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Most cases favor the fire truck unless a death or severe injury results, for insistance in this case if the fire truck had sewerved and crashed the OP would of been held responsible from my point of view because they were entering a blind corner at a speed where they would be unable to move if say there was an accident just around the corner. Yeah it doesn't make any sense, and I don't really agree, but it's the way it usually turns out.
I totally disagree, as the closing speed is much higher in this situation. If the OP was traveling at the posted speed, there should be plenty of time to react to an accident or disabled vehecle in the right of way.
Factor in the added speed factor caused by the fire truck coming in the opposite direction, and there is much less time to react.
Oh I agree, closing speed is greatly increased - it's quite similar to how closing speed greatly increases if you are on a road with only two lanes of travel and people try to pass (in the designated passing zones) - but my point is from the view point of past judgements, the OP would have been held responsible if the driver of the fire truck was using both the required lights and siren.
I also agree with parts of the what Midwest had comment on. Studies have shown that lights and siren really don't significantly cut down on response time - but everything in emergency services is relavant.
I don't know what the circumstances of the call was. Certain calls depending on the severity warrant different responses. I know after six years there were calls that we would sprint down the stairs for - specific examples would deal with anything that would cause emotion even in 'detached' individuals like a pediatric response. But typical other Class 1 responses (I only know PA terminology so insert NC words if they aren't right) would include cardiac emergencies, respiratory emergencies (including allergic reactions), strokes, seizures, trauma...
Additionally, I do feel sorry for what happened to Kja, the OP was driving in what I'll assume was a legal manner and was placed in a scary situation, but without knowing all the details I won't go as far as to say that it was an avoidable situation. It may have been necessary, it may not have been. (Just out of sheer brotherhood I'm inclined to side on the fire trucks side, but it doesn't mean I can't see it both ways)
What gives? Is it legal for a Firetruck to go the WRONG way down a blind exit? There was no accident in sight so they could have gone the CORRECT way.
And why does it have to be an accident? FD's respond to many medical emergencies on the highways that are not accidents, but the same health problems people have in their living rooms.
It could have also been totally bogus location given by a passerby that gave the wrong location. The responding emergency services have no way of know that, and if they assume the directions are bogus when they are indeed accurate then then lives are at risk due to the lack of response. If they came down an exit ramp the wrong way to save your bacon, I bet you viewpoint would be completely different.
And this might be a wake-up call to your driving habits. How distracted were you from driving? Even blind ramps have a field of view that should provide adequate time to react. Too many people drive no further ahead than the bumper of the car in front of them. Defensive drivers use their entire field of vision to stay out of trouble.
The decision to respond down an exit ramp is also controlled by the driver, the officer on the apparatus, and department SOP's. It is not taken lightly, it is a prudent decision dictated by policy about how best to protect life.
from GS 20‑156. Exceptions to the right‑of‑way rule:
a) The driver of a vehicle about to enter or cross a highway from an alley, building entrance, private road, or driveway shall yield the right‑of‑way to all vehicles approaching on the highway to be entered.
b)This provision shall not operate to relieve the driver of a police or fire department vehicle or public or private ambulance... or rescue squad emergency service vehicle or county fire marshals or civil preparedness coordinators from the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of all persons using the highway, nor shall it protect the driver of any such vehicle or county fire marshal or civil preparedness coordinator from the consequence of any arbitrary exercise of such right‑of‑way.
As stated by several posters, we were not in the car with the OP, but all parties are required to drive in a safe and responsible manner. Let's not forget that situations like this also put the emergency vehicles passengers lives at risk.
maybe SuperchargedSS shouldn't be an emergency worker if he/she can't even consider safefy first. True enough it's the priority of the emergency worker to get to the scene of an accident, but I think someone said it best by saying don't cause another accident.
I too would've been scare, soiled and probably crying trying to calm myself down. Maybe you (superchargedss) should stand in front of a semi going 40mph and see if you freak out too!
You guys put your lives at risk daily for those of us who need you, and so I find it a little odd that you (superchargedss) wouldn't understand how Kja may have felt darn near running into an engine. Is it just for the money or do truly have passion for your chosen field?
Supercharged I hope I don't read as being disrespectful, and I know that you're more than qualified and have a true compassion for the service you provide, but try being a little sensitive to the fact that Kja probably had to go home and change clothes before going back to work. I often feel like you all (emergency workers) can be a little insensitive to how a person may be feeling, and I know there's probably a detachment to reality that needs to be had at times to keep from getting too emotionally involved, but really put yourself in Kja's shoes. Being distracted or not by "i kissed a girl" should not determine how much empathy is given to a situation. just my thought
sorry, tried to add humor with the song title but apparently it went the wrong way.
Anyhow, I do not sense you as being disrespectful. You see it one way, I see it both ways. I have been a civilian and now am what I am, so I can understand the "what the hell" the kja went through and I can understand the "we gotta get there" from the emergency worker. Now, do I think that the fire truck used poor judgement, sure, but they do what they have to and sometimes it constitutes some bad judgement. They are only human and make mistakes. I am sure the whole time the driver was going "what the heck was I thinking going this way" and just had to roll with it. I would rather just keep going than stop a firetruck and make a u-turn in the middle of the offramp.
Now I don't know what this exit looks like, never been on it. But two vehicles going 35mph around a bend SHOULD have time to react unless they are within feet of each other.
As far as your salary comment goes, I do not think its necessary to bring that into a topic and calling someone out that you don't know or have no inkling as to what they have been through. If you think someone does it for just a $34K salary, you've got another thing coming!
My brother is a firefighter in Miami and when there is a serious situation going on, they are allowed to do whatever is necessary to arrive at the situation and help out in anyway possible.
Midwest-I understand where you are coming from but give me a break. I think your comments are out of line especially when obviously you have no personal experience on what EMT, Paramedics and Firefighters actually endure on a daily basis. Yes, sometimes they hang out all day and sometimes they are absolutely slammed.
I bet if it was your family that was involved in that accident that the firefighters were going the wrong way for, you wouldn't care how they got there, just as long as they did right??? I thought so!
Now for your question on is it for the money or the passion for the field? I don't think ANYONE enjoys pulling out little kids mangled out of vehicles dead or not being able to save kids who you can hear screaming burning to death alive in a fire is doing it for the money.
I stand by my brother and his friends 1000%. They fight what you fear!!!
ALSO, I'd like to note that people do not move out of the way for Fire Engines and Rescues so sometimes they do not have any other choice than to do illegal moves. I find it funny how people move for Police but not for the people actually saving lives!!!!! They just sit there mesmerized by the pretty lights..
sorry, tried to add humor with the song title but apparently it went the wrong way.
Anyhow, I do not sense you as being disrespectful. You see it one way, I see it both ways. I have been a civilian and now am what I am, so I can understand the "what the hell" the kja went through and I can understand the "we gotta get there" from the emergency worker. Now, do I think that the fire truck used poor judgement, sure, but they do what they have to and sometimes it constitutes some bad judgement. They are only human and make mistakes. I am sure the whole time the driver was going "what the heck was I thinking going this way" and just had to roll with it. I would rather just keep going than stop a firetruck and make a u-turn in the middle of the offramp.
Now I don't know what this exit looks like, never been on it. But two vehicles going 35mph around a bend SHOULD have time to react unless they are within feet of each other.
As far as your salary comment goes, I do not think its necessary to bring that into a topic and calling someone out that you don't know or have no inkling as to what they have been through. If you think someone does it for just a $34K salary, you've got another thing coming!
If you want to comment back, take it to PMs.
You're exactly right that the comments about salary should've been left out, but I spoke out of emotion. I apologize. I understand the need to get to the scene of an emergency, but what i don't understand is how some of you lack empathy when someone has said that you all have scared the *bleep* out of them. As described it was a blind exit and kja was scared. the way i read your reply to kja's experience was "so what?!". that's all i'm saying. it was if you were statng kja shouldn't have been on his/her way back to work and on that exit ramp.
and i've come across several emergency workers that just don't have compassion for helping people. some people do it for a paycheck and just don't really care. that's the point i was making, but I made it into a personal attack. that was not my intent.
Midwest-I understand where you are coming from but give me a break. I think your comments are out of line especially when obviously you have no personal experience on what EMT, Paramedics and Firefighters actually endure on a daily basis. Yes, sometimes they hang out all day and sometimes they are absolutely slammed.
I bet if it was your family that was involved in that accident that the firefighters were going the wrong way for, you wouldn't care how they got there, just as long as they did right??? I thought so!
Now for your question on is it for the money or the passion for the field? I don't think ANYONE enjoys pulling out little kids mangled out of vehicles dead or not being able to save kids who you can hear screaming burning to death alive in a fire is doing it for the money.
I stand by my brother and his friends 1000%. They fight what you fear!!!
You know what you need to calm down a lil bit, just a lil bit! if it was my family i would care about how the emergency workers got there and what makes you think i've never been involved in a situation where emergency workers had to get to me? You don't know! I was simply stating that Supercharged didn't seem to give a da*m about what kja was experiencing. I know what emergency workers go through i work in an emergency care facility. I notice lots of people even those I work with not give a hoot about what a patient may be experiencing and who are here simply to earn a paycheck at the end of the week. If it's not your true passion you shouldn't be doing it, but if it is then do the darn thing and work it!
All I ask is to have a lil empathy! more importantly don't cause an accident trying to get to the scene of another accident.
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I'm man enough to apologize for my comments
