Overtaking Emergency Vehicles

[madcow87]

So heading back from Blackpool on Saturday night there was an accident on the M6 and I headed through Garstang on the A6 to get back onto the M6 further north. After joining the motorway an ambulance came up behind me and overtook me with the lights going (I was trundling along at 70 in the left hand lane with my kids in the car).

As I left my exit and joined a dual carriageway, I spotted that same ambulance not much further up the road than I was (it overtook me on the motorway about 10/15 minutes earlier and I hadn't been speeding). There's a great big steep long hill on this dual carriageway and often cars and especially vans/trucks etc end up slowing right up whilst travelling up it. Much like this ambulance did still with it's lights on.

After catching up to it on this hill I realised I was slowing down to 60, so I put foot down, mirror, signal, manoeuvre and went around this ambulance at 65mph. I never saw it again after that, despite the carriageway falling downhill after that initial climb.

It's bugged me since, I would love to know why on earth this ambulance with its blue lights on never came back past me, or even why I caught up to it at all without breaking speed limits. Also need to check the highway code, I'm aware I need to move out of the way for emergency vehicles with lights on, but where do we stand on overtaking slow moving emergency vehicles with lights on? It was hindering my progress so I overtook it, like any other piece of traffic

[Six30]

Would of done the same .

[Picollus]

Reminded me of this...

 

[old-timer]

I know that sometimes ambulances have to slow down when a patient is getting worse and/or needs special care/treatment from the (para)medics.

Which is very hard to do at high speed.

They will still use their blue lights, in order to claim priority from other traffic they meet.

I would say, there is no reason not to overtake when you are not hindering/bothering the ambulance.

It seems to me you were not doing anything wrong as you were going the same direction.

[Tankbag]

It's bugged me since, I would love to know why on earth this ambulance with its blue lights on never came back past me

 

Cancelled on route perhaps ?

[mas101]

Would of done the same .

 

Have. Standards, please.

[BabyD]

So would you overtake a hearse procession ???

[Mr Fro]

So would you overtake a hearse procession ???

 

Nah, I'd race it.

[MR_W]

So would you overtake a hearse procession ???

 

Nah, I'd race it.

 

It would end in a dead heat.

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

It is appalling how some drivers treat a hearse and following cars. These days funeral drivers have to literally drive bumper to bumper to prevent idiots trying to squeeze between the hearse and the following limo. It never used to be like that.

Most bikers seem to be different, I've seen a few bikes block the traffic to show some respect.

[Joe85]

It is appalling how some drivers treat a hearse and following cars. These days funeral drivers have to literally drive bumper to bumper to prevent idiots trying to squeeze between the hearse and the following limo. It never used to be like that.

Most bikers seem to be different, I've seen a few bikes block the traffic to show some respect.

 

Im sure the guy they are burying doesn't mind.

 

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

It is appalling how some drivers treat a hearse and following cars. These days funeral drivers have to literally drive bumper to bumper to prevent idiots trying to squeeze between the hearse and the following limo. It never used to be like that.

Most bikers seem to be different, I've seen a few bikes block the traffic to show some respect.

 

Im sure the guy they are burying doesn't mind.

 

The deceased may not but their family hardly feel any better when some knob carves up the hearse.

[Tankbag]

It is appalling how some drivers treat a hearse and following cars. These days funeral drivers have to literally drive bumper to bumper to prevent idiots trying to squeeze between the hearse and the following limo. It never used to be like that.

Most bikers seem to be different, I've seen a few bikes block the traffic to show some respect.

 

Particularly when it's a motorbike hearse 🖒

[Mr Fro]

It would end in a dead heat.

 

Very good.

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

It is appalling how some drivers treat a hearse and following cars. These days funeral drivers have to literally drive bumper to bumper to prevent idiots trying to squeeze between the hearse and the following limo. It never used to be like that.

Most bikers seem to be different, I've seen a few bikes block the traffic to show some respect.

 

Particularly when it's a motorbike hearse 🖒

 

I met the guy who does those at a trade show last year, some lovely bikes he's got

[Tankbag]

It is appalling how some drivers treat a hearse and following cars. These days funeral drivers have to literally drive bumper to bumper to prevent idiots trying to squeeze between the hearse and the following limo. It never used to be like that.

Most bikers seem to be different, I've seen a few bikes block the traffic to show some respect.

 

Particularly when it's a motorbike hearse 🖒

 

I met the guy who does those at a trade show last year, some lovely bikes he's got

 

I may know something about this 🖒

[Hoggs]

OH! I recall someone on here doing bike hearses didn't remember it was you. Didn't you have a crazy busa one??

[Tankbag]

OH! I recall someone on here doing bike hearses didn't remember it was you. Didn't you have a crazy busa one??

 

I'm only a rider for them but yes we have two busas one has the guiness world record of 126.6 mph at elvington

[Six30]

OH! I recall someone on here doing bike hearses didn't remember it was you. Didn't you have a crazy busa one??

 

I'm only a rider for them but yes we have two busas one has the guiness world record of 126.6 mph at elvington

 

With a stiff in the side car ?

[Tankbag]

I'm only a rider for them but yes we have two busas one has the guiness world record of 126.6 mph at elvington

 

With a stiff in the side car ?

Er no it's never been done with a coffin.

BOT I've seen quite a few times folks chasing an ambulance making progress through traffic on the motorway, never tried it myself tis a bit cheeky

[Joeman]

I once chased a fireengine through a floor!

It made a great bow wave so if I stayed right up close behind my feet didn't get wet.

[madcow87]

It's bugged me since, I would love to know why on earth this ambulance with its blue lights on never came back past me

 

Cancelled on route perhaps ?

 

That's possible. I'd assumed, given where it passed me on the motorway that it was taking a patient to the hospital from the crash on the M6. But give that it went passed about 3 top notch hospitals in favour of something that was another hour away I guess that can't be it. I dunno.

As for the hearse thing I've always been very aware when there's a funeral going on. I'll stop on the side of the road if I'm walking down the street when one goes passed me and I make my lad stop as well to pay our respects in our own way. Also now I know Bike hearses are a thing, that's happening.

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

Particularly when it's a motorbike hearse 🖒

 

I met the guy who does those at a trade show last year, some lovely bikes he's got

 

I may know something about this 🖒

 

I knew I had a photo on my phone somewhere....

[Tankbag]

I knew I had a photo on my phone somewhere....

 

The Speed triple 🖒that ones the original the owner built in 2002. Tis retired now unless specially requested.

[manxie49]

Ambulances are actually relatively slow vehicles, they weigh in at around 4.8 tonnes, the engines are not tuned or modified in any way, when they get to hills they do slow down, laws of physics, it is also dependant on whether they have a patient in the back or not, they may use blue lights and sirens to get through heavy traffic but still drive relatively slowly for crew and patient comfort and safety. I don't think you're breaking any laws by overtaking a slow moving emergency vehicle, you only fall foul of the law if you deliberately obstruct them, look at the emergency workers (obstruction) act 2006.