Re: Driver lets police van through a red light and gets a £60 penalty

On Sat, 08 Aug 2009 11:14:24 -0400, Mike Ross <mike@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

On Sat, 08 Aug 2009 13:32:58 +0100, Ignis <Ignis@xxxxxxx> wrote:

On Fri, 07 Aug 2009 19:43:40 -0400, Mike Ross <mike@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:


Yes, absolutely. I hold a New York EVOC - Emergency Vehicle Operators
Certificate - to drive fire engines. One thing that's drummed into us during
training is that crossing a red light is one of the most dangerous maneuvers we
perform. It's one of the most common causes of serious accidents - and that's
with training, lights, sirens, and airhorns to help us do it. A civilian driver
should never cross a red light to 'get out of our way' - we'll drive on the
wrong side of the road to get around them if we have to. Pull hard over to the
side of the road, or even onto the verge or pavement? Fine, great, go right
ahead, that can be a big help to 'make room'. Otherwise, stay where you are and
let us sort it out.

Mike

Hi Mike.

We call it EFAD, Emergency Fire Appliance Driver and we don't get a
pretty bit of paper. But I agree, we slow down on approach, use our
warning systems, wait and IF it's clear proceed. Our union want's it
to be absolute that we always stop, at least momentarily, before
trying to cross a red light.

Agreed 100% - we treat red lights as STOP signs where the other traffic has
right-of-way, and we only proceed if we can see and have been seen; other
drivers have seen and reacted. And never ignore the possibility of other
apparatus responding from a different station getting to the same junction at
the same time; we've had a few collisions of that nature here in the USA
recently.

LOL, reminds me of a close call on on a roundabout here a couple of
years ago. I had an appliance appear from my right on the roundabout
at speed and I had to avoid him. That one went in to a formal
complaint against the other driver who was driving without enough
attantion.

Later, when I spent more time in the OIC seat, I got a better view of
the way different drivers would do things. One young lad, I'll call
him Mick (because that's his name!) had a bad habit of leaving the
vehicle silent untill almost on top of an obstacle then suddenly
putting on the siriens. I asked for him to have an evaluation, which
didn't go down well. But I felt it had to be done.

Anyway, this is WELL off topic now. And as you can all see we're all
human even if we wear a uniform.

NEVER force cars out of the way, treat
them as stationary obstacles glued to the floor.

You still in? I'm retired.

Only been in a couple of years; I'm a member of a combination department - mixed
wholetime and volunteers (we don't really have 'retained' over here, you're
either a wholetime guy or an unpaid vollie, and there's no distinction on the
fire scene, wholetime guys take orders from volunteer officers, we all work
exactly the same). I'm a volunteer - if I was a few years younger I'd be trying
to get on the payroll, best job in the world. Well... worst too, some days, but
most days the best!

Oh yes, good and bad days, but mostly normal boring days. But what a
sense of job satisfaction! :)

Oh, I HAVE to ask; please tell me you don't wear one of those big
moustaches and have a dalmation! Lol. A friend of mine and colleauge
went to NY on holiday a few years ago and he had to visit as many fire
stations as possible. In most of the photo's he brought back there
were big moustaches.

Mike

Mike too.
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Driver lets police van through a red light and gets a £60 penalty
    ... I hold a New York EVOC - Emergency Vehicle Operators ... Certificate - to drive fire engines. ... training is that crossing a red light is one of the most dangerous maneuvers we ...
    (uk.legal)
  • Re: Car making a left turn in front of me
    ... You approach and intersection with, say, a 4- ... You want to go straight. ... He expects me to run the red light. ... driver that he wanted to go straight through. ...
    (rec.bicycles.misc)
  • Re: Im a victim of lifes circumstances....
    ... > HOW THE HELL CAN YOU FIRE A DRIVER FOR NOT MAKING THE CHASE WHEN MOST ... and she can fire whoever she wants. ...
    (rec.autos.sport.nascar)
  • Re: Paul Smith
    ... relevant to cyclists. ... If she had complied with the red light there would have been no ... If a driver hits a pedestrian at 20 mph, ...
    (uk.rec.driving)
  • Re: Sign Clutter
    ... Anything that distracts the driver or lengthens his decision ... I was taught about it back in 1977. ... >red light, tell the officer you did not feel it was safe to stop as the ... The officer will still give you a ticket if you give him ...
    (misc.transport.road)
Loading