How do you deal with Woo Woos?

[BentMikey]

Here are two examples:


Here I spot the fire engine just after I pass the car I tooted, and elect to wait until I'm between two islands to pull over, as that makes it easier for the engine to get through.

 

[akb]

Thanks everyone! And Mikey, that Fire Engine looked scary scary! He was going for it!

 

[akb]

People do stupid things when they hear a siren, from blundering up kerbsides without any indication, hesitancy or thought for pedestrians or anyone else that may be in the way to using the siren as an excuse to jump red lights so the emergency vehicle could get through.

Thats what concerned me; the motorist directly behind me decided to get as close as possible without any real thought; just seemed to panic and steer out of the way. I'm just trying to establish the safest way to deal with this situation. I think that the best bet, if possible is to stop on the kerb and/or verge to enable the motorists to

sorted themselves out form their invariably ill-judged stopping places

Cheers again everyone; this site is the nuts!

 

[Hawk]

I'm an inexperienced commuter but had a few situations like this....

If you're amongst traffic I'd suggest there might normally be very little point in pulling right over to the side of the road. The emergency vehicle will need to clear the car behind you anyway so as long as you're no further out than the outermost edge of the car... I'd consider remaining in a dominant road position to discourage overtaking, if the car behind you is reasonably close.

Occasionally you might need to be passed closely by an emergency services vehicle, for example, at the approach to a pinch point in the road. In this case I'd be looking to give as much room to that vehicle as possible; hopefully the pinch point itself will act as a deterrent to overtaking by other vehicles.

If you do have to move over in this way, you probably need to think about timing. If you move over too early, potentially before the car driver behind you has clocked the emergency vehicle, you risk being overtaken unsafely. Of course, you must move in good time from the point of the emergency vehicle crew though so as not to delay their progress or cause undue stress for the driver.

Just my own thoughts, I'd be interested to see what more experienced commuters might have to say about the above...

 

[CopperBrompton]

Case-by-case, but usually stop as I have several blue-light driver friends and they say that's the most reassuring thing to see. Anything moving is unpredictable and therefore obliges them to slow.

 

[BentMikey]

Big clear arm signals will also clear up confusion and make it obvious what you're doing and that you're aware of the woo-woo (I love that, Anil, I'm gonna steal it now).

 

[Landslide]

I prefer Long Island Iced teas...

 

[Bicycle]

There's been lots of sound advice on this thread. But do be aware that it's not only cyclists who are sometimes slightly thrown by woo-woos.

Drivers and motorcyclists who hear a woo-woo are sometimes spooked into the silliest response, which they might make before checking who is near them. They might stop suddenly, veer to the left or even accelarate hard to get to a good place to pull over. They may even make just about every illogical response possible, all at once.

As someone has aready said above, the smart response depends on the situation, but the priority is to let the woo-woo past as quickly and smoothly as possible, while at the same time ensuring that the woo-woo crew and other road users are aware of your intended response.

This may mean pulling over, stopping, even getting off the carriageway in some circumstances.

Good question and (I think) lots of good responses. But what ever happened to Nee Naw?

 

[Hip Priest]

Let them pass then draft them.

 

[CopperBrompton]

Let them pass then draft them.

Gesticulating for them to get out of your way as appropriate

 

[BentMikey]

the priority is to let the woo-woo past as quickly and smoothly as possible, ?

I hate to be a pedant, but the priority is first of all to be safe yourself, and safe to others, and only then comes the priority of letting the woo woo past.

This is why my first response is to do nothing to my trajectory, but to take a few moments to look at the situation and plan ahead.

 

[ComedyPilot]

When I was a copper, I used to prefer people keep driving instead of stopping - I was taught it is NOT the member of the public's responsibility to get out of your way, it is yours (as a copper) to alert them of your presence, and to pass with care.

 

[Wankelschrauben]

Slightly off topic here but you know what I really find annoying, when I have stopped or slowed for an emergency vehicle, or giving way to other vehicles when passing parked cars, that when setting off the majority of drivers behind so it would seem, see and take their opportunity to pass whilst abusing their horn, sometimes coming into contact in the process, effectively forcing me off the road by refusing to let me rejoin the traffic.

Can anyone suggest a suitable position on the road to prevent that from happening?

 

[Bicycle]

I hate to be a pedant, but the priority is first of all to be safe yourself, and safe to others, and only then comes the priority of letting the woo woo past.

This is why my first response is to do nothing to my trajectory, but to take a few moments to look at the situation and plan ahead.

That's a slendid point and well made. I'm not sure it's pedantry, but well done anyway. I thank you not once but twice.

Clearly, what I ought to have laid out explicitly is that first you must ensure that your actions will present no danger to yourself or any other road user, then look out for low bridges, dangerous kerbstones, broken glass, possible sniper concealments, muggers, falling debris and distressed or riderless horses. Then, once you've considered your options, do roughly what I suggested. Or similar. Or not.

However, If there is not a noo-noo in the vicinity you should give not a moment's thought either to your safety or that of other road users, nor look at the situation or take a few moments to plan ahead... The above should under no circumstances be taken as a default setting when venturing out on the Queen's Highway. That would be ludicrous.

At least, I think that's what BM means.

 

[Dora]

Another +1 for stopping. Again, it's not the driver of the emergency vehicle I'm stopping for, but all the other monkeys who tend to scatter about like sheep as soon as they notice the blue lights.