An incident earlier has given me reason to raise this question to my fellow Z drivers. Would you mount a kerb to let an emergency vehicle through?

 

Earlier on I was stuck in traffic when I heard sirens approaching from behind me. As usual you see people mounting the kerb to let him through however I was in the Z and mounting the kerb would have taken my front bumper off due to the ride height. So I decided just to get as close to the kerb as possible without damaging an alloy. Because of the guy on the other side of the road (BMW X5) not being able to mount the kerb because there wasn't one the ambulance could not squeeze past us both. Now at this point I was getting the horn of the ambulance blasted at me and pedestrians shouting at me to mount the kerb. However I know 100% that if had done I would have damaged the car, added to that it was a much higher kerb than normal. About 15seconds later the lights turned green and we all started to move a bit so I managed to find a little layby about 30 yards up the road to let the ambulance driver past without mounting the pavement. There were pedestrians making the '****er sign' at me at this point.

 

So what would you have done in that situation???

I would yes if it was the last resort, but it would likely ground me as mines lowered.

Not if it would damage the car in anyway, no.

Nope, wouldn't do it myself. I back you 100%. I know it sounds bad but I'd be the one paying for the damage to the car...not the emergency services and not the poor person that's going to be in the back of the ambulance!

 

The whole point of getting 'out of the way' is to do so safely. Unless I'm mistaken, under no circumstances is it 'safe' for a vehicle to mount the pavement....

I wouldn't feel bad about it, I wouldn't bump up a kerb, a drop kerb yes but I agree with above that you would never get compensation if you were damaged. I've heard of alloys being refurbished for pot hole damage but I bet it took a lot of paperwork.

I went through a red light once and it cleared the way really well for others and the panda car coming up from behind, who in fact did thank me as he sped past.

 

People just will not cross that line when it's on red know matter what, it's similar on the motorway, when you join a motorway and your lane runs out and into a hard shoulder, people will not just go onto the shoulder bit for say 100, 200 yard for fear of land mines going off !!

I'd have done the same as you mate :)

was working with my dad in his articulated lorry, we were at a red light in a busy intersection in london, only thing we could do to let the ambulance past was actually block off the intersection by jumping the red light and pulling into the junction, once the ambulance past the other traffic let us get out of the way (not that they could do much about it lol)

 

But recently i see a bunch of school kids, press the button on a crossing with 2 police cars there with blues and twos on, and the kids just casually walked across the road when the green man lit up, apparently oblivious to the cops trying to get somewhere and forcing one of them to hanker on his breaks to avoid hitting the kids.

 

Id of not mounted the curb though, ive had police speeding up my ass in town before and as the curbs are so high, all i did was floor it till i got to a safe location to let them past, that way they maintained response speed and i wasn't hindering them., surprising how they say thanks in a situation like that.

Edited July 12, 201312 yr by vodkashots

i would of run the light and then got over...mounting the kerb and ripping the bumper off,not a chance in hell.

What annoys me very similarly is when the 4x4s expect you to mount the verge. Whilst they sit there in the flat road. I'm with you, if you can't get up the curb you can't. It's not legal to mount the curb and you shouldn't be expected to do it.

Same here. I would squeak through a red light but I wouldn't damage my car trying to get up a big kerb. You might disable your car trying anyway. All you can do is try to get out of the way quickly but safely.

There were pedestrians making the '****er sign' at me at this point.

 

 

Double crossers, I bet they wouldn't mount a kerb. Saying that I would in my daily driver, but my Z, no way. You know I think it would take longer to try and get the Z onto a kerb 'safely', than it would be to wait for the lights to change. You can't simply plough a sports car up a kerb.

 

Also, I totally agree with Vig! It's not 'legal' to mount a kerb in the first place. Saying that, nor is going through a red light, but there are less pros to moving through a red light.

I agree, not mounting the kerb

I wouldn't mount the kerb no way even if people were all shouting at me :) You would just damage the car and maybe save a min for the ambulance. I always think about this when going through shrewsbury town centre as its all one lane but luckily not happened to me yet

.......So what would you have done in that situation???

 

Exactly the same as you mate.......

 

Not if it would damage the car in anyway, no.

 

Nope, wouldn't do it myself. I back you 100%. I know it sounds bad but I'd be the one paying for the damage to the car...not the emergency services and not the poor person that's going to be in the back of the ambulance!

 

The whole point of getting 'out of the way' is to do so safely. Unless I'm mistaken, under no circumstances is it 'safe' for a vehicle to mount the pavement....

 

I'd have done the same as you mate :)

 

.......and you and you and you; I have been in a similar situation to you myself twice and did what you did. One time I was in the ZX and, like you I had a high kerb (almost any kerb is high to a ZX) to the left and refused to mount it. Sadly the ambulance was coming towards me so I could not go forwards either - instead the ambulance has to wait for a gap in the traffic in the opposing lane so it could drive around me. And yes, I got a few "signs" from other drivers and one nerdy chap in an MPV called me a selfish c**t after the ambulance had passed - so I walked up to him and asked if was willing to pay for my new bumper and alloy wheel, had I actually driven up the kerb and damaged them.....

 

The second time, I was in the SLK on a rural, but fast A road. The opposite lane was busy with rush hour traffic and the ambulance was approaching from the rear; the surrounding vehicles on my side were mainly 4x4s and MPVs; although probably 6-8 cars at most, with me about in the middle. The grass verge was high and punctuated by brambles and sharp hedgerow branches; so not only would I have damaged the car by mounting it, but would also have scratched the side panels to buggery too.... Again no way was I doing that!!

 

So a bit of quick thinking prevailed and I just nailed it past all the other cars that had mounted the verge, at about 70mph, so the ambulance could follow. Again all the drivers parked up were hooting at me and making gestures - but I did not stick around; hell there was an ambulance wanting to get somewhere!! There was nowhere to pull in for a few miles, however funnily enough, the ambulance was not making as quick progress as me so I figured if I maintained a high speed until it was safe to let the ambulance pass, I would not be holding it up!!

 

Thing is, we all care for our cars here; and also appreciate the cost of having them repaired in the event we did mount the kerb. And whilst we all appreciate the work of the emergency services and the urgency of their journeys, I do think it is reasonable for us not to do something that will damage our cars (and cost us £££s), even if it means holding up an emergency vehicle for a few seconds.

 

Richard:yinyang:

I do that Richard. If I see an ambulance coming up behind me and there's no real place to pull it, I floor it! I've seen some morons that hold ambulances up as they dither around trying to pull in. I am sure the personal in there have seen every sort of behaviour under the sun and will appreciate any gesture to move no matter how big or small.

Here ya go:

 

http://www.ivepassed.co.uk/Emergency%20Vehicles.html#

I do that Richard. If I see an ambulance coming up behind me and there's no real place to pull it, I floor it! I've seen some morons that hold ambulances up as they dither around trying to pull in. I am sure the personal in there have seen every sort of behaviour under the sun and will appreciate any gesture to move no matter how big or small.

 

Quite right Si, I can speak as an ex paramedic, any vehicle getting out of the way in any way they can is a big help, but mounting a kerb is a no no. I know ambulance service staff would not expect that unless as stated there is a drop kerb. The same with pulling through into a junction at red lights, only as a last resort and when safe to do so. Mind the red light cameras though as people have been done for moving forward through a red light to allow an emergency vehicle to pass.

Here ya go:

 

http://www.ivepassed.co.uk/Emergency%20Vehicles.html#

 

Perfect - have some rep for that!!

Mind the red light cameras though as people have been done for moving forward through a red light to allow an emergency vehicle to pass.

 

I've always wondered about that!

If, whilst travelling across a traffic light junction, you become aware of an emergency vehicle approaching from either side, do not brake harshly. This may cause an accident. If you cannot stop by gradual braking keep travelling across the junction. Check your mirrors! Emergency vehicles must give way to traffic crossing on the green lights. Similarly, if you are on a roundabout and see an emergency vehicle approaching, do not brake harshly to allow that vehicle to enter the roundabout. Check your mirrors! There may be a vehicle behind you that is unable to stop. If possible reduce speed gently without causing danger to yourself or other road users to allow the emergency vehicle to enter the roundabout.

 

I rear-ended a Tranny (ooer) in my 200SX in that very situation. Muppets slamming their brakes on on a wet road as an Ambulance pushed through a red light :headvswal

I rear-ended a Tranny (ooer) in my 200SX in that very situation. Muppets slamming their brakes on on a wet road as an Ambulance pushed through a red light :headvswal

 

Sorry but if there is a vehicle behind that cannot stop if brakes are slammed on then he/she is driving too close.

I've done some reading as it's something that is quite interesting. Also, as per my previous post, there's nothing in the Highway Code about how to act when dealing with emergency vehicles. So you're out on a bit of a limb.

 

From what I've read, you are not required by law to do anything apart from act responsibly. You can't be prosecuted for trying and failing to make way for an emergency vehicle but you can now be prosecuted for deliberately obstructing one. You are fully responsible (as are emergency drivers) for your own actions whilst behind the wheel so if you progress through a red light (with or without a camera) or drive at excessive speed to try and avoid an emergency vehicle etc and you get caught, you'll probably get a good wrap on the knuckles and could legally get prosecuted.

 

If an emergency driver encounters traffic of any description whilst driving under emergency conditions he/she should be courteous and try to make their actions as obvious as possible so you, the motorist, can act appropriately. Sirens and horns should not be used as a bullying tactic either. So if you're sat in your sports car and they're blaring the horns and you've made a conscious effort to move, they are at the stage where they could be seen to be using them as a bullying tactic.

 

You must not break the law to move out of the way for an emergency vehicle, and you will be liable for prosecution if you do. A report I read described how a woman driver was picked up by a traffic signal camera. She had moved forwards to clear the path for an ambulance. But she was prosecuted anyhow. The report included a comment by a representative for the emergency services, who said the woman should have stayed put, because their drivers have the necessary skills to get through. If that was a court statement, he/she shot the woman's case to bits.

 

In some cases, if you get prosecuted, you could be lucky....

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2325401/Motorist-pulled-bus-lane-let-engines-emergency-pass-hit-30-penalty.html

Sorry but if there is a vehicle behind that cannot stop if brakes are slammed on then he/she is driving too close.

 

In an ideal wolrd, yes. But in the example quoted above given on the website regarding emergency vehicles, it's not so clear cut. Cars behind me ended up having to swerve into the other lane as well, thankfully missing me.

In other words your damned if you do and your damned if you don't!

In terms of breaking motoring rules, you can be. Best to act responsibly and not to do anything that you wouldn't normally do in normal traffic situations. Think that's the safest way to play it.