Information related to emergency vehicles and their operation.
A message in my inbox requests that I discuss what a volunteer firefighter plate signifies when displayed on a personal vehicle. The reader suggests letting them by if they seem in a rush. A volunteer firefighter is not permitted to drive in excess of the posted speed limit so this courtesy could make the difference of minutes for them to respond to a call.
B,C.'s Slow Down, Move Over law came into effect over two decades ago. When an official vehicle is stopped at the side of the highway and displaying flashing lights, red, blue or yellow, approaching traffic is required to slow down and move over. The law is meant to provide a safe workspace for the emergency and roadside workers.
One of the drawbacks of traffic calming measures can be the effect that they have on the response time of emergency vehicles, particularly fire apparatus because of their size. This does not have to be the case as well-conceived traffic calming techniques and traditional neighbourhood street design can accommodate the needs of emergency responders while creating safe and livable neighbourhoods.
QUESTION: I am concerned about the delineators that have been added to both sides of 96th Avenue in Langley. I recently witnessed a situation where an emergency vehicle was stuck behind heavy traffic that was unable to pull over to allow the emergency vehicle to pass. What is the point in this? How are the drivers supposed to react under these circumstances?
When there is a fire, we need firefighters to get there as quickly as possible. Literally, seconds count. Once on scene, they need a safe working area so that they can concentrate on saving lives and putting out the fire without having traffic interfere. Our Motor Vehicle Act provides for both situations.
When a crash occurs on multiple laned highways in B.C., drivers tend to stop in the same lane position that they use when driving. This often creates significant difficulties for emergency services, large fire department vehicles in particular, because there is no space for them to drive to the scene. Time lost to making way can come at a significant cost to the victims involved.
The rain is pounding down outside this morning as I sit looking out my livingroom window with tablet and coffee in hand. I'm warm and dry enjoying the idea that being retired means I am no longer on the highway investigating collisions in this weather. Of course, Murphy was listening...
The C.F.S.E.U. was in the news this week, probably not in the way they would have liked. You may have seen the dash cam videos from Richmond showing a number of vehicles apparently brazenly running red lights. The story hit the news amid amazed comments about how bad drivers were becoming in the Lower Mainland.
All freeways in BC appear to have cross over sections that connect the separated highways. These sections all have do not enter signs on each side. What type of vehicle or driver is permitted to enter these sections of the highway?
Sirens! I'm being overtaken by an ambulance on the way to a call. Signal, move out of the right lane onto the shoulder and stop. Traffic around me seems to be well aware today too as they are doing much the same thing.