[Dubgurl]

So it's been almost 10 years since I've taken drivers ed, so I will say I haven't really looked at traffic laws since. But it was my understanding that if an emergency vehicle is crossing at an intersection you're supposed to wait for them.

Well that's what I did, and as I waited the driver Flipped Me Off!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I guess next time I"ll just stop in the middle of the road.

Other than that it was an invigorating 37 miles :/

 

[Xela]

The driver of the emergency vehicle flipped you off?

But apparently this isn't universal. I saw no regards for any emergency vehicles with lights and sirens on in Paris. People didn't make the slightest effort to move over or even yield.

 

[Poolie]

In Atlanta pretty much all traffic laws are optional if you're in a hurry... and/or have a cell phone in your ear.

 

[rola643]

In Atlanta pretty much all traffic laws are optional if you're in a hurry... and/or have a cell phone in your ear.

Ditto that in Hampton Roads, Va.

 

[Dubgurl]

Xela, yup angry look on his face, blaring the horn and slowed to a crawl. If it had been someone not responsible for other people's lives it would have been laughable!

I guess he was mad that I wasn't contributing to his job security. He might have been happier if I was waiting to leave a McDonalds!

 

[snowbird]

Could it have been something you were doing made him nervous? Maybe like he thought you were going to spring out in front of him?
If not I'd report the incident to the police. I'm pretty sure in Ohio gestures like that are considered "agressive driving" which would qualify him for anger management classes.

 

[kneedrachen]

Well before we believe he/her is a ****** let's look at it from their point of view, specifically mine. When we're operating in an emergency mode, WE are responsible for the environment around us. Example: We're coming through an intersection, you stop, the person behind you doesn't and rear ends you. who's responsible? Us. Why? If we weren't operating in an emergency mode, the first car would not have stopped and the accident wouldn't have happened.

Another example:

We were heading to a multiple vehicle MVC with entrapement on a 12 lane (6 each way) highway. I was driving. We were heading up the shoulder with all warning devices enabled, driving at a snails pace. An imbecile in the lane decided she wanted to get in front of us since people were sort of moving over to let us by. I ended up trying to avoid her but hit her. Who did the state police go after? Me.

Operating an emergency vehicle is an extraordinary amount of responsibility and stress. Trying doing it for 12-24 hours. You'll be bled on, pissed on, **** on, puked on and probably won't have time to change your uniform. Try sitting in blood or puked soaked pants on a vinyl seat in a vehicle where the A/C probably doesn't work. Cut them some slack. I'd like to hear their side of story as to what happened/they perceived.

 

[kneedrachen]

Here, let me share another one. EMS is out at a code and it's a situation where they can't get the person out of the house due to the patient being in a basement with a rope ladder for entrance/egress.

We're toned out for an assist. As we are shooting down one of the main thoroughfares, we just happen to end up in the middle of an organized charity ride with open roads. The cyclists made me more nervous than the soccer moms (again, I was driving) due to their inability to exercise (not-so) common sense. Let's think about this. I'm driving a vehicle with 750 gallons of water, top heavy as all hell. You're going to try to swerve in front of me to cross the road?!?!?!?!?!?! Oh and then they pull a critical mass move on me and clog up the road. F that. I try to give cyclists the benefit of the doubt when I'm the chauffeur, but they still do stuff that might even supercede the stupidity of the soccer moms.

 

[torotoro]

.... I'd like to hear their side of story as to what happened/they perceived.

I also would like to hear their excuse for flipping someone the bird while on duty, but I don't imagine I'd find it excusable.

 

[kneedrachen]

I'm thinking there's more to the story than the OP posted.....

 

[Dubgurl]

I'm thinking there's more to the story than the OP posted.....

Yeah there's more to the story! I was taking a drink from my water bottle as they rolled through the intersection. Please theorize (since you're so quick to do that) about how I'm suddenly going to spring 40 feet into the middle of the intersection on a road bike in a gear that takes nearly 30 seconds to go from zero to 20 mph. There is no excuse for that kind of behavior by anyone, let alone a public service worker. My brother is a police officer, and my best friend is a firefighter/EMT, so I hear stories all the time about people not moving out of the way or stopping in front of ambulances/fire trucks/cop cars! You really don't have to give me stories, cause it scares the crap out of me that my brother has to wear a bullet proof vest in a small town in Ohio because of stupid things people do.

That's fine and dandy that you're all upset about what other drivers do, but until I do something stupid you have no right to attack me and start speculating about what had happened, you weren't there. I don't know what him or, you were thinking but seriously unprovoked attacks on me do not go over well with me. How about you politely ask for more information before telling me it's my fault for doing what I was taught to do.

 

[Dubgurl]

If not I'd report the incident to the police. I'm pretty sure in Ohio gestures like that are considered "agressive driving" which would qualify him for anger management classes.

I did report the incident to the EMS service and they are "investigating."

 

[torotoro]

... you have no right to attack me and .... telling me it's my fault for doing what I was taught to do.

I didn't see that although his tone did appear a bit defensive.

 

[kneedrachen]

Apparently there's a bit of a disconnect between what was stated, what I replied and how you interpreted. I don't believe anywhere did I target you in any way, shape or form. Maybe re-read my postings to get a better grasp of what I was stating: Emergency services personnel are stressed out and have a tremendous responsibility when operating their vehicles in a response mode. If he/she vented that on you, there had to be a reason.

Should I put this is simpler terms?

Suck it up. People have dissenting mindsets against your perceptions.

If you're offended, that's on you. Let's move on.

 

[TxCyclist]

So it's been almost 10 years since I've taken drivers ed, so I will say I haven't really looked at traffic laws since. But it was my understanding that if an emergency vehicle is crossing at an intersection you're supposed to wait for them.

Well that's what I did, and as I waited the driver Flipped Me Off!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I guess next time I"ll just stop in the middle of the road.

Other than that it was an invigorating 37 miles :/

Were you pulled over? In Texas you are supposed to yield as far right as you can go.

 

[qmsdc15]

Well before we believe he/her is a ****** let's look at it from their point of view...

Yes, please.

Dubgirl. You stopped and stayed out of the way which is good. The ambulance driver may have seen bicycle riders acting less responsible than you. Kneedrachen has and provided an example. I've seen a lot of stupid bicycle riding myself.

The driver was obviously scared that you might bolt into his path. You mention that you were in a gear that prevented you from doing so but how is he supposed to know that?

Your feeling were hurt because the driver didn't know how responsible you are. He assumed the worst about you which is probably a good idea. Instead of drinking water, how about waving him through next time? Of course assuming it's all clear because a cyclist is waving him through would be a very bad idea (did I mention how stupidly bicycle riders often behave on the road?). At least at that point he knows you aren't going to get in his way.

Reporting him to the authorities was totally uncalled for in my opinion.

 

[qmsdc15]

delete

 

[Dubgurl]

I'm thinking there's more to the story than the OP posted.....

This is the comment that made me most upset. Basically saying "I think you're a liar and you're just whining to whine." Is it how you meant it, probably not, but did you think it could be read like that? Personally I would have worded it as "Is there more to the story than you are telling us?" Making it polite and personal. Placing the comment in the 3rd person isn't really necessary when the person you are directing the comment to is virtually "right there."

As to your most recent post, I ask that you elaborate on how I'm not supposed to be offended by people acting unprofessionally towards me when I'm going about my day. I basically read it as "If you get mad at someone, you can vent on anyone you want and if they get offended by it, it's their fault." It really made no sense to me.

@gmsdc15 I agree, he had no idea what gear I was in, it was information that was completely irrelevant and if he had known what gear I was in, I'd ask him where he got his contacts so he could see that, cause I wanna see that well!

But I did report the incident because of the lack of professionalism. If I had done something to make him nervous, I had no clue as to what it was and his response was uncalled for. I would be shocked to find any organization where that is acceptable behavior for someone on duty, save for the military in the middle of a battle, I'd imagine there are words said there that would make truckers blush.

 

[snowbird]

But I did report the incident because of the lack of professionalism. If I had done something to make him nervous, I had no clue as to what it was and his response was uncalled for.

Thank you for posting. This settles the matter for me. This has been such a good thread with lots of give and take. I've learned a lot from it. I've never had experience with an emercency vehicle driver's point of view.

In two weeks I'm leaving the relative civility of Ohio traffic for Ft. Myers, where agressive driving is the order of the day. There nobody goes right for sirens & lights. Traffic lights are mere suggestions, and everyone speeds up for yellow lights instead of slowing to stop. If you're not angry when you start into traffic, you are by the time you reach your destination.
But they have plenty of bike trails, and it's legal to ride the sidewalks.

 

[SG-1]

Dubgirl: Welcome to the wonderful world of internet forums...we post something and others misinterpret it and it is downhill from there....

Just about everyone that I know who is NOT a bicyclist has something negative to say about us.