Probably should put some push bars on those ambulances and give them permission to get things out of the way.
Though it should be noted the root cause of the issue is car first infrastructure which likely contributed to the accident to begin with.
If ambulances were able and allowed to push other vehicles out of the way, then there would be a chance that Americans would leave a corridor in traffic jams to keep from getting shoved aside.
Definitely. Now that I think about it, a separate vehicle to do the shoving would save the patient from getting bumped around.
But then, there would need to be more ambulances following along to pick up people who get injured because all the imaginary cars getting shoved out of the way are occupied.
People get out of the way for emergency vehicles where I’m from. I’ve seen what you’re describing in NYC and I don’t really like being grouped with them.
I think the person above is referring to the law in Germany (and maybe other EU countries?) where if traffic slows to a stop on a highway everyone pulls to the side (right lane to the right, left lane to the left) to leave a corridor down the center just in case an emergency vehicle comes. It’s called Rettungsgasse.
The ambulance apparently chose not to pass on the right in the lanes that were moving because of policy or something like that. I know where I live stopping where you are at is what you are supposed to do, so this one really seem slide it might be misleading anti self driving sensationalism.
It still has a long way to go, but stopping for emergency vehicles really sounds like it was working as designed to follow the laws.
Too bad ambulances don’t have a massive wall of flashing lights or something that would make them noticeable.
Better on left doesn’t mean never on right. What about when a human does the same thing?
Be interesting to see exactly what the traffic patterns looked like. There’s the set of driving regulations that generally say we should make way for emergency vehicles, but not if it requires ignoring another regulation. For example, if you’re stopped at a red light and an emergency vehicle approaches from behind, law says you wait for the light to turn green, then proceed when safe. Real drivers will run that light, hop a curb, make an illegal u-turn, etc. to make space, and nobodies going to get ticket for that, but it they are technically still violations.
I also think the comparison shouldn’t necessarily be against a typical driver, but a novice one, who doesn’t always respond correctly to an uncommon situation.
I noted that too. Sounds like corporate bullshit.
“Well, another lanes was moving so it could have gone around, also, if the patient had just taken an med flight helicopter this wouldn’t have happened.”
Like so what another lane is moving. Would the ambo have to back up and do a K turn to get around the glitched car?
This topic has come up at work several times. What’s funny is each time it does everyone gets excited about the possibility of it happening to them on a critical call.
Our ambulances are built on 4x4 capable F-350 chassis and we’re all union firefighters/medics. It feels like the 21st century version of “car blocking a hydrant”.
Seems to me that improving infrastructure would then make autonomous driving easier, even if the goal is to help human drivers.
