Flashing lights + siren = Pull the - F - Over!

JayT

JayT

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2005
Location
Willow Spring, NC
No questions asked, just get the heck out of the way if you see any emergency response vehicle (with lights/horns/etc on) approaching... Tonight was the second time in less than a week, that I witnessed the complete ignorance/self-importance of drivers refusing to pull over when an Emergency Vehicle was responding...

I'm sure that it wasn't anyone on this board, so please excuse my venting...

Should you happen to be one of them... Yes, I was the one in the red excursion that sprayed the crap out of your windshield with mud (and hopefully stones) as you also refused to let me back in, after I was the ONLY one to let the firetrucks pass at the 70/40 split near garner...

Then again tonight... the a-h in a "4wd" honda.... Go f-yourself. You know, that little POS says 4wd, I bet it can at least climb a curb, or move SLIGHTLY out of the way rather than just sit there on 42 wondering what the heck was going on (when we were all moving off the road and a LOUD siren was in your rear-view!)...

To you self-important, ignorant, a-holes that refuse to get out of the way and yield to Emergency Responders... I hope that you never ever ever need any assistance. I really do. But if you do, I pray that they are in-time and save you and your property. When they do, please say "Thank you" and "I apologize for slowing you down". You sorry SOBs.

Rant over... Mods, move this thread, if posted in the wrong category.

Thanks,
JayT
 
Give-em hell and I agree, if it was their house on fire I bet they would want people pulling over or maybe if it was them in the back of an ambulance with an EMT trying to start an IV while changing lanes because someone didn't move over they would look at it differently. Those jobs are tough enough with having to worry about A-holes not moving or moving in the way(my2cents)
 
I've been known to wave other motorists over when the top is off. I do it when the top is on too, but nobody notices.

J
 
yea i felt bad the other day cause it was one of those which way do i go moments for me going down 64 in chatam county on my way back to school. the resque squad vechicle was trying to cut across our two lanes and i hit my brakes at first but i relaized i was too close to him to stop in time so i just layed it to the floor the only problem was all the cars behind me that had way past enough time to stop just kept cruising along like there wasn't anything going on. hate people like that. i always get over or let them in. it doesn't matter if there on a call or not. cause i've seen how hard it is to drive a tractor and trailer around so i can imagine a firetruck would be just as hard.
 
yea i know what your sayin im a fire fighter/first responder and i cant stand when they dont get out of the way. had a woman yesterday run 35 in a 45 and not pull over even with my lights on. here in my county if ya dont move over you can be fined for it.
 
The state move over law only pretains to STOPPED emergency vehicles (police, ems, rescue, fire and wrecker service).

It carrys a fine $500 along with the possibility of being charged with a felony if a collision occurs that results in serious injury or death.



As for responding units, The responder has to follow all traffic laws, with a few exceptions and exercise due regard. The lights and siren do not say get the f*** out of the way, they ask for premisson to pass through the red light/stop sign, pass etc. . .
(this dosent include POV response, all POVS are required to follow all traffic laws.)

That is the law, but I belive out of kind nice you should move the hell over. Most do, some dont for various reasons. New cars are better sound proof, they arent paying attention and havent noticed you yet or they are just a**holes.

Just something for all the ff/emts on here to think about. I cant stand it either but thats life. Also if an accident is caused because of YOUR response its yours and your departments a**.

:driver:
 
All vehicles, regardless of direction of travel, must yield
right of way to an approaching emergency vehicle. This does not apply to vehicles traveling in the opposite direction of the
emergency vehicle(s) when traveling on a four-lane limited- access highway with a center median.


Emergency and Law Enforcement
Vehicles
Police cars, ambulances, fire engines and rescue
vehicles with flashing lights and sirens
always have the right of way.
Follow these guidelines when approaching or
being approached by an emergency vehicle:
• As the emergency vehicle approaches (from
ahead or behind), drive to the right-hand curb
or edge of the road and stop completely;
• Remain stopped until the emergency vehicle
has passed, or until directed to move by a
traffic officer;
• Do not park within 100 feet of an emergency
vehicle that has stopped to investigate an
accident or to give assistance;
• Do not drive or park closer than one block
from fire trucks responding to a fire alarm;
• Never drive a motor vehicle over a fire hose;
• When approaching any authorized emergency
vehicle (police, fire department, ambulance,
rescue squad or public service vehicle that
is being used to assist motorists or law
enforcement officers with wrecked or
disabled vehicles) that is parked or standing
within 12 feet of the roadway with the
emergency or warning lights activated, a
driver is required to do the following:
• On a highway with at least two lanes of
traffic in the same direction you are
traveling, you must move your vehicle
into a lane that is not the lane nearest the
parked or standing emergency vehicle
and continue traveling in that lane until
safely clear of the emergency vehicle.
• On a highway with only one lane of traffic
in the same direction you are traveling,
you must slow your speed and drive at
a reduced, safe speed until completely
past the emergency vehicle.
 
Did someone really think that they don't have to yield to emergency responders?! I guess they didn't know what law I was referring to... The latest "move over" law is intended to protect police, and other emergency vehicles/operators from being hit while stopped along side the highway... It has nothing to do with move the F out of the way when a fire truck/ambulance is coming with it's lights and sirens on...

How long before we see cameras on the fire trucks/etc, like school buses, and people start getting fined automatically?
 
JayT said:
Did someone really think that they don't have to yield to emergency responders?! I guess they didn't know what law I was referring to... The latest "move over" law is intended to protect police, and other emergency vehicles/operators from being hit while stopped along side the highway... It has nothing to do with move the F out of the way when a fire truck/ambulance is coming with it's lights and sirens on...

How long before we see cameras on the fire trucks/etc, like school buses, and people start getting fined automatically?
Click to expand...

Yeah and that's the problem, people don't even know traffic laws. That comes straight from the dmv drivers handbook. Same reason people stop for school buses when they're on a divided 4 lane and the bus is coming from the opposite direction, they don't have a clue.
 
as a firefighter myself, you have no idea how irritating it is to be responding to a call and have people ignore the lights and sirens. I feel that if they were the people in need of help, they would want everybody to get out of the way so responders could get to them in a timely fashion....yet they choose to ignore us when it comes to other people needing help.
 
We have gotten frustrated to the point of almost pushing people out of the way. The one thing I don't like about the departments around here is the number of PV's that respond to an accident. They are only running lights, no sirens and many of them should not be driving anyway. I do agree 100% though, move the hell over and stop for the lights, even the PV's because they may be the first person at your loved one's side.
 
my father is a police officer in north carolina so i have the utmost respect for any emergancy response vehicle. i have always moved off the road, sometimes completely (for the added adreneline:wheel: )
but i agree with JayT, people who lack the knowledge to move over deserve to get a wake up call with some mud or gravel
 
Eh, it aint that bad. If the one in front of me wont move over I just get in the opposing lane. Ive yet to find a car that wants to play chicken with a fire engine. Ok not really, but I have found oncoming traffic to be more willing to move over and give us room.

Another one that gets on my nerves is when someone tries to out run me, only to catch the traffic in front of them. Then I have to worry about getting around two or more cars instead of just one at a time.

Then theres the idiots who dont understand that a fire truck parked sideways in the road and cones stretched from white line to white line means the damn road is closed. "But thats the only way I know to go!" "Oh well, use that fancy little GPS in your window to find another way."

Duane
 
CLRracer said:
Then theres the idiots who dont understand that a fire truck parked sideways in the road and cones stretched from white line to white line means the damn road is closed. "But thats the only way I know to go!" "Oh well, use that fancy little GPS in your window to find another way."
Duane
Click to expand...

What amazes me is how many people there are that don't live on dead end roads but they only know how to get to their house one way. And they always say "I just live right up the road. Can't I get through?" I ran into that one about 5 times today.
 
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