Ambulances

MMM_donuts

New Member
I volunteer with one of the local rescue squads and we see an awful lot of drivers here in St. Mary's county that seem to have a difficult time pulling over when we approach with our lights and sirens going.

Recently we seem to have a particularly troublesome time navigating the construction in the Wildewood area.

I'm interested to hear your thoughts and personal experiences of ambulances in this area so I can get a feel for how to improve this issue. I am not a driver but I sit in the passenger seat when we are on the way to an emergency. I'm also willing to answer any questions you have about what the general ambulance policies are. We can talk about fire trucks too but I'm afraid I don't know hardly anything about the way they operate. I am very aware that many experiences aren't necessarily positive ones so I'm a little curious about that, too.
 
I always pull as far out of the way as I can.

However, on roads like 235 that are very wide, I hesitate when pulling over because it's not always clear which way the emergency vehicle is going, which lane they will choose based on traffic. We were always taught to pull to the far right and stop. On 235, the far right lane is usually the only lane the emergency vehicle can get thru when the road is very busy, and if you pull over into that lane, you've just clogged everything. As a result, I wait until the last possible minute while watching to see which way the emergency vehicle goes, then try my best to keep out of their way.
 

PeoplesElbow

Well-Known Member
I always pull as far out of the way as I can.

However, on roads like 235 that are very wide, I hesitate when pulling over because it's not always clear which way the emergency vehicle is going, which lane they will choose based on traffic. We were always taught to pull to the far right and stop. On 235, the far right lane is usually the only lane the emergency vehicle can get thru when the road is very busy, and if you pull over into that lane, you've just clogged everything. As a result, I wait until the last possible minute while watching to see which way the emergency vehicle goes, then try my best to keep out of their way.

Yea that, I've pulled over only to have them want to go where I pulled over to.
 

MMM_donuts

New Member
I always pull as far out of the way as I can.

However, on roads like 235 that are very wide, I hesitate when pulling over because it's not always clear which way the emergency vehicle is going, which lane they will choose based on traffic. We were always taught to pull to the far right and stop. On 235, the far right lane is usually the only lane the emergency vehicle can get thru when the road is very busy, and if you pull over into that lane, you've just clogged everything. As a result, I wait until the last possible minute while watching to see which way the emergency vehicle goes, then try my best to keep out of their way.

Yea that, I've pulled over only to have them want to go where I pulled over to.

:yay: That's a great way to do it. Yes, it can be confusing to figure out which lane the ambulances are going to go to. The ambulance drivers are trying to do the same thing you are - they're trying to look ahead and predict the clearest and safest route through the traffic. It's my understanding that on 235, ideally, they would use that center lane so that people could pull over to either side but problems arise at red lights. We don't want people pulling out into an intersection and endangering themselves just to make way for the ambulance. That's why sometimes the ambulance will stop further back from an intersection and turn their siren off until everyone starts going. There's a device that's supposed to trigger the light to turn green but it doesn't work for all the intersections.

Also, sometimes people kind of panic when they see an ambulance coming and they don't have a clear way to move over. We can actually see it when that happens and most drivers are pretty understanding of it.

The turn lane is often our best bet ESPECIALLY during rush hour base traffic.
 

PeoplesElbow

Well-Known Member
Also trying not to sideswipe someone or rear end someone while looking in my mirror trying to figure out which way the ambulance wants to go.
 

RoseRed

American Beauty
PREMO Member
I always pull as far out of the way as I can.

However, on roads like 235 that are very wide, I hesitate when pulling over because it's not always clear which way the emergency vehicle is going, which lane they will choose based on traffic. We were always taught to pull to the far right and stop. On 235, the far right lane is usually the only lane the emergency vehicle can get thru when the road is very busy, and if you pull over into that lane, you've just clogged everything. As a result, I wait until the last possible minute while watching to see which way the emergency vehicle goes, then try my best to keep out of their way.

:yeahthat:
 

Restless

New Member
I have a question! Recently I was on Hollywood-Leonardtown Road heading toward Route 235. An ambulance with lights flashing was heading into Leonardtown from the other direction. Several cars ahead of me pulled over and stopped. Are we supposed to do that? I grew up in NJ and back then you didn't need to do that if you were going the opposite way. I want to do what is right and most helpful, as well as what is legally required here.
 

Ken King

A little rusty but not crusty
PREMO Member
I have a question! Recently I was on Hollywood-Leonardtown Road heading toward Route 235. An ambulance with lights flashing was heading into Leonardtown from the other direction. Several cars ahead of me pulled over and stopped. Are we supposed to do that? I grew up in NJ and back then you didn't need to do that if you were going the opposite way. I want to do what is right and most helpful, as well as what is legally required here.

Here is the relevant part of the law
§ 21-405. Operation of vehicles on approach of emergency vehicles or tow trucks. said:
(a) In general. -- On the immediate approach of an emergency vehicle using audible and visual signals that meet the requirements of § 22-218 of this article or of a police vehicle lawfully using an audible signal, the driver of every other vehicle, unless otherwise directed by a police officer, shall yield the right-of-way.

(b) Duty of driver upon approach of emergency vehicle. -- On the immediate approach of an emergency vehicle using audible and visual signals that meet the requirements of § 22-218 of this article or of a police vehicle lawfully using an audible signal, the driver of every other vehicle, unless otherwise directed by a police officer, shall drive immediately to a position parallel to and as close as possible to the edge or curb of the roadway, clear of any intersection.

(c) Stopping until emergency vehicle passes. -- On the immediate approach of an emergency vehicle using audible and visual signals that meet the requirements of § 22-218 of this article or of a police vehicle lawfully using an audible signal, the driver of every other vehicle, unless otherwise directed by a police officer, shall stop and stay in this position until the emergency vehicle has passed.
 

Tech

Well-Known Member
I have a question! Recently I was on Hollywood-Leonardtown Road heading toward Route 235. An ambulance with lights flashing was heading into Leonardtown from the other direction. Several cars ahead of me pulled over and stopped. Are we supposed to do that? I grew up in NJ and back then you didn't need to do that if you were going the opposite way. I want to do what is right and most helpful, as well as what is legally required here.

It's really not a bad idea to do so. The ambulance may make a left hand turn in front of you into a driveway and like some of on us on the roadways they just don't see you. They may try to pass the car in their lane.
 

MMM_donuts

New Member
I have a question! Recently I was on Hollywood-Leonardtown Road heading toward Route 235. An ambulance with lights flashing was heading into Leonardtown from the other direction. Several cars ahead of me pulled over and stopped. Are we supposed to do that? I grew up in NJ and back then you didn't need to do that if you were going the opposite way. I want to do what is right and most helpful, as well as what is legally required here.

To the best of my knowledge, that is not a law or anything but it is helpful. An awful lot of people don't pull over quite far enough or don't have room to pull completely out of the lane so the ambulances have to go around them, sometimes possibly crossing the center line. Ambulances are so big, their clearances are challenging, they're wicked expensive to repair, and that driver's reputation is permanently damaged if they bump into anything so they like to make sure they are totally clear when going around.

Some people pull over automatically and some just kind of eyeball the situation and make a judgment call.
 

Tech

Well-Known Member
For one the siren is not heard until the ambulance is within about 100' feet of you if you have the windows up, AC & radio on, I have checked this several times when I have noticed a EV approaching me. Plus with the multiple lanes of 235 with high vehicles and such,your vision is blocked, can't properly react when you have no idea where the EV is coming from even when you hear it from a distance.
 

Lizzy4459

New Member
I was also going to say for some reason the sirens in this area are not very loud. Where I grew up ambulances could only pass on the left, therefore, all traffic knew to get over to the right. If a car was in the left lane and not moving by law the ambulance couldn't pass on the right and would just hit the air horn several times till the person moved over. Out of habit whenever I see an ambulance I just always pull over and stop on the right. Laws like that seem to eliminate the the confusion of who goes where. But it does absolutely irritate me when people just keep on driving when an ambulance is coming.
 
I too notice that by the time you hear the siren and figure out where it is, they are already on top of you. Louder sirens would help, BUT as someone that lives near 235 and hears the Chancellor's station as well as every other emergency vehicle all day and all night long, a louder siren would irritate those that actually live here. When a siren passes by Chancellor's Run, I can hear it for miles as it travels up or down 235. There is a point at which noise pollution becomes unmanageable.
 

Hank

my war
What irks me is when the emergency vehicle passes and you begin to merge back onto the road, you always have that dip#### behind you that tries to pass you as you are waiting to merge back into traffic.
 

PeoplesElbow

Well-Known Member
One question I have is that I heard that ambulances cannot exceed the posted speed limit by more than 10 mph, around here doesn't that mean they will be getting passed by the general traffic flow most of the time?
 

MMM_donuts

New Member
For one the siren is not heard until the ambulance is within about 100' feet of you if you have the windows up, AC & radio on, I have checked this several times when I have noticed a EV approaching me. Plus with the multiple lanes of 235 with high vehicles and such,your vision is blocked, can't properly react when you have no idea where the EV is coming from even when you hear it from a distance.

I was also going to say for some reason the sirens in this area are not very loud. Where I grew up ambulances could only pass on the left, therefore, all traffic knew to get over to the right. If a car was in the left lane and not moving by law the ambulance couldn't pass on the right and would just hit the air horn several times till the person moved over. Out of habit whenever I see an ambulance I just always pull over and stop on the right. Laws like that seem to eliminate the the confusion of who goes where. But it does absolutely irritate me when people just keep on driving when an ambulance is coming.

I too notice that by the time you hear the siren and figure out where it is, they are already on top of you. Louder sirens would help, BUT as someone that lives near 235 and hears the Chancellor's station as well as every other emergency vehicle all day and all night long, a louder siren would irritate those that actually live here. When a siren passes by Chancellor's Run, I can hear it for miles as it travels up or down 235. There is a point at which noise pollution becomes unmanageable.

:yay: That is excellent feedback. We have a horn that we use a lot in conjunction with the siren. Its a lower tone and I can feel it in my chest when we use it. It seems to shock people sometimes but sometimes people don't seem to notice at all.

Some of the more experienced drivers will do their best to turn the actual siren off when in the residential areas closer to where the emergency is especially when it's late at night. That can be difficult to do when there's a lot going on or the driver is newer but they're supposed to reduce the noise burden as much as possible.
 

MMM_donuts

New Member
What irks me is when the emergency vehicle passes and you begin to merge back onto the road, you always have that dip#### behind you that tries to pass you as you are waiting to merge back into traffic.

Yes, that ahole irritates us, too. Sometimes people use the ambulance to cut a path through traffic. We can report them if they're being unsafe.

One question I have is that I heard that ambulances cannot exceed the posted speed limit by more than 10 mph, around here doesn't that mean they will be getting passed by the general traffic flow most of the time?

That's not true...here, anyways. The drivers are supposed to stick pretty close to the speed limit though and it gets a lot of attention from those that are in charge at the rescue squads. There's a LOT of emphasis on how speeding excessively contributes to more accidents and doesn't seem to help much. We're no help to our patients if we get into an accident.

Plus, the tiny little wheel base and weird weight distribution makes driving an ambulance more challenging than a regular vehicle so being able to effectively maneuver it at higher speeds takes a great deal of practice. If we're in the back of the ambulance with a patient then the driver tries really hard to make the ride smooth so we can start IV's and hear heart beats through our stethoscopes.
 

BigBlue

New Member
Yea that, I've pulled over only to have them want to go where I pulled over to.


This !!! Sometimes it's better if I don't move and let them go around me ,and please no offense but after knowing a few of the drivers in Charles county sometimes it's you guys not us .
 

MMM_donuts

New Member
This !!! Sometimes it's better if I don't move and let them go around me ,and please no offense but after knowing a few of the drivers in Charles county sometimes it's you guys not us .

I don't disagree with either of your points. Sometimes it is better to stay where you are because the driver has already looked ahead and planned a route around you. We know that's challenging and just try to work it the best we can. And yes, undeniably, some of our drivers are remarkably better than others. It's a volunteer system. They just have to show up, drive, and not hurt anyone or the equipment. There plenty of EMTs that have certain drivers they will or will not work with.
 
Top