Cops/Ambos/Fire people. Does this piss you off?

[Pancakes]

I was driving to the city on the NW'ern yesterday and see some cop cars coming the other way up the 2 lane bit just after Lincoln Rd. All the cars have pulled into the left lane except one who, despite being beside a reasonable sized gap and having the cops behind them for some time just carries on driving at roughly 95k's. I'm certain they weren't trying to pull the 4WD over, just wanted past. I see this a bit, emergency services vehicles coming in the mirrors and so I normally indicate left/right, roll off the gas, no point braking and causing a traffic jam and your vehicle is more manueverable than if you stop and even if there is a siren close or the emergency vehicle is only a few cars back the person behind me will just overtake or stop in the way. People just don't seem to have thought this scenario through before getting behind the wheel. It must fuck you all right off!

What do you do? If I was held up I'd be livid and I wonder if you take their plate and get them done or what? I beleive in New York when Rudi Gulliani first got in they put camera's on the front of fire trucks and gave fines to the vehicle owners that held up the trucks. no shit about someone else driving or anything, just payup and if you weren't driving tuff.

Mmmmm, curious to hear your stories.

[UberRhys]

I beleive in New York when Rudi Gulliani first got in they put camera's on the front of fire trucks and gave fines to the vehicle owners that held up the trucks. no shit about someone else driving or anything, just payup and if you weren't driving tuff.

I agree with this line of thought - fine the idiots. I had a firey mate who used to drive and he gets really pissed off having to chuck the anchors on because a dickhead wouldn't get out of the way. Those fire trucks aren't the lightest of things to pull up, let alone motor off again. Just like a speed camera they should be fined and think, we too could have a "Cops" type program of footage taken from Emergency Service vehicles to shame them as well... :nono:

[nudemetalz]

They should treat it like those youtubes you see in Iraq where the US Humvees beep and then push the cars out the way :Punk: . I guess when you have a .50 cal staring at you, makes you wanna get out the way....

[Pancakes]

I used to work at Ruapehu and this guy pulled up in a bling'ed up Legnum. Was told he couldn't park cos the helicoter was coming to get someone. He was all "I'll only be a minute" and dashed off. One of the parking guys gets on the tractor, wraps a chain around one front wheel (automatic car remember, I assume in park, left running with the handbrake on) and drags it down a gravel bank! the fat tyres skipping and bouncing everywhere! The guy saw and ran over all shitty until a half dozen of the boys stepped up too. He was so pissed saying "you'll pay for it etc". He didn't get a cent.

[nudemetalz]

Great story, Pancakes !!!:laugh::rofl:

[MotoGirl]

Reminds me of Piha Rescue on TV the other week where a car was parked somewhere the firetruck needed to go (you know, while a whole HILL was alight). If I remember correctly, they somehow managed to push it out of the way.

[JMemonic]

Me I always think what if that were my relative, lover, or friend they were off to save, but some folks feel that they are the most important.

Where I work we have signs up in areas saying no parking emergency access and where do people park ... even the workers who's life the extra few minutes it takes to re route the vehicles could be saved.

[UberRhys]

Reminds me of Piha Rescue on TV the other week where a car was parked somewhere the firetruck needed to go (you know, while a whole HILL was alight). If I remember correctly, they somehow managed to push it out of the way.

I think they "bounce" cars out of the way as to not damage them but I could be wrong.

[MotoGirl]

Not wanting to hijack the thread or anything, but I'm curious if anyone has been in front of an emergency vehicle (on a bike) and tried to help push vehicles out of the way.

[devnull]

Not wanting to hijack the thread or anything, but I'm curious if anyone has been in front of an emergency vehicle (on a bike) and tried to help push vehicles out of the way.

If they're blind to lights and deaf to sirens, I don't think a bike would make much difference.

I really used to like the ones that pulled left right in front of you when splitting lanes.. or even better, the ones that suddenly realise you're behind them and slam on the brakes in panic :mad:

[discotex]

I recently pulled over on the bike to let an ambulance past. Having heard it a mile away I was sitting watching what the cars between me and it did in my mirrors so I didn't get rammed.

The skyline behind me pulled over as soon as it could.

The car behind it swerves around it crossing the white lines totally oblivious to the ambo meters behind it let alone oncomming traffic,

I'm pulled over about 10m from some traffic lights which are red and it happens that the cars pretty much back up to where I was. The nutty woman decided that she'd stop at the lights right next to me as I must be parked there for some weird reason.

*Bang bang* on the bonnet and she stops talking on her phone long enough to look at me all shocked while I pointed out the ambulance.

If it was me driving it'd drive me up the wall (no pun intended) if I was attending a serious callout.

[scumdog]

Worse still is when you come up behind 4-5 cars and you have lights/siren going.

And the front 3-4 cars all move over - and the last car (the dick right on front of you) overtakes the cars that have moved over and carries on like nothing has happened:angry:

Oftne thought it would be best to drive down the wrong side of the road - all the oncoming cars seem to see you and pull to their left leaving a big gap while the bozo's on front seem not to notice (a) the lights etc behind them and (b) all the other oncoming cars moving over to their left for some reason.

[Renegade]

fucks me off no-end, they should invent a ticket for it, how many times ive wanted tp lock the person up for obstruction just to teach the ignorant half wit a lesson. :girlfight:

at night i high beam people, everyone sees that in the mirror

[limbimtimwim]

Was driving with a friend one day along a busy street in Wellington and an ambo came up behind us. He pulls over to let it past.. Then the crazy bugger tucks in behind the ambo and we start flying down Jervois quay behind it.

"Ambo wake" he says.

[Donor]

Personally, I fucking HATE using my lights and sirens.

You get less respect than at normal road speeds, and people suffer Possum Syndrome - they see lights and freak out.

I've had nanas mount kerbs, people rear-end the car in front because they were glued to their rear-vision mirrors, and plenty of wankers who think that slip streaming behind an ambulance that may move over very quickly or need to brake rapidly is a very good idea.

I get a lot of people asking me what they should do... I tell them it's in the fucking road code, and if that they can't recall something as simple as that from the book, then they should hand their bloody licence in...

[discotex]

I get a lot of people asking me what they should do... I tell them it's in the fucking road code, and if that they can't recall something as simple as that from the book, then they should hand their bloody licence in...

It's just insane. I really don't envy you Donor!

On my way home in the rain tonight I stopped at an intersection to allow a police car through and was astounded to see someone turn right across their path!!

It's really not that hard eh...

http://www.landtransport.govt.nz/roadcode/about-driving/receiving-signals.html

"If an emergency vehicle (such as an ambulance, fire engine or police car) is coming towards you or behind you, and is using sirens and/or flashing blue and red, or red lights, you must pull over and, if necessary, stop and allow it to pass."

[Toaster]

Land Transport (Road User) Rule 2004
Part 3 Traffic signs and signals (r 3.1 to r 3.12)
Drivers' signals

3.11Driver must make way when signalled by vehicle displaying blue or red beacons

(1)A driver must make way, by stopping if necessary, as soon as practicable with safety—

(a)for an emergency vehicle that is operating a blue or red beacon or blue and red beacons:

(b)for a vehicle that is being escorted by an enforcement officer who is driving a vehicle operating a blue beacon or blue and red beacons:

(c)if the driver has reasonable cause to believe that he or she is being signalled to make way by a siren carried on an emergency vehicle.

[Filterer]

Not wanting to hijack the thread or anything, but I'm curious if anyone has been in front of an emergency vehicle (on a bike) and tried to help push vehicles out of the way.

I was splitting the southern motorway a few weeks ago when I saw an ambo up ahead, thought this will be great, ill split behind it, its gotta be faster.

Well, no caught up to it, stayed about 5 car lengths back, "surfing the wake" and it was slower than I had been going!

Ended up overtaking and going about double its speed, I was flabbergasted that I could go so much faster then a vehicle with lights and sirens, people only seemed to notice when it was about 3 vehicles behind them

[Harry the Barstard]

I have been a volly firey for 5 yrs and a paid fireman for three.

I think being in a fire truck helps. I used to get pissed off and fill their rear vision mirror with the red of my truck. Having a big ass horn helps too.

Im totaly hearing what donor is saying though. Sometimes it just freaks people out and dear i say it, they get more stupid. If i was being honest it would depend what mood your in and the severity of the call your attending.

Idiots are eveywhere........beware

[sunhuntin]

i pull over as soon as i see it, no matter what side of the road its on. if im getting on the bike from somewhere and hear sirens, i stay in my park til i see where it is. same goes for funerals, i pull over till they have gone.

[Renegade]

Personally,
I get a lot of people asking me what they should do... I tell them it's in the fucking road code, and if that they can't recall something as simple as that from the book, then they should hand their bloody licence in...


i like your style, nail on the head, fit bull bars and move them on yourself i reckon, apparently buses are allowed to shunt you out of a bus lane, i may be wrong tho

[Angusdog]

Hmm, doubt buses have that power, or if they do it would be very unwise to use it. Buses in London have front mounted cameras and just photograph all vehicles in the bus lane - probably a good earner if they got the money but I don't think they do. The police can't be bothered filling their speed cameras with film most of the time as it comes out of their budget but they don't get any revenue. I got snapped 20 times in two years, never got a ticket.

Tried to hook in behind an ambulance heading through Knightsbridge, only to find a Merc coupe trying to do the same from the other lane - my Mk III Escort won as he valued his car's panels more than me ;)

[Pancakes]

......................On my way home in the rain tonight I stopped at an intersection to allow a police car through and was astounded to see someone turn right across their path!! .....................

Yeah thats crazy. When I got hit a cop gave me a lift to my sisters place. From just south of the bridge to Glenfield two cars turned right across infront of the marked cop car! I just laughed out loud and was like WTF!! He said it happens all the time. If you pull into the path of a marked car, lights or not you've gotta be some kinda space cadet. Whats the glass thing in the front for?

[Delphinus]

Haha its not hard if you have any ounce of sense... Was at the front of some red lights with another car beside me, heard some sirens, and lights went green... both of us just sat there chilling out for a while, sure enough cop comes along, see's us both stopped, waves and continues on his way, and then so do we. All is well in the world.

[steveb64]

Worse still is when you come up behind 4-5 cars and you have lights/siren going.

And the front 3-4 cars all move over - and the last car (the dick right on front of you) overtakes the cars that have moved over and carries on like nothing has happened:angry:


I've seen that happen before - from one of the front cars perspectives... Saw the lights, spotted a good place to pull over - room behind for others - and some moron just in front of flashing lights passes everyone stopping, and sails on, oblivious to the flashing lights behind them...

Last time I pulled over - it was for a cop coming through - I was heading down to Auckland for the War of the Worlds concert, had the family in the Pajero, was cruising along at <110 k, and the mirror lit up! :shit: Hit the indicators, pull over, and the cop justs blasts on past. :gob: Whew!

[Reckless]

I was stopped at the lights in Rotorua on the VTR about a year or so ago. Heard the siren coming up behind me so I waited and my light turned red. Was a police car. Our light was still red. He slowed a bit then proceeded just in time to smack into the front left of some dumb cage that flew through the green from our right. Far as I could see he did everything right the siren was bloody loud its was dark and the lights where bright as, even reflecting off all the buildings around.
Cage appeared outa nowhere and bang!! They both spun about a quarter around, glass everywhere.
No one was hurt, But it was bloody funny as the last thing you ever expect to see is a cop car getting smashed!

[Pancakes]

.............the last thing you ever expect to see is a cop car getting smashed!

Holy crap do you know how many cops cars get smashed? I used to do the RT installs for the Auckland ones a few years back and far out, it's like a Hollywood action movie set!

[Sanx]

I certainly try to get out of the way of any emergency vehicle. Cops, especially, when I'm on the bike. A good twist of the throttle is pretty effective :msn-wink:

(p/t)

I once got given a ticket in the UK for going through a red light when getting out of the way of a big red fire engine. One lane one-way street. I'm the only car waiting at a red-light. Hear the sirens, check the mirror, check the road and nip round the corner out of the truck's way. And set off the red light camera in doing so.

Ticket arrived in the post. I wrote back saying I was getting out of the way of a fire engine. They wrote back saying the next picture didn't show a fire engine going through the same red light, so the fine's to be paid. Yep - the lights changed half a second after I drove through the bloody things. *shrug* Still wouldn't stop me getting out of the way of another one though. Might be my loved ones they're on the way to.

[howdamnhard]

Agreed,I always get out of the way as soon as possible,easier on the bike.What amazes me is people don't seem to use their ears at all and rely on vision(occasionaly). :zzzz:


[QUOTE=JMemonic;1261310]Me I always think what if that were my relative, lover, or friend they were off to save

[crshbndct]

"At the rise of the hand by policeman, stop rapidly. Do not pass him by or otherwise disrespect him."

fine advice

[Bass]

I've been caught the other way.
Every bike I have ever ridden with the exception of Dick Hubbard's Beemer has a huge blind spot immediately behind, especially when carrying a pillion. Worse, given that a full face helmet knocks out some of your peripheral vision, it can be impossible to turn your head enough to see into the region that the mirrors don't cover. On top of that, at highway speeds, the wind noise can mask a siren to the extent, that it is hard to hear and impossible to determine its direction.

I have had a cop slip up behind me on the motorway and sit about half a meter from my back wheel. I could hear him - just, but I couldn't see him, no matter what I did. It took me a few seconds to work out where he was and get out of his way.

If he had been 5 meters further back, I would have had no problem.
My body language must have demonstrated pretty graphically that I was trying to locate him but he didn't get the hint.

He probably though I was a complete plonker.


He might be right

[Riff Raff]

Once upon a time White Trash asked me if he could come out in the ambulance with me so he could see what it was like to do a P1 drive. After I pointed out to him that he might see some blood he quickly changed his mind. So the next best thing was me putting my phone on speaker so he could 'experience' a P1 drive. He said he'd never heard such filthy language coming from a beautiful woman's mouth as he did that day. It almost caused our relationship to end before it started, all because a lot of dickheads wouldn't get out of the way.:angry2:

[steveb64]

"At the rise of the hand by policeman, stop rapidly. Do not pass him by or otherwise disrespect him."

fine advice

I wasn't disrespecting him! I waved back! Nice to see friendly cops... :innocent:

[Harry the Barstard]

I wasn't disrespecting him! I waved back! Nice to see friendly cops... :innocent:

Thats the spirit. We need more good people out on the roads like you. Cnat beat a good old wave.

[marty]

long time ago i was driving to auckland on my daily 150km commute. through ohinewai (i told you it was a long time ago!) i came up behand a camper van. he @ 80, me @ 110k. just as i got close, he pulled left. 'that's considerate' i thought, and i moved right to overtake. caught a flash of red in my mirror, checked properly to see a black and white V3000 trailing tyre smoke weaving all over the road. camper had pulled over to let him past - i didn't see him! T/O gave me the evils as he went past, then at the crash scene up at long swamp, as i drove through with big bore burbling (old school 6 cylinder skyline turbo) way too loud, he again gave me the filthy look.

12 months later (and a career change) i was working with the same cop, attending serious crashes on that very piece of road, and ended up being his boss! he always gave me stick about that day though, and reckoned he should have locked me up.

[RT527]

I have been a volly firey for 5 yrs and a paid fireman for three.

I think being in a fire truck helps. I used to get pissed off and fill their rear vision mirror with the red of my truck. Having a big ass horn helps too.

Im totaly hearing what donor is saying though. Sometimes it just freaks people out and dear i say it, they get more stupid. If i was being honest it would depend what mood your in and the severity of the call your attending.

Idiots are eveywhere........beware

Yup I drive the truck to calls often , have been for the last 13 yrs of my 15 yrs in the volly`s, it pays not to stress, just relax sit back a bit and let them get out of the way,And yes we have taken registration numbers of people Tailing us past the people that have pulled over for us, and when we catch them up at the accident a few k`s up the road , they get asked to sit there and wait till a policeman comes to talk to them ....small petrol spil on road is all thats needed.....sec 28 , scuse me sir theres a risk of fire right where your parked , these 4 burly fireman are going to forcibly insist on saving your life .....Sir.

The driver of an emergency vehicle is deemed responsible for any action/inaction taken that results in damage or injury to passengers or public. no one can tell you to go faster/tailgate/push someone off the road or drive stupidly ....but they can tell you to slow down/pullover, and get the f**k outta the drivers seat cause we wanna live.


I ve had ppl do some whacked out stuff while driving to calls, had this lady in a merc cruising down the highway at around 75 with us behind her, sirens horn and high beam flashing at her...she saw us and didnt do any thing....she thought she didnt need to and we would go round her...despite the fact that every time i tried she would accelerate a little , just enough for us to not be able to get past....Glad to say the cop behind us was calling us asking what was wrong( when we had sheared channels with the police) and when we told him he shot past us and pulled her over....cop wouldnt say what happened...But he did give us a wry thoughtful smile , that indicated to me that she got a ticket.

Any ways if you see a fire truck and your in your car thanks in advance for pulling over for us...oh and if you do , please slow down a little too as we need a lot of room to go past and if your going a little slower than us , then we can get past safer.

New zealand has the safest fire service in the world, we havnt killed any of our firefighters in an operational capacity whilest fighting fires...(which used to be our core business now we have changed and rescue is being incorporated into our core business now.) we have lost firefighters lives whilest travelling to a call/back from a call, and training. Lol just had to edit here....That last sentance is of course nationally , not just the station where I am.

[McDuck]

Well i slam on the brakes (not to hard) when the truck is just out of my 'line' passing. Tat way the truck is past me very quickly. veyr very quickly.

[notme]

Haha its not hard if you have any ounce of sense... Was at the front of some red lights with another car beside me, heard some sirens, and lights went green... both of us just sat there chilling out for a while, sure enough cop comes along, see's us both stopped, waves and continues on his way, and then so do we. All is well in the world.


:2thumbsup

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=19713