# For the love of all things living, GET OUT OF THE WAY!! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 7, 2003, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-all-things-living-get-out-of-the-way/211975 "2003-11-07T21:49:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2003, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-all-things-living-get-out-of-the-way/211975/1 "2003-11-07T21:49:19Z")
I’m sure its been said before, but it clearly needs to be said again. GET OUT OF THE WAY OF EMERGENCY RESPONSE VEHICLES!!! Is that really that hard to do? Contrary to your quest to get home early, or pick up little Billy from [insert extra-curricular activity here], this _might actually BE_ a matter of life and death! The few seconds the ambulance, police or fire truck need to take to get around your lazy cell-phone-talking, SUV-driving ass might actually be the difference between saving someone’s life or having a horrible tragedy occur (which you will no doubt be horrified at on the phone to your friends on your next commute!) Seriously, folks, how hard is it to understand that there is a reason these vehicles are trying to move quickly, flashing red and blue and white lights and sounding sirens you can hear miles away? How hard is it to merge to the right _on a two lane (each way) highway which isn’t all that busy_?? Why the FUCK should that EMERGENCY vehicle have to _go around you_, by using the shared left turn lane (which is not clear down the entire highway since it has physical medians at intersections and might actually have a car coming in the other direction in it!)? I saw this on the way home this evening. Two…_TWO!_…separtate cop cars, an ambulance AND a fire truck all had to swerve around cars (In 3 of the 4 cases, the car was an SUV, in one, the driver was on a cell phone) and use the left turn lane, even though this was a non-busy highway with two lanes going in each direction. I was in the oncoming lane, and even I merged right, just in case some fuckwit made the emergency vehicle have to use an oncoming traffic lane. I even stopped at the intersection where the accident was, since there was an ambulance trying to turn, and _people were just driving on through!!!_ Are people really that self-absorbed, and think that they are so important that a rescue vehicle has to take second place to them? Was that cellphone conversation so important that you couldn’t glance in your rearview at the flashing lights, OR hear the sirens behind you? What are people thinking? Do they see the ambulance go around another fuckwit, and so they figure it can do the same for them? THAT TAKES TIME! Not much, but add it up over many vehicles, and precious time might be lost! Any accident that requires that many emergency vehicles being dispatched must be at least _somewhat_ serious! This is a fast-paced, busy area, in and around Toronto. But I hate to see that it is that fast, that busy, that people think they are going fast enough with an ambulance behind them, or so busy that they can’t even be bothered to move. I think NOT moving is against the law, but unfortunately the ones who can enforce that are too busy trying to get past to try and help someone who needs it. So just to get the message out one more time: “For the love of all things living, GET OUT OF THE WAY!!” ☹ :mad: ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2003, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-all-things-living-get-out-of-the-way/211975/2 "2003-11-07T21:54:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mnemosyne \* > \*\*Are people really that self-absorbed…? \*\* Yes. Yes they are. Fuckers. ---
**Author:** ![GaWd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f08c70/32.png) [@GaWd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaWd)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2003, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-all-things-living-get-out-of-the-way/211975/3 "2003-11-07T22:04:15Z")
## quote: ## Originally posted by mnemosyne Are people really that self-absorbed…? Yes they are, but it has nothing to do with their choice in cars. Sam ---
**Author:** ![badmana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@badmana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badmana)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2003, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-all-things-living-get-out-of-the-way/211975/4 "2003-11-07T22:12:22Z")
True, I notice no difference between car types. I notice truckers are much nicer and will pull over. Most cars do not. I’ve pulled over properly several times and I’ve seen people _pass_ me when an ambulance or cop needed to get by. I swear, these drivers should fucking loose their licenses and have their cars impounded. ---
**Author:** ![SanguineSpider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SanguineSpider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanguineSpider)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2003, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-all-things-living-get-out-of-the-way/211975/5 "2003-11-07T22:15:14Z")
I always pull over. I don’t want someone’s life end due to my being in the way. I’d ask the same of everyone driving but you are right, Mr/Mrs. Poster… they don’t care. That frightens me because if I needed those seconds to live, would I get them? If my daughter needed them…? So I will pull to the right, slow down and stop, and hope for the victim that those seconds are given when really needed. ---
**Author:** ![lezlers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@lezlers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lezlers)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2003, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-all-things-living-get-out-of-the-way/211975/6 "2003-11-08T01:11:16Z")
I always pull over, even if I’m on the other side of the road. What in the ever loving hell is WITH people?? Although… [hangs head in shame] So I was at this stop light this one time. I tend to listen to my stereo pretty loud in my car (with the windows rolled up, and no, I don’t have bass that will wake the dead and I always turn it down when driving through neighborhoods and parking lots even). So I’m at a stoplight waiting to turn behind a car with my radio rather loud. The light turns green. Car in front of me doesn’t move. I wait. Still doesn’t move. I honk. Still doesn’t move. I honk again, a little longer. Still doesn’t move. “The hell?” I think to myself. Then, to my horror, I see it. The fire engine coming down the opposite street and through the intersection (I couldn’t see it before, it was too far away). I promptly slunk down into my seat in horrified humiliation. I always turn my stereo WAY down at intersections now. [/hangs head in shame] But talking on the cell phone? Obviously they can HEAR the sirens then. What idiots. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2003, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-all-things-living-get-out-of-the-way/211975/7 "2003-11-08T02:02:27Z")
I firmly believe that every emergency vehicle (or group of them) should have some sort of “Mad Max” truck to ram 'em out of the way if they don’t move. Complete with a guy in leather and hockey mask. I’m serious. Tripler Nothing says “git the fuck outta the way” than Jason with a .357. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2003, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-all-things-living-get-out-of-the-way/211975/8 "2003-11-08T02:28:31Z")
I’m glad to say that, on the roads I regularly drive, people are pretty good about getting out of the way of emergency vehicles. They pull over, they stop if there’s time to do so before they’re overtaken by the ambulance, and they wait until the vehicle’s passed before they return to the traffic lanes. So here’s a tip of the hat to drivers in Maryland’s Calvert and Anne Arundel counties. ---
**Author:** ![Bouncer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9d8465/32.png) [@Bouncer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bouncer)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2003, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-all-things-living-get-out-of-the-way/211975/9 "2003-11-08T03:09:58Z")
Heh, you should drive in Naples, Italy sometime. People do NOT get out of the way of emergency vehicles at all, as a result, the Neopolitan ambulance drivers have developed a level of skill such that they are probably capable of outdriving Michael Schumacher on any given day. I’ve seen them get through spaces where the vehicular mass to opening ratio just doesn’t work! Yet they do it. Amazing really. Regards, -Bouncer- ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2003, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-all-things-living-get-out-of-the-way/211975/10 "2003-11-08T03:43:59Z")
It’s a symptom of the general decline in courtesy. I’ve been driving 15 years and I’ve seen so much of what was considered a “given” in 1987 go by the wayside: getting out of the way of emergency vehicles, allowing people to pass you rather than consciously keeping pace so they can’t, right-of-way issues… I swear I sometimes think I’m the only person on the road with a valid driver’s license. ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2003, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-all-things-living-get-out-of-the-way/211975/11 "2003-11-08T09:02:38Z")
‘Decline in courtesy’? At least - at least if you don’t hold a door for someone you’re not likely to kill them. OTOH, I would guess sometimes some people panic and don’t know the best thing to do - it’s bad if you hear a siren, pull over, and discover that the emergncy vehicle is coming up the hard shoulder. And by the time they’ve looked round it’s all over. ---
**Author:** ![Odinoneeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2003, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-all-things-living-get-out-of-the-way/211975/12 "2003-11-08T12:41:39Z")
Wife driving with her brother in the car. She sees an ambulance in the rear view mirror and pulls over: “Why did you pull over?” “There’s an ambulance.” “So?” This man \*\*did not know \*\* you were supposed to pull over for an emergency vehicle. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Computer\_Guru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ed655f/32.png) [@Computer\_Guru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Computer_Guru)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2003, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-all-things-living-get-out-of-the-way/211975/13 "2003-11-08T16:01:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mnemosyne \* > \*\*I’m sure its been said before, but it clearly needs to be said again. > > GET OUT OF THE WAY OF EMERGENCY RESPONSE VEHICLES!!! > > Is that really that hard to do? Contrary to your quest to get home early, or pick up little Billy from [insert extra-curricular activity here], this _might actually BE_ a matter of life and death! > > The few seconds the ambulance, police or fire truck need to take to get around your lazy cell-phone-talking, SUV-driving ass might actually be the difference between saving someone’s life or having a horrible tragedy occur (which you will no doubt be horrified at on the phone to your friends on your next commute!) > > Seriously, folks, how hard is it to understand that there is a reason these vehicles are trying to move quickly, flashing red and blue and white lights and sounding sirens you can hear miles away? How hard is it to merge to the right _on a two lane (each way) highway which isn’t all that busy_?? Why the FUCK should that EMERGENCY vehicle have to _go around you_, by using the shared left turn lane (which is not clear down the entire highway since it has physical medians at intersections and might actually have a car coming in the other direction in it!)? > > I saw this on the way home this evening. Two…_TWO!_…separtate cop cars, an ambulance AND a fire truck all had to swerve around cars (In 3 of the 4 cases, the car was an SUV, in one, the driver was on a cell phone) and use the left turn lane, even though this was a non-busy highway with two lanes going in each direction. I was in the oncoming lane, and even I merged right, just in case some fuckwit made the emergency vehicle have to use an oncoming traffic lane. I even stopped at the intersection where the accident was, since there was an ambulance trying to turn, and _people were just driving on through!!!_ > > Are people really that self-absorbed, and think that they are so important that a rescue vehicle has to take second place to them? Was that cellphone conversation so important that you couldn’t glance in your rearview at the flashing lights, OR hear the sirens behind you? > > What are people thinking? Do they see the ambulance go around another fuckwit, and so they figure it can do the same for them? THAT TAKES TIME! Not much, but add it up over many vehicles, and precious time might be lost! Any accident that requires that many emergency vehicles being dispatched must be at least _somewhat_ serious! > > This is a fast-paced, busy area, in and around Toronto. But I hate to see that it is that fast, that busy, that people think they are going fast enough with an ambulance behind them, or so busy that they can’t even be bothered to move. I think NOT moving is against the law, but unfortunately the ones who can enforce that are too busy trying to get past to try and help someone who needs it. > > So just to get the message out one more time: “For the love of all things living, GET OUT OF THE WAY!!” > > ☹ :mad: \*\* I hate when you are driving in the lane opposite of the oncoming emergency vehicle and you get over onto the shoulder and stop and all the morons behind you decide they want to break the law(should be) and pass you. ---
**Author:** ![lilbtagna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4491bb/32.png) [@lilbtagna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lilbtagna)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2003, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-all-things-living-get-out-of-the-way/211975/14 "2003-11-08T16:24:50Z")
Wow. After reading all this, I guess I’m pretty fortunate to live in an area where most people pull over immediately and no one blocks any intersections or entrances to neighborhoods. Of course, there are the one or two dipsticks out there, but it’s nothing like what some of you are complaining about. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2003, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-all-things-living-get-out-of-the-way/211975/15 "2003-11-08T17:07:28Z")
I’ll see you you’re people not getting out of the way, **mnemosyne** , and raise you one idiot actually driving _into_ the ambulance’s way. See, we were all stopped and pulled over at an intersection, waiting for the lights-and-sirens-blazing ambulance, and some dumbass thought, “Gee, what a great opportunity to get through this intersection!” and got into the intersection and made the ambulance go around them. Calgary drivers suck in a lot of ways, and this is one of them. ---
**Author:** ![Computer\_Guru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ed655f/32.png) [@Computer\_Guru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Computer_Guru)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2003, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-all-things-living-get-out-of-the-way/211975/16 "2003-11-08T17:13:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by featherlou \* > \*\*I’ll see you you’re people not getting out of the way, **mnemosyne** , and raise you one idiot actually driving _into_ the ambulance’s way. See, we were all stopped and pulled over at an intersection, waiting for the lights-and-sirens-blazing ambulance, and some dumbass thought, “Gee, what a great opportunity to get through this intersection!” and got into the intersection and made the ambulance go around them. Calgary drivers suck in a lot of ways, and this is one of them. \*\* I’ve seen people almost wiped out by fire engines. Idiots who don’t listen when they cross an intersection. Even with my radio and sound resistent car, I can still hear emergency vehicle coming. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2003, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-all-things-living-get-out-of-the-way/211975/17 "2003-11-08T17:24:25Z")
Thank you, **mnemosyne** for a good public-service post. One sin which few people see unless they’ve driven an emergency vehicle is the person who suddenly becomes aware of an emergency vehicle and does something unpredictable. My sphincter reached 14 on a scale of 10 one day when we were responding to an apartment fire, and as we approached an intersection, traveling in the middle of three lanes on my side of the median, a lady decided to throw out the anchor and stop. right. there. :eek: Thankfully, others had slowed enough to permit performance a slalom maneuver, one that just should not be done with a 14 ton truck. Thankfully, the shiny side stayed upright, nothing get bent, and all was well. ---
**Author:** ![Tinkertoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f19dbf/32.png) [@Tinkertoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tinkertoy)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2003, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-all-things-living-get-out-of-the-way/211975/18 "2003-11-08T18:01:24Z")
Emergency vehicle’s should be fitted with video cameras. At the end of the days runs the videos could be viewed by the police to get license plate numbers. Then tickets sent out to all offenders. Very expensive tickets. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2003, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-all-things-living-get-out-of-the-way/211975/19 "2003-11-08T18:14:56Z")
Just to clarify something - the SUV comments were directed at that specific cell-phone driving moron, although I found it interesting to note that 2 other SUV drivers did the same thing. I know they are not all like that, but it doesn’t do much for a lousy reputation when that’s what other people observe! I was on the highway once, in bumper to bumper traffic. There was an accident up ahead, which naturally closed down all Toronto highways in a rubbernecking phenomenon that scientists have yet to explain. Anyways, I heard an ambulance, and looked back, and saw it coming along the shoulder at a pretty good clip. I then looked ahead, and saw some idiot in a Civic (another group with a bad reputation) swing out _onto the shoulder_, and drive down towards an exit, _causing the ambulance to slam on its brakes to avoid hitting him_. Full ambulance vs Civic hatchback. Who wins? The idiot then realised there was an ambulance behind him (how he didnt know before making his manoever I don’t know) and rather than continue forward, he slowed down and tried to _merge back into traffic_. **Into bumper to bumber people-can’t-move-to-let-you-in-if-they-wanted-to traffic!!** The poor ambulance was sitting there, sirens and lights going, horn honking, driver’s arms waving, and it had to wait for this dipshit to squeeze back into a line of traffic he never should have left. To add to the shock of all this, he _gave the ambulance the finger_ as it squeezed past him, and then swung out again to get to the exit!!! I think he saw several middle fingers and had several swear words directed at him that day, as at least 50 cars were in plain view of all this! I hate idiots. To those of you who volunteer or work as ermergency response people, my hat (if I had one) goes off to you. I can’t imagine the stress of dealing with idiots like these, and then having to perform in a more stressful, possibly-life-saving environment. **mnemosyne** gives them all a standing ovation! ---
**Author:** ![emacularius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@emacularius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emacularius)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2003, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-the-love-of-all-things-living-get-out-of-the-way/211975/20 "2003-11-08T18:33:57Z")
I witnessed an ambulance on a three lane highway once, trying to get around some dumbass who was not only refusing to get out of their way but was actually SLOWING DOWN!! I hope if this asshat ever needs emergency services, someone does the exact same thing the ambulance coming to his aid.