I really like the policy of reducing the response when faced with a red light and no clear path. It's a wise policy. The emergencies we respond to are rarely so critical that it is worth putting other lives in jeopardy. Back in my days as a street paramedic I saw lots of close calls and more than a few crashes from drivers busting a red light to get out of my way. I wish traffic signal preemption had been an option in my day… but not nearly as much as I wish I'd had a power lift stretcher!
@@PBMS123 The policy only applies to certain calls. Same when cops make decisions to call off chases if no one's in danger why chase and in this case if no one's not in serious trouble why create it.
@@militaryedits8688 in most places chases aren't decided by the cops doing the chasing. There's usually police supervisor who ends being the chase coordinator/supervisor and he has final say over whether they continue.
@@militaryedits8688 the supervisor is 100% in charge and makes the decision in a pursuit no matter where he is at the time of the pursuit. If you listen to a pursuit you will hear a officer calling out the speed, if the traffic is busy or not, and if the person is driving reckless putting alot of people's lives in danger.
In the UK, turning off the sirens at blocked junctions lets drivers know that the emergency vehicle knows the light is red, or is blocked, and generally drivers will take more cautious efforts to move aside or change lanes, if possible. The fact most of these cars, even in massive US lanes, didn't move at all, is strange... especially when traffic is required to pull over and stop in both directions in general flow (even if you're going the opposite direction and not in the way at all).
Living in Europe too, if I saw a firetruck turn their siren *off* behind me, I'd assume the emergency is over (the victim is dead, the building collapsed, another unit has responded, it was a false alarm, whatever) and not move
Code lowered so traffic doesn't go through the intersection, never heard that before, I think it's utterly ridiculous but if it works for them, good enough
because if we, fire/EMS, basically 'force' a driver out into an intersection on a red light because we keep blaring our sirens and honking the horns at them then they get struck by another vehicle proceeding through the intersection, it is our fault 100%. So how is that ridiculous?
Firemedic10584 Much lower response time, drivers gotta be on the lookout for emergency traffic. The driver at the front doesn’t have to barge through, just slowly advance so as to get the attention of oncoming drivers and make them stop, and once they have, proceed to a side. Plus, sirens have to be audible enough to be heard by any approaching vehicle. Idk man it doesn’t click to be waiting 40s on every other traffic light when you’re running to a cardiac arrest.
Bad Drivers Of The NorCal Area your reply is ignorant and obviously you are not a first responder. If we “drive like we own the road” just because we’re responding to a call, that will surely end up bad eventually. We don’t push traffic through and intersection because drivers panic. They will floor it and if they get T-boned while doing so and end up being killed, that is our fault. If you read any kind of statistics, you’d know they 90-95% of medical calls, nation wide, are not true emergencies. I will not push a motorist into an intersection to get to someone who’s leg has been sore for three weeks and risk getting someone killed on the way. I do agree with you in a true emergency, seconds count and there are times we will go into opposing traffic. But pushing cars through an intersection is dangerous and just unsafe driving practices as an emergency responder. Oh, and if you ever get the chance to sue an EMS service because they had to stop at a red light, please let me know how that works out for you..
Code is lowered but their emergency lights are still on. Doesn't that still confuse people? If I saw flashing red/clear lights behind me I would get out of the way regardless of their not being a siren going. This just seems confusing as hell.
@@tgm9991 Intelligence has nothing to do with behaviour when faced with an emergency vehicle. The thought process is not a long and well considered one, it is quick and has little attention to total logic.
In the UK, turning off the sirens at blocked junctions lets drivers know that the emergency vehicle knows the light is red, or is blocked, and generally drivers will take more cautious efforts to move aside or change lanes, if possible. The fact most of these cars, even in massive US lanes, didn't move at all, is strange... especially when traffic is required to pull over and stop in both directions in general flow (even if you're going the opposite direction and not in the way at all).
Wait - they just sit and wait at a red light? If any EMS vehicle is approaching an intersection here in Germany, the cars form either a lane or clear the way by driving against the red light under extreme caution. At some intersections, where an automatic red light control is installed, any car detected "ignoring" red to clear the path for an EMS vehicle is free of fine.
Red means stop because either other cars or pedestrians have the right of way so forcing civilian traffic to clear the intersection is just asking for trouble
You mean in Germany they are SUPPOSED to act this way. We both know that most people don't know that they are allowed to pass a red light to clear the way for a emergency vehicle behind them.
At last! I have a proof that I'm not getting paranoid! I witness an unmarked vehicle just approached an intersection just turn red, the suddenly turned green, the unmarked vehicle just passed thru, then the green turned yellow to red quickly after.
At 2:30, is it normal for traffic in the US not to clear a path for emergency vehicles? In Germany, if there is a pile up of cars in front of emergency vehicles, you must move out of the way (even if it means passing a red light), to make way-
+EACCyclonit Same rule applies in the US. Cars must move out of the way for emergency vehicles, hence no one wants to run the red lights, even if emergency vehicles are behind you......
Nape Lazam because red means stop. Lol I guess they're afraid. In some municipalities like the one shown, apparently the response policy at a blocked light is to reduce code and wait. Kinda silly, but safer.
A big difference is the level of driving education required for a license between Germany and the US. Most places in the US require very little if any instruction before getting a license at 16. Where I grew up, it was an optional 2 week course that lowered your insurance costs. If I recall correctly, in Germany it's a required course that is more than a month and comprehensively goes over driving laws and protocols. It's magnificent to watch videos of German fire and EMS fly through traffic jams because EVERYBODY knows how to respond. In the US, most people (not all) have heard "Move right for sirens and lights" which isn't always the fastest or safest way, but there's no universal driving course to teach everybody the proper way to yield in different situations, such as a blocked light on red.
Some city's if a department is responding code, Police fire or EMS, etc once the responding code approaches the light The intersection traffic lights will turn red that an emergency vehicle is approaching
Those in our areas are siren activated, for this exact reason, any emergency vehicle can trigger it, astronomically expensive infared emitters notwithstanding. Mutual aid companies from non signalled or equipped departments aren’t hindered by non responsive signals.
Рік тому
What the heck. Why they don't make space for emergency vehicle like in Europe?
3:56 Nevada & Frances it says opticom not in use, yet there looks to be opticom sensors and beacons on the mast arms of the signals, why went they activated?
@Rowdy yeah, maybe if you do it in front of a cop. They don't transmit any signal to anywhere, it's just a particular flashing light that triggers it. They can't track you. Learned a bit more since asking.
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I really like the policy of reducing the response when faced with a red light and no clear path. It's a wise policy.
The emergencies we respond to are rarely so critical that it is worth putting other lives in jeopardy. Back in my days as a street paramedic I saw lots of close calls and more than a few crashes from drivers busting a red light to get out of my way.
I wish traffic signal preemption had been an option in my day… but not nearly as much as I wish I'd had a power lift stretcher!
cardiac arrest would be that critical.
@@PBMS123 The policy only applies to certain calls. Same when cops make decisions to call off chases if no one's in danger why chase and in this case if no one's not in serious trouble why create it.
@@militaryedits8688 in most places chases aren't decided by the cops doing the chasing. There's usually police supervisor who ends being the chase coordinator/supervisor and he has final say over whether they continue.
@@PBMS123 No police supervise is gonna dictate anything happening on the road unless he's their, and last I checked their cops.
@@militaryedits8688 the supervisor is 100% in charge and makes the decision in a pursuit no matter where he is at the time of the pursuit. If you listen to a pursuit you will hear a officer calling out the speed, if the traffic is busy or not, and if the person is driving reckless putting alot of people's lives in danger.
In the UK, turning off the sirens at blocked junctions lets drivers know that the emergency vehicle knows the light is red, or is blocked, and generally drivers will take more cautious efforts to move aside or change lanes, if possible.
The fact most of these cars, even in massive US lanes, didn't move at all, is strange... especially when traffic is required to pull over and stop in both directions in general flow (even if you're going the opposite direction and not in the way at all).
Living in Europe too, if I saw a firetruck turn their siren *off* behind me, I'd assume the emergency is over (the victim is dead, the building collapsed, another unit has responded, it was a false alarm, whatever) and not move
This is really cool. I always wondered but never really knew how this worked.
Nice ride-along to show me how traffic signal pre-emption works.
Code lowered so traffic doesn't go through the intersection, never heard that before, I think it's utterly ridiculous but if it works for them, good enough
because if we, fire/EMS, basically 'force' a driver out into an intersection on a red light because we keep blaring our sirens and honking the horns at them then they get struck by another vehicle proceeding through the intersection, it is our fault 100%. So how is that ridiculous?
Firemedic10584 Much lower response time, drivers gotta be on the lookout for emergency traffic. The driver at the front doesn’t have to barge through, just slowly advance so as to get the attention of oncoming drivers and make them stop, and once they have, proceed to a side. Plus, sirens have to be audible enough to be heard by any approaching vehicle. Idk man it doesn’t click to be waiting 40s on every other traffic light when you’re running to a cardiac arrest.
Firemedic10584 just go into oncoming traffic and slowdown. I see it all the time and they always get through
Bad Drivers Of The NorCal Area your reply is ignorant and obviously you are not a first responder. If we “drive like we own the road” just because we’re responding to a call, that will surely end up bad eventually. We don’t push traffic through and intersection because drivers panic. They will floor it and if they get T-boned while doing so and end up being killed, that is our fault. If you read any kind of statistics, you’d know they 90-95% of medical calls, nation wide, are not true emergencies. I will not push a motorist into an intersection to get to someone who’s leg has been sore for three weeks and risk getting someone killed on the way. I do agree with you in a true emergency, seconds count and there are times we will go into opposing traffic. But pushing cars through an intersection is dangerous and just unsafe driving practices as an emergency responder. Oh, and if you ever get the chance to sue an EMS service because they had to stop at a red light, please let me know how that works out for you..
I push through, they usually turn to the sides.
[ME]
We have that in Minnesota. I think its so darn cool!!
Code is lowered but their emergency lights are still on. Doesn't that still confuse people? If I saw flashing red/clear lights behind me I would get out of the way regardless of their not being a siren going. This just seems confusing as hell.
Without the noise of the siren people are less likely to do something stupid
@@tgm9991 Intelligence has nothing to do with behaviour when faced with an emergency vehicle.
The thought process is not a long and well considered one, it is quick and has little attention to total logic.
In the UK, turning off the sirens at blocked junctions lets drivers know that the emergency vehicle knows the light is red, or is blocked, and generally drivers will take more cautious efforts to move aside or change lanes, if possible.
The fact most of these cars, even in massive US lanes, didn't move at all, is strange... especially when traffic is required to pull over and stop in both directions in general flow (even if you're going the opposite direction and not in the way at all).
Wait - they just sit and wait at a red light?
If any EMS vehicle is approaching an intersection here in Germany, the cars form either a lane or clear the way by driving against the red light under extreme caution. At some intersections, where an automatic red light control is installed, any car detected "ignoring" red to clear the path for an EMS vehicle is free of fine.
Red means stop because either other cars or pedestrians have the right of way so forcing civilian traffic to clear the intersection is just asking for trouble
You mean in Germany they are SUPPOSED to act this way. We both know that most people don't know that they are allowed to pass a red light to clear the way for a emergency vehicle behind them.
@@tgm9991 And flashing blue lights + a loud siren means caution in what ever the fuck you do. No trouble if people know how to act.
Wow, big difference! All traffic cleared out of your way long before arrival. What is the distance the emitters will activate preemption?
steelswarfs I’m not sure, from the look of it somewhere between 500 and 1000 feet
In ideal scenarios where there are no obstructions and everything is aimed correctly, they will activate around 1500 feet.
At last! I have a proof that I'm not getting paranoid! I witness an unmarked vehicle just approached an intersection just turn red, the suddenly turned green, the unmarked vehicle just passed thru, then the green turned yellow to red quickly after.
Adding an Opticom system to increase response times and then stopping at red lights anyway seems counter intuitive. Go around.
Late but they slow down in case someone runs the red light
The only time they stop is at intersections without the opticom installed! When activated they can typically run code the whole way👍💯
In AR,sirens continue at blocked intersections
At 2:30, is it normal for traffic in the US not to clear a path for emergency vehicles? In Germany, if there is a pile up of cars in front of emergency vehicles, you must move out of the way (even if it means passing a red light), to make way-
+EACCyclonit Same rule applies in the US. Cars must move out of the way for emergency vehicles, hence no one wants to run the red lights, even if emergency vehicles are behind you......
why dont they wanna drive over a red light?
Nape Lazam because red means stop. Lol
I guess they're afraid.
In some municipalities like the one shown, apparently the response policy at a blocked light is to reduce code and wait.
Kinda silly, but safer.
problems are still some humans who are not smart enough ;) it's time for autonomous vehicles and driving a car at your own should be forbidden.
A big difference is the level of driving education required for a license between Germany and the US. Most places in the US require very little if any instruction before getting a license at 16. Where I grew up, it was an optional 2 week course that lowered your insurance costs. If I recall correctly, in Germany it's a required course that is more than a month and comprehensively goes over driving laws and protocols. It's magnificent to watch videos of German fire and EMS fly through traffic jams because EVERYBODY knows how to respond. In the US, most people (not all) have heard "Move right for sirens and lights" which isn't always the fastest or safest way, but there's no universal driving course to teach everybody the proper way to yield in different situations, such as a blocked light on red.
Some city's if a department is responding code, Police fire or EMS, etc once the responding code approaches the light The intersection traffic lights will turn red that an emergency vehicle is approaching
in fact, all 3 of the intersections labeled non opticom have them, except for the first one.
+JMAN123436 Not all of our apparatus had opticom transmitters installed at the time.
Those in our areas are siren activated, for this exact reason, any emergency vehicle can trigger it, astronomically expensive infared emitters notwithstanding. Mutual aid companies from non signalled or equipped departments aren’t hindered by non responsive signals.
What the heck. Why they don't make space for emergency vehicle like in Europe?
3:56 Nevada & Frances it says opticom not in use, yet there looks to be opticom sensors and beacons on the mast arms of the signals, why went they activated?
They turned off the transmission to show the difference in how long it takes to get through the intersections with and without it.
wolffriendinus dangerous test....unless this was only a demo run.
A comment from the OP said that those vehicles didn't have Opticom transmitters installed yet
Is it possible for regular people to get their grubby little mits on these things?
@Rowdy yeah, maybe if you do it in front of a cop. They don't transmit any signal to anywhere, it's just a particular flashing light that triggers it. They can't track you. Learned a bit more since asking.
@Rowdy and if you do it in front of a cop, you kind of just deserve a free ride to jail.
I would think it’s a type of laser like LiDAR.
This proves nothing, I've managed 10 green lights just going the posted speed limit.
This is the first time i've seen firetruck with alternate sound horn outside of gta games, man the people at francis and maple sucks.
4:38 Francis and maple, also has opticom sensors on mast arm. why?
3:57 4:22 Whelen Epsilon?
Sounds like
How ridiculous. If it is a PURPLE: Respiratory Arrest/Cardiac Arrest, every second counts. This is a stupid law.
What do you mean? Opticom is helping reduce seconds in response times, delivery critical emergency care quicker!
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Easy for you to say, but you still shouldn't talk like that as there could be minors reading the comments.