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???

maybe if all the other cars had moved out the way you could have went through them to find a safe place to pull over?

 

ive been in a similar situation myself, but thought what if they are travelling to one of my friends or relatives, i went through a red light with a camera on it, luckily i didnt get a ticket

 

not getting at you but they are trying to get to someone to possibly save a life, but i can also see your point, why should you have to ruin your car?

 

bit of a grey area where nobody is in the right?

sounds really bad but if somebody called me id have gotten out and seen what their reaction was.. buttholes..

 

nope if you get out of the road and cause an accident you are at fault.. would have done the same as you apart from as Richard said Id have been out of the motor for a word..

Guidance suggests that you should not 'expect' or 'have' to carry out a maneuver that would damage your car or put other 'road users - including pedestrians, yourself and/or your vehicle' at risk. Agree though Allan, but I think there's an expectation that the public don't generally know about that means you're not 'expected' to do anything undue.

 

Badly worded, but I am sure you get the gist.

I only ever used to get on kerbs by driving parallel to them, then full left lock and the mounting slowly. In an emergency I wouldnt know till it happened but probally make sure I do what Ive just said.

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

 

You could argue that cars with ABS stop better than cars without ABS

You could argue that cars with ABS stop better than cars without ABS

 

ABS or no ABS, doesn't matter, a vehicle failing to stop and running into the vehicle in front because front vehicle slams on the anchors, the car hitting front vehicle from behind is driving far too close, fact I'm affraid.

ABS or no ABS, doesn't matter, a vehicle failing to stop and running into the vehicle in front because front vehicle slams on the anchors, the car hitting front vehicle from behind is driving far too close, fact I'm affraid.

 

I wouldn't normally argue but that rule does not stack up in the real world. I only say this because I have run into the back of someone after they slammed on. It was (at the time) a brand new C5 and I was in my Xr2i which had no anti locks or anything of the sort. I was at the very least 5-6 car lengths behind him and I still could not stop in time and I slammed on nano seconds after he did. Thinking distances are all based on Maths and not taking into account the condition or ability of each car!

 

So no, not fact

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

 

So going off this what I did I was very much entitled to do

So going off this what I did I was very much entitled to do

 

Yep, and I would have done the same bud, no way am I causing damage to my car, or possibly causing another accident by either pulling through a red light junction or pulling up onto a high kerb.

Yep, and I would have done the same bud, no way am I causing damage to my car, or possibly causing another accident by either pulling through a red light junction or pulling up onto a high kerb.

 

To be honest I didn't feel a shred of guilt anyway I just wanted to see what other people would have done in my situation. Guess I am not a heartless ******* afterall!

Nothing to feel guilty about bud, the ambulance staff would have understood your predicament and waited patiently to move through the junction. It's not always possible for vehicles to move out of the way.

I mounted the kerb to let an ambulance past a few weeks ago, even though the kerb was fairly low and i drove up it as slow as i could i still kerbed both my front and rear alloys, ill never do that again !!!

Sometimes you only have a very limited time to react and you have to think about the cost of any repair to your car so you did the right thing mate definately

Guidance suggests that you should not 'expect' or 'have' to carry out a maneuver that would damage your car or put other 'road users - including pedestrians, yourself and/or your vehicle' at risk. Agree though Allan, but I think there's an expectation that the public don't generally know about that means you're not 'expected' to do anything undue.

 

Badly worded, but I am sure you get the gist.

 

YES.........:tongue:

 

Got you on a spelling mistake in your first couple of days back......

 

Richard:laugh::clover:

 

PS - you'd have done the same to me, my friend:ninja:

YES.........:tongue:

 

Got you on a spelling mistake in your first couple of days back......

 

Richard:laugh::clover:

 

PS - you'd have done the same to me, my friend:ninja:

 

Have some rep Rich! :clap:

Have some rep Rich! :clap:

 

LOL - cheers Rich......:rofl:

YES.........:tongue:

 

Got you on a spelling mistake in your first couple of days back......

 

Richard:laugh::clover:

 

PS - you'd have done the same to me, my friend:ninja:

 

Git! Yeah, my grammar and spelling are slipping! Point and laugh all you like, I don't care! ha :p

Interesting figures from the IAM:

 

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/news/legal--motoring-advice/2012-10/more-confusion-over-traffic-lights-and-emergency-vehicles/

 

Legally, you can cross a red light if directed to do so by a police officer. You can be prosecuted if it’s a fire engine or an ambulance.

 

-Andrew

Under the pressure, I'd have mounted the curb, fked up alloys and bumper and then been pi55ed off. Probably call up the hospital b1tching cos the ambulance was beeping their horn which led me to believe it was life or death. All the time wishing I hadn't been such a pansy in the 1st place.

 

Would cost me hours of stewing and whinging.

Under the pressure, I'd have mounted the curb, fked up alloys and bumper and then been pi55ed off. Probably call up the hospital b1tching cos the ambulance was beeping their horn which led me to believe it was life or death. All the time wishing I hadn't been such a pansy in the 1st place.

 

Would cost me hours of stewing and whinging.

 

Yeah. Then you would have found out the ambulance was rushing to help somebody who just turned out to be very drunk!!!

Yeah. Then you would have found out the ambulance was rushing to help somebody who just turned out to be very drunk!!!

 

Yup, or their supper was getting cold!!

Under the pressure, I'd have mounted the curb, fked up alloys and bumper and then been pi55ed off. Probably call up the hospital b1tching cos the ambulance was beeping their horn which led me to believe it was life or death. All the time wishing I hadn't been such a pansy in the 1st place.

 

Would cost me hours of stewing and whinging.

 

Hahaha.sorry this made me laugh.

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

 

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

- i'd have got out and smacked 'em.....

- i'd have got out and smacked 'em.....

I would have mounted the curb, F***ed up my spoiler and wheels and given the ambulance someone to take with them.....:angry:

Well no, I probably would have daydreamed of doing this and turned up the stereo to max and been a southern softie as usual......

 

I have received a visit from the police before for not moving out of the way of an ambulance. I got a *****cking for not moving and asked the question who would pay for the damage to my car?

The police just said it would be my insurance company. They tried to tell me that I had to go through a red light for an ambulance and that was okay. Nice to hear they were wrong!