Sweet video!
I imagine it's similar in CA, but we're not allowed to pass any vehicles on the right. Ever.
It makes for some interesting intersection work... going "around" all the cars in the far left lane, to their left and through the intersection. But I'm a truckie, and my hooptie weighs 32 tons (what an M1A1 MBT weighs). So we get some respect. Or fear. Whatever.
One of my first rides as an EMT was with a very... stoic... paramedic. Always even-keeled; never flustered. We were called on mutual aid to a neighboring district, who had their taxi on scene, so we took our medic car. It's suburbia/exurbia, and we're going full lights/sirens down a well-travelled 2-lane road. Easily 1/4 of the drivers just lock up and slow WAY down, staring into their rearview mirror, without moving over. So they're just slowing us down, essentially.
After a few of these, I just erupt "What the F**K is wrong with these people? How F**KING tough is it to just move the F**K over? If these morons just 'lock up' under this level of stress, WTF is wrong with this fat, complacent town?!?! I hope someone F**Ks up my ability to get to you when you're choking on a Krispy Kreme, you moron!!!" etc... and I'm gesticulating pretty emphatically, as those of you who know me can imagine. (edit: I'm
not saying this through the PA, mind you...)
Phil (the paramedic), the vision of intense serenity, chewing his nicorette purposefully, staring ahead steely eyed says, with the quiet, chiding wisdom of years as a para in NYC, "Get used to it, it's part of the job."
I'm still steaming, but I quiet down. For about 10 seconds.
Then a bimbo in a SNAAB pulls out of her driveway, right in front of us. I light off like a roman candle again, reaching for the PA and trying to figure out how to turn the volume up to 11.
Phil the Stoic: "JP, {chew, chew} I told you you have to get used to it. {chew, chew}"
Me, seething out of every pore: "Phil. I
know. I'll get used to it, but I haven't gotten used to it in
the last 10 seconds, OK?"
Phil: "{chew, chew}"
Two minutes later, I've cooled off a bit and we're within sight of our location (the YMCA). The road is now 2 lanes our way and one oncoming. We're in the left of our 2 lanes. Some jackass of an ethnicity not known for its driving prowess, actually checks his mirrors, looks right at us -- at ME! -- and changes lanes almost right
into us, forcing us halfway into oncoming traffic. Then this shytbag manages to look at US (lights & sirens blaring!!) like we snuck up on his blindspot.
Phil just freaking explodes. He is apoplectic, turning purple and his gum hits the inside of the windscreen. He's not just yelling at this moron, but at
everybody.
I'm sitting, exuberantly stunned, smirking for a few seconds... and then I join in with him ... two unhinged lunatics in a medic car, hustling to a CVA, screaming at the auto-ignorati. I stop, and Phil keeps going on, really warming to his subject and in full-throat. He looks over at me, flushed, eyes bulging, JVD'd and I'm just cackling.
"What?!? Huh? Now you've gone all retard on me too?"
"No, Phil, I'm just getting used to the job." smirk.
"You know, they told me you were an enabler."
We arrived with tears of laughter streaming down our cheeks.
JP
FF/EMT-D; Dive Rescue Team