Using turn signals and four way flashers when responding

[ArcticKat]

So it's not just my slaves then...I mounted two lights at eye level at the back of our garage. I told the staff, if you can see a light in the driver mirror and one in the passenger mirror, you're fine and backing straight in.

They still can't do it.

 

[mycrofft]

Hang tennis balls from strings.

....

 

[Remeber343]

1. Speed limit applies, siren and lights only request clearance to allow free progress. (Right, that really works).
2. Lights and siren do not allow an emergency vehicle to blow through a stop sign or red signal; signal switching strobes help with the latter, but you still have to make sure you are entering the intersection safely. Not the other drivers' responsibility.
3. You cannot tailgate, make unnecessary lane changes or swerves or stops unexpectedly.
4. You can park in a fire zone when on an emergency call so long as it doesn't interfere with firefighting operations. Or if you are driving a fire truck.
5. You have to meet emission standards.
6. You cannot legally drive over center dividers unless they are designed for emergency vehicles to do so, then it has to be done safely, which means stopping.
7. Exhibition of speed and racing are forbidden.
8. You do have to signal stops and turns and have functioning lights of the usual sort. (Can you even use hand signals anymore?).
9. You cannot ignore a train crossing signal or gate.
10. You cannot leave the roadway (i.e., drive along the shoulder) unsafely.

OK, you can drive the wrong way if it is safe, you can pass on the right if it is safe, you can drive along on the shoulder or in the left turn lane if it is safe. If it goes wrong, you have to demonstrate why you thought it was safe.

The point is that no one operating any motor vehicle can point to the other driver and say "It was his responsibility to make sure my actions were safe" when common prudent and legal practice is ignored.

Or maybe I'm talking to the OG deputies at Denny's too much.

Actually, Emergency vehicles can drive over the speed limit in our state. We can go over center dividers, You CANNOT drive in the right lane with lights on, well, i suppose you can, but its frowned upon for obvious reasons. Im sure each state is different, but, the only RCW that states what we can/cant do says "Use due regard".

 

[JPINFV]

Actually, Emergency vehicles can drive over the speed limit in our state. We can go over center dividers, You CANNOT drive in the right lane with lights on, well, i suppose you can, but its frowned upon for obvious reasons. Im sure each state is different, but, the only RCW that states what we can/cant do says "Use due regard".

Actually, the other thing that emergency vehicles in California can't do legally while using lights and sirens is pass a school bus with its red lights and stop sign activated. Of course "can't do" and "can't do legally" are two different things.

 

[Remeber343]

I think stopping for a school bus is nation wide, though.

 

[ArcticKat]

We don't have such here, but I've been trying to get the government to adopt a policy for ambulances to stop if the stop sign and lights are activated and for the bus drivers to retract them only when the children are safely accounted for. Then we can proceed.

 

[Remeber343]

I agree, we running priority, a lot of people have the mindset "get out the way". You can't rely on other people to do that, its to dangerous. Most of the people where i'm at, don't even pay attention, and when they do see you, they dodge left, right, wherever they really feel like. And for the school buses, it only makes sense to stop, the kiddies aren't going to be paying much attention, they are just going to walk across the street like normal, they wouldn't have time to react to a ambulance screaming by going code.