Why would an ambulance have blue lights but no sirens on

[Hiyanice]

Saw an ambulance on my street it arrived with blue lights but no sirens. Is there a reason for this?

@Incywincyspider yes. Technically. But not officially

I don't put the run lock on personally as its annoying and polluting, and we're not usually on scene long enough to drain the battery. The vehicle will isolate itself before that happens though. Newer vehicles dont even have the run lock option.

Sorry to your DP, but unless parked particularly dangerously, he really ought to switch the lights off once he's on scene.

@TheUnexpectedPickle this is so interesting, thanks to you and others in the thread for your expertise!

I live near a hospital so there are a lot of ambulances about. What does it mean when it is on blue lights and silent but driving very very slowly rather than fast? I was once told that this means someone is being actively worked on in the back with resuscitation but is this true?

When I had to phone an ambulance when I was in labour a couple of months ago they came with sirens on as we heard it. Then when we went to hospital they put the siren on a couple of times, it was also very bouncy!

When I was taken to hospital as a child in an ambulance it was blue lights but I can't remember if there was sirens but this would've been early 90s so less cars on the road etc.

@Hiyanice

Saw an ambulance on my street it arrived with blue lights but no sirens. Is there a reason for this?

I always understood silent blue lights meant a possible emergency, noisy blue lights to be life threatening.

@irresistibleoverwhelm could possibly mean a patient is in the back, yes. Even with emergency calls we tend to drive a bit slower with people in the back, cos its super bumpy and uncomfortable for both patient and colleague! If its just the driver in the front there is usually a patient in the back.

Other reason may just be a slower driver. W
You're generally aiming for smooth progress rather than speed. Its safer to drive a bit slower and its recommended that we do no more than 15 miles above the speed limit. There are only a handful of things I put my foot down for, mostly I drive at normal speed, just without stopping in traffic or at lights

@HalzTangz No, not correct, sorry. Silent blue lights just means no need for audible warning- usually because I'm on a straight road with no traffic. Its either an emergency, or it isn't.

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OP.

To the letter of the law, if the wheels are rolling with blue lights on, then the sirens need to go on. Emergency vehicles also have exemptions for siren use at any time, 24 hours a day. If you do a blue light assessment and dont have your sirens going at all times, you will fail. I've seen some comments that say, using them late at night disturbs the neighbours etc, that will not stand up in a court of law if you drive down the road with just lights on, (no sirens) and knock over someone thats drunk, having just walked out in the road due to not noticing the blue lights, the sirens give a little extra notification for the person to be made aware, if that doesn't work, at least you would be able to justify your actions. Everything needs to be justified when using blues and twos. I also have a friend who works traffic, and they have said due to the law, if you have an accident that is prosecutable and your found not to have had sirens on, you will more than likely be prosecuted. Just remember, its your licence, not the neighbours you just woke up.

They only use sirens when they are necessary eg busy traffic or going through traffic lights at speed.

Basically when they need nearby traffic to be aware of them, hence medical helicopters do not need sirens.

@Usual2usual

I was once verbally abused by an ambulausualnce driver (who aslo kicked my car) for not getting out of his way - in my defence it was a pitch black road in the middle of the night

they should have put their siren on if I hadn't noticed them quick enough to get out of their way

Being pitch black is no defence. It makes it worse!

How can you not see flashing ambulance lights in your mirror against the backdrop of complete darkness?

Even if you are not looking in your mirrors at all the lights will be there in the peripherals!

Ffs how do people even find threads that are ALMOST 2 YEARS OLD!!!

In our trust we do if the cardiac arrest has happened in a public place and been ROLE'd and no crime is involved. It's a bit creepy at night as security have to let us in to the mortuary and then you have to be very careful to follow all the procedures or you get called back in hours to confirm details.