Question on driving in an emergency

monument · 11-02-2012 12:07pm #1

A question only for those who drive blue light ambulances, fire tenders, and Garda cars:

What are the main things that get in your way when driving to / in an emergency?

Bosh · 11-02-2012 12:49pm

Do you want that in alphabetical order?

Could take a while...

A@@holes on mobiles
B@@lixes not looking in their mirrors
Clowns jamming on the brakes....

any advance?

Paulzx · 11-02-2012 1:47pm

monument wrote: »

A question only for those who drive blue light ambulances, fire tenders, and Garda cars:

What are the main things that get in your way when driving to / in an emergency?

Whats the one most difficult thing to get past?

I'd have to say Taxis on Camden St. at weekends.

Parked 3 abreast both sides of the road and absolutely point blank refuse to move out of the way in case they lose their place in whatever f$%ked up queue they are in which is visible to no one but themselves.

Total gridlock at 3am.

Never fails to amaze me

source · 11-02-2012 3:20pm

In limerick my big issue was pedestrians, they just step out into traffic down here without even looking. Had a guy walk out one night while flying up o'connell street in the van, everything going, lit up like a Christmas tree more noise than a local nightclub but this idiot just walked out anyway.

[Deleted User] · 11-02-2012 3:26pm

monument wrote: »

What are the main things that get in your way when driving to / in an emergency?

Other drivers.

CharlieCroker · 11-02-2012 6:49pm

+1

Drivers stopping on bends and narrow roads.
People who forget they've mirrors sitting in the outside lane of a busy motorway
Pedestrians
Taxis in Dublin are a law unto themselves

goldie fish · 11-02-2012 7:09pm

People who see the patrol car in their mirrors, think they are speeding, and slow down....

[Deleted User] · 11-02-2012 7:30pm

People who don't notice your lights and sirens but will react when you blow the horn. :rolleyes:

james116 · 11-02-2012 8:42pm

maybe the fireman could ring there follow fireman in there taxis and tell them to get out of the way cos on weekends when there is a lot of taxis in dublin a lot of them are double jobbers(firemen postmen etc etc)so all they have to do is ring them and tell them to get out of the way.problem sorted.:D

Paulzx · 11-02-2012 9:59pm

james116 wrote: »

maybe the fireman could ring there follow fireman in there taxis and tell them to get out of the way cos on weekends when there is a lot of taxis in dublin a lot of them are double jobbers(firemen postmen etc etc)so all they have to do is ring them and tell them to get out of the way.problem sorted.:D

I'm sure there's a taximan whinge forum on Boards somewhere.

Don't think this is it

wreckless · 11-02-2012 10:13pm

have been asking our SO and acfo to get the department to have a tv advert that will explain to motorists how to freact when ES vehilcles are on the road. they have a bleeded ad on how to use roundabouts ffs!!

there was one on the itv years ago, whether its ambo, fire, gardai or other ES, education goes a long way

has to be the ones who slow down on bends. why ffs!

BrianD · 11-02-2012 10:32pm

Here's a question.

In all the cities I've been worldwide, never have I heard so many ambulances on the move on a daily basis as in Dublin.

However, given the high numbers of people who pass through A&E perhaps this is unsurprising.

My question for ambulance drivers. What percentage of the people that are carried are real emergencies as opposed to "we have the lights and sirens so we can get their faster" (nothing particularly wrong with this as the patient gets to a care centre faster).

McWotever · 11-02-2012 11:17pm

This'll be fun! Come watch this everyone......

Officer Giggles · 11-02-2012 11:25pm

Douchebags not using their mirrors and double douchebags that dont hear the sirens either

cocoshovel · 11-02-2012 11:25pm

Not an ES personnel myself but one I have noticed quite a few times, pedestrians on a crowded road/street.
You could be blaring 2 different tones, banging on the horn and have all lights flashing and they still would be reluctant to clear the way while walking up a street. They just sort of non chalantly mope to the side slowly after you come up right behind them, even though they heard you a mile away.
You probably only encounter this on pedestrianized only streets or at festivles etc.

are you serious · 11-02-2012 11:46pm

Grafton Street and Temple bar are a joke at night, out the window with a paddle as we drive by... whammo...!! this should be allowed in my eyes

james116 · 12-02-2012 12:03am

Paulzx wrote: »

I'm sure there's a taximan whinge forum on Boards somewhere.

Don't think this is it

we have 1 paul its very good but let me put it like this.its a sunday and a member of your family is not feeling well so u ring 999 and the paramedics come out and the one that is treating your family member stopped driveing there taxi at 4am and started work in there other job at 9 so they are tired and not thinking right and they make a mistake and your family member dies or a family member has been to the doctors and is waiting for results to come in the post and because the post man like the fire man was out in his taxi untill 4am and could not get up to go to his day job u have to wait for 24 hours more.so if u are happy with that be my guest.last one you or a loved one are out on a nite out and u have had a nice meal and a few drinks and u get a taxi home and the driver is so tired cos he is on his 14th hour of work that day he dozed off crashes and u or a loved one is hurt or killed.so whingeing am i.

Mycroft H · 12-02-2012 12:24am

james116 wrote: »

we have 1 paul its very good but let me put it like this.its a sunday and a member of your family is not feeling well so u ring 999 and the paramedics come out and the one that is treating your family member stopped driveing there taxi at 4am and started work in there other job at 9 so they are tired and not thinking right and they make a mistake and your family member dies or a family member has been to the doctors and is waiting for results to come in the post and because the post man like the fire man was out in his taxi untill 4am and could not get up to go to his day job u have to wait for 24 hours more.so if u are happy with that be my guest.last one you or a loved one are out on a nite out and u have had a nice meal and a few drinks and u get a taxi home and the driver is so tired cos he is on his 14th hour of work that day he dozed off crashes and u or a loved one is hurt or killed.so whingeing am i.

Good grief man, put some spaces in that sentence. Some capitals would be nice too.

MarkR · 12-02-2012 12:33am

james116 wrote: »

we have 1 paul its very good but let me put it like this.its a sunday and a member of your family is not feeling well so u ring 999 and the paramedics come out and the one that is treating your family member stopped driveing there taxi at 4am and started work in there other job at 9 so they are tired and not thinking right and they make a mistake and your family member dies or a family member has been to the doctors and is waiting for results to come in the post and because the post man like the fire man was out in his taxi untill 4am and could not get up to go to his day job u have to wait for 24 hours more.so if u are happy with that be my guest.last one you or a loved one are out on a nite out and u have had a nice meal and a few drinks and u get a taxi home and the driver is so tired cos he is on his 14th hour of work that day he dozed off crashes and u or a loved one is hurt or killed.so whingeing am i.

Did any of this actually happen, or are you just making up stories?

james116 · 12-02-2012 12:49am

MarkR wrote: »

Did any of this actually happen, or are you just making up stories?

no but it could happen.

james116 · 12-02-2012 12:50am

BX 19 wrote: »

Good grief man, put some spaces in that sentence. Some capitals would be nice too.

sorry long day running around after 3 kids under 5.

bluetop · 12-02-2012 1:01am

MarkR wrote: »

Did any of this actually happen, or are you just making up stories?

If you remember not long ago Prime Time done an article on taxi drivers double jobbing it, one Bus Driver from P/Boro was driving a bus by day and by night was driving a taxi, he was working something like 20 hrs a day. Hence he no longer drives Buses any longer, he was sacked, just pure luck he did not kill anyone, there are lots of them doing it, only a matter of time before someone is killed in and around the city.):

Zambia · 12-02-2012 1:16am

Could be worse

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/ambulances-at-risk-from-road-hogs/story-fn7x8me2-1226268653253

SELFISH motorists are putting the lives of seriously ill Victorians at risk by crashing into, holding up and even menacing ambulances trying to get the sick and injured to hospital.

Documents obtained under Freedom of Information laws reveal dangerous drivers are causing an average of a crash a week with ambulances, with the emergency vehicles being smashed by other motorists 52 times between October 2010 and October 2011.

Over the year paramedics were injured in 23 crashes, with some suffering "life-threatening/severe" injuries, including one left with neck damage after his ambulance was struck while he was in the back treating a critically ill patient.

One of the worst cases included a road rager abusing a paramedic parked in a hospital bay for blocking his way.

The man threatened to bash the paramedic and chased him into his car, before damaging the ambulance several times and driving off - leaving the officer with psychological distress.

The revelations have prompted Roads Minister Terry Mulder to look at increasing fines for irresponsible motorists.

Ambulance Employees Australia state secretary Steve McGhie said the problem was worse than ever, with increased traffic and ambulances travelling greater distances to respond to jobs outside their patch.

"There is a lot of blatant disregard from motorists towards emergency vehicles, but also a lot of these modern cars have got stereo systems designed more for homes so that they just don't hear the sirens," Mr McGhie said.

"A lot of drivers panic and stop in front to obstruct an emergency vehicle. It comes down to a lack of education."

Mr McGhie said that when people received their licence their responsibility to emergency vehicles must be reinforced and they should be taught how to safely get out of their way.

"There's this blatant disregard because I think it's just brushed over," he said.

One of the biggest spikes in crashes involved Single Response Units driven solely by MICA paramedics - the very vehicles designed to cut through busy city traffic to provide a quick response before a stretcher ambulance arrives - with five hit in the past 16 months.

Ambulance Victoria is now fitting these cars with video cameras to help determine why they are over-represented in crashes.

Last year three Victorian motorists were fined $214 and lost three demerit points for failing to give way or keep clear of emergency vehicles.

Four drivers were penalised in 2010.

Mr Mulder urged motorists to take more care.

"While we will always consider any moves to improve road safety, I think the vast majority of Victorians do their best to get out of the way of ambulances on the road," he said.

"If you can't get out of the way safely, the best thing to do is to stop and let the ambulance overtake you."

Tango Alpha 51 · 12-02-2012 4:40am

BrianD wrote: »

Here's a question.

In all the cities I've been worldwide, never have I heard so many ambulances on the move on a daily basis as in Dublin.

However, given the high numbers of people who pass through A&E perhaps this is unsurprising.

My question for ambulance drivers. What percentage of the people that are carried are real emergencies as opposed to "we have the lights and sirens so we can get their faster" (nothing particularly wrong with this as the patient gets to a care centre faster).

Do you honestly think that blue lights & sirens are abused this way or that any paramedic is going to risk getting points/loosing their licence by driving on B&T's unless it's absolutely necessary!??.

Mycroft H · 12-02-2012 12:43pm

BrianD wrote: »

Here's a question.

In all the cities I've been worldwide, never have I heard so many ambulances on the move on a daily basis as in Dublin.

However, given the high numbers of people who pass through A&E perhaps this is unsurprising.

My question for ambulance drivers. What percentage of the people that are carried are real emergencies as opposed to "we have the lights and sirens so we can get their faster" (nothing particularly wrong with this as the patient gets to a care centre faster).

Central London, just as many ES vehicles about.

Paulzx · 12-02-2012 1:36pm

james116 wrote: »

we have 1 paul its very good but let me put it like this.its a sunday and a member of your family is not feeling well so u ring 999 and the paramedics come out and the one that is treating your family member stopped driveing there taxi at 4am and started work in there other job at 9 so they are tired and not thinking right and they make a mistake and your family member dies or a family member has been to the doctors and is waiting for results to come in the post and because the post man like the fire man was out in his taxi untill 4am and could not get up to go to his day job u have to wait for 24 hours more.so if u are happy with that be my guest.last one you or a loved one are out on a nite out and u have had a nice meal and a few drinks and u get a taxi home and the driver is so tired cos he is on his 14th hour of work that day he dozed off crashes and u or a loved one is hurt or killed.so whingeing am i.

This has nothing got to do with taximen suddenly developing a worry for fatigue levels of postmen and you know that well:rolleyes:

It has everything to do with taximen and competition within the industry. You have valid concerns on this subject but don't try and mask it with supposed concerns about tired postmen.

Anyway, this has nothing got to do with the original thread topic

flazio · 12-02-2012 2:14pm

This video should be made mandatory for all new drivers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btRHvQEIkcU

BrianD · 12-02-2012 2:40pm

buzzman wrote: »

Do you honestly think that blue lights & sirens are abused this way or that any paramedic is going to risk getting points/loosing their licence by driving on B&T's unless it's absolutely necessary!??.

Yes, I am asking that question on the basis of what I posted earlier.

Bosh · 12-02-2012 4:12pm

source wrote: »

In limerick my big issue was pedestrians, they just step out into traffic down here without even looking. Had a guy walk out one night while flying up o'connell street in the van, everything going, lit up like a Christmas tree more noise than a local nightclub but this idiot just walked out anyway.

Usually iPod plugged in & oblivious to the world... and pedestrian lights are a mere suggestion..

They are a real hazard tbh, especially on a wet day, liable to step out at anytime

BrianD · 12-02-2012 4:46pm

Also add the responsible parents with pram and infants who decide to cross 4 lanes of traffic at a whim. They are usually to be found stationary between lanes 2 and 3.

wreckless · 12-02-2012 8:41pm

cheers Flazio, thats a great video alright.

Question on driving in an emergency

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