A camera on his head and a chip on his shoulder

On 03/11/2014 21:18, Mrcheerful wrote:
Cyclist grizzles about close pass, he fails to see an ambulance coming
up behind him, because he doesn't look behind him often enough, the car
ahead has seen it OK.

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/...bulance-142646


Not the best cycling I must admit but the ambulance driver should know
better too.

Ride too close to the kerb and you rely on the goodwill of drivers not
to pass close. Ride 1 to 1.5 meters from the kerb and most drivers will
give more space, but if they don't give more space there is that nice
big space to the left of you that can use to dodge them.

If you want to see behind you, sit up and twist around and have a good
look. If that's too much hassle then get mirrors. The cyclist here was
checking over his shoulder, which will allow him to see anyone close to
the right, but he was not looking behind properly.

Had he been riding in a better position, away from the kerb, the
ambulance driver would have been alerted to sound the sirens, which as
we all know means "get out of the way". This is different to the car
horn which means "please be aware that I'm here" and is generally best
ignored.

Had the cyclist had mirrors, and was habitually checking them, then he
would have seen the lights and got out of the way anyway.

A few other points.

Passing through traffic islands like this take a center line (or as
Judith likes to call it 'Primary Position' or 'taking the lane'). This
will deter 99.99% of traffic overtaking at that point (there will always
be psychopaths out there). Move slowly back over to 1 to 1.5 meters from
the kerb will also deter drivers passing too close. Sometimes it is nice
at this point to give the driver a wave to tell them to pass. Sometimes
they will toot their horns as they pass to show their appreciation,
often accompanied by a victory V sign or the clenched fist 'power to
you' gesture which is equally nice.

Lastly, you can forget registration and insurance for safety. You can
even forget about reflectors and bells (although lights in poor lighting
conditions are a useful defense aid) what cyclists need, are mirrors,
cameras and above all some proper training.

I am surprised that Ant is still on this group, I had thought that the
old kit-car enthusiast would have popped off a long time ago.

Emergency vehicles have sirens for a reason.

They are also don't use them in many cases for very good reasons,
especially when carrying patients with serious conditions.

Most patients would feel _better_ being driven through intersection
with sirens.

There is no indication in the article that a complaint was made to the
appropriate ambulance service, therefore one does not know whether a patient
inside the ambulance asked for the siren to be turned off.

When I was younger, I can remember having a 'wing mirror' on my bike. Maybe
these ought to be brought back, maybe even made compulsory, for road bikes.
Those who do look behind obviously cannot be looking where they are going at
the same time.

Even sprung bikes have a lot of vibration which is probably why they aren't required.

I have a mirror on my helmet which works best at night when all I'm looking for are head lights.


Bret Cahill

On 04/11/2014 01:16, Peter Keller wrote:
On Mon, 03 Nov 2014 21:18:06 +0000, Mrcheerful wrote:

Cyclist grizzles about close pass, he fails to see an ambulance coming
up behind him, because he doesn't look behind him often enough, the car
ahead has seen it OK.

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/...list-narrowly-
avoided-collision-with-berkshire-ambulance-142646

Wot no siren? If I had heard it I would have dived onto the footpath.
From what I saw it appears that in the circumstances the ambulance DID
give the bicyclist enough room, although the black car parked just
beyond the island made things a little dodgy.

In the UK it is an offence to fail to give way to an emergency vehicle
attending an emergency (that fact signalled by the blue flashing lights).

That is all.

On 04/11/2014 09:42, Rob Morley wrote:
On Tue, 04 Nov 2014 14:51:28 +0000
Peter wrote:

On Mon, 3 Nov 2014 22:31:07 -0800 (PST), Bret Cahill
wrote:

Emergency vehicles have sirens for a reason.

They are also don't use them in many cases for very good reasons,
especially when carrying patients with serious conditions.

The foul mouthed bicycle rider said “I do my usual check behind me to
see what’s coming, and I see nothing.�.

Possibly he shouldn't wear sunglasses in overcast and rain. He turned
his head 2 seconds before being passed yet missed seeing a large
vehicle with fluorescent livery, headlights and flashing blue lights
on gaining on him? He also lacked awareness of the action of the car
driver in front who had pulled over to let the ambulance pass. In
bicycle La La land it is of course "someone else's fault", not his.

No - people who fail to see emergency vehicles approaching with their
blue beacons flashing, and react accordingly, are simply not paying
enough attention to their surroundings, and are likely to be unsafe
drivers regardless of the type of vehicle they are using.
As for this particular case, if he's happy to stick a camera on his hat
you'd think he wouldn't mind sticking a mirror on it too - you don't
particularly need to look at a mirror to notice the approaching blue
lights. Or he could just look behind more effectively ...

Quite so.

In my experience, the vast majority of drivers are more than prepared to
facilitate the easy movement of emergency vehicles and will go to almost
any lengths to allow it.

JNugent wrote:
In the UK it is an offence to fail to give way to an emergency vehicle
attending an emergency (that fact signalled by the blue flashing
lights).

The Highway Code does not say that:

219: Emergency and Incident Support vehicles. You should look and listen
for ambulances, fire engines, police, doctors or other emergency vehicles
using flashing blue, red or green lights and sirens or flashing headlights,
or Highways Agency Traffic Officer and Incident Support vehicles using
flashing amber lights. When one approaches do not panic. Consider the
route of such a vehicle and take appropriate action to let it pass, while
complying with all traffic signs. If necessary, pull to the side of the
road and stop, but try to avoid stopping before the brow of a hill, a bend
or narrow section of road. Do not endanger yourself, other road users or
pedestrians and avoid mounting the kerb. Do not brake harshly on approach
to a junction or roundabout, as a following vehicle may not have the same
view as you.

--
Iain

JNugent put finger to keyboard:

On 04/11/2014 01:16, Peter Keller wrote:
On Mon, 03 Nov 2014 21:18:06 +0000, Mrcheerful wrote:

Cyclist grizzles about close pass, he fails to see an ambulance coming
up behind him, because he doesn't look behind him often enough, the
car ahead has seen it OK.

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/...list-narrowly-
avoided-collision-with-berkshire-ambulance-142646

Wot no siren? If I had heard it I would have dived onto the footpath.
From what I saw it appears that in the circumstances the ambulance DID
give the bicyclist enough room, although the black car parked just
beyond the island made things a little dodgy.

In the UK it is an offence to fail to give way to an emergency vehicle
attending an emergency (that fact signalled by the blue flashing
lights).

That is all.

I was under the impression that blues & twos confer no additional rights
to the emergency vehicle, although I could of course be wrong. Have you
got a cite for your assertion?

On 06/11/2014 08:53, Scion wrote:
JNugent put finger to keyboard:

On 04/11/2014 01:16, Peter Keller wrote:
On Mon, 03 Nov 2014 21:18:06 +0000, Mrcheerful wrote:

Cyclist grizzles about close pass, he fails to see an ambulance coming
up behind him, because he doesn't look behind him often enough, the
car ahead has seen it OK.

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/...list-narrowly-
avoided-collision-with-berkshire-ambulance-142646

Wot no siren? If I had heard it I would have dived onto the footpath.
From what I saw it appears that in the circumstances the ambulance DID
give the bicyclist enough room, although the black car parked just
beyond the island made things a little dodgy.

In the UK it is an offence to fail to give way to an emergency vehicle
attending an emergency (that fact signalled by the blue flashing
lights).

That is all.

I was under the impression that blues & twos confer no additional rights
to the emergency vehicle, although I could of course be wrong. Have you
got a cite for your assertion?


Ambulances come under 'emergency workers' and impeding them is (or can
be) an offence:
Emergency Workers (Obstruction) Act 2006

On Wed, 05 Nov 2014 09:15:21 +0000, Iain wrote:

Bret Cahill wrote:
Emergency vehicles have sirens for a reason.

They are also don't use them in many cases for very good reasons,
especially when carrying patients with serious conditions.

Most patients would feel _better_ being driven through intersection
with sirens.

There is no indication in the article that a complaint was made to the
appropriate ambulance service, therefore one does not know whether a
patient inside the ambulance asked for the siren to be turned off.

When I was younger, I can remember having a 'wing mirror' on my bike.
Maybe these ought to be brought back, maybe even made compulsory, for
road bikes. Those who do look behind obviously cannot be looking where
they are going at the same time.

I have had a wing mirror on a bike before. They are a PITA, they
vibrate so one cannot see what is behind exactly anyway, and they slip,
go out of adjustment/alignment, etc.
Perhaps there are better ones now.

JNugent wrote:

On 04/11/2014 09:42, Rob Morley wrote:
On Tue, 04 Nov 2014 14:51:28 +0000
Peter wrote:

On Mon, 3 Nov 2014 22:31:07 -0800 (PST), Bret Cahill
wrote:

Emergency vehicles have sirens for a reason.

They are also don't use them in many cases for very good reasons,
especially when carrying patients with serious conditions.

The foul mouthed bicycle rider said "I do my usual check behind me to
see what's coming, and I see nothing.".

Possibly he shouldn't wear sunglasses in overcast and rain. He turned
his head 2 seconds before being passed yet missed seeing a large
vehicle with fluorescent livery, headlights and flashing blue lights
on gaining on him? He also lacked awareness of the action of the car
driver in front who had pulled over to let the ambulance pass. In
bicycle La La land it is of course "someone else's fault", not his.

No - people who fail to see emergency vehicles approaching with their
blue beacons flashing, and react accordingly, are simply not paying
enough attention to their surroundings, and are likely to be unsafe
drivers regardless of the type of vehicle they are using.
As for this particular case, if he's happy to stick a camera on his hat
you'd think he wouldn't mind sticking a mirror on it too - you don't
particularly need to look at a mirror to notice the approaching blue
lights. Or he could just look behind more effectively ...

Quite so.

In my experience, the vast majority of drivers are more than prepared to
facilitate the easy movement of emergency vehicles and will go to almost
any lengths to allow it.

they do, but equally are remarkably unobervant and don't seem to notice
or react until the ambulance is right upon them.

i've had cars start to attempt to overtake when I've pulled in to let a
ambulance pass who have somehow missed a white van with a siren,
flashing blue lights, approaching at speed....

Roger Merriman

Mrcheerful wrote:
On 06/11/2014 08:53, Scion wrote:
JNugent put finger to keyboard:

In the UK it is an offence to fail to give way to an emergency
vehicle attending an emergency (that fact signalled by the blue
flashing lights).

That is all.

I was under the impression that blues & twos confer no additional
rights to the emergency vehicle, although I could of course be
wrong. Have you got a cite for your assertion?


Ambulances come under 'emergency workers' and impeding them is (or can
be) an offence:
Emergency Workers (Obstruction) Act 2006

Section 1(1) of the Emergency Workers (Obstruction) Act 2006 states:
A person who without reasonable excuse obstructs or hinders another while
that other person is, in a capacity mentioned in subsection (2) below,
responding to emergency circumstances, commits an offence.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/39/section/1

Drivers of emergency vehicles are trained to get through heavy traffic. If
you are able to put yourself into a safe position to let the emergency
vehicle pass then you should do so. You must however not create an unsafe
situation, and you must still comply with all traffic signs.

The classic example of this would be whether you should cross the line at a
red light to let an emergency vehicle through. The answer is that you would
still be committing an offence if you crossed the line. The drivers of the
emergency vehicles know this and they are the ones who should be taking the
appropriate actions to get through.

A good reference is he
http://www.sussex.police.uk/help-cen...ts-blue-lights
"Remember: Emergency vehicle drivers are specially trained and have
exemptions to the law that you don't have, so you must not go through red
lights or speed to allow them to pass."

--
Iain