Somebody give me a shotgun.

**notme** · 4th November 2005, 16:22

I need a shotgun holster on the bike.

I wrote this wee rant last night but it didn't post correctly.....

I AM SO FUCKED OFF RIGHT NOW!

I just got home from band practice, and on the way home I was again reminded of the total inability of some drivers on our roads to USE THIER FUCKING COMMON SENSE!

Ok, I was coming thru Papatoetoe, on East Tamaki Road (by the motorway). By the way, I was caging it, it's hard to get to and from band practice with gear on a bike. The cage is a big bad Mitsi Legnum, has mods to make the V6 a bit louder, and is bright coloured and hard to miss. Within the space of 2 or 3 k's travelling down East Tamaki Road, a car tried to occupy my lane at the same time as me, and another decided that he could fit down the gap between me and a truck (so that he could make a left turn arrow at the lights ahead). Yeah thanks bud, I didn't like that wing mirror anyway.

Now this is all part of the joy of driving, I won't make any comments about south auckland traffic or even auckland traffic because i know it happens everywhere. Anyway, the part of my story where i totally lose my rag is coming up, boys and girls.....

I was another 5 mins down the road near Great South road, when i notice flashing red lights in the mirror. OK, so there's and ambo or firey coming up behind me, hmmm what to do? Well, I'm sitting at a red light waiting to turn left, the ambo is behind me and in the right lane, so let's just not move, put our foot on the brake so hopefully it's clear i'm not going anywhere, and keep an eye on things.

At this stage i can hear the siren, and notice mr ambo (as it turns out-probably heading for Middlemore) starting to go round the traffic waiting at the light on the wrong side of the road (i.e. he's going around the traffic on the RIGHT of the waiting traffic).

All good, I'm still sitting tight, and the light goes green for straight ahead and left turning traffic. Of course I keep the foot on the brakes, cos mr ambo could be going straight or he could be going around the front of me and left. Either way, I was taught (as if you NEED to be) that you stay put till the emergency service vehicle is clear.

WELL. Some people either a) weren't taught this, or b) don't care, or c) ARE MORONS. I suspect all three, because the guy behind me started hitting his horn. I ignored this, and thought "tosser!". After maybe 10 secs (bear in mind there is an ambo working his way around us as this happens!) this FUCKTARD reverses a bit, then starts trying to drive around me to turn left!!!

He would have totally had an ambulance in his door if he had completed this move (well, he wouldn't, the PROFESSIONAL ambulance driver would have avoided him) but at this point I was almost in a frothing at the mouth rage, and so i pulled forward and RIGHT, cutting him off, and wincing at the crunch to come. Lucky for both of us, he stopped without hitting me.....BUT THEN HE STARTED YELLING AND ABUSING ME OUT THE CAR WINDOW!!!!!

WHAT THE FUCK!??!?!?

I was ready to have my first case of road rage, so I hightailed it outta there....ambulance is gone and off down the road now.

Took me ages to stop shaking, I was so wound up with anger and adrenaline and all that fight or flight stuff.

I fail to understand how someone can think that them getting where they are going is more important than ANY emergency service vehicle in full on lights and sirens mode (code 1 is it SpeedMedic? Firefight?) - how can people not think to themselves "what if it was trying to get to me after an accident/fire/assault whatever!?!?!?!)

Jeez just reliving it is making me ...not angry..... but despairing of people's humanity. What the hell is wrong with some people???? People who are otherwise decent law abiding citizens, who wouldn't consider committing a "real" crime, yet they behave like this on the road?

*Sigh* I know the above question isn't answerable - this is all just a rant, KB is a good place to get it all off my chest.

I AM NOT A STRONG ENOUGH PERSON TO DO THE JOB OF SOME OF YOU GUYS HERE WHO ARE IN THE POLICE FORCE, AMBO's, AND FIRE SERVICE. I have the utmost respect for our emergency services, and I hope you don't come across shit like my incident last night too often.....remember it's not all of us who are like that.

**Groins_NZ** · 4th November 2005, 16:34

Don't ya just wish you could blow someone's tyre at will, with just one word or thought.

Know where you're coming from dude, them some real pricks around.

**Ixion** · 4th November 2005, 16:46

Good on y' for blocking him. I hate ruddy tossers who don't get out the way for ambos, fire engines. FFS you can hear them from miles away, and if they're belting along it's because it's IMPORTANT.

Y' noticed too, how few people pull over when the ambo/fengine is on the other side of the road ? So the emergency vehicle c. an use the side you're on if he needs to .

**justsomeguy** · 4th November 2005, 16:46

FUll respect to you for not getting out - and doing something about it.

EVEN MORE RESPECT. For putting yourself in danger inorder to protect the ambulance.

**notme** · 4th November 2005, 16:50

Another habit I have picked up (referring to keeping foot on brakes so it's clear to the emergency vehicle that i'm not planning to move) is that when on the bike and in a similar situation i remove both hands from the bars (looks stupid but makes the same point i hope!)

**notme** · 4th November 2005, 16:53

I must have been shaken, I'm talking about a shotgun holster on the BIKE when the incident happened in the CAGE.....:slap: remember i wrote the rant after getting home....just didn't post till today.

**notme** · 4th November 2005, 16:55

Originally Posted by justsomeguy

FUll respect to you for not getting out - and doing something about it.

Hahaha respect for NOT doing something.

Originally Posted by justsomeguy

EVEN MORE RESPECT. For putting yourself in danger inorder to protect the ambulance.

If you think about it that's kinda self defeating....but it made sense at the time.

**inlinefour** · 4th November 2005, 17:01

Originally Posted by justsomeguy

FUll respect to you for not getting out - and doing something about it.

EVEN MORE RESPECT. For putting yourself in danger inorder to protect the ambulance.

That is a mighty good thing that you have done, dunno how many people would actually follow your lead.

**SlowHand** · 4th November 2005, 17:02

I have a question for the authority types - what is the deal if Im stuck in red light, first in cue with Siren and LIghts going nuts behind me, and the way is ABSOLUTELY clear? do I run the light?

Im not saying this is what you should do or anything Allun - full respect for putting your neck on the line. Just that its happened with my mate driving, and we ran the light.

**notme** · 4th November 2005, 17:21

Originally Posted by JohnnyRotten

That is a mighty good thing that you have done, dunno how many people would actually follow your lead.

Yeah...most people are sensible

**Da Bird** · 4th November 2005, 18:06

Originally Posted by Strat

I have a question for the authority types - what is the deal if Im stuck in red light, first in cue with Siren and LIghts going nuts behind me, and the way is ABSOLUTELY clear? do I run the light?

Im not saying this is what you should do or anything Allun - full respect for putting your neck on the line. Just that its happened with my mate driving, and we ran the light.

Yes, please go through the lights - I wont ticket you for it, in fact I will probably say "Thankyou!" although you wont hear it. With the traffic in AKL, it is getting harder and harder to get to incidents quickly... not so bad on my bike, but in a car it can be pretty stressful. I hate the people who just stop in the right lane - absolute dicks!