Emergency Services and Cycle Lane

[BSA]

I was on my way home last night and the traffic was nose to tail on the dual carriageway so I was happily filtering down the centre, no problems.

A mile further along on, a road cycle lane starts so I indicate and move into the lane. Then I hear a siren (ambulance coming) so what does everyone do??? dive left and right to let the ambulance through but the poor old cyclist in the cycle lane has nowhere to go! nearly squished.

Lesson learned I will ignore the cycle lane in future and continue filtering down the centre. If an emergency services vehicle is coming I will move into the main flow of traffic and hold my space!

Cycling really keeps you on your toes!

 

[thomas]

Yep, people don't seem to look. I once was on the outside lane of a duel carriageway driving and saw an ambulance some distance back, had to fight with a van driver to let me in because he was too stupid to realise why I was pulling over.

 

[Arch]

On a bike you usually have the advantage, unless you are deaf, or are listening to loud music, of hearing a siren way before the drivers around you. As soon as I hear one, I'm moving my head about to try and gauge where it's coming from, looking out for it, and looking for escape/get out of the way routes. There are some places where I know the space is so tight that I'll just get off the road and wait for it to pass.

If some drivers don't look out for us in nromals traffic, they certainly aren't going to when they suddenly realise they have blue flashing lights in the mirror or oncoming and they have to think* quickly

*I use 'think' in it's loosest meaning here...

 

[marinyork]

I normally get off the road entirely. Had a few close shaves by emergency services not noticing a cyclist (even well out of the way) or drivers doing last minute erratic or trying opportunistic things. It's getting worse as it's now trendy not to use sirens .

 

[hackbike 666]

What marin said.If it's safe I go up on the pavement and stop depending on the ped situation.

 

[Davywalnuts]

This situation with emergency services just really shows how most drivers are unable to cope with the situation when it arises. Now, am not a driver and neither do I have a license, but is there training for such events?

And with regards to the not using sirens bit I was almost flattened a while ago when I pulled over for a speeding fire engine to then pull back out to find another right behind it! Now, I had been watching the "1st" one for a good few seconds and could neither see or "hear" another one! Scared the s*** outta me! Is this practice to not have both the engines sounding does anyone know?

 

[hackbike 666]

That happened to me just last week? saw a cop car blaring away and there was another behind it.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Did my first commute yesterday - so not sure if I've earned the right to be in Commuters rather than Beginners - but for the record, got cut up by an ambulance but fire engine much more considerate. Funnily enough no sign of the police, suppose it's their turn next.

 

[Davywalnuts]

Am thinking two differant (or more) sirens should be used in such circumstances..

 

[hackbike 666]

Did my first commute yesterday - so not sure if I've earned the right to be in Commuters rather than Beginners - but for the record, got cut up by an ambulance but fire engine much more considerate. Funnily enough no sign of the police, suppose it's their turn next.

Dont matter if you are a beginner if you are commuting.

 

[PBancroft]

People panic when they hear the siren, and I wouldn't be surprised if emergency vehicle drivers get annoyed at how some folk react. I've seen people stop dead centre in a lane (because that's what you're supposed to do, I guess - stop - they just got it a bit wrong). I've seen folk stop at junctions when they could have safely pulled over, folk mounting pavements to get out of the way (very nearly running pedestrians over in the process).

The fact is, people think they know what they're doing, and they think they're doing the right thing, but they don't actually take a moment to consider the best course of action.

Ever seen footage of a fire with people involved, such as at Bradford Football ground? People just stand or sit there, with plenty of opportunity to leave calmly and safely. But they don't, they just sit, waiting to be told what to do. Then the fire reaches them, and they panic... people get trambled on, thrown, kicked, and generally they die.

People are rubbish.

 

[hackbike 666]

I was watching an episode of Police Camera Action when a police car was escorting something or other to a hospital in West London from East Anglia via the Mile End Road.The police car got held up at Aldgate due to a motorist stopping in the middle of the road.The cop was on a time limit and if it had got to the hospital later than the time limit then they were buggered.I think it was an organ of some sort.It turned out that the motorist was German and he was following the rules to how they drive in Germany.Anyway the cop car got to the hospital on time and saved a life.

 

[rob7222]

Is this practice to not have both the engines sounding does anyone know?

I have experience of being inside emergency vehicles, the sirens are very loud and when driving in convoy some of the cars will often power down to save it's crew a headache of epic proportions.

 

[the reluctant cyclist]

I agree with the earlier posters...

On a bike you can usually hear the siren before the cars (nowadays even in summer nobody seems to drive around with their windows down!) and have the advantage of being able to hop on the pavement - that's exactly what I do.

Motorists are terrible at going into a panic at the sound of a siren so out of the road is where I am going to be!

It's not like it happens a lot so I just grin and bear it!

(I deffo have never seen two following one another though and will keep my eye out in future!!)

 

[skrx]

I came that close *gestures* to being hit by a police car in London at about midnight on the A4/Cromwell Road outside the Natural History Museum. I'd crossed the eastbound lane (looking right), walked the zig-zag of the pedestrian island, saw the lights go in my favour and stepped into the westbound lane (looking left). Then heard a screech of tyres, and jumped/flew to the other side of the road as the approaching police car -- coming down the wrong side of the road without a siren -- slammed on the brakes.

It drove off as soon as I was off the road. If I hadn't been so shaken up I'd have taken the number and complained.