Nearly run over while stopped at a light!

Roastie · June 2007

Yep, had to happen [;)]. Stopped at a light going onto a roundabout (the lights were orange when I got there, and I probably could have just pushed on through, but it would have been bad [:0].

Anyway, so there I am, sitting in the middle of my lane (the primary position as I learned reading Cyclecraft) when this ambulance comes up from behind. In the melee of every everyone trying to let the ambulace through, a 206 doesn't seem me.

Fortunately I'm highly agile, and managed to scuttle out the way. Dayum, should have jumped that light [:p]!

Hairy Jock · June 2007

Dangerous thing to do, stopping at lights....

dangerousjules · June 2007

damn those red light stoppers!

dangerous jules.
god bless those pagans!

Roastie · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by dangerousjules

damn those red light stoppers!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Yep, idiots. A danger to society as a whole!

Cab · June 2007

I rekon that being hit by cars that are avoiding emergency vehicles might be more common than you'd imagine. Very often cars just scatter, mounting the pavement, going all over cycle lanes at the first sight of a flashing light. Its all well and good making space for emergency veicles (you absolutely should do that), but you have to ensure that you're not causing an accident in doing so. Regrettably, a blue light turns off the brains of a few motorists.

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graeme_s-2 · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Cab

I rekon that being hit by cars that are avoiding emergency vehicles might be more common than you'd imagine. Very often cars just scatter, mounting the pavement, going all over cycle lanes at the first sight of a flashing light. Its all well and good making space for emergency veicles (you absolutely should do that), but you have to ensure that you're not causing an accident in doing so. Regrettably, a blue light turns off the brains of a few motorists.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Some of the hairiest moments I've had on a bike have been when other vehicles have been scattering out of the way of the emergency services. First sign of an emergency vehicle coming my way with lights flashing now, and I just get the hell off the road and let the crazy people do their thing.

the reluctant cyclist · June 2007

I will second that idea - get out of the way quick - I too find that cars just go all over the place (and all over you if necessary) the moment an emergency vehicle is near!

**All I'm trying to do is get to work**

Mosschops2 · June 2007

Given that everyone is conclusively saying that emergency vehicles can cause havoc - surely this should not come as a suprise?!!?? Except if you're plugged into your iPod, of course [;)]!!

Have you ever tried pressing Alt+F4 ??

Buggi · June 2007

yes, jump on the pavement quick unless your that other guy on here that got pushed back off by a pedestrian!

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Hackbike 6 · June 2007

If there is an emergency vehicle in the vicinity it's usually met by panic from me and I try and get well out of the way.

Hackbike 8 Commuting Debut 09/09/2006Dawes Audax 2006 New 20/09/2006 

 Cycle Commuting since 1981 

Cycling Proficiency Test 24 May 1977 (30 years ago)

 Ride to work part 1 of 8 http://tinyurl.com/ypjapc
Ride to work part 2 of 8 http://tinyurl.com/2jfagu
Ride to work part 3 of 8 http://tinyurl.com/2jcldv 

How not to lock a bike. http://i14.tinypic.com/52355zr.jpg

yenrodcp · June 2007

Today I was on the bike and heard a emergency veh. from ages away so jumped on the pave' nuff said.

1 thing we do have is ears better than a car driver ! ! !

[;)] 'tuono nel mio cuore...[:)]

frogcp · June 2007

Years ago I stopped at a pelican crossing and as I rolled to a halt there was this God awful squeal of tyres behind me. I thought my time was up but instead of hitting me the car skidded on past until it halted on the other side of the crossing. The bloke realised he'd actually gone over the lines, narrowly missing me and the two women who were on the crossing, so he just drove off down the road.

I'd like to think he'd learned something from the experience, I know me and the two women did [:(]

Vultures circling high in a clear blue sky - must be a traffic jam near by.

Hackbike 6 · June 2007

I'd expect better driving from Bodie and Doyle.

Hackbike 8 Commuting Debut 09/09/2006Dawes Audax 2006 New 20/09/2006 

 Cycle Commuting since 1981 

Cycling Proficiency Test 24 May 1977 (30 years ago)

 Ride to work part 1 of 8 http://tinyurl.com/ypjapc
Ride to work part 2 of 8 http://tinyurl.com/2jfagu
Ride to work part 3 of 8 http://tinyurl.com/2jcldv 

How not to lock a bike. http://i14.tinypic.com/52355zr.jpg

The Endorser · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Cab

I rekon that being hit by cars that are avoiding emergency vehicles might be more common than you'd imagine.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Yup, I can confirm its a regular occurance. Many idiots just freeze or panic, but my favourites are the arrussholes who saunter along with the stereo turned up to ear bleeding level and don't glance in their mirrors from one county to the next - they just bimble blithely along and while some poor sods house burns/life blood ebbs away/scumbag thief is escaping the poor emergency service drivers are just stuck there.

Taking the moral high ground since 1969

Tynancp · June 2007

my experience is that the majority of drivers don't know the emergency vehicle is there until it's behind them, hence sudden unplanned manouvre when they realise they're the one holding it up

classic sign of too many drivers' limited awareness

Regulator · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Tynan

my experience is that the majority of drivers don't know the emergency vehicle is there until it's behind them, hence sudden unplanned manouvre when they realise they're the one holding it up

classic sign of too many drivers' limited awareness
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

This may also be because (particularly in urban environments) it can be difficult to locate the direction the siren is coming from. There was an experiment a few years ago which put white 'directional' noise into the sirens, which the evidence showed made it easier for road users to judge where the siren noise was coming from. Not sure what happened to it though.

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lateralus · June 2007

Good point about locating the direction the siren is coming from. I don't know why they do it, but in a lot of cases the emergency vehicles seem to switch the siren off while speeding along and only put it back on when they approach the next junction. Surely, if they left it on, it would give people more warning of their approach? Once recently an ambulance scared the daylights out of me by suddenly zooming past with lights on but no siren. The car a little way ahead clearly wasn't looking in the mirror and I shook my head in amazement as ambulance suddenly banged on the siren, car driver panicked, did a wobble, and then just jammed on the brakes and stopped in the middle of the lane, making the ambulance stop until traffic going the other way had cleared. Surely some advance warning from the siren would help?

Nearly run over while stopped at a light!

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