Carryfast:
Zac_A:
The “blue light” training these guys do is pretty full-on, I’m confident they know what they’re doing, and I’m betting there’s at least one person on TN who has experience of that?
There seems to be an issue of them now being told to minimise use of audible warnings which can be lethal for all concerned at blind junctions.They generally approach them on just blue lights then use the noise too little and too late if at all.
It’s only ambulances doing it not fire or the law.
Absolutely nothing can excuse what this miscreant did he clearly has serious mental issues leaving the question of what he’ll do next.
Not sure where tou picked that up from, its certainly not the case for any NHS Emergency Ambulance Service. However i can testify from experience that some members of staff have no interest in driving and standards are not quite what youd expect. For this reason there is very slowly a system being introduced where you will have to requalify every 3-5 years to retain your blue light status.
As for the training, NHS will do 3 weeks condensed advanced/high speed/blue lights which is on par with the Police Advanced level. Its not that hard to pass so long as you are safe, one of my cohort passed and he was not fit for a driving licence let alone high speed driving of a 4 tonne ambulance, the ser ice cant afford to fail potential students and before they started recruiting direct entrant university kids driving was the first thing you did before you went on to do your clinical course.
My Police driver training was in N.Ireland with the RUC back in 1999.
I never had anything like this, but ive had plenty of drivers try to follow me at speed when traffic is clearing for me, thats why its classed as high risk and none of us would blue light unless we we had too but unfortunately in the Ambo service the policy is such that they dictate your blue light response, and in reality 80% of blue light runs were never ever justified!!!
The Police get to choose if they blue light to a job based on its category.
As for trucks not using sirens, it depends upon the situation as some services wstate in their driving policy that sirens must be used at all times when on blues, however some services let the driver use their judgement and to use them when appropriate.
When approaching non moving traffic and red lights it is bad practice to activate sirens as chances are youll push car drivers thru a red light into oncoming traffic. Ots better to let the light go green whilst holding back with your blues on amd then once green activate them, thats also what is currently taught under the CERAD qual, Same as the IHCD syllabus back in the day.
As for leaving them on 24/7, it ■■■■■■ locals off in a housing development area, as WMAS used to run that policy and in the middle of Wolvo at 2am running on sirens when there was no LOGICAL need soon got lots of complaints, policy changed shortly after! The driver should also be switched on enough to know whennis and when is not appropriate, its part of the training like the information phase in your advanced drive plan, Take use and give appropriate information, including all signals (sirens and lights) when required.
Youd not believe some of the conversations and ■■■■ that hapens inside that cab between crews its nothing like it is portarayed on reality tv thats for sure. I left for a reason, i wouldnt go back if you paid me…
