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I was on the road when an ambulance was heading our way with lights and siren on. I turned on my turn signal to the right, slowed down as I went to the shoulder, and stopped. I think I was the only one who gave way. If you watch some of those police videos, you'll see plenty of instances of people hitting either the cop, the cop's car, or the other car even though they are completely off the road. In one video, the cop instructed the driver to walk with him off into the grassy area because he didn't want her to get hit. Right when he said this another vehicle hit their vehicles.
On I-75 just North of Cincinnati, it was 2 a.m and very light traffic. The ambulance got on at the exit behind me and moved to the middle lane. I'm in a truck weighing about 65,000 pounds in the right lane. When the car driver in front of me sees the ambulance, he comes to a DEAD STOP in the travel lane in front of me... Not "eases over to the shoulder" or "slow down 'til the emergency vehicle passes"... It was all I could do to keep from rear-ending him.
I have been driving emergency vehicles (fire) for 25 years and know that most of the public are absolute buffoons when it comes to heeding the warning systems. I think they need to be drug out of their cars and shot like the dogs they are.
I laud the move over law. We had a driver almost kill several firefighters in the Cajon pass a few years ago and I have absolutely no sympathy for morons that do not know how to drive and have no concept of the lethal nature of their actions.
It's a stupid law. A very high proportion of accidents are caused by cars changing lanes, and it is counterproductive to force thousands of cars to change lanes to enable one officer to issue one ticket. If patrol cars on the shoulder create a genuine public safety risk, offending motorists can be ordered by loudspeaker to proceed to the next exit to pull off.
It's another example of how the highway patrol is not out there to make the roads safer, but to verbally abuse somebody's mother and extract a $165 fine from her. Another law for which conviction requires absolutely no other evidence except a cop's I-said-so testimony.
Who was discussing the evidence? Just you also not presenting any evidence too.
I think the state should figure out the problem on their own. I give them enough money, I pay to use the roads, I don't want to be hindered while using the roads. FIGURE IT OUT AND DON'T BOTHER ME!
They can start by stopping pull overs for trivial infractions.
It is apparent from that statement that you have never be imperiled by the moronic driving public while you have been serving said public while parked on the shoulder of a highway.
I ask you: How am I supposed to fight a fire while parked next to the guardrail if I cannot keep my people safe from idiots?
Is hindering you from using the right lane more important than fighting the fire, or detaining a felon?
Or, is it just all about you? Public safety be damned?
I have been driving emergency vehicles (fire) for 25 years and know that most of the public are absolute buffoons when it comes to heeding the warning systems. I think they need to be drug out of their cars and shot like the dogs they are.
I laud the move over law. We had a driver almost kill several firefighters in the Cajon pass a few years ago and I have absolutely no sympathy for morons that do not know how to drive and have no concept of the lethal nature of their actions.
Deepcynic, I'm with ya! SO many times, I get car drivers (and a even few of my fellow truckers) that seem to go brain-dead when they see an emergency vehicle on the shoulder. My favorites are the morons who are barely past my truck (and not even doing 5 mph over...)when they see a cop. So what do they do? Stomp on the brakes and ride right next to my truck, preventing me from moving over. And especially the ones who, when I put on my turn signal to move into the left lane, speed up to prevent me from doing so. "Yeah, I'm just changing lanes to get in front of THEM...
In all fairness, I have difficulty hearing even a Federal Q siren when I'm in my Freightliner and the radios are turned up...
Folks, it's just common sense AND coomon courtesy to move over for ANY vehicle on the shoulder, police officer, tow truck driver, car or truck driver making emergency repairs. Heck, it's OK to move over for pedestrtians and bicyclists on a road, if you can safely do so. For me, if it's the choice between giving someone on the shoulder an extra margin of safety or impeding faster traffic for a brief moment, I vote for impeding traffic!
Unless you're selfish or clueless, the name of the game ought to be "look out for each other" on the road...
I am a former truck driver and learned this while in driving school. I pull over to next lane for anyone or anything with my personal car. It is just a habit now.
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Not "eases over to the shoulder" or "slow down 'til the emergency vehicle passes"... It was all I could do to keep from rear-ending him.
