Community Chat

[Isobel Archer]

Here's another traffic situation.  An ambulance and fire truck are behind you with sirens going.  What do you do?

Well I watched yesterday as three lanes of traffic stopped completely blocking any chance of the emergency vehicles getting through.

The answer is - you pull over - as far as you can - even get off the road so others can also pull over -  hey there was a side street and even parking lots were available.  

But would these folks inconvenience themselves and pull off the road. Nooooo.  They wanted to continue straight - so they just stopped.

The emergency vehicles were finally forced to turn left and try another way to get through.  Unbelievable.

BTW I watched this from the parking lot I pulled into from the far right lane.

[Krimpette]

I overlook a highway that is three lanes in each direction.  There have been times when rescue vehicles can't get through in one direction, they cross the median to continue in the other direction till they can get back over.  What a fright for the people who see the rescue vehicles suddenly in their lanes.  Thankfully, their sirens are ear-piercing.

[occasionalrain]

That doesn't happen where I live; we all pull over. We also change lanes when there is a vehicle stopped on the side of the road, especially the police, to avoid hitting someone.

[sidsmom]

ITA!  

On the show ‘LivePD’, when they’re filming in the car

and responding to a call with sirens/lights on,

you’ll hear the officer say ‘GET OUT OF THE WAY!’

when they’re trying to get through traffic. 

Yep....we all say it!

[Mominohio]

This is the problem with so many multiple lane roads/highways and so much traffic today. It is very easy for there to be gridlock where people can't get over. 

If those in the far right don't move over, then everyone to the left of them is stuck where they are, with nowhere to go either, both frightening and frustrating. 

That is just another reason I like where I live. the biggest traffic jam we have is when there are multiple Amish buggies and wagons in a line, moving slowly up a hill, and we have to wait to pass until we can clear the hill and see the oncoming lane! LOL

[CrazyDaisy]

When 3 lanes of traffic is at a complete stop there are usually very few options for most of the drivers.  Emergency equipment will use the shoulder or arrive at the site from another direction. 

[on the bay]

I often wonder how many of these types of traffic things involve people who actually do not know what to do, because they've never taken drivers ed, or don't even have a license or one that has been revoked.

About a year or 2 ago, they had speed traps set up during a holiday.

They wrote about 60 tickets in an hour.

20 of those were to drivers without a license! That's a scary thought to think you are driving along with all these drivers with no license and who don't know the rules of the road or are still driving impaired.

My daughter was hit from behind with a driver with no license. This driver didn't speak English. She was driving a van for a company.

Not to say that all do not but I was shocked how many are driving with no license ever or licenses taken away.

I mean not to freak us all out even more, but good to always use our defensive driving skills, don't take anything for granted, and always watch out for the other guy in your mirrors, drive safely, not too fast! and leave enough space between you and the car ahead.

Okay, thats my mom advice for the day!👍

[Kachina624]

I was the first car in the left turn lane at an extremely busy intersection (rush hour) in Houston once.  The light was red when an ambulance pulled up behind me and turned his siren on.  I'll be darn if I was going to attempt to pull out into the traffic that wasn't stopping.  I literally had no place to go.  There was a high cement median on my left and a line of cars on my right.  So we sat and waited for the light to change.

[Isobel Archer]

In this case, there was no right shoulder - although as noted, there were plenty of places to get off the road for those in the far right lane.

It was a divided street with a middle berm so the only option for the emergency vehicles was to try another route.

I still say it is inexcusable for those in the right lane not to move off the road.  I don't care what their schedule was or that they would be inconvenienced by having to then get back into traffic after the emergency vehicles passed.  That's what you do.

[CrazyDaisy]

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wrote:

In this case, there was no right shoulder - although as noted, there were plenty of places to get off the road for those in the far right lane.

It was a divided street with a middle berm so the only option for the emergency vehicles was to try another route.

I still say it is inexcusable for those in the right lane not to move off the road.  I don't care what their schedule was or that they would be inconvenienced by having to then get back into traffic after the emergency vehicles passed.  That's what you do.

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The cars should not have to leave the road.  That will just cause more confussion.  If the emergency equipment does not have room to manuver around the stopped traffic, they should not be taking that route.  Should that be the only option, police should have been there to direct the drivers.