Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think you pull over for ambulances?

45 replies

CycleChic · 23/06/2015 08:17

I'm on a bus and an ambulance just drove past, going in the other direction. The bus didn't even slow down. AIBU to think he should have?

OP posts:
Original poster
CycleChic · 23/06/2015 08:17

*stopped. Should have stopped.

OP posts:
HSMMaCM · 23/06/2015 08:17

Depends whether he was in the way?

VeryVeryDarkGrey · 23/06/2015 08:19

It depends really whether he was in yhthe way and whether it was safe to do so

sooperdooper · 23/06/2015 08:19

If the ambulance was going in the other direction the bus has no need to slow down, it wasn't holding it up

londonrach · 23/06/2015 08:20

Depends if bus was in the way. As coming the other way it might not have been.

SomewhereIBelong · 23/06/2015 08:21

You maintain the flow of traffic, or pull over if it is safe and there is room to do so and it is trying to pass you. Ambulance was going the other direction, what help would stopping the traffic flow have had? It may needlessly block junctions further down the ambulance's route.

LemonYellowSun · 23/06/2015 08:21

I think he possibly should have too. Sometimes the ambulance needs to pull round other cars and drive in between lanes

Original poster
CycleChic · 23/06/2015 08:22

Cheers! I was taught (in another country ) to ALWAYS pull over when safe. it was clear where my bustop was so I'll just have to put away my judgy pants :)

OP posts:
Thereyouarepeter · 23/06/2015 08:22

I might have dreamt this but I thought the official guidance was that you shouldn't do anything different when an ambulance or police car is approaching...its their job to safely get passed you. Lots and lots of accidents are caused by motorists trying to get out of the way.

Nobody adheres to this though and everyone pulls over. I might be wrong though.

SquinkiesRule · 23/06/2015 08:24

I was taught like cycle I indicate left and pull to the side if possible.

FuckitFay · 23/06/2015 08:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Topseyt · 23/06/2015 08:29

You pull over if necessary and if safe to do so. If there was plenty of room and the ambulance was going the opposite way completely unobstructed by the bus then the bus driver was perfectly correct in not pulling over.

DoILookLikeIGiveAFuck · 23/06/2015 08:32

From the highway code:

"5. Other vehicles (219 to 225)
219
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."

www.gov.uk/road-users-requiring-extra-care-204-to-225/other-vehicles-219-to-225

TheTravellingLemon · 23/06/2015 08:34

It's true that emergency vehicles struggle with drivers behaving erratically whilst trying to get out of the way. The main thing to remember is to always signal before you move. You'd be surprised how many people swerve around the road in a blind panic when they hear sirens. The drivers are trained to get through traffic so just be sensible and move if you need to and it's safe.

Out0fCheeseError · 23/06/2015 08:43

TheTravellingLemon - good post, I would only add LOOK as well as signal before moving. A car was overtaking me as I was cycling when a fire engine appeared. The driver immediately pulled over to the left without checking, knocking me off my bike. Fortunately I was not badly injured (only bruised and sore for days afterwards), but that was through luck, not judgement!

Bumpedbonce · 23/06/2015 08:45

If you are approached by an emergency vehicle on blues coming in either direction please just pull over to the left even if it's only a little bit, do not stop next to keep left bollards as that's just another hazard to get round. At red lights if you could crawl forward and into the kerb a bit that would be great too

Toughasoldboots · 23/06/2015 08:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

19lottie82 · 23/06/2015 09:04

Not always sensible to stop, this can cause more problems as it often blocks the road. Sometimes it's better to just keep on going, it really depends on the situation.

WinterBabyof89 · 23/06/2015 09:11

Depends if there was ample room for the ambulance to get through..

But people that don't move when they clearly need to do so, irritate me. I was blue lighted to hospital whilst in labour as something went seriously wrong - every second counted (sounds dramatic but true) & some absolute halfwit refused to move, whether it be through panic or ignorance. Cue the ambulance driver beeping, & cursing them until they finally pulled to the side.

That was one of the most stressful times of my life & they unknowingly added to it.

Thankfully, most people apply common sense!

Uhplistrailer · 23/06/2015 09:51

I wondered this the other day.

I had just pulled into a straight fast road and was building up my speed to do 60. A police car then turned onto the road behind me and I decided as the road was clear On the other side, it was safer to just maintain my speed (about 40) and let them pass. I think harsh breaking was unnecessary and dangerous in this inctance.

The police car just overtook and it was fine.

Northernlurker · 23/06/2015 17:13

I think it's an area where common sense is needed. At the weekend I did stop when an ambulance was coming the other way because they had to overtake traffic and whilst I could have continued and they'd probably have been able to get round and through before I encountered them it was obviously safer for me to stop and create a bigger gap.

Magicalmrmistofeles · 23/06/2015 17:19

I got taught not to pull over but to just stop if it is safe to do so - they're trained to negotiate you which is easier if you're not moving.

Tinklewinkle · 23/06/2015 17:37

I always pull over to one side if it's safe, and helpful to do so. I've seen a couple of people pull to one side at some traffic lights at a roundabout, only to block the route the ambulance wanted to take.

It's not always safe or possible to do. I was driving along a country road a little while ago with a very steep, high kerb that dropped straight into ditch along one side. There was an ambulance behind me with lights and sirens trying to get past me, but I just couldn't pull over for a hundred yards or so. Of course, as soon as I could, I did, but it's not always possible

FryOneFatManic · 23/06/2015 19:30

It's not always easy to pull over safely.

I was recently in the middle lane of 3 at a set of traffic lights. Police car coming up behind, and while the cars on my left were able to pull over into the curb, the cars on my right had nowhere to go, and therefore I couldn't pull into their space to leave a gap.

Luckily, the cars who pulled over on the left made a big enough space, because there was no way I was going to risk getting a ticket by going forward over the line on a red light.

ComposHatComesBack · 23/06/2015 20:19

The bus was travelling in the other direction. On the proviso that the road ahead was unobstructed for the ambulance, what use would the bus pulling over serve?