If there's an emergency, you're supposed to drive fast

[flybye023]

The other morning when I was driving to work I ran into a really odd incident with a fire truck. I'm on the road around 6 a.m. each day so there's not much traffic, especially close to my house. The speed limit is 45 and there's two lanes.

I'm driving, and only a couple of blocks from my house when I notice to my right on a side street there's a fire engine with lights and siren on trying to get on the main road. I immediately pull over and so does everyone else. The fire truck pulls out into the left lane, gets ahead of everyone, and instantly slows to 25. So all of us commuters are trailing slowly along behind it and I was wondering if it was okay to pass an emergency vehicle. A couple of the cars ahead of me were evidently wondering the same thing as they made tentative attempts to go around but didn't actually make the attempt. I figured that it probably wasn't okay and that's why they didn't go through with it.

As I got a little closer, however, I realized the real reason why. The fire engine was riding the middle line.

So to re-cap, 6 a.m., no traffic, two lanes, 45 mph speed limit and a fire engine is going 25 down the middle of the road.

[PepperElf]

dang.
all i can think is that maybe there wasn't enough clearance (cos not everyone pulls over far enough)

but i can see how that would be annoying.

[bhskittykatt]

I remember once we called the fire dept on the paper route because some mulch was on fire. We waited for the truck. We saw it turn from [road firehouse is on] to [road we were on] several blocks down. It was crawling down the road, looking at house numbers. These blocks are laid out nicely to easily find addresses (if you're on the 800 block and need to get to the 1000 block, you know you need to go two blocks), so I don't know why they found it so difficult. Then again, I know that neighborhood like the back of my hand, so perhaps I just find it easier than it really is.

[kpzra]

No, you cannot pass a moving emergency vehicle that has it's lights and siren on in most (if not all) states. If it is stopped and on-scene then go ahead at a slow speed. It is considering interference of an emergency vehicle, and back home we'd turn in plate numbers of people who didn't yield or tried to pass us while we were going code in the ambulance.

[chainedbarista]

nope; if they're on an emergency call, never ever ever pass them.

[Teskeria]

No, you cannot pass a moving emergency vehicle that has it's lights and siren on in most (if not all) states. If it is stopped and on-scene then go ahead at a slow speed. It is considering interference of an emergency vehicle, and back home we'd turn in plate numbers of people who didn't yield or tried to pass us while we were going code in the ambulance.

And if you were on an emergency call, would you be going 20 miles BELOW the speed limit? Because most emergency response units I am familiar with, go at least the speed limit, and often faster when responding to an emergency.

[Mikkel]

And if you were on an emergency call, would you be going 20 miles BELOW the speed limit? Because most emergency response units I am familiar with, go at least the speed limit, and often faster when responding to an emergency.

They should, it's after all life or death situations.
Could there have been a slow truck in front of the fire truck?

[flybye023]

all i can think is that maybe there wasn't enough clearance (cos not everyone pulls over far enough)

No, it's two lanes, both directions with a painted (as opposed to cement) median. The firetruck had plenty of clearance and everyone pulled over for it.

Could there have been a slow truck in front of the fire truck?

No, as I stated in the original post there was very little traffic; everyone yielded and the firetruck was the only vehicle in front.

My mom suggested that maybe the firetruck was on the center line to keep people from passing It was just strange.

[dalesys]

All right, did any of you clowns find out where the fire is before jumping on board?

All hands on deck, look for smoke!

[kpzra]

And if you were on an emergency call, would you be going 20 miles BELOW the speed limit? Because most emergency response units I am familiar with, go at least the speed limit, and often faster when responding to an emergency.

Depends on conditions, location, lots of things. Yes, I have gone under the speed limit when responding lights and siren, you have to watch cross streets to make sure people are stopping, and drive for conditions. It doesn't do anyone any good if the ambulance ends up in the ditch trying to get to you. Unless you were in the rig, you cannot know why they were doing what they did.

[50 mission cap]

In my province, when the fire or police is stopped, in addition to slowing you are also supposed to move in the other lane away from them.

[Jack]

^^^ Yeah, around here I'm told you're supposed to change to a lane not adjacent to where they're stopped, or slow to 20 MPH.

[Pimento]

In Canada, emergency vehicles are no longer allowed to speed lol

Well as far as i know its a country wide thing