It happens to us all, but what do you do when you see an abulance/ fire engine/ police are etc in your rear view mirror?

1... In my eyes this creates an unneeded obstacle for the driver of said vehicle

2... May inhibit the response time of said vehicle

3... Combination of 1&2

4... Basically get out there way.

I have done 2 of the above in the past, due to what I was told when I was learning to drive... (1&4, always number 4 now)

Do whatever I can, within reason, to allow them the safest and quickest route past...

I will try to get out of the way and will than slow down, if necessary and possible to a full stop at the roadside.

IMO it's a tricky one. It depends on a lot of factors for me like whether I'm in a built up area or rural, traffic volumes, on coming traffic, proximetry to corners/junctions, things such as bollards in the road and what people in front of you decide to do.

I voted option 4 as just stopping at the side of the road might hinder their progress more than speeding up slightly and then pulling in somewhere which would leave the road clearer for them. IMO

Ya it completley depens on situation, like if ure in town just pull in as far as you can to the side

of the road but really depends on what cars around you do and what space you have.

If on a motorway in the fast lane accelerate and pull into the left lane when possible.

I voted 4 too

In most situations, the ambulance will move around you - even says so on those adverts a while back

Where this isn't possible (at lights, busy roads etc) I will move aside where practical.

I would personally have hoped to have heard them before I saw them, and clocked a good place to pull over ahead. More than once I've done this and had the car behind me AND the emergency vehicle go past me..... Some people just are NOT observant whatsoever! :wonder:

Well said really, forgot to put that in my post. As soon as I hear the siren or see flashing lights reflecting off things I try and see where it's coming from. Amazing how many people drive totally oblivious.

What bugs me though, is when Ambulance's just appear. Normally because they've not put their lights/siren on till they're right behind you :wonder:

I generally find the best way to help them on their way. If that means stopping immediately, i do it, if i have to put my foot down, to get to a layby, i'll do it (when safe).

I had one recently, i was stopped at a traffic light, an ambalance came up behind me, and was honking and flashing for me to move, but i couldn't do it without tripping the traffic light camera, so didnt. He wasn't amused, but im not going to risk points on my license.

I had one recently, i was stopped at a traffic light, an ambalance came up behind me, and was honking and flashing for me to move, but i couldn't do it without tripping the traffic light camera, so didnt. He wasn't amused, but im not going to risk points on my license.

You should have moved IMHO. You not wanting the hassle of proving easily to a court/the powers that be that you moved to let an ambulance through could have cost someone their life. 3 points = a life?

3 points = a life?

Unfortunately the Police and Insurance companies dont seem to take that into account. As such, im forced to ignore it too.

Yeah, I wouldn't have been happy if the ambulance driver had said "sorry we took a while, some **** wouldn't get out of the way".

I'd imagine they would have taken a note of the reg. I would then ask the driver for that reg and hunt you down.

I'd imagine they would have taken a note of the reg.

Thats why i mentioned it, as an interesting point of debate.

I was doing exactly as the highway code (to my recollection) dictates. I'd cant imagine a scenario where i would have got in any trouble for NOT commiting a driving offense.

Well... as I said, it wouldn't be the law you'd get in trouble with

I generally find the best way to help them on their way. If that means stopping immediately, i do it, if i have to put my foot down, to get to a layby, i'll do it (when safe).

I had one recently, i was stopped at a traffic light, an ambalance came up behind me, and was honking and flashing for me to move, but i couldn't do it without tripping the traffic light camera, so didnt. He wasn't amused, but im not going to risk points on my license.

You would not have been given 3 points, however obstructing an emergency vehicle I am surprised you didn't get 9 points. Have you heard of the emergency workers(obstruction) act of 2006? £5000 fine iifc:thumbup:

You would not have been given 3 points, however obstructing an emergency vehicle I am surprised you didn't get 9 points. Have you heard of the emergency workers(obstruction) act of 2006? £5000 fine iifc:thumbup:

Just to clarify, if you run a red light (unless directed to by a police officer) you will risk being given 3 points, particularly if it's an automated camera. Allowing an emergency vehicle through is not mitigating circumstances. You will also not be prosecuted for obstructing an emergency vehicle in this scenario either.

Blue light drivers need to be managing their environment and intimidating someone into doing something dangerous or unpredictable (driving onto a junction!) is not something they should be doing. The taught procedure is to switch off the equipment and wait. Not ideal, but it's better than causing a major accident that will delay them even longer. One way of making sure you always have room to move out of the way is to stop 1/2-1 car length from the white line if you're at the front. This has the other bonus that you can moved off on red/amber to cross the line when he light is green. It is also important to a) acknowledge you've seen them if you can't pull out of their way straight away and use clear signals of your intentions to help them get passed you as quickly and safely as possible.

Chris

No way can I generalise this one.

The one thing that is absolutely true though is that, if you are going to slow down, unless you can open up a lane by doing so, you should STOP.

In the past I've pulled into a layby or passing place on the left, into a passing place on my right, slowed to stay opposite a gap in on-coming traffic, stopped on the carriageway, faded left into a different lane, and formed a 4th lane on 3-lane motorway! And these are just the events I can remember.

To me -no safe option in this - I'd look forsomewhere to let it by - if that means pulling onto pavemennt,and flagging down idiot behind -then so be it - I've been known to put a van on pavement to create space. But -IT MEANS PASSING ON TO THEM YOUR INTENTIONS SO THEY CAN PASS SAFELY ,AND LOOKING OUT FOR IDIOT BEHIND, MAKING CERTAIN THAT THEY KNOW WHY YOU ARE PULLING OVER ETC .I can spot emergency vehicle -so why can't any one else ?

I think this thread raises a good point about how we all respond to emergency vehicles wishing to overtake us.

Obviously to let them past in a safe and swift manner is the best course of action in my opinion. However there are plenty of drivers out there with poor driving/road awareness and do not give due consideration to the traffic behind them including the ambulance.

Have you ever been in the situation where one or two cars in front of you see(s) the blue lights of the ambulance and immediately slow down / pull over - meaning that you also have to come to a sudden stop (and it may not have been safe to do so). Not only is the sudden braking dangerous, but they might cause you to become an obstruction if the ambulance does not have enough room to pass by where you are stopped. For some reason, some folk instinctively panic and stop where they are. Bl00dy annoys me!!!

I'm all for allowing the ambulance to pass by as quickly and safely as possible, but you have to take into account the road ahead, the traffic (and ambulance) behind you, and then make a decision of where's appropriate to pull over.

If its safe i`d floor it to the nearest turning/layby.

My grandad is a ex copper, he always said never run a red light to let them through, so i`d move over if possible but not go thru a red light, patiularly if it has a camera on it.

If I can move over to allow them to pass I will....or I will accelerate ahead of them until I can pull over....I will not however break the law to do so.......if an emergency vehicle is not immune from prosecution then neither am I