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news
WMAS ambulance (licensed CC BY SA 2.0 by Lydia on Flickr).jpgWest Midlands Ambulance Service rejects cyclist’s claim emergency response vehicle was being driven dangerously (+ link to video)
West Midlands Ambulance Service has rejected a cyclist’s claim that one of its vehicles deployed in response to an emergency was being driven dangerously, and insists he should have pulled over to let it pass him.
A video originally posted to social media and now appearing on the Metro.co.uk website shows the ambulance, with lights flashing and siren on, being driven in the right-hand lane of a dual carriageway just before a roundabout.
Birmingham cyclist Ian Hunter, who capture the footage on his rear-facing camera, continued through the roundabout, with the video showing how ambulance driver turning left behind him at the junction.
Mr Hunter, aged 47 and who works as a bus inspector, said on Twitter: “I was riding a road bike along Fort Park way travelling towards Castle Vale.
“I heard the ambulance coming and I looked behind me and it was on my off side.
“I allowed room for the ambulance to pass on my o/s however the ambulance then cut across two lanes nearly colliding with me.”
He continued: “The ambulance then sounded the siren at me and the driver gesticulating for me to move.
“Where could I possibly go I was already going forward if I had stopped he would have hit me. And most likely would have driven off.”
One Twitter user replied: “Love how you could [have] stopped earlier but despite hearing sirens carried on over the junction irresponsible and stupid I'd be ashamed to share this video.”
In response, Mr Hunter said: “Highway Code is for all road users if you have a vehicle on your right it clearly means it is going straight over.
“You think it is acceptable to cut in front of two lanes of traffic to turn left!!!
“They are not above the law and the law is clear.
“You must have been the driver,” he added.
While ambulance drivers responding to an emergency can claim exemptions from certain road traffic laws such as speed limits, there is no exemption in cases or dangerous driving.
Meanwhile, Rule 219 of the Highway Code provides guidance to road users about what to do when they become aware of the presence of a vehicle responding to an emergency. It reads:
Emergency and Incident Support vehicles. You should look and listen for ambulances, fire engines, police, doctors or other emergency vehicles using flashing blue, red or green lights and sirens or flashing headlights, or traffic officer and incident support vehicles using flashing amber lights.
When one approaches do not panic.
Consider the route of such a vehicle and take appropriate action to let it pass, while complying with all traffic signs. If necessary, pull to the side of the road and stop, but try to avoid stopping before the brow of a hill, a bend or narrow section of road.
Do not endanger yourself, other road users or pedestrians and avoid mounting the kerb.
Do not brake harshly on approach to a junction or roundabout, as a following vehicle may not have the same view as you.
A spokesperson for the West Midlands Ambulance Service commented: “After reviewing the Trust’s own CCTV footage from the ambulance, the cyclist should have stopped at the traffic roundabout to allow the ambulance to pass unhindered.
“As an ambulance service we advise members of the public to keep calm if you hear sirens or see flashing blue lights whilst driving or cycling and give yourself time to plan.
“If the emergency vehicle is behind you, pull over by clearly indicating your intention and stop where it’s safe to do so,” the spokesperson added.
“Please be patient by waiting for the emergency vehicle to pass.”
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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Cost! Lack of thought?
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47 comments
...but the cyclist's cycling wasn't in question and should be totally irrelevant to the ambulance driver's actions, either the driving was dangerous, or it wasn't, deflecting blame onto the vulnerable road user suggests to me that there was an element of sub-standard driving from the ambulance driver. Saying the cyclist is at fault is also an admission of that. The cyclist may have made the wrong choice in hindsight, but how was he supposed to know where the ambulance was going and maybe he didn't feel safe stopping where he was?
The cyclist is not likely to cause injury to the ambulance driver. Looks like fairly intimidating driving to me, blaring the horn and waving arms at close range. I see 80% of drivers make far worse decisions when emergency vehicles approach from behind, even saw it today when I let a police car past (I pulled into a side street).
It wasn't. HTH.
Not at all. There is no blame deflection because the ambulance driver did nothing wrong. Whatever you and others think I don't see the cyclist being endangered here, the ambulance never got anywhere near him. Meanwhile the cyclist could and should have stopped.
I pulled my car over for blue lights coming up fast behind me this morning... idiot in the car behind me overtook me and was almost rammed by the ambulance as he did so...
Congratulations Ian Hunter, you've done something unique here. I don't think I've ever before watched a video from a cyclist's onboard camera and thought they were definitively in the wrong. Not only should he have stopped to let the ambulance past, but the driver didn't endanger him at all - he clearly slowed down and waited for Ian to get out of the way before cutting across.
Yes, it is conventional for vehicles not to turn left from the right lane, but at our local traffic lights I regularly see ambulances using the right turn lane to go straight on. It's the sensible thing for ambulances to do when there is traffic blocking the correct lane for them to use - sensible drivers (and cyclists) stop and let ambulance drivers use the "wrong" lane, because it allows them to get where they're going quicker. Yes, the highway code applies to all drivers, but an ambulance driver can ignore some aspects of road use because the expectation is that other drivers will stop and get out of their way (clearly they can't rely on that and still have to give way, as happened here where Ian ignored the ambulance and rode straight on across its path).
If you're reading this Ian, stop and think for a minute whether what you did would be acceptable for a driver in a car - the fact the car in front of you stopped (the one you overtook) ought to give you a clue.
I agree. Looks to me like a mistake on the part of the cyclist. I get that he was probably rattled, confused and stressed in the roundabout with all that going on, but really, pulling in to the side would have been the best option instead of trying to get off at his turn.
If I were knocked down by some knob motorist I would like to think that other cyclists would be getting out of the way of the ambulance I was in.
I first thought the cyclist was wrong for not stopping sooner, but watching it again, I think the siren is only turned on as the ambulance passes the white van. At this point the rider has a split second decision to either slam the brakes on and hope he is not rear ended, or continue across the roundabout to get out of the way as quickly as possible.
Not having mirrors, it’s often harder to keep an eye on what’s going on behind you on a bike.
Regardless, I think it was a bit aggressive of the ambulance to approach the turn so quickly given the number of lanes it had to cut across. Emergency vehicles should only use high speed where safe to do so.
Are you really suggesting the ambulance didn't have the siren on until just before the roundabout?
Yes, it’s a possibility that the siren was only turned on just before the roundabout.
Clearly if the siren was on prior to this, the cyclist should have stopped sooner and got out of the way.
Cyclist could have stopped before entering the roundabout, no body's fault but their own
What an idiotic way to ride, you never know when you or family will need an ambulance so don’t hold them up.
Good grief that is embarassing.
What did he expect the ambulance to do- pull into the left hand lane and queue up to go round the roundabout so it was clear to him what was going on?
Blue lights and sirens- get out of the way!
Bit of a muppet assuming it was going straight over based on the fact it was on his right.
If there is anything with lots of flashing light coming up behind me (lets face it...we hear them well before most other traffic) I pull the F over and make sure they know I've seem them, try my hardest to give the driver one less thing to worry about.
cyclist in the wrong. Hear a siren, you pull over, stop, you get out of the way.
Cyclist should have stopped at the junction and Given way to the ambulance.
Ambulance could be traveling to a REAL emergency, and it dont matter who is in the right if somone is dying etc
Agree, he's what serves to justify in non cyclists minds the reputation we have as scofflaws.
No idea how he thought he could extrapolate where the ambulance was intending to exit the roundabout given it looks to be using the only available clear route to it. Also Ian seems to be alone in his assumption that the ambulance was going straight on since the cars were awaiting its passing.
Yep, ambulance was following only path through the traffic, defo should have let him pass before the roundabout.
Having looked at that a few times I'd say the cyclist was in the wrong.
He should have given way at the roundabout, as the grey car he passed seemed to be doing.
Agreed.
The cyclist appeared to move out of one lane and into the middle of the road as well, which is a little bizarre. On a bicycle, it's best just to pull over or stay tight with the traffic. I don't know why the cyclist overtook the grey car as he was joining the roundabout either, that's not a sensible thing today even if there isn't an ambulance behind.
It almost appears to be a lack of situational awareness on the cyclist's behalf.
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