Domeo
Well-Known Member
- Location
- By the Ching
Any vehicle with a blue light on top is usually a danger to those around them, whether it is on or not, particularly if it includes the word 'Police'.
Blue Light Danger
- Thread starter middleagecyclist
- Start date
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Rob3rt
Man or Moose!
- Location
- Manchester
I have heard that if you get hit by an ambulance, that they don't stop for you but will notify control to send a new one for you as they must continue progress toward the initial location, is there any truth in this?
It sounds kind of stupid, but also kind of makes sense.......
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
They will stop. They are required to by the Road Traffic Act, and there is now exemption to your obligations in an injury or damage RTC just cost you're on a blue light run.
I like Skol
A Minging Manc...
- Location
- Sunny Ashton-under-Lyne
I think I can name this 'blues & twos' phenomenon as my #1 fear when cycling. I worry about very little when cycling in traffic and normally have most situations covered but once I hear those sirens all bets are off as many motorists fail to react predictably or even reasonably once an emergency services vehicle is introduced into the equation. Once I am aware of an approaching emergency vehicle I just think 'Oh Gawd, what are the muppets around me going to do now?'. All you can do is ensure your own safety as you can be sure that most of the motorists around you will forget you are even there (if they had been aware in the first place!).
Whatever, you've got at least a moral responsibility to take care of yourself and not put yourself in dangerous situations. However, the blame lies not with a cyclist or the emergency vehicle, but with the driver who moves aside.
It's not illegal to be deaf and ride a bike on the road........
It's not illegal to be deaf and ride a bike on the road........
CopperBrompton
Bicycle: a means of transport between cake-stops
- Location
- London
As others have said, people do stupid and unpredictable things around emergency service vehicles. I always aim to get off the road if possible or away from other traffic if not.
I like Skol
A Minging Manc...
- Location
- Sunny Ashton-under-Lyne
I should also reiterate someone elses point about emergency vehicles coming in two's! Whenever driving or cycling, after pulling over to allow an emergency vehicle past, I always wait and check there isn't a second emergency vehicle closely following the first. It's not uncommon for there to be two or more police vehicles despatched to an incident or two fire appliances or even an ambulance and paramedic unit that will meet up on the way to the same call. It pays to be extra careful.
CopperBrompton
Bicycle: a means of transport between cake-stops
- Location
- London
I was once overtaken by five police cars, all with blues and twos going. A friend of mine was a police officer locally, so next time I saw him I asked him what had been going on. I assumed it was a major incident. It turned out that they were going to five separate incidents, and that coincidently all the available patrol cars were at one end of the patch and that the incidents were all at the other end.
Cyclopathic
Veteran
- Location
- Leicester.
When I was knocked off my bike last week (SMIDSY turned right across and into me) the police were there almost instantly because they happened to be passing but the paramedic took about 15 minutes to get there in an ambucar then it was another 10 minutes for the ambulance proper to arrive so that I could be checked out more thoroughly. It was rush hour so I can't tell if the delay was due to the traffic or a lack of resources.
CopperBrompton
Bicycle: a means of transport between cake-stops
- Location
- London
Cyclopathic, you need to be more careful in your choice of accident time & location. When a WVM knocked me off my motorcycle some years ago, breaking my leg, I was careful to ensure that a paramedic was passing at the time and thus got immediate care.
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
See my thread about 'other vehicles', especially ones being 'chased' as you can't always see them coming too easily 
Cyclopathic
Veteran
- Location
- Leicester.
Truly some wise advice. Obviously hindsight is a wonderful thing, but it is still hard to see why I was so careless. Your accident sounds far better planned. Not only were the paramedics passing but you seem to have arranged it so that they were not on their way to another emergency as I believe under those circumstances they have to continue.
Fortunately I wasn't as badly injured as you. I hate to think I'd be waiting there on the hot tarmac for that long with a broken leg. I hope it has all healed properly and that you are back in the saddle.
CopperBrompton
Bicycle: a means of transport between cake-stops
- Location
- London
Yes, it was many years ago. 12 days in hospital and an annoying time in plaster, but all fully healed, thanks.
addictfreak
Guru
- Location
- Boldon, Tyne and Wear
Likely to be lack of resources IMHO. The ambulance service guys and girls are on the road 24/7 and are extremely stretched at times. Sometimes leads to them getting some stick, that they certainly do not deserve.
I have seen some bizarre responses over the years from traffic simply stopping in the middle of the road to drivers who have seen the fact that traffic has stopped as an opportunity to cut across in front of the Ambulance, or more commonly t tuck in behind you and take benefit of the wave you create.
