When You Hear the Siren, Get the Heck Out of the Way!

Met Grant Litherland out at Mosport a couple of weeks ago.

The Toronto Fire Service fireman ("I work the mean streets of Leaside!" he joked) says that the only reason he buys The Star is for the Wheels section.

We love to hear that - the publisher loves it too.

Grant mentioned a huge problem for anyone in his profession, or for any emergency services worker:

Cars just don't get out of the way when these people are rushing to an emergency.

What part of the sirens and flashing lights don't they understand?

For fire, ambulance or police emergencies, a couple of seconds can literally mean the difference between life and death.

I know this is something that any reader of this blog knows full-well.

But perhaps some of your friends or family are a bit thick on the issue.

So remind anyone every chance you get:

When you hear a siren, determine as quickly as you can where it's coming from. If you're in its trajectory, get as far off the main part of the road as you can, flick on your four-ways, and STOP.

The driver of the emergency vehicle has enough going on without trying to figure out which way YOU'RE going to deke. So stop, and let the driver figure out a way to get around you.

These people have special training in manoeuvring these rigs through traffic.

Get out of their way, and let them do their job.

For all you know, they might be trying to get to your house...

Comments

[Danny Schmuck]

Jim, it is easier to say than do. When you are stuck in traffic, with no where to go and there is an emergency vehicle coming, what are you supposed to do ? I wait until I can move over.

[Brodey Dover]

You pull to the right, you pull to the right, you pull to the right, you pull to the right!

If everyone pulled over to the right there would be NO MANEUVERING through traffic, get it? I don't even car if you are in the left turn lane, you pull to the right. I don't care if you have a meeting or you think you're the effing Queen.

PS,

DO NOT DRIVE after one EMS vehicle is through...there may be more on the way. Also, don't move after a vehicle passes it's illegal for 150m.