Emergency vehicle

[The emperor has no clothes]

On way home today from work. I was on a 4 lane Hiway. 2 lanes each direction with a turning lane in the middle. An ambulance approached in the opposing lanes with his lights and siren on. I was in the left lane with fairly heavy traffic in the right lane. Everybody slowed to a stop, but there was not enough room for me to squeeze into the right lane. So I pulled as close to the cars in that lane and came to a stop with them. The douche bag coming up behind me evidently decided he couldn't be bothered with even slowing much less coming to a stop. By this time the ambulance was in the turning lane because of cars ahead of him that hadn't noticed him coming up behind them. As I'm squeezed up to my right lane and the ambulance blasting by in the turning lane my douche bag buddy blows by me with inches to spare. I was startled, scared, and pissed all at the same time. As traffic started to move a pulled up to him at the stop light and signaled my dissatisfaction to him. He was freaking clueless that he had done anything wrong. He did have Virginia plates, so maybe the laws are different there. But I would think if you see everybody pulling over and stopping for an emergency vehicle you would do the same.

Anyway thanks for listening to my little rant. I feel slightly better now.

[cookiedough]

probably on his cell phone clueless about his surroundings.

I have seen semis blowing thru red stop lights at a 4 way interchange all stop/go lights doing 50 mph not even attempting to slow down when the side traffic had green lights.  Luckily,  NO side collisions from cross traffic.   

It happens far too often.  Even had oncoming vehicles while on my cycle cross the centerline 1/2 way over into my lane coming right at me missing them doing 60 mph by about 3 feet since I was hugging the white line to the far right side.  If was in my own lane in the middle,  I would be toast.   

[The emperor has no clothes]

probably on his cell phone clueless about his surroundings.

I have seen semis blowing thru red stop lights at a 4 way interchange all stop/go lights doing 50 mph not even attempting to slow down when the side traffic had green lights.  Luckily,  NO side collisions from cross traffic.   

It happens far too often.  Even had oncoming vehicles while on my cycle cross the centerline 1/2 way over into my lane coming right at me missing them doing 60 mph by about 3 feet since I was hugging the white line to the far right side.  If was in my own lane in the middle,  I would be toast.   

Maybe, I couldn't tell when he went by me. It appeared to me when I pulled up to him he didn't think he did anything wrong.

[Valkorado]

  Glad you squeezed through that one!  Reminds me, safe travels on your upcoming trip.  Careful in that NY traffic on a strange (different) bike!  And have a blast!   

[The emperor has no clothes]

Glad you squeezed through that one!  Reminds me, safe travels on your upcoming trip.  Careful in that NY traffic on a strange (different) bike!  And have a blast!   

Thanks 

[art]

probably on his cell phone clueless about his surroundings.

I have seen semis blowing thru red stop lights at a 4 way interchange all stop/go lights doing 50 mph not even attempting to slow down when the side traffic had green lights.  Luckily,  NO side collisions from cross traffic.   

It happens far too often.  Even had oncoming vehicles while on my cycle cross the centerline 1/2 way over into my lane coming right at me missing them doing 60 mph by about 3 feet since I was hugging the white line to the far right side.  If was in my own lane in the middle,  I would be toast.   

                    When taking a left hand sweeper on two lane roads most people will cross the double line not thinking any one is coming from the opposite direction. I've been lucky during my riding years to avoid a headon with these idiots. I've even had some close calls while driving my pickup. I had to pull over and stop one time in Az. while riding my GW with high beams and running lights on when a approaching driver passing another car took up my full lane and went by me at 70 mph. If I had not pulled off the road it would have been a head on collision. People are stupid

[Hooter]

   Lights and siren are a "request" for right a way not a demand, and that is true every where. Common courtesy and respect say get out of the way if possible. Had there been an accident he could have been had for failure to yield to an emergency vehicle. Sad but true.

[The emperor has no clothes]

   Lights and siren are a "request" for right a way not a demand, and that is true every where. Common courtesy and respect say get out of the way if possible. Had there been an accident he could have been had for failure to yield to an emergency vehicle. Sad but true.

I didn't know that. Always assumed it was the law.

[sandy]

You should drive a school bus in Scottsdale with lots of self absorbed snobs. They blow by a bus with reds and stop signs out every day. If they ever hit a student, I pray it's their own child and not someone else's.

[Hooter]

Unfortunately not but there are extenuating circumstances to this as well.

I was gonna mention that Sandy but thats a whole different ball game. Red lights on a bus mandate stop.

[Moonshot_1]

   Lights and siren are a "request" for right a way not a demand, and that is true every where. Common courtesy and respect say get out of the way if possible. Had there been an accident he could have been had for failure to yield to an emergency vehicle. Sad but true.

I didn't know that. Always assumed it was the law.

It is the law. "Failure to yield to an emergency vehicle" is law.

The real world application is "a request for the right of way".

Good to see you came out of that unscathed. Could have been way worse obviously.

When in traffic like that everybody is looking at the flashing lights. I wonder how many accidents occur because of such things.

[The emperor has no clothes]

   Lights and siren are a "request" for right a way not a demand, and that is true every where. Common courtesy and respect say get out of the way if possible. Had there been an accident he could have been had for failure to yield to an emergency vehicle. Sad but true.

I didn't know that. Always assumed it was the law.

It is the law. "Failure to yield to an emergency vehicle" is law.

The real world application is "a request for the right of way".

Good to see you came out of that unscathed. Could have been way worse obviously.

When in traffic like that everybody is looking at the flashing lights. I wonder how many accidents occur because of such things.

Thanks, I got the feeling he just didn't feel like he should have to wait. When I pulled up to him at the stoplight and started motioning to him he appeared clueless to what he had done. It's probably a good thing I've mellowed slightly with age. 20 or 30 years ago I'm sure I would have got off the bike and caused a scene.

[Robert]

Glad you are ok and I like you dont like any cage to close to me no matter what the situation. Most are clueless by the way, also something else you as a motorcycle by law are considered occupying that lane. So if anyone violates that space they are are driving recklessly and can be sighted. This does not say anything of the failure to stop for an emergency vehicle.