[benzbala]

guys why dont you people think in this manner, suppose the ambulance is called for an emergency assist and on his way he uses the sirens to clear the traffic inorder to reach the victim fast because, every moment does count in an emergency!!! most of us people would just see the empty ambulance and hurl the choicest of abuses on how those drivers are misusing the sirens. I admit there are few people who do misuse them but instead of putting a blanket statement of them as rash and cheaters, lets find a way to weed out the guilty in them

[Speed Pujari]

The case I have shared is not the only one I have noticed. Ambulances coming from opposite direction to avoid traffic is quite common here.

The issue is how safe they are while driving on the opposite side. What if a speeding bike comes and hit the ambulance? Who is responsible for his injury?

Also I seldom see any ambulance not driven rashly. It is quite hard to digest that all the cases are emergencies.

In my case, what if the ambulance had hit the auto rik in front? What about the passengers? I dont care about any scrapes or dents in my car, but I worry about the lives.

I have attended Emergency Response Training and there I came to know that traffic rules hold equally good for any ambulance. We were taught how to give way to them as a part of training.

An ambulance can drive in opposite direction iff there is a cop managing the traffic on that road.

[Sinner666]

Originally Posted by poloman

Ambulance is a critical resource which should be at the right place at the right time. Ideally it should not waste any time in traffic. So i don't find any problem in using the siren in the above mentioned case. Also the ambulance with sirens need not have a patient always. It might be on the way to attend an emergency situation.

I agree. Infact, on this occasion I would prefer to err on the side of caution. Agreed that there may not be a surefire way to judge if the ambulance is in a real emergency situation or not, but it is always better to let them pass, what if they were in a real emergency after all. Better to have a few scrapes and dents on our cars than have much bigger things on our conscience.
It happened to me once that there was a huge jam when I was going somewhere and it was a real mess and there was this one ambulance with all the sirens and lights blaring stuck with us. It was a big pile up and there was no space for it to move any way it tried. The relatives or so of the patient inside could be seen frantically trying to clear the traffic. It was evident in their desperation to clear the traffic how grave the emergency was, but unfortunately, there was no space for it to even inch anywhere. I was stuck in this jam for about an hour and after half an hour or so, the ambulance switched off all it's lights and sirens and the relatives started walking out of the ambulance and soon an eerie silence enveloped the whole place. I dread thinking what might have happened. I still feel guilty about not being able to do anything. Since then, any ambulance that comes my way, I not only make sure I give way, but I also try and wave out to others to make way.

[itsmyalto]

Its hard to generalize. Emergencies or not, ambulances may be expected to be ready at all times in their respective hospitals. Hence they may be in a hurry to be back to their bases for further emergencies. But again, you have apples, oranges, pears, and peaches in one basket. There are good drivers and there are bad ones.

[MX6]

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[tanwaramit]

Ambulances when on siren are requesting you to make way.

Please give them way, as they are on their way to take someone to hospital OR to pickup some one else.

They are the ones who need the clear road most as we are not helping the person in need but the ambulance is.

I have always given way to them and not followed them like crazy, have seen ambulance drivers driving fast when needed but not rashly. Once such an ambulance was stuck with us at Dhaula Kuan, tried my best to let it pass in bumper to bumper traffic asking other to also do the same. The driver was not at all rash in driving.

Give way to them without thinking, I dont dare to see inside if someone is sitting OR not, if a patient is there or not. Anyway, they dont come with me on the road daily, its once in a month or two months that I have Ambulances asking way from me. I have always obliged and will do so. There may be bad apples, but I am least bothered about those bad apples.

[atrisarkar]

Here is a article that came up today in TOI Bangalore titled "Ambulances need space and courtesy" written by the Addl. Commissioner himself. His idea of ambulance 'relay' is indeed quite innovative.
Here's the link.

[Pedal2Metal]

By law, all emergency vehicles (Ambulances, Police vehicles, Fire Trucks etc.) are exempt from traffic laws 'during an emergency' for obvious reasons.

It is however unfortunate that this leeway is misused/ abused.

[MX6]

How about this tag line?
Never follow an ambulance unless you want to go all the way to the ICU yourself.

Who wants to use it as their signature?

[abhinav.s]

Originally Posted by atrisarkar

Here is a article that came up today in TOI Bangalore titled "Ambulances need space and courtesy" written by the Addl. Commissioner himself. His idea of ambulance 'relay' is indeed quite innovative.
Here's the link.

Good article by the Addl. Comm. He has stressed on the point that in Bangalore where the roads are narrow with just 2 lanes for traffic, having a dedicated lane will not work. And he has also pointed out the practical scenario which we witness everyday of people riding on the foot path and driving towards opposite flow of traffic.

His Idea of getting the Ambulances under a single umbrella might work against the monetary interest of the respective hospitals though

Originally Posted by MX6

How about this tag line?
Never follow an ambulance unless you want to go all the way to the ICU yourself.

Who wants to use it as their signature?

Great quote. Instead of a signature, it should be made into a sticker for vehicles and painted behind the autos/lorries

[Gannu_1]

Sorry for bumping an old thread!

Came across this video on Facebook yesterday. Although it was just an act, I was a bit shocked to see none yielding the right-of-way. I shudder to think if this was a response to a real-life emergency call!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZ1hCZtZyes

[NPV]

Picture this scene from couple of days ago:
Was at the Varthur Road - Old Madras Road junction (Big Bazar signal), coming from Nagavarapalya side. Ligh turns green for vehicles making a right turn onto Old Madras Road but everyone stops since there's an ambulance wanting to Go straight on Old Madras Road (and of course light is Red in that direction). All lanes are full so the vehicles in front move ahead and cross the junction to let the ambulance pass (rightly so) but after the ambulance passes, several other vehicles just keep moving ahead with complete disregard to the patient vehicles who have a green light and need to turn right - to hell with right of way! This can happen only in our country, we are simply amazing.

[phamilyman]

Actually, Chennai is the very best thus far in terms of giving way to ambulances in my limited experience.

This is what Chennai Traffic police recently achieved - thats why I thoroughly respect them as a force!
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/i...w/36676797.cms

In Delhi someone would be cutting across the ambulance saying "tu jaanta nahi hai mera baap kaun hai?" (you dont know how big shot my father is).

[pratyush6]

Most of the ambulances I see over here are actually driven well, unlike the tempo travelers. And even if you suspect that it is using a siren incorrectly, you should be giving way, every time .
Ambulances need not follow traffic rules and can drive in one ways, I just hope that people and cops are far more sensible than they are and let these guys pass ahead, rather than follow them. I find it absolutely deplorable.

In fact I once pulled up an ambulance driver (with a patient) who seemed to be rather enjoying the surroundings rather than getting the patient to the hospital.