Drivers' reactions to emergency vehicles on blues

kevin0410

Why is it that when some people see flashing blue lights they become unable to use common sense?
On the way to work earlier and i was in light traffic moving at 30mph. In the distance coming towards us is a police car on blues. There is no traffic in front of the police car yet at least one of the drivers in front of me feels the need to slow to about 10mph and drive almost on the pavement.
Why?!!
Rant over!

PasturesNew

I'd see that as the driver sending out a message to the emergency vehicle that they had spotted them ... and were giving them a wide berth, this would mean the driver of the emergency vehicle would know he had one less thing to worry about.

save-a-lot

kevin0410 wrote: »

Why is it that when some people see flashing blue lights they become unable to use common sense?
On the way to work earlier and i was in light traffic moving at 30mph. In the distance coming towards us is a police car on blues. There is no traffic in front of the police car yet at least one of the drivers in front of me feels the need to slow to about 10mph and drive almost on the pavement.
Why?!!
Rant over!

I have the same frustrations, especially when common sense completely goes and people go into blind panic and actually hold up the emergency services, by stopping inappropriately.

nuckinfobhead

i'd see that as a driver panicking myself, there is absolutely no reason to move if the unit is coming the other way up a 2 way road and his path ahead is clear, all it does is cause panic among drivers who havent yet noticed and possibly an accident. the roads clear so use it, driving on the pavement is illegal anyway, the police arent stupid, 1 car moving over still leaves however many that didnt...... which ones more of a hazard? those that panic and hit the pavement or those that are smart enough to realise that as they arent driving on the wrong side of the road hence no need to move.......... sorry pasturesnew.

kevin0410 - it wasnt a woman or a flat capper was it by chance?

PasturesNew

nuckinfobhead wrote: »

i'd see that as a driver panicking myself, there is absolutely no reason to move if the unit is coming the other way up a 2 way road and his path ahead is clear, all it does is cause panic among drivers who havent yet noticed and possibly an accident. the roads clear so use it, driving on the pavement is illegal anyway, the police arent stupid, 1 car moving over still leaves however many that didnt...... which ones more of a hazard? those that panic and hit the pavement or those that are smart enough to realise that as they arent driving on the wrong side of the road hence no need to move.......... sorry pasturesnew.

kevin0410 - it wasnt a woman or a flat capper was it by chance?

He didn't go onto the pavement. The posting by the OP was unclear on details, maybe you have wider roads where you live than I am used to, but I'd say that any emergency vehicle would appreciate as much road width as was possible... and by slowing, it alerts those behind that there is a change in road circumstances.

Unless we saw a video of the event it would be difficult to say what was right or wrong.

kevin0410

nuckinfobhead wrote: »

kevin0410 - it wasnt a woman or a flat capper was it by chance?

Quite possibly!

Jem8472

That annoys me big time as well. People seem to panic and forget how to drive as soon as they see some blue lights.

ariba10

The correct procedure I believe, on hearing or seeing an emergency vehicle on a call is to pull into the nearside and stop.

goldspanners

ariba10 wrote: »

The correct procedure I believe, on hearing or seeing an emergency vehicle on a call is to pull into the nearside and stop.

if its safe to do so. and without breaking any other laws, like jumping red lights without being told to do so by an officer of the law, or using a bus lane.

PasturesNew

"All vehicles on both sides of the road must slow down or even stop to leave a clear path, but do not endanger other road users. Don't stop in the middle of a junction. (If you're blocking the path of the emergency vehicle, you may have to turn the corner to get out of the way.) "

http://www.2pass.co.uk/emergencyvehicle.htm

ben500

My concern is the increasing amount of drivers that do sweet f/a as if the emergency vehicle has wings and can go over the inconsiderate bastages. It is always the right thing to do to give way to emergency vehicles so long as you do it safely. By pulling to the kerb as another poster said make available the maximum amount of roadspace so that in the event someone else doesn't, or an event trakes place requiring the emergency vehicle to deviate from its path the driver can do so safely.