Why is it

[Cat]

If Redflex has the ability to take a photo of you running a red light, why can't ambulances be fixed with a dashboard camera for morons that refuse to move out of the way???

Surely it's been discussed? My husband and I often have this rant/discussion whenever we see an ambulance so I figured I'd ask here.

 

[noblethewhite]

If Redflex has the ability to take a photo of you running a red light, why can't ambulances be fixed with a dashboard camera for morons that refuse to move out of the way???

Surely it's been discussed? My husband and I often have this rant/discussion whenever we see an ambulance so I figured I'd ask here.

Not quite sure, but good point.

 

[TDH]

If Redflex has the ability to take a photo of you running a red light, why can't ambulances be fixed with a dashboard camera for morons that refuse to move out of the way???

Surely it's been discussed? My husband and I often have this rant/discussion whenever we see an ambulance so I figured I'd ask here.

I would imagine it's because Redflex is a contractor and do not operate ambulances. From what I can tell they operate their own equipment and have their own employees. Taking untrained EMT's and making them responsible for something other than trying to care for the patient and get them to the hospital ASAP seems foolish and negligent.

Also I doubt the fines for that alone would bring a sufficient amount of money to pay for the cost of the equipment. If you saw the picture of the back of the redflex vehicle I posted in another thread they have a lot of equipment that takes up a lot of space and an ambulance would probably have to be redesigned to acoomadate it.

Think of how often you see someone run a light and then how many times you see someone impede the movement of an ambulance. I have not seen anyone purposely block an ambulance in god knows how long, but see several people a day run lights.

 

[BEAU]

what if there's a red light camera and you're at the light... and an ambulance is behind you? do you run it? do you take the ticket? do you sit there because you cant afford to pay a ticket? is it the same situation when there's a patrol car behind you with the strobes / siren on?

 

[TDH]

what if there's a red light camera and you're at the light... and an ambulance is behind you? do you run it? do you take the ticket? do you sit there because you cant afford to pay a ticket? is it the same situation when there's a patrol car behind you with the strobes / siren on?

They monitor the cameras and the have video. I'm sure the person reviewing the infraction wouldn't ticket you for moving out of the way for an ambulance.

 

[Cat]

I guess so... But it just pisses me off when an ambulance can't move.

 

[TDH]

I guess so... But it just pisses me off when an ambulance can't move.

I have no inside knowledge and am just speculating. I have been wrong on more than one account. That was just my opinion on why they don't have them in ambulances. Plus the equipment is used stationary. They aren't traveling when they use it.

 

[BobKaro]

Yeah, I don't think it would be very practical. Also, at Acadian we're a private company and have no authority in law enforcement. I don't know how it would work with a municiple service.

As far as an ambulance being stuck at an intersection? Don't go into the intersection to let us pass. You aren't supposed to and we aren't supposed to try and force you to. We can actually be found at fault if it's found you were "bullied" into the intersection. It's better just to wait for green and move foward if you're in front and stay where you're at if you're on the side.

 

[spanky]

what if there's a red light camera and you're at the light... and an ambulance is behind you? do you run it? do you take the ticket? do you sit there because you cant afford to pay a ticket? is it the same situation when there's a patrol car behind you with the strobes / siren on?

move your ass out of the way (as long as it's safe). i doubt anyone will care that you run a red light and pull over to the side to let an ambulance through. i've done it several times.

 

[jimdana1942]

If Redflex has the ability to take a photo of you running a red light, why can't ambulances be fixed with a dashboard camera for morons that refuse to move out of the way???

Surely it's been discussed? My husband and I often have this rant/discussion whenever we see an ambulance so I figured I'd ask here.

What's a moron?

Why did the little Moron bury his step mother under the floor?
So he could sing, "I'm walking the floor over You", and old Ernest Tubb hit.

Why did the Moron drink a bottle of mercurechrome?
So he would have Technicolor dreams.

 

[Cat]

I'm glad we had an ambulance driver and/or paramedic chime in.

I was thinking closer to the cameras similar to the LEO cars. Instead of video, just a quick hit of a button, they (the driver) can tag your license plate.

Intersections are tricky. I understand that. If I'm west/east bound, I make sure the north/south bound lanes have also stopped before I slowly (sorta) move out of the way.

It's those times that people seem to stop and don't move forward in the middle of a highway, no lights, no stop sign... just rubbernecking I guess. It just one of my pet peeves.

I didn't know that other emergency vehicles did not have any legal authority. I figured if you impede an emergency vehicle in any situation, you're at fault.


Just an idle question.

 

[BobKaro]

I'm glad we had an ambulance driver and/or paramedic chime in.

I was thinking closer to the cameras similar to the LEO cars. Instead of video, just a quick hit of a button, they (the driver) can tag your license plate.

Intersections are tricky. I understand that. If I'm west/east bound, I make sure the north/south bound lanes have also stopped before I slowly (sorta) move out of the way.

It's those times that people seem to stop and don't move forward in the middle of a highway, no lights, no stop sign... just rubbernecking I guess. It just one of my pet peeves.

I didn't know that other emergency vehicles did not have any legal authority. I figured if you impede an emergency vehicle in any situation, you're at fault.


Just an idle question.

I don't mean that we don't have any authority to use our lights and cross against red, move against traffic or anything like that. I just mean we don't have any authority to enforce the laws.

 

[shoalsfugro]

http://www.cenlamedia.com/alb/index.php/site/article/move-over-law/

http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop09005/move_over.htm
louisiana is a move over state

 

[BEAU]

move your ass out of the way (as long as it's safe). i doubt anyone will care that you run a red light and pull over to the side to let an ambulance through. i've done it several times.

I have and will continue to do so I just hope we're not ticketed for an act of courtesy by a traffic camera when we're put in this particular situation. If the cameras are closely monitored as stated previously, I don't think we'll have a problem.

 

[charlie12]

I was thinking closer to the cameras similar to the LEO cars. Instead of video, just a quick hit of a button, they (the driver) can tag your license plate.

Just think if that LEO unit cam recorded every illegal move it made.