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Joined: Jan 04, 2007 Posts: 2789 Location: Hampshire, UK
Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 7:10 pm Post subject:
Thanks for your input, it makes some of those grey areas a lighter shade of grey - but nothing seems to be black and white
The one thing I always try to avoid doing if I see blue lights approaching is just slamming on the brakes to allow a vehicle to pass...I always try to find a spot where the driver of the emergency vehicle can see far enough to know they can pass safely - but there's no accounting for the numpty in front and the kind of things they do.
I'm pleased the officers of the law aren't 'ashamed' to join a forum full of motorists, many of whom with a grudge to bear. _________________ Andy
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Joined: 14/09/2002 20:56:18 Posts: 5231 Location: Surrey, United Kingdom
Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 7:26 pm Post subject:
The last two times I've pulled over to let an amblance (once) and a fire engine (once) pass me, the car directly behind me seemed oblivious to the sirens and flashing blue lights and passed me as the EV was trying to pass them. The second time, with the Fire Engine, the car then stopped immediately. Unfortunately she was directly in line with a central reservation when she stopped, causing the EV driver to give an exceedingly long blast on the horn. I left her there to gather her thoughts....
the thing is, when I become aware of the EV I see wht it is and what distance I have to get out of the way. If I'm lucky I can also see the number of vehicles in between me and the EV and don't automatically take the first available option, thinking that someone behind me might have greater need of it and another opportunity will present itself to me. The people behind don't seem to be on the same wavelength, though, as they invariably pass up the opportunities I've left for them. Hey ho. Maybe it's me. Feel free to comment. _________________ Tim
The people behind don't seem to be on the same wavelength, though, as they invariably pass up the opportunities I've left for them. Hey ho. Maybe it's me. Feel free to comment.
Normally I'm just the same, listening for the direction of the ev and often leave a gap infront of my car when stationary enough to assist me and often other drivers to get out of the way, especially when they stop too close to the car in front and can't move.
However I was, I'm embarresed to say, the dim-wit the other day when in a daydream behind the wheel I hadn't noticed the paramedic quietly creeping up behind me and then suddenly let out all the bells and whistles! I think he knew I was in lala land and had to catch me out! _________________ Dom
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Joined: Feb 07, 2006 Posts: 616 Location: Midlothian
Posted: Wed May 23, 2007 11:10 am Post subject:
Tim Buxton wrote:
The last two times I've pulled over to let an amblance (once) and a fire engine (once) pass me, the car directly behind me seemed oblivious to the sirens and flashing blue lights and passed me as the EV was trying to pass them. The second time, with the Fire Engine, the car then stopped immediately. Unfortunately she was directly in line with a central reservation when she stopped, causing the EV driver to give an exceedingly long blast on the horn. I left her there to gather her thoughts....
the thing is, when I become aware of the EV I see wht it is and what distance I have to get out of the way. If I'm lucky I can also see the number of vehicles in between me and the EV and don't automatically take the first available option, thinking that someone behind me might have greater need of it and another opportunity will present itself to me. The people behind don't seem to be on the same wavelength, though, as they invariably pass up the opportunities I've left for them. Hey ho. Maybe it's me. Feel free to comment.
Tim, I assume from your avatar that you are a biker. Strangely, bikers in general are better at getting out of the way. You would think that they would be less aware of what was behind than motorists, due to their relatively poor mirrors, more noise and a close fitting helmet. Some bikers do however continue in their dream, totally oblivious to our presence.
The actions you describe are commendable and I wish everyone thought about what they were about to do before they did it. One thing I would say is....when you hear sirens and see blue lights behind, particularly on dual carriageways or motorways, I wish people would take an extra second to ensure how many emergency vehicles are approaching. Regularly when we carry out ambulance escorts, people move lanes to let us through, failing to see the ambulance a short distance behind, and they promptly pull back out into the safe zone we have created behind us for the ambulance to travel in. _________________ Tommo...
Joined: 14/09/2002 20:56:18 Posts: 5231 Location: Surrey, United Kingdom
Posted: Wed May 23, 2007 4:41 pm Post subject:
Tommo, I'm a biker and a car-er. Both of these instances have been in the car (Jeep Cherokee diesel, so not the quietest). I only took my bike test in '99 after a gap of nearly 19 years from the experience ( ) of my youth, so don't consider myself a typical born-again. I honestly think that average bikers are more aware than average car drivers; they have more to lose if they get it wrong.
When my wife did her CBT she passed it but didn't pursue a licence as she didn't feel confident enough, but one thing she did say, and I agree, as "All motorists should have to do this. Then they'd realise what bikers can do and why they do it, what they have to put up with and contend with". _________________ Tim
Joined: Feb 07, 2006 Posts: 616 Location: Midlothian
Posted: Thu May 24, 2007 3:06 pm Post subject:
Fair comment. I too used to be a biker, but that was in the mid eighties, before CBT. I don't ride bikes now, but I can still appreciate the biker's viewpoint when I drive. _________________ Tommo...
Joined: Jan 04, 2007 Posts: 2789 Location: Hampshire, UK
Posted: Fri May 25, 2007 11:17 am Post subject:
One of the biggest problems for EV drivers though must be that so many people seem to forget what their mirrors are for and happily drive on, totally oblivious to what's happening behind them.
Personally, I find the biggest problem with EVs is identifying which direction they're approaching from. Sometimes, they 'attack' you from a different angle to what you're expecting and they can sneek up on you like Stealth fighters because the siren doesn't always seem to penetrate.
...but if you're using your mirrors propperly, you see the flashing lights long before you hear anything approaching from behind. _________________ Andy
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Joined: Feb 07, 2006 Posts: 616 Location: Midlothian
Posted: Fri May 25, 2007 10:52 pm Post subject:
GPS_fan wrote:
Nope, right thread - this was a response to
999tommo wrote:
But surely everybody checks their mirrors every ten to fifteen seconds, don't they ?
I think mostdom realised that, but thought that as it was dig at the other sex, it may have been more suited to the other post. _________________ Tommo...
Joined: Jan 04, 2007 Posts: 2789 Location: Hampshire, UK
Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 7:58 am Post subject:
999tommo wrote:
I think mostdom realised that, but thought that as it was dig at the other sex, it may have been more suited to the other post.
I wasn't sure, but the 'worrying' thing is that these days, it's not just women who wear make-up, it seems that an increasing number of men are using cosmetics to boost their appearance (I'm not one of them by the way!) - so that particular post might not have been best suited to the other thread either. _________________ Andy
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Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 14892 Location: Keynsham
Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 8:45 am Post subject:
I quite like "good" bikers. I can see them behind me eyeing up the situation and I try to pull in to a gutter to let them past - they do it quickly and safely and a tiny motion of the left hand shows they appreciate it. It's kids on scooters who weave left and right, in and out of my van blind spots that scare the poo out of me. Whose fault is it if they get under my wheels? Mine, every time, because I'm a whitevanman! _________________ Dennis
Joined: 14/09/2002 20:56:18 Posts: 5231 Location: Surrey, United Kingdom
Posted: Sat May 26, 2007 11:05 am Post subject:
Dennis, can I ask that you don't pull right into the gutter? First of all, you drag all sorts of rubbish into the road and, second, you might find that you have to pull out again at an unexpected moment, due to, say, a housebrick sharing the gutter with all the other rubbish.
I do like that cage drivers pull over at least a bit, though. It gives me confidence that I've been seen although it doesn't lead me to believe that the unexpected will not happen. _________________ Tim
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) of my youth, so don't consider myself a typical born-again. I honestly think that average bikers are more aware than average car drivers; they have more to lose if they get it wrong.
