Ambulance Close Pass

[glasgowcyclist]

And the ambulance driver did miss the cyclist.

A close pass is a close pass, regardless of the driver's occupation or purpose of journey. And that was unacceptably close.

GC

 

[User6179]

It's big. It's yellow and green. It has retina piercing flashing blue lights on it. When they were in the design phase I imagine someone said "Everyone has blind spots, shouldn't we cater for them?" and they did their very best to do so. As I said it didn't suddenly materialise out of nowhere right behind him.

If you do repeated shoulder checks and, I'm assuming but this a whole different argument, not wearing headphones and miss an ambulance behind you for more than ooo let's say 25 yards, no let's go for 50 on the basis that if it's pulled out of a side road within the last 50 yards you would have seen it approaching the junction, then I really, really, really think you need to think about whether or not you should be on a bike on a road.

And the ambulance driver did miss the cyclist.

At 50 mph it would take 2 seconds to cover 50 yards

 

[martint235]

Okay yeah, there's an argument that the cyclist should have realised there was an ambulance following, personally I think over-short & very frequent shoulder checking didn't allow the OP to make a proper visual assessment of the road. However, the ambulance driver needlessly endangered another road user. That makes the pass unacceptable, end of story. Collision or no collision.

I haven't disagreed with this. I've just put forward other possible scenarios that could have been played out that would have meant the ambulance driver would not have attempted that pass in the first place. Others have pointed out another scenario of taking primary which again is a good option.

 

[User6179]

Looked like the OP shoulder checked at 7 seconds and 3-4 seconds later the Ambulance appeared so at 50mph was at least 75 yards behind him and perhaps behind traffic .

 

[martint235]

Looked like the OP shoulder checked at 7 seconds and 3-4 seconds later the Ambulance appeared so at 50mph was at least 75 yards behind him and perhaps behind traffic .

Unless it's hidden behind an articulated high sided truck, it's still big and yellow with bright blue lights!!!

 

[Crankarm]

Neee norrrrr Neeeee Norrr Neeee Norrrrrrr Neeee Norrrrr ……. woooOOOOO woooOOOOO woooOOOOO wooo00000

You were all ready to get out the way.

Bored.

 

[martint235]

Neee norrrrr Neeeee Norrr Neeee Norrrrrrr Neeee Norrrrr ……. woooOOOOO woooOOOOO woooOOOOO wooo00000

You were all ready to get out the way.

Bored.

You're not the only one. I'm struggling to see the point of CC anymore

 

[Firestorm]

Cyclist fails to see an ambulance and fails , therefore, to impart correct roadcraft to allow ambulance to proceed unhindered. Counts not adopting a road position which would impede the progress of an emergency vehicle even further as their only failing...Cyclist is largely supported .
Driver fails to see a cyclist even an unlit one..Hang him.

And people wonder why some dislike cyclists.....

 

[User6179]

Cyclist fails to see an ambulance and fails , therefore, to impart correct roadcraft to allow ambulance to proceed unhindered. Counts not adopting a road position which would impede the progress of an emergency vehicle even further as their only failing...Cyclist is largely supported .
Driver fails to see a cyclist even an unlit one..Hang him.

And people wonder why some dislike cyclists.....

I thought one was a mistake ( Cyclist ) the other was a deliberate act ( driver )

 

[martint235]

Cyclist fails to see an ambulance and fails , therefore, to impart correct roadcraft to allow ambulance to proceed unhindered. Counts not adopting a road position which would impede the progress of an emergency vehicle even further as their only failing...Cyclist is largely supported .
Driver fails to see a cyclist even an unlit one..Hang him.

And people wonder why some dislike cyclists.....

You know there's good money to be made for someone who can so succinctly and accurately summarise 5 pages of gumpf

 

[Turbo Rider]

Cyclist fails to see an ambulance and fails , therefore, to impart correct roadcraft to allow ambulance to proceed unhindered. Counts not adopting a road position which would impede the progress of an emergency vehicle even further as their only failing...Cyclist is largely supported .
Driver fails to see a cyclist even an unlit one..Hang him.

And people wonder why some dislike cyclists.....

Oooooooh, I think that's a bit unfair. A good few people have suggested other strategies to the cyclist, and he seems to have considered things for himself in future as well. Nobody has suggested any such harm to the driver either and the most extreme it's got is that he should be reported, hopefully for his own benefit.

I don't think this forum will contribute a fig to other people not liking cyclists either, because I don't seriously think that anyone who hasn't ridden a bike on the road cares a fig for what a cyclist thinks. If they do hate cyclists, it's probably because we're in their way, or so the saying goes.

You know there's good money to be made for someone who can so succinctly and accurately summarise 5 pages of gumpf

Umm, it's mostly your gumpf....just saying

 

[CopperBrompton]

It was a mistake on the part of the ambulance driver, but I can understand how it happened. The cyclist did a visible shoulder check after seeing a car ahead of him pull over. It would be understandable to think you can't look over your shoulder and fail to see a hi-viz van with blue flashing lights. I think the ambulance driver assumed the cyclist was aware and was pulling in to let it past.

 

[gambatte]

Nobody on here ever makes mistakes obviously. Ambulance driver made a mistake, that mistake didn't have any consequences, he probably realised he had made a mistake the moment he went past. Give the guy a break FFS, like I said before he might just save your life some time in the future.

And as far as we know this driver makes these mistakes on a daily, even hourly basis. His employers are unaware of this as everyone he endangered decide to ‘give the guy a break FFS’.
When he does eventually spread someone over the road, he’s got an exemplary 5 year record with no complaints or warnings or corrective actions on his employment file.....
He might save your life in the future, yep. Reporting him might save someone elses?

 

[gaz]

Is this meant to be an excuse?


If they can't have the siren on they should drive appropriately.

Nope, Even if they had the siren on was that appropriate driving? Of course not.

 

[Lemond]

I hope the cyclist and the ambulance driver chalk it up to experience and can learn from it. If nothing else, I know I'll be checking behind more carefully / frequently when approaching a pinch point.