driving in the breakdown lane

[donedeal]

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Unless the patient is a critical transfer, why are the L&S even in use? A.

Thats the point, they should'nt be used. Its unauthorized and unjustified usage, trying to hide it by using lights only. So the EMT in the back won't realize/make him stop.

However, to clear up confusion, in my original post regarding the highway call, that was dispatched out code 3, so lights and sirens approved (in a safe manner please) But there have been prior incidents where he tries to get away with using them because he is a L&S junkie. Those situations put together, he should be fired. But its word of mouth, no one is writing him up.

[sledogg1]

This is why we are still called AMBULANCE DRIVERS that turd should be turfed. We have the black box or the rat in the truck..........we have fobs which we use and it tells speed,lights,signal lights,breaking,seat belts etc. At the end of the month we get a report card on driving. They now exactly what we do, and it saves your butt in a accident. 19 Y/O hired for driving, I bet his civilian driving record is not clean, what a joke................I would refuse to rid with this bonehead punk.

[Richard B the EMT]

I was stuck, while in my minivan, in a major traffic jam on the "Belt" Parkway this afternoon, as the "Pothole Patrol" had 2 of the 3 lanes blocked. The jam backlog was easily 5 miles long when I got jammed (of course I hear it in the traffic report AFTER I got stuck).

An ambulance from a company I used to work for was trying to proceed down the road, L&S, with not much success, and the usual "Trailgaters" almost getting into accidents trying to follow him (Somewhere on the city is a string where we have a rather large discussion of these illegal followers).

At the time of this posting, we still have heavy residual of a snow and ice storm, with my driveway in such sturdy snow and ice coating, my minivan is not leaving tracks in 3 inches of the stuff, but I remembered something taught me in an EVOC (Emergency Vehicle Operating Course). Your vehicle can get bogged down in snow, ice, or mud on the shoulder of a roadway, and also get a flat.

A flat? How?

When the litterbugs throw glass bottles, or even plastic ones, out of their cars, they land on the shoulder. When they get run over, they shatter or splinter, and can cut up even steel belted radial tires, just as good as stabbing them with my Leatherman tool.

If I am forced into jumping curbs, or running on the shoulder, as someone else mentioned, I reduce speed, and use the siren as needed to alert other drivers that I am there. I'd use extreme caution as, no matter which side of the road I'm riding the shoulder on, there is still going to be some fool thinking that they are doing the correct thing by getting out of my way, and pull out in front of me.

[Niftymedi911]

Sorry Dust just another one of my erractic rants without reading it twice over.