Interesting drive back from lunch
Discussion
I was driving back to work from lunch today on a relatively quiet road being the first in line with a few cars behind doing 30/35. there were no cars in the opposite direction when a look in my rear view mirror i saw a police car with his blue flashing lights but no siren on roughly 2/3 cars behind me and the police car position was in the middle of the road as if he had just ovetaken a car. this road has a cylce lane on both sides so can easily accomadate 3 cars width-wise.
So my first reaction is to slow and start to move to the left into the cyle lane, imagine my surprise when the corsa behind me overtook me and then so did the big 16 seater type mini bus/van behind it! then came the police car so i stopped totally then the policeman overtook started horning at the van man overtook the two cars and went on. I gave the van a flash but then thought did i pull over too quick?? next time should i wait untill cars behind me have signalled to move over?
So my first reaction is to slow and start to move to the left into the cyle lane, imagine my surprise when the corsa behind me overtook me and then so did the big 16 seater type mini bus/van behind it! then came the police car so i stopped totally then the policeman overtook started horning at the van man overtook the two cars and went on. I gave the van a flash but then thought did i pull over too quick?? next time should i wait untill cars behind me have signalled to move over?
Edited by FiveStar on Wednesday 9th January 13:41
Similar's happened to me a few times.
My stance is to get out of the way as soon as it's apparent to you that you're in the path of something with Blues'n'2's on.
The times I've pulled over or mounted a kerb to make room and then be passed by some idiot looking at me like I'm the daft one is incredible.
My stance is to get out of the way as soon as it's apparent to you that you're in the path of something with Blues'n'2's on.
The times I've pulled over or mounted a kerb to make room and then be passed by some idiot looking at me like I'm the daft one is incredible.
FiveStar said:
but then thought did i pull over too quick?? next time should i wait untill cars behind me have signalled to move over?
Nope, you did the right thing, the other 2 cars were just muppets who didn't check their mirrors.I see this on a daily basis, i drive up to a set of cars (on blues and toos) 2 of the pull over and the one behind them doesn't knows why (and for some unknowm reasons doesn't hear and see the big yellow truck with flashy lights producing 140 decibells of neenaa behind him) and tries 2 overtake the 2 cars who have just pulled over.
Luckily we have this little button which says "AIRHORN"....
Medic-one said:
FiveStar said:
but then thought did i pull over too quick?? next time should i wait untill cars behind me have signalled to move over?
Nope, you did the right thing, the other 2 cars were just muppets who didn't check their mirrors.I see this on a daily basis, i drive up to a set of cars (on blues and toos) 2 of the pull over and the one behind them doesn't knows why (and for some unknowm reasons doesn't hear and see the big yellow truck with flashy lights producing 140 decibells of neenaa behind him) and tries 2 overtake the 2 cars who have just pulled over.
Luckily we have this little button which says "AIRHORN"....
Martin_Hx said:
Medic-one said:
FiveStar said:
but then thought did i pull over too quick?? next time should i wait untill cars behind me have signalled to move over?
Nope, you did the right thing, the other 2 cars were just muppets who didn't check their mirrors.I see this on a daily basis, i drive up to a set of cars (on blues and toos) 2 of the pull over and the one behind them doesn't knows why (and for some unknowm reasons doesn't hear and see the big yellow truck with flashy lights producing 140 decibells of neenaa behind him) and tries 2 overtake the 2 cars who have just pulled over.
Luckily we have this little button which says "AIRHORN"....
Failure to give way to an emergency vehicle should be punishable by 1 year in prison and a 3 year driving ban - if you can't see a big truck with flashing lights and a f'cking big siren then you shouldn't be allowed on the streets.
well....i dont think its as cut and dry as that. Yeah, naturally you get out of the way if u see an emergency vehicle that goes without saying, but why did you stop, or for that matter, did you HAVE to slow down in the first place? assuming the road ahead was clear and your doing 30 im sure sticking to the nearside of the road and maintaining speed would allow the police to progress unhindered in such an occasion i know thats what I do when possible, stopping/slowing doesnt make the road wider...im sure we've all see people panicing (not saying you did btw) when they see blue lights and stopping/slowing dangerously in the main road, this kind of activity can make it worse for the police to overtake safely. In this particular situation only you will know if slowing down was the best option so no one else can really say but it would depend on the conditions at the time, oh and you said the police didnt have their siren on which sounds strange if they were being obstructed in any way
silk said:
well....i dont think its as cut and dry as that. Yeah, naturally you get out of the way if u see an emergency vehicle that goes without saying, but why did you stop, or for that matter, did you HAVE to slow down in the first place? assuming the road ahead was clear and your doing 30 im sure sticking to the nearside of the road and maintaining speed would allow the police to progress unhindered in such an occasion i know thats what I do when possible, stopping/slowing doesnt make the road wider...im sure we've all see people panicing (not saying you did btw) when they see blue lights and stopping/slowing dangerously in the main road, this kind of activity can make it worse for the police to overtake safely. In this particular situation only you will know if slowing down was the best option so no one else can really say but it would depend on the conditions at the time, oh and you said the police didnt have their siren on which sounds strange if they were being obstructed in any way
i did only slow down at first and move to the left into the cycle lane and only stopped once the two idiots had overtaken me. i have no idea why the bib didnt put sirens on. He horned the van once he passed me though which is when the van moved over.
If I see the emergency vehicle behind having some difficulty (with vehicles behind me and in front of it) then I might not simply move left and slow. What I might do is put some space between me and the muppets with a view to allowing the emergency vehicle to get passed them and then deal with me. I would then slow/stop/move left as appropriate.
Sometimes getting on the brakes will just cause a blockage and that helps no-one.
Sometimes getting on the brakes will just cause a blockage and that helps no-one.
Edited by ipsg.glf on Wednesday 9th January 18:13
Big Rod said:
The times I've pulled over or mounted a kerb to make room and then be passed by some idiot looking at me like I'm the daft one is incredible.
Yep, me too.. Or stopped on green lights to let an ambulance/plod go past, and someone starts to overtake me.. I saw the cops actually stop next to one doing that once, and some nice facial movements and gestures were used by a slightly peeved passenger plod... I have also stopped to allow an ambulance coming along behind me to proceed clearly, only to find the person coming the other has cleverly decided to stop as well, right next to me, blocking the feckin road..
There are too many people out there who just shouldn't be sllowed to drive...
Similar thing happened to me recently, albeit it was coastguard not Police and he did not have sirens - only blue lights.
Noticed him about 8 cars behind on a windy A road at night, there are 4 cars dawdling in front of me. I and the car behind pull into a very long layby that would have easily accommodated 15 cars.
All the others behind just drive on oblivious.
Noticed him about 8 cars behind on a windy A road at night, there are 4 cars dawdling in front of me. I and the car behind pull into a very long layby that would have easily accommodated 15 cars.
All the others behind just drive on oblivious.
tigger1 said:
Medic-one said:
Luckily we have this little button which says "AIRHORN"....
I want one 
I always slow down or preferably stop, as the driver with the blues on may have to pull in fast because of oncoming traffic and I consider it safer for both him and me if I am stationary....
If I were a driver with blues etc, I would want a button that said...missile launcher for some of the people that pass me when I am stopped, they must be deaf as well as obviously dumb....
All the best Brett
FiveStar said:
So my first reaction is to slow and start to move to the left into the cyle lane, imagine my surprise when the corsa behind me overtook me and then so did the big 16 seater type mini bus/van behind it!
Not only did they not have a clue what was behind them, they didn't even check their mirrors when they pulled out to pass you. Or maybe we under estimate them and you were doing 30 in a NSL? silk said:
did you HAVE to slow down in the first place? assuming the road ahead was clear and your doing 30 im sure sticking to the nearside of the road and maintaining speed would allow the police to progress unhindered
"Hello, i'm big, heavy and slow, and would appreciate if you slow down so i can actually overtake u..."
Police shouldn't have a problem with that, i don't have a problem with that if i'm in a rapid response car, but when i'm driving a 5 ton Ford transit van it's quiet annoying cos most of them aren't that fast.
One of our trucks is broken down so we've got this spare motor (picture), which is everything but fast...
The idea of people who don't get out of the way of anything which has b 'n' 2's on really does make my piss boil. I was always tought that unless you know that that vehicle is catagorically not for someone you love, let them pass, as those seconds my count!
This become very true when I decided to die in the back of an ambulance! Just before I left the conscience world, the last thing i heard was the ambulance driver saying some rather simplified versions of 'please get out of my way nice corsa driver, I may have an emergency on board!' or words that meant the same!! Lucky for me, a couple of bursts of high voltage and i was back again and managed to hang on til i got to the hospital til i did it again (like to cause a scene, me!) but those seconds he was stuck behind some one who was either oblivious or just ignorant may have cost me my life.
I'm not saying do anything dangerous etc but let them though as soon as safely possible and I think we need more education on people watching their mirrors as some people seem to be oblivious to what going on behind them!
I will be entenally grateful to three paramedics who were just doing their job!
This become very true when I decided to die in the back of an ambulance! Just before I left the conscience world, the last thing i heard was the ambulance driver saying some rather simplified versions of 'please get out of my way nice corsa driver, I may have an emergency on board!' or words that meant the same!! Lucky for me, a couple of bursts of high voltage and i was back again and managed to hang on til i got to the hospital til i did it again (like to cause a scene, me!) but those seconds he was stuck behind some one who was either oblivious or just ignorant may have cost me my life.
I'm not saying do anything dangerous etc but let them though as soon as safely possible and I think we need more education on people watching their mirrors as some people seem to be oblivious to what going on behind them!
I will be entenally grateful to three paramedics who were just doing their job!
mrsxllifts said:
The idea of people who don't get out of the way of anything which has b 'n' 2's on really does make my piss boil. I was always tought that unless you know that that vehicle is catagorically not for someone you love, let them pass, as those seconds my count!
This become very true when I decided to die in the back of an ambulance! Just before I left the conscience world, the last thing i heard was the ambulance driver saying some rather simplified versions of 'please get out of my way nice corsa driver, I may have an emergency on board!' or words that meant the same!! Lucky for me, a couple of bursts of high voltage and i was back again and managed to hang on til i got to the hospital til i did it again (like to cause a scene, me!) but those seconds he was stuck behind some one who was either oblivious or just ignorant may have cost me my life.
I'm not saying do anything dangerous etc but let them though as soon as safely possible and I think we need more education on people watching their mirrors as some people seem to be oblivious to what going on behind them!
I will be entenally grateful to three paramedics who were just doing their job!
And as you can see the heart attacks haven't helped her spelling either!This become very true when I decided to die in the back of an ambulance! Just before I left the conscience world, the last thing i heard was the ambulance driver saying some rather simplified versions of 'please get out of my way nice corsa driver, I may have an emergency on board!' or words that meant the same!! Lucky for me, a couple of bursts of high voltage and i was back again and managed to hang on til i got to the hospital til i did it again (like to cause a scene, me!) but those seconds he was stuck behind some one who was either oblivious or just ignorant may have cost me my life.
I'm not saying do anything dangerous etc but let them though as soon as safely possible and I think we need more education on people watching their mirrors as some people seem to be oblivious to what going on behind them!
I will be entenally grateful to three paramedics who were just doing their job!
Love you baby
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