Did something similar when I was 17: Was on Route 9 in Framingham, MA-- an unlimited access, divided highway. Line of cars in the left lane, empty right lane, so I pulled out. Saw headlights bouncing in the rear view mirror (from sudden braking) then blue lights followed up, LOL. Cop chewed me out (young looking kid) for "not looking", gave me a warning, cut me loose. He then turned right in 1/10 mile. Obviously he was picking the empty lane, and, being Massachusetts, gunning it to pass on the right.
Giving way to emergency vehicles
- Thread starter The motor guy
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Engines (fire trucks) are speed limited at 65 MPH and most ambulances wont go much over 70. Your strategy is solid.
use the indicators to show where you are going before and as you move over, that's a huge help. Another help is if you move over ion the same direction other cars are. Ideally that would be to the right of course.
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Nobody pulls over for ambulances and firetrucks on the freeway around here. When you have 6 lanes on each side just don't be in the left lane. I guess this explains why though. Most people are doing 75-80
Exactly what I do. More often than not they turn off before they catch up. Plus it's impossible to get tangled up with the aforementioned idiot who just stops dead in the fast lane.
Pull over to the right if it's safe to do so. If not, expediently find a safe spot to pull over. At all points it's crucial to look at your surroundings and determine the safest path for not only you but also determine the path the emergency vehicle is going to take and adjust accordingly.
I have taken a turn at a red light when all the lanes were blocked, allowing the ambulance a way through because of a concrete median, even though I wanted to go straight, and the two cars that wanted to turn right wasn't moving. I determined it was the best course of action because nobody else going my direction was moving out of the way.
I have taken a turn at a red light when all the lanes were blocked, allowing the ambulance a way through because of a concrete median, even though I wanted to go straight, and the two cars that wanted to turn right wasn't moving. I determined it was the best course of action because nobody else going my direction was moving out of the way.
I think most people on BITOG get it. Its the folks that are at their skill limit just driving in general, that panic when they see the emergency lights. Panicked drivers are like panicked swimmers. They are dangerous to themselves and to all around them.
Also a contributing factor to folks not pulling over is that the vehicles are made with too much sound deadening materials. Fine for wind but too much for people to hear. Also phones don't help.
Nothing worse than coding on the E-way and still getting passed .......
Something else to think about is that many vehicles now have dark tint on the front side windows. This make it impossible to make eye contact with the driver. This was a helpful tool in determining whether the driver had acknowledged you and once they had your chances of having them stop were greater. It wasnt foolproof but it was helpful. I still use this when I can, while coming to a 90 degree intersection where I have the right away and the vehicle to my right does not.
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That's what I always hope for. Typically this is what happens. They turn off
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Exactly. Let the emergency vehicle go around you if you can't get over. No big deal. They're supposed to know how to drive afterall
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I can't hear anything in my truck. Had to come to a screeching halt for a cop running code a few weeks back. I only heard sirens for about 3 seconds before I saw him. Which also means he was also going pretty fast and didn't look like he had any plans to stop at the intersection even though I had a green. Luckily I had nobody behind me, didn't even have a chance to look either. Freaking clown. Then he stopped right in the middle of the intersection for about 10 seconds for some reason. I don't think he knew where he was going
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