What happened to people moving out of the way of emergency vehicles? I was driving along a one-lane road earlier, and I see an ambulance coming up behind me, so I pull over as far as I can so it can get by. Then in front of me this dumbass just keeps putting along at god knows how slow. You can’t possibly say that he didn’t hear the air horn or see the blinding strobes behind him. I don’t think Cali EMS light up the christmas tree for transports, so this guy was preventing medics from getting to a critical patient.
Are people really that self-conceited? Do they think they’re more important than the ambulance or fire truck that’s running code 3? Here in California I think its mostly because we have such a high population of illegal immigrants and stupid teenagers that don’t know how to drive. For all they know the ambulance is there to serenade them as they go collect their welfare check.
Maybe if we have a public service announcement during American Idol more people would heed emergency vehicles.
There have been a lot of ambulance related accidents lately, this being one of the most recent. A 60-year-old woman collided with an ambulance. To save you from having to go read the story – she entered the intersection on a green and got plowed. So far the woman is in critical condition, and the driver and another EMT had minor injuries. I believe that there is blame to share on both sides, but I feel it is leaning towards the woman. She had to have heard the sirens, and chose to dart out on the green instead of looking for the EMS vehicle. The ambulance wouldn’t just keep on speeding along if they see someone enter the intersection. I think this also proves that having ambulances yield at red lights is a good idea, which these guys obviously didn’t do. This was a tragic incident that could have been avoided and shows how important it is to be wary of the lights and sirens.
I have a feeling that everyone that doesn’t allow the right-of-way to ambulances would be agreeing with me when it’s their relative in back.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Lights and Sirens
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10 comments:
Unfortunately we are all bound by law in driving with "due regard" for others.
The ambulance should have stopped at the intersection and they will get the blame for this because they didn't.
It's sad to think that my job can be lost at any time because of others stupidity.
Your lights and siren do not give you permission to blow through intersections or stop signs. They do not give you permission to drive as fast as you want. With the invention of better sound proofing for cars more and more people actually do not hear the sirens of an emergency vehicle. Add to that little old people who don't see or hear very well, and people playing music inside their cars yu have a receipe for disaster. If that crew did not STOP at the intersection and clear each lane before preceding through than it is most definately their fault. Yes we see people doing stupid things all the time in front of emergency vehicles. And yes stupidity does get people killed. That being said, we are bigger and higher and we can see more than the people in cars. It is our responsibilty to take everything into consideration while driving and to use extreme caution, because lights and sirens scare people and they do stupid stuff.
Anon - I know all EMS are bound by the "due regard", they can't really bend the rules unless they're on an actual emergency and even then they have to be safe. Like you said, its just bullshit that they can lose their job over something so easily avoidable. Then again, medics have lives in their hands, I guess the rules have to be very strict.
Gertrude - Yes, I realize that our lights and sirens don't give us an "all-access" pass to ignore traffic laws. I also see your point that we actually have more of a responsibility to adhere to the rules more strictly. However, I still feel there has to be something done so people stop getting in the way of EMS vehicles.(I know we can't cure stupidity). I'm sure they didn't even slow down let alone stop, and they deserve to be reprimanded for that - just not all the blame goes to them. (Even though it will).
Be careful out there, buddy. Always at least yield at stop signs and red lights...always be aware of your surrondings.
And yes, people do suck.
I think I chose words poorly in this post - I'm by no means advocating risky driving. I was trying to voice that I'm just getting tired of the entire medical field getting blamed for other people's stupidity.
EE - I plan on going to med school, I won't be jeopardizing my chances of that by driving recklessly :).
We were just leaving the out-of-town hospital after dropping off our patient, when a code-3 ambulance came up from behind us. My partner froze and slammed on the brakes, coming to a stop in the middle of the street. The local ambulance had to maneuver around us.
When I reminded her that she was supposed to pull to the right and THEN stop, she admitted that she got nervous and forgot...
You and I both, bud.
What year are you?
Unfortunately only Sophomore. Start working on my actual degree in the fall. Then the fight to get into a medical school. (Hoping for Washington Univ. in St. Louis). However with how hospitals and insurance companies are treating physicians the competition to get in might not be too bad. I think a lot of people are starting to think twice about becoming a physician.
Have you started thinking about specialties yet?
That's cool.
Emergency. For sure.
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