# Proper Emergency Vehicle etiquette **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 19, 2015, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-emergency-vehicle-etiquette/710315 "2015-01-19T21:46:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2015, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-emergency-vehicle-etiquette/710315/21 "2015-01-20T15:55:52Z")
> [@wevets](#): > > People focus way too much on the fact that it will slow them down by 30 seconds to pull to the right, when the concern of the people inside the ambulance is vastly more important than an extra 30 seconds on the road. ☹ Around here, it’s not uncommon for people to pull to the right and _keep driving_. Which only works until they encounter someone who’s pulled over and stopped. Which prompts some of them to pull out in front of the EV so they can go around. ---
**Author:** ![KCB615](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ea666f/32.png) [@KCB615](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KCB615)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2015, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-emergency-vehicle-etiquette/710315/22 "2015-01-20T17:14:54Z")
As a formerly frequent driver of, and now right-front-seat rider of fire engines, I’ll throw my hat into the ring. If you are on a two-lane road (one lane in each direction), pull to the right. If you are on a four-lane road (two lanes in each direction), pull to the right as much as you can, even if you’re in the left lane. In those two scenarios, all vehicles pulling to the right, on both sides of the road, leaves a gaping hole down the center of the roadway. While their drivers will do some amazing things, fire engines are some of the most unmaneuverable, top-heavy, long-stopping, beasts on the road. They take forever to accelerate, and take a surprising distance to stop. Providing a wide, straight path down the center of the road makes for the safest route for all concerned. Straddling the centerline of the roadway is a great place to drive a fire engine. The trouble, I find, is when there is a divider (Jersey barrier, guardrail, esplenade, median, sidewalk, whatever you want to call it) down the center of a 4-lane (2 per side) road . We are now all sharing the same direction of travel, and the people coming the other way have no need to pull over. Nor does the fire engine have the ability to cross the centerline to use “both” directions of the roadway. The driver is now banking on attentive drivers (ha!) looking in their rear-view mirrors, and using audible and visual devices (lights, sirens, horns) to get their attention. If you are in the right lane, pull to the right. If you are in the left lane, watch what other people around you and the fire engine are doing. If everyone seems to be pulling to the right, go right. If they are going to the left and hugging the divider, go to the left and hug the divider. The gaping hole down the center of the road we talked about above, make it all in your section of roadway. The key, unfortunately, is that you can’t just have an if-then statement - if lights, then pull to right. You need to watch what the emergency vehicle is doing. If they’re hugging the left side barrier, you need to go right. If they’re in the center, you need to go left/right. The driver of a fire engine has his or her eye about 9 feet above the ground. We can see over your car. We can see over your SUV. We can see a long, long way down the road, and pick a pathway. If most of the cars are leaving the center of the roadway open, we will take the center. If everyone is pulling to the right, we will go to the left. \ There are two things you absolutely must NOT do. First and foremost is do NOT pull through a red traffic signal to get out of the way of a fire engine or ambulance. You do not have red lights and a siren. I do. You are not allowed to go through the red light. I am (under particular conditions). No one coming through that green light is looking at you, they’re looking at me. They will hit you, and you will be at fault (with some fault spread my way, of course). Only a police officer can allow a vehicle through a red signal. The number of times I have seen this happen is startling. If the intersection is plugged solid, I will wait until the light goes green so you can go through. Don’t panic, we will not push you through the intersection. Get out of the way if you can, but DO NOT PULL INTO THE INTERSECTION!. The second item is do NOT stop in the travel lane in front of an emergency vehicle. The fire engine is expecting you to pull over. A car stops much, much sooner than a fire engine. If you do something unpredictable, you may be run over. Again, if you have no choice, stop, but there is almost no good reason to just slam your brakes on. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2015, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-emergency-vehicle-etiquette/710315/23 "2015-01-20T17:26:11Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Around here, it’s not uncommon for people to pull to the right and _keep driving_. > [@KCB615](#): > > …if you have no choice, stop, but there is almost no good reason to just slam your brakes on. If a bunch of lights come up, suddenly, behind me when I’m going 65MPH, you betcha ass I’m going to coast to a stop at the right or on a shoulder rather than suddenly hitting the brakes. By the time I’m almost stopped, the vehicle may have passed me by and it’s easier to get back up to speed. I wouldn’t call that “keeping driving,” although it may have looked that way to you. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2015, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-emergency-vehicle-etiquette/710315/24 "2015-01-20T17:28:29Z")
> [@CoastalMaineiac](#): > > If I remember correctly, there are two exceptions to the _pull over to the right_ rule. One of them is if you’re already stopped at a red light; you’re supposed to stay put, as attempts to move over can end up putting you even more in the way. The other exception is if you’re going around a rotary;… Third is if they are on the other side of a divided roadway. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2015, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-emergency-vehicle-etiquette/710315/25 "2015-01-20T17:30:19Z")
> [@KCB615](#): > > As a formerly frequent driver of, and now right-front-seat rider of fire engines, I’ll throw my hat into the ring… Thank you for this and your service! ---
**Author:** ![CheshireKat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheshirekat/32/1207_2.png) [@CheshireKat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CheshireKat)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2015, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-emergency-vehicle-etiquette/710315/26 "2015-01-20T18:06:21Z")
> [@KCB615](#): > > If you are in the left lane, watch what other people around you and the fire engine are doing. If everyone seems to be pulling to the right, go right. If they are going to the left and hugging the divider, go to the left and hug the divider. The key being, look at the situation and choose the option that safely benefits the emergency vehicle. Once in very heavy traffic, there was a barrier on the left and a good shoulder on the right. When I looked back, everyone was squeezing to the left because the ambulance was coming on the right shoulder. I don’t know how that came about, but obviously going left was the correct move in that particular situation. And yes, thank you for your service! ---
**Author:** ![ghostman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a3d4f5/32.png) [@ghostman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ghostman)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2015, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-emergency-vehicle-etiquette/710315/27 "2015-01-20T19:37:58Z")
Another Emergency Responder here… All KCB said is right… in addition, when I’m responding, adding a turn signal helps me immensely. I don’t care which way you go, just let me know and I’ll figure out what to do. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2015, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-emergency-vehicle-etiquette/710315/28 "2015-01-20T20:03:39Z")
One public service announcement I recall, in Canada (but we get TV stations from all over the country, so maybe not my province) the law was - even if stopped at a red light, you were entitled/obliged to pull into the intersection _when safe to do so_ if you were blocking the emergency vehicle from getting through. Presumably, this would be when the Fire Truck was right behind you, waiting for you, and their siren and lights should make it evident to cross traffic to stop too. But yes, pull to the right as possible and _stop_. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-emergency-vehicle-etiquette/710315.md?page=1)