red lights as a give way.
To counter my own rant though, majority of road-users are sensible people who will either actively try and find somewhere to pull over and let me pass, or if they cant will stop to allow me to negotiate them.
As to the jumping reds comment, as an ambulance on an emergency call (ie blues and two's) I can treat red lights as a give way.
To counter my own rant though, majority of road-users are sensible people who will either actively try and find somewhere to pull over and let me pass, or if they cant will stop to allow me to negotiate them.
jimnicebutdim said:
As to the jumping reds comment, as an ambulance on an emergency call (ie blues and two's) I can treat red lights as a give way.
I meant someone jumping red lights for an ambulance would have no case, jumping for the police would be ok.Edit: Someone driving through them to allow an ambulance or fire engine to pass.
Edited by tercelgold on Saturday 21st May 22:43
I've seen this before so many times but it is countered by some clever forward thinking. I was at a set of red lights once when a Police car came up behind me and the guy in front. The traffic left and right stopped straight away, the guy in front of me drove through the light and just off to the right, I went through and to the left and the Police car was off. Then I reverse, as did he, back to our original positions as if nothing had happened.
The number of times I've seen EV's get held up though...
The number of times I've seen EV's get held up though...
tercelgold said:
I meant someone jumping red lights for an ambulance would have no case, jumping for the police would be ok.
No idea of the actual legalities of MoP crossing the line on a red light to make way for an ambulance. I know, when in my car I would have no hesitation to do so, and if the camera flashed then I'd have my day in court. I also know that a lot of the time we will just go onto the wrong side of the road as it's quicker for us anyway. Every now and again though we can't and then we have to play "squeeze the 6'6" ambo through the 5' gap without dinging said ambulance or the surrounding cars whilst still trying to drive progressively towards the Cat A/LTI/Resus/Stubbed Toe/Sleeping Drunk/Regular Caller(delete as appropriate)"Maybe one of the resident Old Bill can enlighten us further on the standing of the law?
jimnicebutdim said:
No idea of the actual legalities of MoP crossing the line on a red light to make way for an ambulance. I know, when in my car I would have no hesitation to do so, and if the camera flashed then I'd have my day in court. I also know that a lot of the time we will just go onto the wrong side of the road as it's quicker for us anyway. Every now and again though we can't and then we have to play "squeeze the 6'6" ambo through the 5' gap without dinging said ambulance or the surrounding cars whilst still trying to drive progressively towards the Cat A/LTI/Resus/Stubbed Toe/Sleeping Drunk/Regular Caller(delete as appropriate)"
Maybe one of the resident Old Bill can enlighten us further on the standing of the law?
Not legal for the MoP driver to jump a red light unless instructed to do so by a uniformed police officer. The 'professional' drivers are supposed to be able to find their way around us mere mortals. Maybe some retraining is in order?Maybe one of the resident Old Bill can enlighten us further on the standing of the law?
GKP said:
Not legal for the MoP driver to jump a red light unless instructed to do so by a uniformed police officer. The 'professional' drivers are supposed to be able to find their way around us mere mortals. Maybe some retraining is in order?
Maybe if some of you 'mere mortals' could actually drive like a human being, as opposed to some form of skip-licking pond life we wouldn't be held up by you. That way, when we're trying to get to the 11 year old kid who's currently bleeding all over the pavement after being hit by a car we can actually get there in a sensible time, rather than being held up by some toffee-nosed 'holier-than-thou' t
t who believs his principles are more important than someones life.jimnicebutdim said:
Personally, I want to get Matrix signs fitted on the sides and rear of the truck just to send disapproving messages to drivers as we eventually get past them. Either that, or machine-guns!!
I appreciate you are frustrated, and I un derstand you have a tough job. But your tone is leaving a very bad taste in my mouth. MAyeb yuo should learn some anti-stress measures? Being stressed on the job does not improve your performance, and is kown to shorten your lifespanSorry for blowing a fuse just then. I'm currently nursing a sore knee from the tumble earlier, and we still didn't save the guy. No excuse, I know.
I didn't appreciate the implications by one poster that my driving is anything less than professional. The matrix/machine gun comments were made tongue in cheek though.
I didn't appreciate the implications by one poster that my driving is anything less than professional. The matrix/machine gun comments were made tongue in cheek though.
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