poor ambulance driving standards

[catcitrus]

I was coming home today from the Nothamptonshire trail run and I don't know if anyone knows the area but from the A14 at Kettering there is a newish dual carriageway that terminates in a roundabout (some sort of hub),and heading towards Corby there are a set of traffic lights with a Holiday Inn on the Junction. Its two lanes and there is a left filter-- towards Corby I think. I was pootling up the inside lane towards the lights and I noticed an ambulance in the background with just blue lights going. As I approached the traffic lights the ambulance pulled alongside me on the OUTSIDE and suddenly let his siren go--I couldn't believe that he was trying to turn left in the filter lane and was running out of road and braking and starting to turn LEFT. I'm on knobblies and had to really anchor up to prevent being taken out by him as he cut straight across me. Traffic was light--he could have come up to me from behind and filtered left BEHIND me--I would not have held him up in the slightest. He nearly had an extra patient!-I was so shocked that I didn't get his number and wasn't on anything fast enough to give chase. I've never witnessed such bad judgement and dangerous driving from an emergency vehicle before--where do they get them from!--anyone else been similarly cut up?--If I'd been in a car he would not have turned left as there would have simply been no room.

[wwdph02]

I was pootling up the inside lane towards the lights and I noticed an ambulance in the background with just blue lights going. As I approached the traffic lights the ambulance pulled alongside me on the OUTSIDE and suddenly let his siren go--I couldn't believe that he was trying to turn left in the filter lane and was running out of road and braking and starting to turn LEFT.

Have to ask but at what point between 'notice' and 'blue lights' but before being cut up as you 'couldn't believe that he was trying to turn left' did you slow down for an emergency vehicle?
By 'ambulance in the background' I guess you had plenty of time to let it pass before the upcoming junction where you appear to have got in his way?

Not taking sides but who knows who's life was in danger, yours or the person requiring emergency response. Happen to live within 5 miles of a busy hospital. I have pulled over for ambulances (in car and on my bike) and been overtaken by another vehicle just pulling past me, obviously without a clue what is around them.

[catcitrus]

You seem to have got it very wrong---the ambulance was exiting the roundabout(about 500yds behind me in the OUTSIDE lane) when I was pretty close to the lights-I do have a mirror and do check it---I was on a trail bike doing 45 mph at best-I think most of us would assume that he was racing off down the dual carriageway IN THE OUTSIDE LANE-there was NO traffic behind me--the LEFT filter lane is right on the traffic lights--as I said its a dual carriageway with plenty of room for him to pass me --on the Right hand side!. This he started to do--AND THEN PUT HIS SIREN ON AND STARTED TO BRAKE AND TURN LEFT JUST BEFORE THE LIGHTS__RIGHT ACROSS IN FRONT OF ME. Of course I do everything not to impede an emergency vehicle . It just seems that he had to pass me rather than slip behind me and down the filter road--. I put it down to a complete error of judgement on his part.

[wwdph02]

Not sure which bit I got wrong?
500yds behind you, so assume he was able to exceed the up to 45 you were doing? Just under one third of a mile behind you and he takes @60mph = 20 seconds apprx for you to respond. Add in the distance you travelled in same 20 second at 15 mph for his closing speed?
How much notification more could the driver give?
The more information you add the more you make this easy to see I must be wrong, sorry.

[Richard Simpson]

I've seen isolated examples of bad driving from police, fire and ambulance on blues n 2s: but the ambulance drivers are usually the best of the lot.

Some of the worst driving is by the police on those 'camera, action' shows. Gabbling away into hand-held mics while driving, and roaring up a motorway hard shoulder at stupid speed to get to a crash scene where they have already been told other units plus ambulance and fire service are already in attendance are two classics.

However, most emergency service drivers do a good job most of the time. It still beats me how they transition from running though the traffic to being all calm and organised at the scene. I don't think I could do it.

[anagallis_arvensis]

I have pulled over for ambulances (in car and on my bike) and been overtaken by another vehicle just pulling past me, obviously without a clue what is around them.

Has happend to me a lot too. At least twice I have been on the recieving end of a load of abuse for slowing down as the ambulance comes past.

[catcitrus]

Not sure which bit I got wrong?
500yds behind you, so assume he was able to exceed the up to 45 you were doing? Just under one third of a mile behind you and he takes @60mph = 20 seconds apprx for you to respond. Add in the distance you travelled in same 20 second at 15 mph for his closing speed?
How much notification more could the driver give?
The more information you add the more you make this easy to see I must be wrong, sorry.

I give in---He was never behind me--always in the outside lane, no siren--and I defy you to see his indicator in a bike mirror--basically he tanked it up the outside lane, thought he could turn left in front of me and completely misjudged it. I've been riding all over the world for 50 years--and touch wood--haven't had an accident of any type for the last 40 years--I think I'm a pretty fair judge of road conditions and whats going on around me --but of course you are right so I'll pass on any further response.

[hornet]

I find it hard to believe that some ambulance drivers even have a driving licence let alone have had extensive training. I've seen some truly shocking driving from police and ambulance services but never from a fire service vehicle. I think at times they just forget and get blinkered by the need to get there which is unsurprising but of no use to other road users most of whom will do whatever it takes to get out of the way as we understand the need.

Mike

[Gedge]

I find it hard to believe that some ambulance drivers even have a driving licence let alone have had extensive training. I've seen some truly shocking driving from police and ambulance services but never from a fire service vehicle. I think at times they just forget and get blinkered by the need to get there which is unsurprising but of no use to other road users most of whom will do whatever it takes to get out of the way as we understand the need.

Mike

Might help if you stated in full your qualifications to judge what is and is not shocking...like many things , too many armchair experts that haven't had the training, the operational experience nor anything comparable to be able to make such sweeping claims...

[AndyB]

I find it hard to believe that some ambulance drivers even have a driving licence let alone have had extensive training. I've seen some truly shocking driving from police and ambulance services but never from a fire service vehicle. I think at times they just forget and get blinkered by the need to get there which is unsurprising but of no use to other road users most of whom will do whatever it takes to get out of the way as we understand the need.

Mike

Best hope your life is never in danger and you have to rely on an ambulance driver to save you then.

I always think that it's my job to get the hell out of their way rather than their to avoid me when they're in a hurry to save another persons life.