Clearing the way for an ambulance (Germany)

[Heel n Toe]

Can we get this going here in the ol' USA?



Moving pitcher version: https://imgur.com/gallery/S87YAcT

[freeform911]

NO.....it'd make to much sense 😁

[rwest]

If they just stayed in the lanes, couldn’t the ambulance drive on the shoulder?

[petrolhead611]

Ambulance,Fire,Police: in UK even the most selfish b's get out of the way for the emergency vehicles

[ckelly78z]

There would still be last minute cheaters driving down the middle lane in America. Way too many selfish people who have no respct for the law, or others.

[Geronimo '74]

Ambulance coming, everybody moves over.
Smart people start tailing the ambulance and make up for time lost
(Don’t do this with police vehicles...)

[Tervuren]

Originally Posted by rwest

If they just stayed in the lanes, couldn’t the ambulance drive on the shoulder?

The shoulder generally has more debris.

I would say this seems to be a stopped situation rather than a U.S. style traffic jam.

[Tobra]

Originally Posted by Geronimo '74

Ambulance coming, everybody moves over.
Smart people start tailing the ambulance and make up for time lost
(Don’t do this with police vehicles...)

this is what I do

Not that many brake lights for them being stopped, just moving slow.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by petrolhead611

Ambulance,Fire,Police: in UK even the most selfish b's get out of the way for the emergency vehicles

I remember it being like that here in the US. These days, I'll pull over and stop until they go by, and watch other folks keep going, not get out of the way or following really closely.

[kach22i]

The shoulders of their roads look way cleaner than ours.

I did not know they had to go to the shoulders in an emergency situation such as grid lock traffic jam.

What is a Rettungsgasse?
How to form a Rettungsgasse (emergency lane) in Austria

If you find yourself driving down a motorway in Vienna, you’ll likely spot signs that mention a “Rettungsgasse”.

This is a temporary lane or corridor for the emergency services to use. Austrian law requires vehicles on motorways or dual carriageways to create such a corridor when in a traffic jam or a jam seems imminent.

Those signs are simply a reminder of this obligation.

Die Rettungsgasse rettet Leben
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1UbZFYuPEE


And here is when theory meets failure in practice.


Katastrophe Rettungsgasse! - 2x FuStW Autobahnpolizei Düsseldorf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDTmxDEnPGc

[Rick Lee]

They have that in Austria too. The road signs everywhere read, "Hier gilt die Rettungsgasse!" or "The rescue lane applies here!" But remember that most of the highways there are two lanes in each direction, while they're 4-8 lanes in each direction in the US. It's much more chaotic here and lanes are never enforced by police. So I don't see this ever working in the US.

[widgeon13]

It's too logical for drivers in the states, we're just way too selfish.

I lived in Germany in the early 70's, most autobahn accidents didn't leave much to go into an ambulance.

Even back then I did marvel at the discipline most German drivers demonstrated. They would never pass you on the right and if you saw blinking lights in the rearview, you got to the right, quickly.

[Bill Douglas]

Originally Posted by petrolhead611

Ambulance,Fire,Police: in UK even the most selfish b's get out of the way for the emergency vehicles

Around New Zealand too. We move right out of the way. In city streets we move over leaving the indicator (blinker) on and foot on the brake to show the brake lights so the emergency vehicle drive knows you are not going to drive out in front of him.

It seems people from Asia won't get out of their way, but we kindly advise them of local customs.

[CurtEgerer]

If people in the US don't move over when an ambulance is on their bumper with lights and sirens blaring ... there's no chance they would think ahead and clear a path just in case.

I was in stopped traffic last week. 3-lanes, dead stop. Here comes an ambulance about a half-mile back. His only option is the shoulder. But there're cars on the shoulder too trying to either get a look at what stopped the traffic or gain some sort of advantage in traffic. So the ambulance is running through the grass drainage swale

[Captain Ahab Jr]

Originally Posted by petrolhead611

Ambulance,Fire,Police: in UK even the most selfish b's get out of the way for the emergency vehicles

Was in morning rush hour yesterday, people were driving onto the grass verges to get out the way

My house to hospital on a combination of winding B roads and fast A roads when clear of traffic, Google Maps 39 mins, my emergency ambulance ride late on a Sun night 25 mins

Met the crew to say thank you, found out trainee paramedic was sick in the back and the ambulance driver raced cars on her weekends off

[FastFrog]

First time I got stuck in traffic here I noticed the left lane pull to the median to create an open lane. It took about 30 seconds to see it made total sense. I think they leave the shoulder open for cars exiting the autobahn.

[wdfifteen]

"This is a temporary lane or corridor for the emergency services to use. Austrian law requires vehicles on motorways or dual carriageways to create such a corridor when in a traffic jam or a jam seems imminent."

Good luck getting US drivers to do that. "I'm a taxpayer and I can drive anyplace I damn well please!" Like 55 mph in the passing lane of a highway.

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by petrolhead611

Ambulance,Fire,Police:

And funerals. Good luck with that these days. Seems like many have no clue.