Emergency Services

[donkey22]

I’m calling OP out on this claim too. Absolutely nothing online about ambulances not being allowed to speed or go through red lights when on an emergency call.
Maybe Said can clear this up by providing the source for this claim?

[gsgsgs]

Sounds daft enough to be true.

I suppose we might as well get rid of the bright lights and noisy sirens as well, stop overtaking and I suppose remove the signage.

This post;

Chris R
My daughter was taken the the hospital last night i an ambulance, it travelled the whole 4 miles at 20 mph, couldn't believe it



appears to support the claim.

Our "woke" lunacy is racking up victims.

I'd guess many factors determine the speed an ambulance will travel at, the reason the ambulance was called, how long was spent in the patients house carrying out tests, proximity to the hospital, waiting time at the hospital, highly trained paramedics can carry out many tests, triage the patient enroute to save time on arrival, If needed can adjust the speed if the patients condition determines it.

[Alikado]

I’m calling OP out on this claim too. Absolutely nothing online about ambulances not being allowed to speed or go through red lights when on an emergency call.
Maybe Said can clear this up by providing the source for this claim?

Doubtful

[gsgsgs]

I’m calling OP out on this claim too. Absolutely nothing online about ambulances not being allowed to speed or go through red lights when on an emergency call.
Maybe Said can clear this up by providing the source for this claim?

You'll be lucky.

[bensherman]

I love the lunatic idea of an ambulance going slowly so as to be "woke"..

Is this meant to be a joke?

[donkey22]

I love the lunatic idea of an ambulance going slowly so as to be "woke"..

Is this meant to be a joke?

Loco is becoming more and more like Piers Morgan every day.
‘The toaster burnt my toast this morning, it’s woke!’
‘My imaginary bike got a puncture, it’s bloody woke!’

[local]

Or just right..............



I get great comfort from that alliance,

thick as two short-thinking planks

[silver fox]

If an ambulance is on an emergency call blue lights and sirens will be used and they will travel as quickly as they can, in other circumstances they have to drive within speed limits, just any other vehicle.

No emergency vehicles will travel on lights and sirens without due cause, clearly the case quoted was not regarded as an immediate threat to life.

[said]

Since when?

Originally Answered: How fast can an ambulance legally drive in the UK?
As fast as the vehicle can safely manage, which to be fair isn’t that fast, you won’t see them going back in time for instance.
They are heavy, with lots of equipment and other aspects which means they can’t accelerate away from you and they steer like a cow. The drivers have to really be on their game to safely get it through traffic, I couldn’t do it.
Bear in mind the sort of environments they need to operate in, no nice clear straight runs avoiding the bottlenecks. They usually have to enter those places because that’s where the incident has occurred.

[gsgsgs]

When an ambulance has to respond to a 999 call, it is no longer allowed to run red lights and the driver has to keep within the speed limits.

Do you agree with that?

I believe strongly that when there is a true need for a life saving emergency, then that should take priority over any other motorist/pedestrian on the road because they have full warning of an approaching emergency vehicle. Every effort should be taken to save the lives of those who did not get the chance of a prior warning.

Originally Answered: How fast can an ambulance legally drive in the UK?
As fast as the vehicle can safely manage, which to be fair isn’t that fast, you won’t see them going back in time for instance.
They are heavy, with lots of equipment and other aspects which means they can’t accelerate away from you and they steer like a cow. The drivers have to really be on their game to safely get it through traffic, I couldn’t do it.
Bear in mind the sort of environments they need to operate in, no nice clear straight runs avoiding the bottlenecks. They usually have to enter those places because that’s where the incident has occurred.

Where does that C&P confirm your original post, whose Ralph?

From the AA, perhaps a more reliable source.

"Police officers, paramedics, firefighters and other emergency responders are subject to the same rules of the road as any other driver. And even if they're responding to a 999 call, they must still drive with the same care and attention as anyone else.

But in an emergency, they are allowed to drive in ways that aren't consistent with the law, like exceed the speed limit, pass red lights and drive on the hard shoulder. In unusual road situations they may even drive on the wrong side of the road. Time, for them, is a crucial factor."

[Hamble]

The most likely explanation is some patients have complicated medical history.
In a non emergency deciding which hospital to take a patient at that time on that day is important and a decision taken whilst on a slow drive to all options still open.

Ambulance staff can and do take advice make arrangements ahead whilst on the journey.

[Blackrock]

Originally Answered: How fast can an ambulance legally drive in the UK?
They are heavy, with lots of equipment and other aspects which means they can’t accelerate away from you and they steer like a cow. The drivers have to really be on their game to safely get it through traffic, I couldn’t do it.

Back in the 70's/early 80's, I was working in an Army medical centre and had to drive a Bedford J1 Ambulance on occasion. It was a right heavy bi*** to drive and took about 5 mins to get it up to a reasonable speed. A nightmare to drive through London.