I'm first in line waiting at a light, with a clear view way down the street. I see an ambulance coming in my direction with it's lights on. Intermittently it was sounding the siren, but it was not on non-stop. Being stopped and boxed in, (and the only place to go would be in the intersection) I just sit and watch.
There are two left turn only lanes and a lane going straight all with green lights. So they are crossing in the intersection in front of where the ambulance is heading. One or two cars notice and stop. Ambulance gets closer, still intermittently sounding the siren. Now most cars have stopped and one or two honk possibly to alert other drivers, or maybe because they can't figure out why people are stopping on a green. (see below) Now the ambulance is at the intersection and still a car flies through, the engine sounding like I remember my Yamaha Blaster sounding. (High pitched) It was pretty close, as the ambulance was going at a good clip.
I can't help but wonder, why don't ambulances get to change the lights like police cars do? And another, why would they not turn the siren on instead of those little blips? Are there rules about this, and they aren't allowed to? This is not some quiet neighborhood. I think there are six lanes here, and the lanes don't all intersect at 90 degree angles, there are buildings and one side has a retaining wall, so the visibility is lacking all around.
A while ago I was at that same intersection, but going a different direction. Anyway, the light changes and the car in front goes, and the car behind them (and in front of me) doesn't move. I wait a few seconds and honk. This is usually a person distracted by their phone or whatnot. But they don't move and suddenly an ambulance with it's lights on goes through. We had green the whole time, and I did not hear any sirens at all. From where I was there was no way I could have seen anything, there's a building blocking my view. I felt bad about honking, but I really couldn't have seen, and I was not about to miss that freaking light, it's so long.
That went on long, sorry.
There are two left turn only lanes and a lane going straight all with green lights. So they are crossing in the intersection in front of where the ambulance is heading. One or two cars notice and stop. Ambulance gets closer, still intermittently sounding the siren. Now most cars have stopped and one or two honk possibly to alert other drivers, or maybe because they can't figure out why people are stopping on a green. (see below) Now the ambulance is at the intersection and still a car flies through, the engine sounding like I remember my Yamaha Blaster sounding. (High pitched) It was pretty close, as the ambulance was going at a good clip.
I can't help but wonder, why don't ambulances get to change the lights like police cars do? And another, why would they not turn the siren on instead of those little blips? Are there rules about this, and they aren't allowed to? This is not some quiet neighborhood. I think there are six lanes here, and the lanes don't all intersect at 90 degree angles, there are buildings and one side has a retaining wall, so the visibility is lacking all around.
A while ago I was at that same intersection, but going a different direction. Anyway, the light changes and the car in front goes, and the car behind them (and in front of me) doesn't move. I wait a few seconds and honk. This is usually a person distracted by their phone or whatnot. But they don't move and suddenly an ambulance with it's lights on goes through. We had green the whole time, and I did not hear any sirens at all. From where I was there was no way I could have seen anything, there's a building blocking my view. I felt bad about honking, but I really couldn't have seen, and I was not about to miss that freaking light, it's so long.
That went on long, sorry.
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