Smart Move by LAFD Driver

I just witnessed a smart move by a driver of an emergency vehicle of the Los Angeles (City) Fire
Department.

While responding to an emergency call, he was exiting the freeway (US 101 at Van Nuys Blvd. in
Sherman Oaks) at a 3-lane offramp (left-only, option left/straight/right, right-only) with heavy
traffic (at least a dozen cars per lane) blocking all 3 lanes of the offramp and no available
shoulder.

Rather than turning on the siren initially, he wisely waited until the light turned green and
traffic ahead of him started to move. Only when he was about to make his right turn onto city
streets did he finally engage his red lights and siren. Had he turned his lights/siren on earlier,
he would have found that some cars stopped where they were while others did other stupid things; he
realized that there were too many cars in his way that had nowhere to go!

I guess he has seen many occasions where the use of lights and siren by an emergency vehicle is
counter-productive and realized that this would have been such an occasion.

Smart move, LAFD!

On Thu, 22 Dec 2005 13:19:52 GMT, "Larry Scholnick"
> wrote:

>I just witnessed a smart move by a driver of an emergency vehicle of the Los Angeles (City) Fire
>Department.
>
>While responding to an emergency call, he was exiting the freeway (US 101 at Van Nuys Blvd. in
>Sherman Oaks) at a 3-lane offramp (left-only, option left/straight/right, right-only) with heavy
>traffic (at least a dozen cars per lane) blocking all 3 lanes of the offramp and no available
>shoulder.
>
>Rather than turning on the siren initially, he wisely waited until the light turned green and
>traffic ahead of him started to move. Only when he was about to make his right turn onto city
>streets did he finally engage his red lights and siren. Had he turned his lights/siren on earlier,
>he would have found that some cars stopped where they were while others did other stupid things; he
>realized that there were too many cars in his way that had nowhere to go!
>
>I guess he has seen many occasions where the use of lights and siren by an emergency vehicle is
>counter-productive and realized that this would have been such an occasion.
>
>Smart move, LAFD!

My understanding is that this is SOP. Even if the siren is already on,
if conditions such as you described are encountered, they will turn
off their lights and siren until the light changes.

You're right - it's damn smart.

"Scott en Aztlán" > wrote in message
...
> On Thu, 22 Dec 2005 13:19:52 GMT, "Larry Scholnick"
> > wrote:
>
>>I just witnessed a smart move by a driver of an emergency vehicle of the
>>Los Angeles (City) Fire
>>Department.
>>
>>While responding to an emergency call, he was exiting the freeway (US 101
>>at Van Nuys Blvd. in
>>Sherman Oaks) at a 3-lane offramp (left-only, option left/straight/right,
>>right-only) with heavy
>>traffic (at least a dozen cars per lane) blocking all 3 lanes of the
>>offramp and no available
>>shoulder.
>>
>>Rather than turning on the siren initially, he wisely waited until the
>>light turned green and
>>traffic ahead of him started to move. Only when he was about to make his
>>right turn onto city
>>streets did he finally engage his red lights and siren. Had he turned his
>>lights/siren on earlier,
>>he would have found that some cars stopped where they were while others
>>did other stupid things; he
>>realized that there were too many cars in his way that had nowhere to go!
>>
>>I guess he has seen many occasions where the use of lights and siren by an
>>emergency vehicle is
>>counter-productive and realized that this would have been such an
>>occasion.
>>
>>Smart move, LAFD!
>
> My understanding is that this is SOP. Even if the siren is already on,
> if conditions such as you described are encountered, they will turn
> off their lights and siren until the light changes.
>
> You're right - it's damn smart.

Yes it is an option and written into state law here in Texas:

§ 546.003. ...the operator of an authorized
emergency vehicle engaging in conduct...shall use, at the discretion of the
operator in accordance with
policies of the department or the local government that employs the
operator, audible or visual signals...

§ 546.004 ...(B) because of traffic conditions on a multilaned
roadway, vehicles moving in response to the audible or visual
signals may:
(i) increase the potential for a collision;

--
---
jaybird
---
I am not the cause of your problems.
My actions are the result of your actions.
Your life is not my fault.

"Larry Scholnick" > wrote:


>
>I guess he has seen many occasions where the use of lights and siren by an emergency vehicle is
>counter-productive and realized that this would have been such an occasion.
>

One spring in Atlanta, I had all my windows open in stopped traffic,
I was on the highway, just about even with the end on an on-ramp when
I heard the siren of a "Hero" truck. (They help standed drivers,
assist at accident scenes, etc)
I checked my right mirror, and it looked like he was coming down the
on-ramp, so I stopped to let him go on ahead.

Then, the siren became so painfully loud that I had to cover my ears.
Then, it got louder and louder.. I was hunched over the wheel, hands
clamped against my ears, screaming against the pain. (I thought
someone was blocking him on the ramp.)
Finally it stopped, and and the angry driver came op to my window
yelling for me to get out of the way. It turns out that he was on the
shoulder, not the ramp.
My ears were ringing for a week, and I lost all respect for these
so-called "heros" If he had turned down the siren volume instead of
up, I could have turned and looked, but that was impossible to do with
my head clamped between my hands.
--
Email reply: please remove one letter from each side of "@"
Spammers are Scammers. Exterminate them.

On Thu, 22 Dec 2005 13:19:52 GMT, "Larry Scholnick"
> wrote:

>I just witnessed a smart move by a driver of an emergency vehicle of the Los Angeles (City) Fire
>Department.
>
>While responding to an emergency call, he was exiting the freeway (US 101 at Van Nuys Blvd. in
>Sherman Oaks) at a 3-lane offramp (left-only, option left/straight/right, right-only) with heavy
>traffic (at least a dozen cars per lane) blocking all 3 lanes of the offramp and no available
>shoulder.
>
>Rather than turning on the siren initially, he wisely waited until the light turned green and
>traffic ahead of him started to move. Only when he was about to make his right turn onto city
>streets did he finally engage his red lights and siren. Had he turned his lights/siren on earlier,
>he would have found that some cars stopped where they were while others did other stupid things; he
>realized that there were too many cars in his way that had nowhere to go!
>
>I guess he has seen many occasions where the use of lights and siren by an emergency vehicle is
>counter-productive and realized that this would have been such an occasion.
>
>Smart move, LAFD!
>
>

Yup - had to bet back to that station house and watch his soaps.

On Fri, 23 Dec 2005 08:12:27 GMT, laura bush - VEHICULAR HOMICIDE
> wrote:

>Yup - had to bet back to that station house and watch his soaps.

Or perform a lewd act in front of a webcam.

Doug Warner, > was motivated to say this in
rec.autos.driving on Thu, 22 Dec 2005 22:24:38 -0500:
>
> One spring in Atlanta, I had all my windows open in stopped traffic,
> I was on the highway, just about even with the end on an on-ramp when
> I heard the siren of a "Hero" truck. (They help standed drivers,
> assist at accident scenes, etc)
> I checked my right mirror, and it looked like he was coming down the
> on-ramp, so I stopped to let him go on ahead.
>
> Then, the siren became so painfully loud that I had to cover my ears.
> Then, it got louder and louder.. I was hunched over the wheel, hands
> clamped against my ears, screaming against the pain. (I thought
> someone was blocking him on the ramp.)
> Finally it stopped, and and the angry driver came op to my window
> yelling for me to get out of the way. It turns out that he was on the
> shoulder, not the ramp.
> My ears were ringing for a week, and I lost all respect for these
> so-called "heros" If he had turned down the siren volume instead of
> up, I could have turned and looked, but that was impossible to do with
> my head clamped between my hands.

Question: what color were the "hero's," flashing lights?

In article >,
says...

>One spring in Atlanta, I had all my windows open in stopped traffic,
>I was on the highway, just about even with the end on an on-ramp when
>I heard the siren of a "Hero" truck. (They help standed drivers,
>assist at accident scenes, etc)
>I checked my right mirror, and it looked like he was coming down the
>on-ramp, so I stopped to let him go on ahead.
>
>Then, the siren became so painfully loud that I had to cover my ears.
>Then, it got louder and louder.. I was hunched over the wheel, hands
>clamped against my ears, screaming against the pain. (I thought
>someone was blocking him on the ramp.)
>Finally it stopped, and and the angry driver came op to my window
>yelling for me to get out of the way. It turns out that he was on the
>shoulder, not the ramp.
>My ears were ringing for a week, and I lost all respect for these
>so-called "heros" If he had turned down the siren volume instead of
>up, I could have turned and looked, but that was impossible to do with
>my head clamped between my hands.

What a dummy. Even with your hands over your ears, you could have checked
your mirrors and moved out of the way.
---------------
Alex

"Alex Rodriguez" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
>
> says...
>
>>One spring in Atlanta, I had all my windows open in stopped traffic,
>>I was on the highway, just about even with the end on an on-ramp when
>>I heard the siren of a "Hero" truck. (They help standed drivers,
>>assist at accident scenes, etc)
>>I checked my right mirror, and it looked like he was coming down the
>>on-ramp, so I stopped to let him go on ahead.
>>
>>Then, the siren became so painfully loud that I had to cover my ears.
>>Then, it got louder and louder.. I was hunched over the wheel, hands
>>clamped against my ears, screaming against the pain. (I thought
>>someone was blocking him on the ramp.)
>>Finally it stopped, and and the angry driver came op to my window
>>yelling for me to get out of the way. It turns out that he was on the
>>shoulder, not the ramp.
>>My ears were ringing for a week, and I lost all respect for these
>>so-called "heros" If he had turned down the siren volume instead of
>>up, I could have turned and looked, but that was impossible to do with
>>my head clamped between my hands.
>
> What a dummy. Even with your hands over your ears, you could have checked
> your mirrors and moved out of the way.

Or rolled up the windows while watching the mirrors...

--
---
jaybird
---
I am not the cause of your problems.
My actions are the result of your actions.
Your life is not my fault.