sharlag
Drama Llama
I like my artsy with a little bit of fartsy.
Posts: 6,580
Location: Kansas
Jun 26, 2014 12:57:48 GMT
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Post by sharlag on Aug 4, 2022 20:10:10 GMT
Obviously, if they're coming up behind you going the same direction... ( I HOPE it's obvious... maybe someone will weigh in here to the contrary...)
But if they're in the opposite lane, coming toward you... do you pull to the side?
An EMT told me you should, because they might need to turn left across the traffic you're in. I'm like "what if there's a median? They can't turn left." and he said even then, pull over.
I'm thinking on the highway with the giant grass median, like the interstate 3-4 lane scenario, THEN maybe oncoming traffic doesn't need to pull over.
But I haven't been pulling over when they're coming toward me, median or no. I've been wrong.
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QueenoftheSloths
Drama Llama
Member Since January 2004, 2,698 forum posts PeaNut Number: 122614 PeaBoard Title: StuckOnPeas
Posts: 5,955
Jun 26, 2014 0:29:24 GMT
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Post by QueenoftheSloths on Aug 4, 2022 20:20:06 GMT
Unless it is a divided highway type situation, the law here is pull over, whether they are going the same direction or opposite. I always pull over ASAP when I see them coming. I think "what if that was for our emergency?" I want them to be able to get where they are going as soon as they can.
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Post by myshelly on Aug 4, 2022 20:21:00 GMT
I tend to follow the same rules as school bus lights.
If there’s an actual, concrete barrier of some kind between me and the sirens, I don’t stop or pull over.
If there’s no barrier, I stop until the vehicle passes so as not to impede the emergency vehicle if it needs to turn.
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Post by malibou on Aug 4, 2022 20:30:21 GMT
If there is a median, I don't pull over, otherwise yes.
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Post by ihaveonly1l on Aug 4, 2022 20:31:25 GMT
Unless there is a physical barrier that would prohibit them from entering my side of the road, I pull over. I also would not cross an open intersection as they approached incase they needed to turn.
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Post by melanell on Aug 4, 2022 20:31:27 GMT
If there is no median to separate the lanes, then I move over for any emergency vehicle coming up behind me in my lane OR approaching me in the opposing lane. Moving over creates more space for them. Since you never know who is NOT going to move over, the more space that opens up for them, the better. If they need to cross into another lane, the open space will allow for that.
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Post by unknown pea on Aug 4, 2022 20:41:52 GMT
The law in Ontario is to pull over and stop, no matter the direction. I always pull over and stop as soon as possible.
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Post by lisae on Aug 4, 2022 20:44:59 GMT
I would pull over or at least stop, if in heavy traffic, if there was no median. If there is a grass or concrete median and they are coming the other way, then I would go on.
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Post by workingclassdog on Aug 4, 2022 21:13:29 GMT
if they're coming up behind you going the same direction... *** Yes obviously pulling over
But if they're in the opposite lane, coming toward you... do you pull to the side? *** If there is no median usually yes I pull over depending on the traffic, speed, etc... If it is obvious they are not whipping around and going straight then I will probably keep going unless everyone else is pulled over and I will too.
An EMT told me you should, because they might need to turn left across the traffic you're in. I'm like "what if there's a median? They can't turn left." and he said even then, pull over. *** If there is a median and no way of coming over I am still going.
I'm thinking on the highway with the giant grass median, like the interstate 3-4 lane scenario, THEN maybe oncoming traffic doesn't need to pull over. *** No not pulling over.. I will keep my eye out on him.. but yeah, buy the time IF he is turning around I would be long gone anyways.
But I haven't been pulling over when they're coming toward me, median or no. I've been wrong. *** You so bad! LOL
In any direction they are coming I am watching and paying attention.. If I am wrong or right in my answers, I am watching and doing what is needed to do.
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Post by littlemama on Aug 4, 2022 21:15:54 GMT
Legally, in my state, you are required to pull over unless there is a median.
In reality, on the freeway, people usually move to the right, but dont stop when the emergency vehicle is going in the same direction.
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Post by workingclassdog on Aug 4, 2022 21:34:50 GMT
Legally, in my state, you are required to pull over unless there is a median. In reality, on the freeway, people usually move to the right, but dont stop when the emergency vehicle is going in the same direction. That happens here as well... If no one else is stopping I pull over as far as I can and keep with the flow.. they do usually slow down a bit.
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Post by katlady on Aug 4, 2022 21:39:47 GMT
On a street, with no barrier down the middle, I pull over and stop even when they are coming from the opposite direction. I also stop at the intersection in case they need to turn. On the freeway, I move opposite of where they are. If the ambulance is in the right lane with sirens on, we all move to the left, etc. I really can’t recall the last time I was on a freeway with emergency vehicles going somewhere.
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Post by crazy4scraps on Aug 4, 2022 21:41:27 GMT
If there is no physical barrier between me and the emergency vehicle, I pull over. If there is some type of a barrier but places where a vehicle could make a U turn, then I would pull over. If there is a solid concrete barrier between the lanes with no place for a vehicle to turn at all, I wouldn’t.
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Post by Darcy Collins on Aug 4, 2022 22:59:36 GMT
PULL OVER!!! Yes I'm shouting. And I will give exception for a freeway. But even if there is a median, sometimes if they can't get through in that direction they'll use a break in the median, or intersection to travel in the wrong direction for a period of time. Seriously just get the hell over. This is a huge pet peeve of mine as a relative suffered brain damage due to a delayed arrival at the hospital due to an overly long ambulance ride. Seriously, your time is not that important, pull over and wait 30 seconds.
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maryannscraps
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,791
Aug 28, 2017 12:51:28 GMT
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Post by maryannscraps on Aug 5, 2022 0:03:22 GMT
I pull over, unless there is a divided highway with no crossing over.
My neighbor, a state trooper, told me that driving with flashing lights and siren is the most dangerous thing he does. I pull over to make it easier for them.
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Post by *sprout* on Aug 5, 2022 0:05:48 GMT
In Michigan, drivers do not have to pull over in the case of a divided highway/median if you are going the opposite direction of emergency vehicles (ie you are northbound and they are southbound). Obviously, if they are turning and crossing lanes of traffic you must pull over and stop.
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anaterra
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,082
Location: Texas
Jun 29, 2014 3:04:02 GMT
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Post by anaterra on Aug 5, 2022 0:14:21 GMT
My sister is a emt with the fire dept... i pull over every time i see them... coming or going... i wait for them to pass... sometimes im the only 1 but i would hate to be the reason for someones tragedy
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Post by curiouscrafter on Aug 5, 2022 0:16:27 GMT
I slow down as soon as I hear sirens. I pull over once I see them and can figure out where they are going. I always feel I will pull over in the spot they want to turn into, so now I move over to the right, but drive slow to allow space before and after me where they can go if needed. Once they are clearly going to pass me, I stop and wait.
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moodyblue
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,254
Location: Western Illinois
Site Supporter
Jun 26, 2014 21:07:23 GMT
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Post by moodyblue on Aug 5, 2022 0:28:23 GMT
Unless there is a physical barrier that would prohibit them from entering my side of the road, I pull over. I also would not cross an open intersection as they approached incase they needed to turn. This whole topic is interesting because I got rear-ended a couple weeks ago after I stopped for an ambulance. I was in the inner of two lanes going south; it’s a left-turn only lane onto a one-way street. The outer lane is for going straight through the intersection. I heard the ambulance, saw it coming on the east-bound one-way and stopped (no way to pull over) even though we had the green light. And I stopped well behind the line because I didn’t know if the ambulance would go straight or turn left in front of me. I watched the car to my right continue through the intersection, crossing ahead of the ambulance. Then, crunch, as the car behind me didn’t stop in time. She told me she was looking at the ambulance; I said “That’s why I stopped.” It’s not like she couldn’t have stopped - I was at a dead stop for several seconds before she hit me, because it was after I watched the other car cross in front of the ambulance. That was a stupid move, as close as the ambulance was. I also witnessed an accident on Monday, when a car sped up to run the red light and hit the car ahead of me that was turning left. And when the police showed up, they went on the wrong side of the street, around a center barrier, in order to get to the site. So unless you’re on a divided interstate, stopping and pulling over is always the right thing to do.
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Post by olbrwneyedgirl on Aug 5, 2022 2:53:53 GMT
I was JUST talking to my kid who took driver's ed last semester about this!!!! I said I needed a review because I wad questioning myself about the concrete median. He couldn't come up with a definitive answer.
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kate
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,583
Location: The city that doesn't sleep
Site Supporter
Jun 26, 2014 3:30:05 GMT
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Post by kate on Aug 5, 2022 3:16:38 GMT
It's a horror show here - there's usually a lot of cars on the road and nowhere to pull over; the result is that if everybody stopped, the ambulance would be stuck in the middle, unable to move. Also, there are so many sirens, it seems that no one would get anywhere if you came to a dead stop for all of them! That's probably not completely true, but it seems that way. I don't drive here, but what I see is people trying to get out of the ambulance's way. I'm pretty sure there's a lane in the middle of the road that is designated to be cleared for emergency vehicles. It pains me to see a screaming ambulance stuck in traffic. I have been the one waiting for it to arrive, wondering what the hell was taking so long.
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garcia5050
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,770
Location: So. Calif.
Jun 25, 2014 23:22:29 GMT
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Post by garcia5050 on Aug 5, 2022 5:01:15 GMT
Here in my part of Los Angeles county, most everyone pulls over on both sides. I'm just so used to it. I remember visiting New York/Manhattan and not seeing ANYONE pull over. DH said well kids, if you choose to live in New York and have an emergency, just know that you might die. It brought back memories of a co-worker who had moved from Manhattan. We were in my car and I was pulling over for the sirens, and she wondered what I was doing and when she realized it was for an emergency vehicle, she said oh how cute, you guys actually pull over?
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Post by mnmloveli on Aug 5, 2022 15:51:15 GMT
In my area, cars pull over on both sides of the street. Just like for school buses.
Always better to give police / rescue vehicles / ambulances all the room they need.
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tracylynn
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,899
Jun 26, 2014 22:49:09 GMT
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Post by tracylynn on Aug 6, 2022 4:23:40 GMT
In Washington is the law to pull over either direction to the right edge if the road. A split highway would be the exception if there is no way for them to enter traffic.
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