He didn't move over ...
By ebsharer
@ebsharer (5515)
United States
July 15, 2008 1:07pm CST
My husband is a volunteer fire man. He has a blue light on his vehicle and when he is on his way to the station for a fire call he turns it on. I am very disappointed to see that many people don’t pull over for him. Legally you don’t have to pull over so, many do not.
I was at the station with my husband one day and the guys were telling stories about fires they had been to. One of the stories was about three guys that were on there way to the station in the same car they had the blue light going. The man in front of them didn’t move in fact he drove slower. He was in a very recognizable truck. Once they got to the station they man speed up – like telling them I slowed down on purpose.
Once geared up the guys made there way to the fire – the house was fully in flames by this point and who comes pulling up right behind the fire truck – The man that didn’t pull over, the man that slowed down. It was HIS house on fire!!! The house burned to basically nothing as the firemen got there a little late. Moral of the true story – MOVE it could be your house!
So do you have volunteer firemen in your area? If so do you move over when they have a blue light on? Do they have blue lights? If you don’t have this in your city but was in a city that did would you move over?
4 people like this
13 responses
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
15 Jul 08
All we have around here are volunteers so "natives" are polite and move over since we all know that these volunteers are the only responders. I have seen some people not pull over for them though and it's always annoying. Once I was on a road where pulling off was impossible thanks to a crumbly shoulder and steep drop off but it wasn't wide enough for the volunteer to go around....narrow back road. Anyway, I knew it was only a mile or so and I knew the road well so I sped up faster than I'd normally drive on it and then let him go by at the end where there was more room.
2 people like this
@ebsharer (5515)
• United States
17 Jul 08
When I first moved from FL to PA I didn't understand only having volunteers as firemen. In FL they are all paid there is no volunteer any thing when it comes to firemen. I like it this way. At last years Christmas party all the local firehalls about 6 got together and we had a blast. We have met a lot of nice people and the great thing is most of the volunteers are 'family' types so there isn't a lot of 'trouble' when they boys are fighting fires (or just sitting there BSing, which happens all too often) LOL.
@penny64 (1106)
• Australia
2 Jan 09
My goodness! That really is a cautionary tale!!
The laws in our country require that you move out of the way even if you have to something safe but illegal to do it. Emergency vehicles have priority. I think it is just common sense and courtesy.
Most people are great about it, but now days I wonder if a lot of people can actually hear sirens over their car stereos. I also wonder if a lot of drivers really check their rear view mirrors in their cars. I have seen a car driving along completely oblivious of the ambulance trying to get around from behind it.
1 person likes this
@ebsharer (5515)
• United States
7 Jan 09
We do have to move for emergancy vehicals but the firemen are not in emergency vehicals they are in there personal vehicals until they get to the firestation. See around here all firemen are volenteers so they are at home or where ever until a call comes in. Then they are paged and all rush to the station then to the fire. So although they have a blue light on the car its not required you move because its NOT an emergancy vehical. Point it its common courtsey to move even though its not an emergancy vehical.
1 person likes this
@penny64 (1106)
• Australia
8 Jan 09
Oh, I see. Yes, we have people here too who would deliberately not move out of the way. They have to somehow prove that they are more important. They all seem to drive enormous cars too ... obviously making up for lack of size elsewhere. Hopefully most people would be considerate. I think it's awesome that you have lots of volunteer fire fighters. We have volunteers here too, as we have problems with fires in summer, but I don't think they have any sort of personal emergency light for their cars.
1 person likes this
@cobrateacher (8432)
• United States
15 Jul 08
Every state, I believe, has rules about getting out of the way when an emergency vehicle has its light on. Recently, we Floridians voted to make this a law, and it carries a sizeable fine. Even if an officer pulls someone over, we have to change lans and reduce speed to half of the limit, as many have been killed or severely injured while making a traffic stop. Driving in Miami is a major challenge, but we do respect emergencies -- or we pay for it. All states should enact these laws. Even if some people don't follow the law, at least most do. That helps a lot.
1 person likes this
@hellcowboy (7374)
• United States
15 Jul 08
It is very sad that some people do not give the volunteer fireman the respect they deserve,and if you see one with their lights on it is only proper that you move over and let them pass,and around here I think it is a law that you have to move over if you see an emergency vehicle with its lights on,and it is ironic that the man who was going slow,ended up being the one whose house was on fire,and yeah we have volunteer fireman around here,and yeah I think they do have blue lights on their vehicles and yeah if I am driving and I see there blue light on I always move over as quickly as possible and let them pass,just like if I am in another county or city and I see any emergency vehicle with its lights on I will move over and let them pass me.
1 person likes this
@ebsharer (5515)
• United States
16 Jul 08
The differance is volunteer firemen when on there way to the station are in there own personal cars with just a blue light. People don't have to move over for them but it is as they call it a 'curtsey light'. Because there are no paid firemen around here they have pagers and when paged they go to the staion. It is nice to know that you would pull over!
2 people like this
@ebsharer (5515)
• United States
17 Jul 08
I agree that people should be required to pull over - but they aren't. Hopefully one of these days it will change. I think they do it this way to control if some one is really going to a fire call or using it for personal gain. I think people would abuse there lights if others were required to pull over.
2 people like this
@hellcowboy (7374)
• United States
16 Jul 08
It does not matter if they are in their own personal cars or not if they have any sort of light on,even a blue light,it should be a law that you have to pull over and let them pass,and yeah I would gladly pull over for any volunteer fireman because it is the right thing to do,and I wish everyone did the right thing,have a great day, good luck in your life,and Happy Posting.
1 person likes this
@redkathy (3374)
• United States
15 Jul 08
That really upsets me too. Here we have red lights and strobe lights. The law here says you must pull over for emergency vehicles or you will be fined. This is a relatively new law added to the FL books and I thinks it a good one because some people just have no regard for anyone else. I guess this will go down as one of those "if your gonna be dumb, then you better be tough" lessons of life!
1 person likes this
@ebsharer (5515)
• United States
17 Jul 08
I have to say my favorite was - "you made your bed - now you have to sleep in it" anyway back to the point, Here in PA you don't even have to move over if there is an accident or some thing hapening on the side of the road. Here the guys aren't necessary at the station they get paged when a call comes in and all rush to the station in there personal cars. I think they don't require people to move over for the 'blue' lights because some people would abuse the power of that light.
1 person likes this
@Hakemp001 (32)
• United States
15 Jul 08
:) I really like that last sentence of yours. Rings so true.
1 person likes this
@Hakemp001 (32)
• United States
15 Jul 08
See now I was under the impression that anytime there is an emergency vehicle, you are required to move over to the farthest lane to your right.
It is in all of the testing materials when you take your drivers test. Not only that but if you have lights flashing on the right hand side of the street because a policeman has a person pulled over, if it is safe you are required to move as far left as possible.
We get pulled over and ticketed in Nevada for that.
I truly think that alot of people have forgotten what it means to be polite and respectful.
@foxyfire33 (10005)
• United States
15 Jul 08
It is required for "red light vehicles"...firetrucks, ambulances, police cars. But "blue lights" are usually the volunteers personal vehicles that they drive to the station or the scene. They have to still obey traffic laws and other driver's don't have to pull over for them.
2 people like this
@kingcrapper (1536)
• United States
16 Jul 08
I don't work for any kind of emergency team but I have seen the same thing happen to ambulances on the road. Here they are with full lights and sirens and people won't get out of their way! Do you realize they don't just but on those lights just becuase they think they are pretty! I think it comes down to how we raise our children. When we teach them to be respectful they learn there they need to abide to the safety of others. If we have a generation that is 'all about me' then we will see more and more of this type of thing...which can cost someone their life!
1 person likes this
@schulzie (4061)
• United States
22 Jul 08
I am so shocked by this story! I was always under the impression that when an emergency vehicle flashes its lights you are legally required to pull over and let them pass. What a jerk to do such a thing to anyone, let alone someone responding to an emergency.
I am glad that his place burned to the ground, it served him right for being such a careless jerk!!No, we don't have volunteer firemen here. I'm sorry, but I am still irritated by this guy's actions. Well, I hope the idiot learned a valuable lesson from this. At least we all know he learned an expensive lesson. Oh well, I guess that's just a life lesson,isn't it?Have a nice day and happy myLotting!
I am glad that his place burned to the ground, it served him right for being such a careless jerk!!No, we don't have volunteer firemen here. I'm sorry, but I am still irritated by this guy's actions. Well, I hope the idiot learned a valuable lesson from this. At least we all know he learned an expensive lesson. Oh well, I guess that's just a life lesson,isn't it?Have a nice day and happy myLotting!@ebsharer (5515)
• United States
23 Jul 08
Well thats the thing because the fire station is all volunteer the guys have pagers and are at home or out when they get a call. So they drive to the statioin in there personal vehicle. Technically that is not an emergency vehicle. The blue light is a curtesy light. Most people move over and allow the car through knowing that it could be there own house. This guy was just a jackass. Your right it serves him right for not getting out of the way. Karma does come back for you!
1 person likes this
@ebsharer (5515)
• United States
12 Jan 09
Funny you said "red fire trucks" here some of our actual fire trucks (not the blue light personal vehicals) are GREEN! I even seen BLUE!
Yes for our firehall the whole truck is a green fire truck!
They had some get together with all the local fire departments and one of the trucks was Light Blue - like they sky blue. I was like what is that!?!?!
@kezabelle (2974)
•
15 Jul 08
Yes we have them here not sure they have blue lights though, however we move over for any blue flashing light doesnt take long, what I HATE is those people that see you move over and are waiting to pull back into traffic but just drive past despite knowing you had to move for an emergency vehicle thats just rude!
1 person likes this
@ebsharer (5515)
• United States
16 Jul 08
You are NOT required to move for a blue light so a lot of people don't it is a curtsey. You are reqired to move for a red light and can be ticketed if you don't. The sad part is it really only takes a moment to move over people are too self involved these days.
1 person likes this
@Icyfairy (284)
• Saint Vincent And The Grenadines
15 Jul 08
where i'm from we don't have volunteer firemen but if we did i would definately move over because as you said it could be your house that's on fire and people could be seriously hurt or even die just because you were being stubborn. if i didnt move over and that happened i would feel so terrible because i would know that it was my fault and i would have to live with that. and i don't wanna have to live with something like that. so if it was me i would definately move over.
1 person likes this
@tamarafireheart (15384)
•
15 Jul 08
Hello ebsharer,
That was just desert on his part the fool, he was lucky the was no one inside the house. In our country we have avery large red truck with big blue light flashing and it a law that traffic have to move for them, and people do move aside for the truck.
Tamarafireheart.
1 person likes this
@ebsharer (5515)
• United States
17 Jul 08
We do have fire trucks as you described - the differance here is the firemen aren't necessary sitting at the station. Because they are volunteers they are free to do what they want and they are paged when a firecall comes in. From that point most are in there personal vechiles and going to the station with there blue light on. Once to the station they leave to go 'on scene' with a firetruck.
1 person likes this
@kbjunior15 (1309)
• United States
16 Jul 08
People are idiots. I always move over for police and fire vehicles even if they are the volunteers in their own vehicles. I get so angry when people do not. One day, those people are going to need these vehicles and then complain when they do not get there in time.
I always think about the movie Backdraft when I see cars not pulling over. That happens in the movie and the fire truck flips.
Another thing...I always say a quick prayer when I see emergency vehicles. I pray for their safety and the safety of the people they are going to help.
