Or was I driving like an idiot? (Diagrams included)

[Bridgeofpies]

Right, so fully expecting to be flamed and told I was driving like an idiot but something happened a couple of days ago which shook me up and I’m keen to get others perspectives on if I was an idiot and, if so, what I should have done.

Sorry it’s a bit long winded!

So here’s the scene: Rural fast road, single carriageway in each direction with no verges or hard shoulder of any kind. Traffic is heavy enough to be a continuous stream on both sides of the road but light enough that everyone is travelling at 50-60mph with decent gaps.

I was driving along with 2 small DC in the car. An ambulance appeared in the rear view - blue lights, sirens etc. There was nowhere to pull in and my car is a 7 seater so with oncoming traffic coming around the corner ahead it would be hard / dangerous for ambulance to get past. So I drove along for a few seconds with the ambulance behind me. Then, the road widened as we approached a right hand turn with a space in the middle of the road for those turning right and there was a gap in the oncoming traffic (we were past the corner and could actually see) so I pulled in as close as I could and slowed to allow the ambulance to overtake. The oncoming traffic also hung back. I think this was all ok. I allowed the ambulance to pass me as soon as it was safe to do so, a matter of maybe 5 seconds with them behind me.

Once the ambulance had passed me I sped up again and continued on my way. The ambulance was quicker than me so was swiftly a good distance ahead - probably about 50m which is where the car in front was.

Now, the car in front was looking for somewhere to allow the ambulance to pass. There was a little driveway on the left which led to a farm gate and this car pulled into that to let the ambulance past. So far, so good. BUT he immediately swung out onto the road again behind the ambulance, forcing me onto the other side of the road to avoid him. LUCKILY there was nothing coming but I was really shaken. I wasn’t all that close to the ambulance, as I have a thing about cars travelling too close together but I was travelling around 50mph so it didn’t take long for me to cover the distance and this car just pulled out immediately without looking!

So, should I have expected him to do this and stopped?! I would have done if he had just slowed but remained in the road. I guess it took me by surprise because he totally left the carriageway and then immediately rejoined it. I wasn’t intending to travel on the ambulance’s coat tails and sneak through but I feel like maybe I did... and if there had been oncoming traffic we could have all been killed!!

I guess I should have been travelling slower but AIBU to think he should have checked the road before pulling back out??

Either way I will be more cautious in the future when people are getting out the way for emergency services!

Crap diagrams below which I don’t think adds much... (NB distances not to scale! )

[NannyRed]

Sorry, but was you expecting the car that pulled over to sit and wait for you and how ever many others were behind you to pass before he pulled out?

Oh my sweet geeez! 🤦‍♀️

[Verbena37]

I’m disagreeing with the majority. Whilst it’s nice to be kind and let people out, if he had made a full turn off the road, then he should treat pulling back out again to a main road, like it is a junction.

He didn’t have the right of way - you were already on the road.
Yes, it was probable he was letting the ambulance pass but he may have also planned to stop there and use his mobile, go for a wee, have a sleep etc.

You did nothing wrong in being there but rather than swerving into what could have been oncoming traffic, you should always be looking ahead at possible hazards (him pulling out was one) and change your driving to accommodate.

[Jaxhog]

It would have been polite to let him pull out. But it was dangerously crazy of him to assume you would and pull out into your path. And his fault if he hit you. How was he to know that you even saw him pull into the drive because of the ambulance?

So I disagree with the majority. He was at fault.

[AlpacasAreLlamas]

From what I recall, you give way to an emergency vehicle, you don't expect SpeedyMcSpeedy behind the ambulance to think they also have a right of way. It's not safe driving frankly. Whatever about what was right or wrong.

[Drogosnextwife]

Imagine if the car behind you did the same to you and you then had to wait for someone to let you in to rejoin the traffic confused

God can you imagine, it would be absolute chaos! 😂

[Saracen]

You and the other driver both should have been more careful. It is easy to be shaken up by the need to get out of an emergency vehicle's way, so it's understandable that you both made a mistake. By the same token, you need to anticipate that other drivers may likewise behave more unpredictably than usual, for the very same reason.

[Arnoldthecat]

And thats the difference in my view. the other driver entered what was effectively a side road and then drove out of it without due care and attention as to the traffic coming up the road. Maybe they were in a blind panic too because of the blueys? who knows? either way no harm done. A miss is as good as a mile as i always say. Its also important to remember that in all non injury collisions, insurance companies decide liabilities and not the individual drivers. They may provide supporting evidence to help make that decision. Best not to have a bump.

[UnspiritualHome]

He wouldn't have been able to see behind the ambulance when he pulled in

But he would before he pulled out.

[CluedoAddict]

You drove dangerously of course you should have let the car pull out. You could have caused an accident.

[Drogosnextwife]

How was he to know that you even saw him pull into the drive because of the ambulance?

Exactly

[AlpacasAreLlamas]

The driver in front, pulled in to allow the ambulance to pass (as you are lawfully supposed to do). He/She then proceeded back into the line of traffic, except you were speeding up on his tail and had to dodge him. I doubt he actually pulled into a rest station, had a cup of coffee and decided he should start off where he left off. He pulled in to make room then repositioned himself back on the road. But speedy here was up his tail as she thought she was an ambulance too!

[AlpacasAreLlamas]

And anyone who actually drives, knows that you pull in to let the ambulance past. You don't allow every fucker behind you to overtake you!

[MustBeDueSomeBetterFeet]

Of course, he should always have checked before rejoining the traffic, but you could clearly see the situation evolving in front of you and that this driver was about to have the same issue you had in allowing the ambulance out.

Would you really have expected him, having allowed the ambulance to pass, to sit in that farm driveway whilst all the traffic on the road overtook him? Or did you think he was parking there and that's why you were driving past him.

[Bridgeofpies]

alpacas I think what you’ve said is really unfair. I have acknowledged that I was in the wrong but I have also said that I wasn’t trying to speed up behind an ambulance to take advantage of other cars getting out the way! I was just continuing to drive along the road as I had been before. I guess I was anticipating cars slowing from 50-60mph and pulling over as I had done (if anything) but not someone pulling over, coming to a complete stop and then pulling out again on a fast road.

As I have said upthread, I acknowledge that my actions were far from ideal and I was a bit of an idiot and I’m trying to learn from them so your tone isn’t very helpful!

[JazzerMcJazzer]

I can’t imagine under any circumstances pulling off a main road and then pulling back out without doing the standard checks. It would be pretty automatic behaviour, really surprising that he didn’t. I agree with what others said about courtesy but it was entirely reasonable for you to assume that he would check the road was clear before pulling out. Glad all was OK.

[AlpacasAreLlamas]

You were driving ridiculously. Everyone in their driving career has had ambulances or other emergency vehicles need to pass. In all cases the drivers will pull as far in as they can to let the emergency vehicle pass. When I drive you're aware that drivers in front will also be pulling in and then proceeding. At no point ever have I said, fuck this, I'm going to tail-gate this ambulance! You were driving dangerously end of story. You'd have rear-ended another vehicle potentially killing all in that car along with your own two.
Are you not long driving?

[emelsie]

This exact situation happened to me today , I pulled over to let an ambulance past as did a bus driving in the opposite direction , when I went to pull back in to the road a car was coming up behind the ambulance and several behind that , so I had to wait until it was clear , I was slightly put out that they had all tagged on behind the ambulance and I was left hanging on the side of the road awkwardly but no way would I have just pulled out , I don't have a death wish ! I would say the other car was in the wrong .

[JazzerMcJazzer]

Alpacas really, you think that when a driver pulls off the road to let an ambulance pass they give a flying fuck about adding a few minutes to their journey because some other cars have passed them? Where are people going that this even crosses their minds. Normal person thought process- ambulance coming, some poor person is critically ill, must let it pass. It’s gone now, hope person OK, there but for the Grace of God, on with my day full of no drama in which 5 minutes here or there makes any difference.

[whathaveiforgottentoday]

yes, i think you were in the wrong and should have thought ahead that the other car would obviously be pulling back into the lane so would be nice to let them out again.
I have been in the situation of the other car (although several cars went past me in that case and wouldn't let me back into the traffic which i thought was incredibly selfish)

However, I can see why it happened and wouldn't beat yourself up over it in this case. We all make mistakes sometimes.

[HarrySnotter]

Well, the polite thing (and obvious IMO) thing to do is to slow right down and allow him to rejoin. However, he was also wrong for not checking correctly that it was safe to do so.

[JazzerMcJazzer]

Alpacas you are full of shit. OP was driving within the speed limit on a road and an ambulance was in front of her within safe stopping distance. Nothing dangerous about it.

[AlpacasAreLlamas]

There is dangerous driving and I believe this is one case. You would have rear-ended a car at speed. You would have been 100% liable and potentially guilty of manslaughter.
Put your polite cap on the next time you take to the road.

[londonrach]

Yabu. You should have let him rejoin. What you did is dangerous and abit like queue jumping i a shop..rude. Lesson learnt. Op

[AlpacasAreLlamas]

Jazzer you're incorrect there. She would have been 100% in the wrong.

[Arnoldthecat]

Of course if we had dashcam footage it would be much clearer but i wouldnt say the op was driving dangerously from the description. For all we know the other driver could have been pulling into the farm lane to stop. Maybe they were taking a break,tending to their horse in the field,anything. Once stopped,you have a duty to ensure that it is safe to move off again.

There was indeed no need for anyone to stop. There is no legal requirement to do so. The police guidance below supports my view that the EV driver is responsible for driving their vehicle and everyone else is responsible for driving theirs.

www.north-wales.police.uk/advice-and-support/safer-roads/emergency-vehicles