Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

About what to do when a police car is flashing behind you (not at you).

74 replies

FuckYouSheRa · 22/10/2014 13:10

Yesterday, in the dark, I pulled out of a t-junction onto a main road and my husband starting YELLING like a fishwife because there was a police car approaching with flashing lights.

He made me panic, I was getting up speed on the road and he was shouting, 'stop, pull over, what are you doing, there's a POLICE CAR' and made me panic even more, I ended up edging over towards the kerb and clipped a wheelie bin, shattered my wing mirror and it was all just horrible and stressful.

The police car was ages behind me, by the way, and eventually overtook me after all this on the roundabout.

Now, I have had speaks with DH about his acting like an old woman and screeching at me in the car (he has form for being an HORRENDOUS passenger), but he thinks that I should have stopped in the middle of the road and allowed the police car drive around me Hmm. He also thought I should have waited until it had gone past the junction before pulling out. I disagree as the car was a long way off at that point (long straight road) and I had plenty of time to pull out and get up speed safely.

I'm sure that when I learned to drive I was told to drive normally and pull over if it is safe to do so, not stop in the middle of what you are doing.

So what do you think, AIBU?

OP posts:
CMOTDibbler · 22/10/2014 13:12

I pull over where safe, and if they need me to. If I saw them coming, I would not have pulled out though

LIZS · 22/10/2014 13:12

I normally pull over to the side of the road. If oncoming traffic does the same then a police car/ambulance/fire engine can usually fit down the middle.

CarpeJugulum · 22/10/2014 13:14

Highway code tells you what to do... and your DH is wrong...

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.

StripyBanana · 22/10/2014 13:14

I wouldn't have pulled out either. You pull over and get out of way as soon as is safe . Certainly don't pull into their lane !

StripyBanana · 22/10/2014 13:15

And no to stopping inmiddle our road. Really? Usually all pull over so car can speed thru.

AlmaMartyr · 22/10/2014 13:16

I pull over to the side of the road (assuming it's safe). I admit I probably wouldn't have pulled out if I'd seen them coming but I don't see the problem from what you're describing since it sounds like you would have had enough time to pull out and then pull over. Absolutely would not have stopped in the middle of the road though unless I was about to crash.

TheGirlFromIpanema · 22/10/2014 13:16

I live in a city so its an everyfday event when driving around. I pull over if at all possible. Quickly and as soon as the sound/lights are approaching. They do get some speed up so I don't wait until they are immediately behind me iyswim.

I do get Hmm at people who randomly stop/block blue lights. Seems some people just panic.

The idea is to ensure you are out of their way in order that you do not hinder their (fast) pace.

Doesn't sound like you did in this case. Your dh might be one of the panicky types by the sound of it Grin

m0therofdragons · 22/10/2014 13:16

Pull over. I had this on a round about and 3 cars (me and two in front all stopped). 2 other drivers this as an opportunity to overtake me and the other cars so there was very nearly an accident. The police driver would want to see their Road ahead was was clear so you move over and stop.

Flexibilityisquay · 22/10/2014 13:16

If a police car is coming on blue lights when you are at a junction you should not pull out, until they have passed. They are trying to get somewhere as fast as they safely can. The less of an obstacle you can be the better. If you are driving along the road already, then you are right. You should pull in and stop as soon as it is safe to do so. Your DH's yelling and screeching sounds particularly unhelpful though!

Sunna · 22/10/2014 13:17

You shouldn't have pulled out, he was right.

bangersmashandbeans · 22/10/2014 13:17

You shouldn't have pulled out

cailindana · 22/10/2014 13:17

A friend of mine who's an ambulance driver says that he wished traffic wouldn't react at all - in trying to get out of the way people cause more trouble. His advice is to drive quickly as you can (within the speed limit) and don't make any sudden moves so that the ambulance can get around you when it's safe. The idea is that the traffic moves as quickly as possible until a natural space arises (usually at junctions/roundabouts) for the ambulance to get past.

flowery · 22/10/2014 13:18

If I was pulling on to a main road and there was a police car approaching on the main road, I would not have pulled out. Safest way to stay out of the way of a police car is not to pull on to the road in front of them in the first place.

Nicknacky · 22/10/2014 13:18

If I had been you and I can saw it coming then I would have stayed where I was until it passed then pulled out onto the road. Saves having to do another manoeuvre.

If they approach from behind, indicate and pull in towards the kerb. Then they also know you have seen them. That's what they would hope you would do, not stop in the middle of the road!

The issue is your dh stressing you, not the police car.

SistersOfPercy · 22/10/2014 13:19

2 things stand out.

  1. You pulled out despite seeing a Police car coming down the carriageway you were joining. Regardless of the fact you had the room to do so you have now become one more obstacle the Police Car needs to get past. Far better to wait at the junction and let it past.
  1. Despite Police Car now seemingly being behind you, you chose rather to pull in and wait but to enter the roundabout, again becoming yet another obstacle.
Comito · 22/10/2014 13:20

Your DH was right that you shouldn't have pulled out in the first place. But if you were already out then just indicate and pull into the kerb. Don't, for the love of god, stop in the middle of the road. Also, take note of where you pull in, i.e. not blocking the road between the kerb and a traffic island - which I actually saw someone do the other day.

My DH is a terrible passenger too though more the silent, tense type. If he screeched at me I'd park up and offer him the opportunity to walk home. He did once shout at me and got told pretty firmly that under no circumstances was he to shout at me while driving again.

StripyBanana · 22/10/2014 13:20

It sounds like, having seen a police car you...

.... Pulled in the road it was on and
....increased speed.

I think I'd have been pretty incredulous as a passenger and may have wondered why you couldn't see the police car...

justmyview · 22/10/2014 13:21

You shouldn't have pulled out onto the road if you could see the car coming

cailindana · 22/10/2014 13:21

It seems to me that the OP pulled out and then saw the police car, not that she saw it and then pulled out.

MaidOfStars · 22/10/2014 13:22

I agree with your husband that you maybe shouldn't have pulled out. However, I think this would be a nicety, rather than a rule of the road?

I disagree with your husband that you should have stopped in the middle of the road. You should pull over safely, even if that means holding up the emergency vehicle for a moment. Far too many people panic when they see blue lights.

I disagree with your husband that shouting at a driver is acceptable, and he takes part of the blame for freaking you out and forcing an error from you.

SistersOfPercy · 22/10/2014 13:23

I saw a young girl narrowly miss being wiped out by a Fire Engine once because having seen traffic pulling in to let the engine through she decided this was the perfect time then to pull out of the junction.
I was coming the opposite way, I saw what she'd done and managed to move right over quickly creating just enough room for the fire engine to sail by missing her by a whisker.
Several very annoyed firemen were shouting as they passed by.

Comito · 22/10/2014 13:23

cailindana I read this:

He also thought I should have waited until it had gone past the junction before pulling out. I disagree as the car was a long way off at that point (long straight road) and I had plenty of time to pull out and get up speed safely.

So she saw the car before pulling out but pulled out anyway.

Bunbaker · 22/10/2014 13:24

I pull over out of the way if it is safe to do so. If I had seen the police car I wouldn't have pulled out in the first place though.

Shakirasma · 22/10/2014 13:25

You should have waited for it to pass before pulling out. However your DHs behaviour as a passenger was completely in acceptable and he would never be allowed in my car!

cailindana · 22/10/2014 13:25

Oh, I missed that bit. Yes in that case OP you should have waited for the police car to go past before pulling out.

That said, your DH behaved like an idiot and caused you to damage the car so he wasn't exactly in the right either.