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Post by Lex Of Sydney Australia on Oct 4, 2013 16:21:00 GMT
Yah we have them too that's why the law clearly states for the idiots on the road which is lets face it most of them. That you must provide CLEAR access for an emergency vehicle when it's siren go off - if your caught blocking access with your vehicle your toast, so people move even if they have to run a red light to do so move. If enough people get caught in the trap then most of the others will eventually learn. Plus who wouldn't love the chance to run a red light & get away with it? but see, you are still seeing people consider possible results of their actions. here, the ones who didn't run and scream would assume the cameras mean they will be reality TV stars. Your right I forgot that the General Rule of Stupidity is that you take the lowest IQ in the crowd, half it & then divide it equally amongst the crowd. |
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Post by the light works on Oct 4, 2013 16:27:17 GMT
but see, you are still seeing people consider possible results of their actions. here, the ones who didn't run and scream would assume the cameras mean they will be reality TV stars. Your right I forgot that the General Rule of Stupidity is that you take the lowest IQ in the crowd, half it & then divide it equally amongst the crowd. that must be the metric equation. here you find the total IQ of a group by taking the lowest IQ and dividing it by the number of people in the group. |
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Post by Lex Of Sydney Australia on Oct 4, 2013 16:44:56 GMT
Your right I forgot that the General Rule of Stupidity is that you take the lowest IQ in the crowd, half it & then divide it equally amongst the crowd. that must be the metric equation. here you find the total IQ of a group by taking the lowest IQ and dividing it by the number of people in the group. Tomato Tomato same thing more or less. |
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Post by the light works on Oct 4, 2013 16:47:55 GMT
that must be the metric equation. here you find the total IQ of a group by taking the lowest IQ and dividing it by the number of people in the group. Tomato Tomato same thing more or less. yep. you say Tomato, I say how can you eat those nasty things? |
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Post by the light works on Oct 4, 2013 16:53:48 GMT
Committee:a life form with 6 or more legs and no brain.
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Post by Lex Of Sydney Australia on Oct 4, 2013 16:55:32 GMT
Tomato Tomato same thing more or less. yep. you say Tomato, I say how can you eat those nasty things? & I say how can you eat these nasty things?  |
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Post by the light works on Oct 4, 2013 17:15:32 GMT
yep. you say Tomato, I say how can you eat those nasty things? & I say how can you eat these nasty things? couldn't tell ya. |
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Post by Lokifan on Oct 5, 2013 6:34:48 GMT
So, last weekend I was helping a friend move by driving the 16' rental truck.
It was pretty fully loaded, but I only had to drive about 5 miles along mostly city streets, except for a single stretch of freeway (one exit). Better yet, it was an exit only lane so there was no merging or lane changes. The only alternative was weaving through a dense traffic area consisting of two major shopping centers.
Things were going fine. Traffic was moderate; not bumper to bumper and I left about a 100 feet ahead of me.
So what happens? Naturally, as I was exiting the freeway, a truly brilliant individual decided they just had to get off the freeway ahead of me. Of course, since I was already on the offramp, this meant cutting across the painted island and gunning it so that he missed by front bumper by about an inch.
I've become convinced that every vehicle I drive has an idiot magnet installed on it, because I seem to attract so many. I just want to find that off switch someday...
Personally, I try to give every rental truck a wide berth, as I realize the driver is likely unfamiliar with the vehicle (as I admittedly was) and anyone with an ounce of sense would realize that you don't want to scare them into reacting badly.
Seriously, that Lexus SUV almost ended up under the tires...
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Post by the light works on Oct 5, 2013 13:53:24 GMT
That gives me the opportunity to segue into my "best driving moment" story.
back when I was just a young electrician, the company truck I was assigned made my own truck look a bit petite.
I was sitting at a traffic light beside a policeman.
when the light turned green, I quite naturally did not turn all of the ponies loose, because nothing draws attention faster than smoking a policeman at the lights.
the merging lane for that traffic light extends about 100 yards after the light.
about 102 yards after the light, the guy who should have been merging behind me decided that big trucks are slow so he needed to be in front of me.
I can only speculate, but I would guess the policeman saw my front bumper drop as I hit the brakes to keep from hitting the guy. all I know is that his brakes also came on hard, so the guy ended up passing both of us.
then the lights came on.
all of which is to demonstrate, sometimes there IS a cop when you need one.
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Post by User Unavailable on Oct 5, 2013 15:00:45 GMT
It would probably make it even worse over here - we'd probably have people abandoning their vehicles and running. we DO have a law that requires them to yield to emergency vehicles; we just have stupid, panicky drivers who don't think. Yah we have them too that's why the law clearly states for the idiots on the road which is lets face it most of them. That you must provide CLEAR access for an emergency vehicle when it's siren go off - if your caught blocking access with your vehicle your toast, so people move even if they have to run a red light to do so move. If enough people get caught in the trap then most of the others will eventually learn. Plus who wouldn't love the chance to run a red light & get away with it? So what happens if someone runs a red light and gets killed by car correctly proceeding through the green light? I don't question that vehicles are required to yield the right of way to emergency vehicles, I do question that it requires them to run a red light to do so. I can think of more than one scenario where traffic proceeding through the green light would have no clue that an emergency vehicle is approaching the red and requiring a car or multiple cars to run the red light. |
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Post by Lokifan on Oct 5, 2013 15:07:04 GMT
Something kind of interesting:
There's a very practical reason why Russia seems to have a mania for dash cameras. Fraud is rampant in the auto insurance business over there, so the insurance companies usually only pay out if you have video evidence of how an accident happened. No camera, no cash.
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Post by the light works on Oct 5, 2013 16:15:28 GMT
Yah we have them too that's why the law clearly states for the idiots on the road which is lets face it most of them. That you must provide CLEAR access for an emergency vehicle when it's siren go off - if your caught blocking access with your vehicle your toast, so people move even if they have to run a red light to do so move. If enough people get caught in the trap then most of the others will eventually learn. Plus who wouldn't love the chance to run a red light & get away with it? So what happens if someone runs a red light and gets killed by car correctly proceeding through the green light? I don't question that vehicles are required to yield the right of way to emergency vehicles, I do question that it requires them to run a red light to do so. I can think of more than one scenario where traffic proceeding through the green light would have no clue that an emergency vehicle is approaching the red and requiring a car or multiple cars to run the red light. I would expect safety still takes precedence over yielding. I.E. if you sideswipe another vehicle off the road in order to yield your lane, or if you T-bone cross traffic in order to proceed through the red light, it will still be your fault; and conversely, if you decline to do the same, and cannot yield because of it, the other driver will be the one in legal hot water for not yielding. |
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Post by User Unavailable on Oct 5, 2013 16:28:57 GMT
So what happens if someone runs a red light and gets killed by car correctly proceeding through the green light? I don't question that vehicles are required to yield the right of way to emergency vehicles, I do question that it requires them to run a red light to do so. I can think of more than one scenario where traffic proceeding through the green light would have no clue that an emergency vehicle is approaching the red and requiring a car or multiple cars to run the red light. I would expect safety still takes precedence over yielding. I.E. if you sideswipe another vehicle off the road in order to yield your lane, or if you T-bone cross traffic in order to proceed through the red light, it will still be your fault; and conversely, if you decline to do the same, and cannot yield because of it, the other driver will be the one in legal hot water for not yielding. That is what I would expect as well, but that's not how it is "sounding" by Lex explanation. It "sounds" like, you run the red light or you are screwed. (Maybe it just because I didn't sleep well last night....) |
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Post by the light works on Oct 5, 2013 18:26:20 GMT
I would expect safety still takes precedence over yielding. I.E. if you sideswipe another vehicle off the road in order to yield your lane, or if you T-bone cross traffic in order to proceed through the red light, it will still be your fault; and conversely, if you decline to do the same, and cannot yield because of it, the other driver will be the one in legal hot water for not yielding. That is what I would expect as well, but that's not how it is "sounding" by Lex explanation. It "sounds" like, you run the red light or you are screwed. (Maybe it just because I didn't sleep well last night....) Lex isn't in America; I'm sure common sense applies. edit: forgot the  |
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Post by silverdragon on Oct 6, 2013 9:31:12 GMT
"It could be MY house"....
By that token, most people in the UK will go out of their way to get the (beeeeep) out of the way of any flashing blue.
Its just one of the unspoken rules of the road.....
But having had someone walk into the side of a wagon that was parked up, I know certain road using fools (pedestrians) who just do not even bother to think.
I have seen pedestrians hinder emergency vehicles, including one rather stupid teacher who used a pedestrian crossing for a class full of kids and REFUSED to yield .......
Until another pedestrian intervened.
I have driven the Blew Light... <<--(Edit, that was auto-corrected by spell chuckler... I like it...)
I used to do some work for Peak District National Park, before my back injury.
In that, as it was the first national park, the Rangers were associated with the Police, so, are allowed to carry the blue light and siren...
Much needed when we are asked to do a rescue of someone who gets lost or in difficulty in the park....
We were and still are the Mountain Rescue service.
Driving the lights and siren in a Land-rover, on the road, interesting....people dont see or question the vehicle, they just yield to the lights and siren.
Driving the lights and siren in a land-rover along a public footpath, remembering this is a fully marked "Peak District Ranger Service" and "MOUNTAIN RESCUE" land-rover that is in use because it has unbeatable off-road abilities, a land rover complete with rescue stretchers on the roof....
The hill-walkers you encounter who REFUSE to get off the path, and would rather block access to this "Four wheel menace" on a public footpath....
Thankfully it has a loud-hailer, just for this reason, and a few words such as "We are Peak district Mountain RESCUE services...Someone is dying whilst you get in my way" usually shift the twerps....
But on the whole, unless there is literally nowhere else they can go, most people in UK do get out of the way.
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Post by the light works on Oct 6, 2013 13:44:26 GMT
"It could be MY house".... By that token, most people in the UK will go out of their way to get the (beeeeep) out of the way of any flashing blue. Its just one of the unspoken rules of the road..... But having had someone walk into the side of a wagon that was parked up, I know certain road using fools (pedestrians) who just do not even bother to think. I have seen pedestrians hinder emergency vehicles, including one rather stupid teacher who used a pedestrian crossing for a class full of kids and REFUSED to yield ....... Until another pedestrian intervened. I have driven the Blew Light... <<--(Edit, that was auto-corrected by spell chuckler... I like it...) I used to do some work for Peak District National Park, before my back injury. In that, as it was the first national park, the Rangers were associated with the Police, so, are allowed to carry the blue light and siren... Much needed when we are asked to do a rescue of someone who gets lost or in difficulty in the park.... We were and still are the Mountain Rescue service. Driving the lights and siren in a Land-rover, on the road, interesting....people dont see or question the vehicle, they just yield to the lights and siren. Driving the lights and siren in a land-rover along a public footpath, remembering this is a fully marked "Peak District Ranger Service" and "MOUNTAIN RESCUE" land-rover that is in use because it has unbeatable off-road abilities, a land rover complete with rescue stretchers on the roof.... The hill-walkers you encounter who REFUSE to get off the path, and would rather block access to this "Four wheel menace" on a public footpath.... Thankfully it has a loud-hailer, just for this reason, and a few words such as "We are Peak district Mountain RESCUE services...Someone is dying whilst you get in my way" usually shift the twerps.... But on the whole, unless there is literally nowhere else they can go, most people in UK do get out of the way. speaking of which, we have had people block our surf rescue vehicles with "you're not allowed to drive on the beach" in the face of the red and blue lights and sirens. |
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Post by Lex Of Sydney Australia on Oct 6, 2013 15:24:00 GMT
Yah we have them too that's why the law clearly states for the idiots on the road which is lets face it most of them. That you must provide CLEAR access for an emergency vehicle when it's siren go off - if your caught blocking access with your vehicle your toast, so people move even if they have to run a red light to do so move. If enough people get caught in the trap then most of the others will eventually learn. Plus who wouldn't love the chance to run a red light & get away with it? So what happens if someone runs a red light and gets killed by car correctly proceeding through the green light? I don't question that vehicles are required to yield the right of way to emergency vehicles, I do question that it requires them to run a red light to do so. I can think of more than one scenario where traffic proceeding through the green light would have no clue that an emergency vehicle is approaching the red and requiring a car or multiple cars to run the red light. The sirens the emergency vehicles use are so LOUD you can hear them at least a block away so you usually will have enough tome to react & shouldn't need to run a red light. If there is no other way to get out of the way of the approaching emergency vehicle, then yes you can legally run a red light. & people no matter what direction they're heading will look to see if the emergency vehicle is heading their way. So even on coming traffic at traffic lights will pull over or stop for an emergency vehicle. We have so many bush fires, & other disasters out here that Australians have a VERY high level of respect for emergency service personnel. So blocking their path just isn't the done thing - It's one thing to cut a taxi off in traffic it's another to block the fire department. The ONLY excuse you'd have for not knowing an emergency vehicle was approaching would be if you were deaf & blind - in which case you won't be driving & your Guide Dog won't move till it's safe to do so. |
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Post by the light works on Oct 6, 2013 15:38:39 GMT
So what happens if someone runs a red light and gets killed by car correctly proceeding through the green light? I don't question that vehicles are required to yield the right of way to emergency vehicles, I do question that it requires them to run a red light to do so. I can think of more than one scenario where traffic proceeding through the green light would have no clue that an emergency vehicle is approaching the red and requiring a car or multiple cars to run the red light. The sirens the emergency vehicles use are so LOUD you can hear them at least a block away so you usually will have enough tome to react & shouldn't need to run a red light. If there is no other way to get out of the way of the approaching emergency vehicle, then yes you can legally run a red light. & people no matter what direction they're heading will look to see if the emergency vehicle is heading their way. So even on coming traffic at traffic lights will pull over or stop for an emergency vehicle. We have so many bush fires, & other disasters out here that Australians have a VERY high level of respect for emergency service personnel. So blocking their path just isn't the done thing - It's one thing to cut a taxi off in traffic it's another to block the fire department. The ONLY excuse you'd have for not knowing an emergency vehicle was approaching would be if you were deaf & blind - in which case you won't be driving & your Guide Dog won't move till it's safe to do so. here, they are allegedly now selling a siren that somehow manages rattle the car itself, because the ones that can be heard a block away are not loud enough to get people's attention. www.nytimes.com/2011/02/27/nyregion/27critic.html?_r=0 |
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Post by Lex Of Sydney Australia on Oct 6, 2013 15:46:25 GMT
The sirens the emergency vehicles use are so LOUD you can hear them at least a block away so you usually will have enough tome to react & shouldn't need to run a red light. If there is no other way to get out of the way of the approaching emergency vehicle, then yes you can legally run a red light. & people no matter what direction they're heading will look to see if the emergency vehicle is heading their way. So even on coming traffic at traffic lights will pull over or stop for an emergency vehicle. We have so many bush fires, & other disasters out here that Australians have a VERY high level of respect for emergency service personnel. So blocking their path just isn't the done thing - It's one thing to cut a taxi off in traffic it's another to block the fire department. The ONLY excuse you'd have for not knowing an emergency vehicle was approaching would be if you were deaf & blind - in which case you won't be driving & your Guide Dog won't move till it's safe to do so. here, they are allegedly now selling a siren that somehow manages rattle the car itself, because the ones that can be heard a block away are not loud enough to get people's attention. www.nytimes.com/2011/02/27/nyregion/27critic.html?_r=0Is it just me or does anyone else read these & see a law suite from a yuppie who had his soya mocha frapachino spill in his lap because of one of these things? Maybe I'm just a pessimist. |
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Post by Lokifan on Oct 6, 2013 17:36:55 GMT
Not sure if this counts as a Road Fool, but here goes:
I was making a right turn at a obstructed view intersection. As I rounded the corner, I saw a person sitting on the sidewalk, with one foot in the gutter, surrounded by a couple of concerned citizens. He'd obviously just been in a hit-and-run, and got the worst of it--he was bleeding. I pulled to the side and dropped my passenger side window, then asked the nearest bystander if anyone had called 911 yet.
At which point, said bystander said "YOU PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS SPEEDING THROUGH HERE!!! WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH YOU!!!".
I repeated the question (while reaching for my phone).
My reply was a string of insults and profanity.
In the middle of making the call, a couple of firefighters showed up on foot (their station was just a 100 feet or so down the street, it turns out), so I drove off.
Why is it that some people would rather ride their hobby horse than try to help in an emergency?
I hadn't caused the accident; I didn't see the accident; I had nothing to do with it other than trying to help, while this fool decided a verbal assault on a stranger was a better option than trying to get emergency medical help for the injured.
What kind of mentality leads to that?
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