Ambulances - Getting out of their way

Rule 219 of the Highway code says this:

Emergency and Incident Support vehicles. You should look and listen for ambulances, fire engines, police, doctors or other emergency vehicles using flashing blue, red or green lights and sirens or flashing headlights, or Highways Agency Traffic Officer and Incident Support vehicles using flashing amber lights. When one approaches do not panic. Consider the route of such a vehicle and take appropriate action to let it pass, while complying with all traffic signs. If necessary, pull to the side of the road and stop, but try to avoid stopping before the brow of a hill, a bend or narrow section of road. Do not endanger yourself, other road users or pedestrians and avoid mounting the kerb. Do not brake harshly on approach to a junction or roundabout, as a following vehicle may not have the same view as you.

My first reaction on hearing a siren is that I can hear it but where the hell is it? I don't seem to be able to pinpoint its direction until it comes up behind me in which case I pull over as best as I can. It does make me jittery and takes me back to when my GS was hurtled down to GOS while those in the back were trying to keep him alive. The fact there is someone in the back probably going through hell adds to the panic.

Well I am guilty of going through a red light ! a few years ago I was in the middle lane of a difficult junction at a red light when an ambulance, sirens blaring, came uo behind me. Nothing was moving and the ambulance and other cars too were leaning on their horns and glaring at me so eventually i pulled forward so he could get past me. Luckily the lights changed just then so i was able to go. Ive felt guilty ever since but what was i to do? There was nowhere else to go and only I was blocking him.

You need to move out of the way if it is safe to do so. My husband drove a fire engine for 25 years and he said that people makes things worse than when they panic and stop dead or stop opposite a traffic island or similar. Even emergency vehicles must obey the highway code but provided they don't cause an accident a blind eye is turned if they jump a red light or go into the bus lane. I suspect the same would be the case for motorists getting out of the way of an emergency vehicle as long as they didn't cause an accident.

I don't agree with those who say 'I would never mount a kerb or go into a bus lane as it's illegal'. Mostly, it isn't necessary to do that, but should that be what is needed to let an ambulance go by, having checked that it is safe to do so, I absolutely would. The action could make the difference between life and death, it's only for a moment and no Police Officer would challenge a person about it. When it's an emergency, that is the priority!

Interesting responses, I thought you were obliged to pull onto the pavement under those circumstances. An ambulance behind me on a busy road just on outskirts of Newcastle forced me to do just that by continuously pressing on the horn and there were obstructions on the pavement. I had to pull forward a little and then mount the pavement - no choice. I felt really agitated about the whole thing

I was in traffic coming up to traffic lights with an ambulance behind me with blue lights but no siren. I mentioned this to my DD who is a paramedic, saying I was surprised they didn't have a siren on. She said they won't because they don't expect you to, nor should you, go through red lights. I think the same would be for moving over - as far as you can go without going onto the pavement. Also, if they are coming up behind you, pull over as soon as you safely can (making sure you aren't opposite another car or obstacle). I think sometimes we panic or are so anxious to get out of the way that we can cause more problems.

I could see the blue lights in my mirror and clearly hear the siren, so signalled that I was pulling in. And a moron behind me took this as a sign to overtake me. Selfish, stupid or both?

Pull over if you can by all means but never mount the pavement or infringe the law. You might well be putting the lives of others in danger.

I know a driver who got a ticket for moving through a red light to let an ambulance through - he didn't 'jump' the light in as much as go all the way through, just a few feet forward to get out of the way.

You're not alone, I think many of us feel a bit jittery in this situation. If I remember rightly, I was taught to indicate and pull in as safely as possible.

I always pull to the side if I can, but on country roads this is not always immediately possible, in that case you should continue to drive within speed limit or road conditions until you can pull in. Never slow to a crawl if Ambulance/Police are behind you as this is a hinderance & don't panic

The police will tell you the correct action is to do what you can legally to let the emergency services pass you. Unfortunately any driver with a vehicle plus sirens and blue lights behind feels under pressure to move his/her vehicle and frequently does an illegal move.

I have seen a driver at traffic lights move in front of the adjoining lane but this is illegal against a red light. The emergency driver understands but is not going to stop the siren or blue light. They will find the best way through.

In heavy traffic areas where it is hard to get ambulances through traffic quickly, the service often sends a motorcycle paramedic on ahead to stabilise the patient, so there is a bit more time to get the actual ambulance to them.

I wouldn't mount the pavement with my car as it can damage the tyres and/or affect the tracking and steering.

I just pull over as far left as safely possible. The drivers are skilled at getting their vehicles through small spaces.

Mounting a kerb for my part is no so much about parking ON or half-on the pavement and leave their vehicles, but when people drive head-first into a parallel parking space they drive onto the pavement with one or two wheels to fit in.

Annoys me to no end. It breaks down the kerbs and is dangerous, especially in our tight city streets with busy pavements. One slip on the accelerator and many could be injured.

Grannyknot, not just me then

terribull I live in London sort of in the middle between two big hospitals and have the same problem and also get jittery. I don't think about the life or death situation they are rushing to , I'm always worried they will crash into someone on the way! And don't get me started on police cars ...

Like others, I indicate and squeeze in where I can. Sometimes it takes a while for the penny to drop that they are upon me!

The main thing is not to panic - in London you will notice that emergency vehicles make a beeline for black cabs as they know the drivers are professionals and will clear a path - out of London just be aware pull into the kerb signal clearly or pull forward a little without going through a red light - you are right it could be life or death and they are trained but you have to give them some help - above all don't panic

I am safe now I only have my shopping Trolley , come to think of it so is everyone else lol

As part of my training as a first responder I spent a day with an ambulance crew and we dashed to seven emergencies. I was surprised at the way everyone moved out of the way to let the ambulance through. Container lorries pulled onto grass verges and drivers just pulled to the left even in the heavy traffic. I think the crews spend several weeks just learning how to drive the ambulances. I always indicate left, pull over and keep my foot on the brake until the ambulance has passed.

Charleygirl - how true!

Terribull you should know by now that your husband and myself are never wrong!

ooops kerb not kirb. Glad I asked I think need to rethink my kerb mounting and calm down.