Failure to yield

[Jake the Hose monkey]

We have a problem with people not pulling over for our Peterbuilt supper pumper.

One of our best drivers just quit because he ran a car into a ditch because he would not yield. The police didn't write him but the Chief was ****ed, she took him of driving for a hole year so he quit.

Has this happened to anybody else. I think people shoul pull over or else. I only have 2 years but will be driving soon, cant wait.YEEHAA See you at the big one

[firefighter26]

Jake, believe me, this problem has been around for a VERY long time. My department has the same problem at one intersection, the merger onto the highway. People consistently try to get a head of our rigs before we get onto the highway, or fail to yield as we cross traffic to head north. We try to record license plate numbers for the police, but that doesn’t seam to help. One thing that would be great is if we could have a dash camera like the cops do. Then we would have video footage of people failing to yield. Take a few of them to court and word will get around. However, then people might start seeing the FD more like a PD, which we don’t want.

One thing that I have done (as sort of a personal revenge), is if a vehicle doesn’t yield, and they somehow get tied up in the back log of traffic, I wave them over to side of the road for a few minutes, then go politely remind them that it is law to yield to an emergency vehicle. Let them sit for another few minutes and them wave them back into traffic and past the accident.

You could be driving a ball of rolling lights, air horns and sirens mounted all over the place, and people will still say they didn’t see you. When you get to drive, drive safe. Go talk to you friend, it is a shame to loose a firefighter over something like this.

[Dalmatian90]

Oh man, the poor Canadian got trolled soooooo bad, eh?

[firefighter26]

What was that about?

[hazmat961]

Just this past Saturday I was driving our Squad to an MVA, this one pick-up wouldnt yeild for me. We had every thing on and he wouldn't move! When we came to an intersection which is at the top of a steep hill and where we had to make a right turn, he sat right in front of us in the middle of the road. I had to go way out to the left in the opposing lane, where the traffic had STOPPED for us, just to get around him! I did see one driver shaking his head at the guy and we were giving him a few blessings in the process. It's people like that who cause us to wreck!

[ 08-27-2001: Message edited by: hazmat961 ]

[DocLaw]

Originally posted by Jake the Hose monkey:
I think people shoul pull over or else. I only have 2 years but will be driving soon, cant wait.YEEHAA See you at the big one

Just what do you plan to do? Ram them?
I can just see the scene now. Little old woman who can barely see over the dash and who does not see you looks up to see the "Supper" pumper - uh, you meant Super, as meaning large or great as opposed to something involving dinner, right - bearing down on them and the last thing she will hear as it blasts into her is somebody yelling "RAMMING SPEED" - Just like in the movie "Animal House".

The Doc is out now.

[ 08-27-2001: Message edited by: Dr. Law ]

[sloepoke1]

"We have a problem with people not pulling over for our Peterbuilt supper pumper."

We all get behind that one driver that knows all them red lights and noisy sirens, all they are doing is REQUESTING the right of way, and we have to live with it.


"One of our best drivers just quit because he ran a car into a ditch because he would not yield."

Was this a case of "road rage" or just simple miscalculation?
If it was the later then a year seems a little harsh, if first offense. But were this a case of "road rage" then this driver needs counsiling before he gets behind the wheel of another emergency vehicle, or any vehicle for that matter. We have to remember our main objective here is to protect lives, not to destroy them in route to save another! But in either case the driver should take a refresher course of the drivers training class.

"The police didn't write him but the Chief was ****ed, she took him of driving for a hole year so he quit."

This tells me that your chief and the police have a real good working relationship together, and that they respect each other's decisions. It also tells me that the driver could possible have a hot temper with a short fuse, which are both classic signs of "road rage".

"Has this happened to anybody else."

Someone not yeilding? Sure, odds are everyone of us has gotten behind that driver that will not yeild the right of way.


"I think people shoul pull over or else."

Two things about this statement: first, I hope your chief sees this thread and second I pray that you meant to say, "or else I will stay behind the lead vehicle until safe and LEGAL to pass." Right?

But if I am wrong I sure hope that you do alot of growing in the next two years. Lord knows we don't need to reduce ourselves to violence by using our vehicles as weapons.

one more piece of advice jake proof read before posting that way hose monkey's don't look so bad

[ 08-27-2001: Message edited by: sloepoke1 ]

[Dalmatian90]

*chuckles*

So, what is the NFPA Standard for fishing gear?

And what speed do we test trolling motors at?

[ 08-27-2001: Message edited by: Dalmatian90 ]

[gah74]

"Pull over or else." Have you lost your mind? Just because we drive around in big red fire truck w/ lights and sirens doesn't give us the right to run anyone off the road, regardless of whether or not they properly yield to us. That totally defeats our purpose of existing...to protect life and property.

Is it frustrating when people don't yield? Sure it is....but expect it. It will happen every day that you're out there. If you expect it and anticipate it maybe you won't take on this attitude of code 3 road rage. We are expected to be calm when things aren't going right. If a driver get's enraged during a response, he becomes a hazard to everyone throughout the whole operation...if you're lucky enough to make it to the scene at all.

If your driver ran another vehicle into a ditch, he should have been grateful that he only got banned from driving for a year. Had anyone got hurt or had the driver of that vehicle pursued it, he could be looking at civil and criminal litigation...him and your department that is! That makes all of us look bad and for what...a couple of seconds made up on the road. If your response times are too long, you guys might need to look at better coverage with stations or quicker dispatching....running people off the road will not get you there faster.

The best engineers are always cool and calm...even when things are falling down around them. Expect some driver's to fail to yield or to stop in front of you, etc...and adjust your driving accordingly...and don't cuss 'em...just be as calm as can be and you will get there just as fast and your officer's will see that you're level headed enough to handle anything.

[LACAPT]

If someone fails to yeild in our fair Canadian province we just flip over to the local RCMP channel and give them the lic.# of the offending vehicle and they are charged. After all it is an offence to not yeild to an emergency vehicle here, and the law here is very supportive of this action by the FD. Running someone off the road is not something I can condone, after all our job is to save and protect life and limb.
Still can't figure out what your smokin DOG90, if you want to find out what trolling is all about come on up to my part of the world and we will show you!

[Dalmatian90]

ROTFLMAO

I'm not sure if this is more funny or pathetic now!

OK newbies...
1) In your web browser go FILE-NEW-WINDOW
(or whatever you Mac people do. If your using Unix or Linux, you probably already know the definition! )

2) In the "address" bar, type in http://groups.google.com
This is a Usenet Archive Search Engine -- Usenet being a giant system of forums.

3) In the screen that comes up, their is a search field. Type in Troll FAQ and click on Google Search.

4) The first link that comes up should be the Troll FAQ. Read it, specifically sections 1A and 2C.

This concludes today lesson in Net terms, culture, and searching the usenet.

btw Jake, thanks for the best laugh I've had in a long time! After all, a bad day fishing beats a good day working

[BucksEng91]

RRRRRAAAAAMMMIIIIING SSSPPEEEEEEEEEEEED!!!!!

[LACAPT]

Jeez DOG90 I don't know whos crazier you or Jake Monkey. I just hope the sun rises tommorow!! You got me too!!

[Jake the Hose monkey]

im just sayin that he shoula not qiut cause he was a best driver. he ran the man in the ditch to prove a point now what im sayin? i want to drive the big pete and make her sing im gonna be a senor firemans in next month and cant wait to drive cause i can drive the best thats all i meen

my chief thinks im nuts but thats ok cause i now things bout her that she dont like.

[coda0092]

ummmm?