Didn't see/hear the ambulance

[lostnfound]

I just got back home from driving and I feel bad about what just happened.

I was listening to my radio and approached an intersection. The car in front stopped while it was a green light. I thought that she didn't see the green light, so I honked my horn. She then waved her hands, not pointing to anything. I mis-took it as a sign for me to go ahead of her. When I crossed the interesection, I suddenly saw an ambulance on my right, having to stop for me to go. Luckily, at that moment, I didn't get a ticket.

I just feel so guilty about being careless not paying attention. Yes, my radio was on, but it wasn't really loud. I'm also worried that the lady behind me, who seemed like a real bitch, might give my license plate number to the cops...lol.

I'm feeling bad and paranoid..... help me fellow JUBers.

 

[spooger]

I just got back home from driving and I feel bad about what just happened.

I was listening to my radio and approached an intersection. *clip*

translation: i wasn't paying attention while i was driving

so now you know ... and apparently you feel bad about your behavior...

what are you going to DO about it ...

 

[biguy732]

translation: i wasn't paying attention while i was driving

so now you know ... and apparently you feel bad about your behavior...

what are you going to DO about it ...

NOT PAYING ATTENTION - my thoughts exactly. And besides, ambulances on their way to an emergency will have their lights flashing and sirens blowing - they don't just appear in an intersection.

 

[treanir]

I'm feeling bad and paranoid..... help me fellow JUBers.

What's done is done. All you can do now is learn from the experience. So, "what did we learn, kids?"

 

[lostnfound]

When I saw the ambulance, I immediately turned off my radio, and to my surprise, there was no siren. After slowing down past the ambulance, I still didn't hear a siren. I did see the lights though.

I'm over it now. I guess I was in shock and needed to tell people.

 

[gmoney]

This is one reason in my county, ambulance & firetrucks stop before entering and proceeding thru an intersection. I was in the front seat of an ambulance while they were taking my dad in recently. I was amazed at how many other drivers failed to give right of way to the ambulance!

In your defense, I will point out that cars today have a much quieter cabin than older cars. They even point this out in advertisements.

Because of that, we all need to pay more attention to what's going on around us since we can't hear outside as easily as in the past.

 

[Tommy2Tone]

When I saw the ambulance, I immediately turned off my radio, and to my surprise, there was no siren. After slowing down past the ambulance, I still didn't hear a siren. I did see the lights though.

I'm over it now. I guess I was in shock and needed to tell people.

I don't know what state your in. But in the state of Ohio if a amulence runs with lights on they must also run the siren also. If not and there is a accident the driver of the amulance will be cited.

 

[FPNY]

Ambulances and other emergency vehicle operators should at least slow down before entering an intersection. I wouldn't spend too much time dwelling on it, it happens to a lot of people. You didn't hear them, maybe your radio was too loud, maybe they didnt have their siren on. Keep in mind that if a vehicle is moving with a siren on the sound is actually going in the opposite direction that the vehicle is moving in.

 

[DeMan06]

ok... where I live emergency vehicles (at least ambulances and fire trucks) have devices which can trigger 95% of the lights they are approaching, forcing them to change to (or remainan) green, thus making it less likely a crossing driver will proceed into the intersection.

either way you should definitely pay more attention

 

[Georgiadude]

As a former paramedic I can tell you the scariest (is that a word) part of the job was getting to the scene of the emergency. You never knew what the hell someone was going to do. Cars not yielding or as you did mindlessly going around someone that had stopped. People need to think for a second. Why was this person stopped when there is a green light? Instead of being in such a hurry. Your mistake could have cost you or someone else their life. Every year people are killed because someone pulled out in front of an emergency vehicle. Why? Because they are in such a hurry to get to their destination 30 seconds earlier.

I worked for a service that had that exact thing happen. I was not on the call btw. They were responding to a call. They were on a main street and a car pulled in front of them. They had been stopped at a stop sign. The ambulance plowed into the car at approx 45 mph. 2 people in the car were killed. 2 others in the car survived. Both of the survivors said just before the driver pulled out he said "I hear a siren, oh their they are, I can beat them." Those were the last words he ever spoke. He and another woman were killed. All because he didn't want to wait 10 seconds for the ambulance to pass. The call they were responding to was for a heart attack. That person died as well. They may have been able to save that person but another ambulance had to be sent from a long ways away. By the time they arrived it was too late.

We all need to pay better attention to what we are doing while driving. We get distracted, talking on the phone, texting, music, kids. the list is endless. However thats no excuse. We are in control of a vehicle that weighs several thousand pounds and very bad things can happen when we don't pay attention to everything that is happening around us.

 

[figjam]

translation: i wasn't paying attention while i was driving

so now you know ... and apparently you feel bad about your behavior...

what are you going to DO about it ...

It's done, it's gone. Move on. No reason for working yourself in a frenzy due to the local drama-queen review.

 

[Lukeee]

You know what annoys me? When you are crossing the road and the ambulance comes flying round the corner so you let it pass and by that time the lights have changed, so you are stuck in the middle of the road and some idiots tries to run you over I am quite obviously there, hold on a minute!

 

[godson112]

I always get really panicky when I hear sirens, and that's because everybody tells me different things.

There was an advert on TV not long ago where a paramedic was saying "Slowing right down or stopping is the worst thing you can do, just move into the side and maintain a steady pace", then other people say "No, pull up to the side and stop" and I just don't know what to do. Luckily everytime it's happened I've had people in the car with me and I scream at them to tell me what to do.

 

[Lukeee]

I always get really panicky when I hear sirens, and that's because everybody tells me different things.

There was an advert on TV not long ago where a paramedic was saying "Slowing right down or stopping is the worst thing you can do, just move into the side and maintain a steady pace", then other people say "No, pull up to the side and stop" and I just don't know what to do. Luckily everytime it's happened I've had people in the car with me and I scream at them to tell me what to do.

Just try to not be in the way. I don't see how you moving would make a difference when you aren't in the way.

 

[Spiff]

I think just by posting this, you have acknowledged a lesson learned. You do not need to be crucified as a few here imply.

And the flashing lights are not as noticeable in the bright daylight, especially with peripheral vision. Of course, the biggest hint was the car ahead of you. But I recall a close call of my own where the light was green at an intersection, no car in front of me, and my radio playing not so loud. I didn't hear the siren until after driving into the intersection. Fortunately, I cleared it before realizing there was a fire engine coming through my right. I think it is fairly typical of drivers to not look both directions while driving through a light that is already green. It can happen to the best of us. Given the number of traffic lights we encounter every day, we just have grown trusting that green means go.

 

[tonym86]

That happened to me too. Course I had my stereo REALLY loud that time. Now I check when something like that happens. We learn from stuff like this.

 

[NedNickerson]

A few years ago, I was on my way to work and as I approached the last traffic light before reaching work, I noticed that the light was green but no one was moving. I kept on driving through, not even slowing down, because I didn't realize anything was wrong. About halfway through the intersection, a car flew past in front of me about 60 miles an hour. I hadn't even noticed it was coming. I slammed on the brakes, just in time to avoid driving into the path of a pursuing police car.

After they both passed, I drove on through, feeling very foolish and embarrassed because the entire incident had played out in front of four lanes of traffic, and at the same time, realizing I could have been killed if that first car had hit me.

I had had the radio blasting at the time, plus my mind was distracted by thoughts of arriving to work on time and the day of work ahead... I hadn't been paying attention to the situation around me. So yeah, it happens, and I totally understand the way you feel...