Following Ambulances to Filter Through Traffic .. Morals ???

[GSTEEL32]

Without wanting to get flamed too hard, I was travelling home through central London this evening and an ambulance on blues appeared in the rear view.

Obviously traffic, including myself, moved over as we were at a red light. However, what was left in its wake, was an ambulance sized gap between two rows of cars, perfect for filtering.

Now, without travelling close enough to become a possible casualty yourself, is it ok to use the newly created space to "make progress" ?.

I had an large attack of morals following it at one point and slowed down this evening, as I sort of felt I was profiteering out of someone else's misery, but do people here think they're fair game so long as you don't impede it at all ?

Or am I just making something out of nothing ?

[Paivi]

It is frowned upon.
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[CaNsA]

[Irn-Bru]

Don't see the problem, would just be cautious of people moving back into the middle of the lane without checking their mirrors.
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[Banned]

[colin1]

I would feel bad about following in the wake of an ambulance, as people have made way for the ambulance. In reality, a bike can filter at that speed anyway, so doesnt need a path, but it would still look bad.

I have overtaken an ambulance that was on blue lights, as they are limited to about 10mph above the speed limit, so they dont go that fast really in bits where the road is clear.
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[Banned]

Overtaking is even worse imo ... they would not expect that attall, and perhaps more dangerous, despite how one would pecieve their overtake as measured ...
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[Nufkamp]

Go for it and dont feel bad. How are folks to know it's not your critically injured mate in the back and you need to get to the hospital to be with him?
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[potato]

^^^

True that.

I still wouldn't filter behind an ambulance while on the blues, mainly because of cars pulling back into the middle.

Never had the chance to overtake one yet, just depends on the situation i guess, but if i was on a motorway i would.

[Charlie]

I've over taken one on the motorway too, felt slightly wrong but I wasn't in their way so meh.

There was a post about it on xrv not long ago, on page 2 there was an interesting post:

[neil.]

I've done this on dual carriageways but given it a fair bit of distance. I'd be filtering anyway if the ambulace wasn't there and since I'm far enough behind it I don't see how I am making any difference to anyone else or their journey. Always pulled over to let them pass me in the first instance. During one instance, I did come across one moron on a bike that tried numerous attempts to get past an ambulance though as it wasn't 'filtering' fast enough for them. Now that was out of order IMO.

[Tarmacsurfer]

[neil.]

[stinkwheel]

Couple of years back I was filtering through Harrogate at rush hour (read gridlock) with another random guy on a ZX9.

A police car on blues and twos pulled out of a sideroad behind us and started heading the same way we were. We both pulled over to let him pass.

This, as it turns out, was a mistake because he landed up going slower than we had been going. We were right behind it despite us stopping for red lights and them not. About a mile down the road, the cop car stopped in the middle of the road, one of the coppers got out, came over and started having a go at us for following them.

He seemed in a foul mood so I kept my lip buttoned and pulled over for a fag break until he'd cleared out of the way.

Next time I'll wait to see if they're actually catching me up before I pull over because they leave total chaos in their wake.
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[L4Isoside]

[P.]

Got a cop giving me a light grilling about it... Ambulance driver felt I was rather unsafe.
If he had to stop suddenly he feared i'd rear end the vehicle and cause a delay in getting the old dear who fell over to the hospital.

I stay back now, but obviously if a suitable chance to skip a rather large queue appears... im game

[The Disapproving Brit]

I wouldn't personally - ambulance drivers on blues and two's have enough to worry about, I wouldn't personally want to add "what's this numpty behind me doing" to the list of things he needs to process and allow for while he's driving.

That said, I don't necessarily see a problem with it as such, just not something I'd personally be comfortable doing.
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[TheDonUK]

I used to like a pig in shit,

Not so much now, If and when i do it i like to leave a large enough 2-3 car gap and be in the ambulances mirrors, but that puts you right in the squish zone as everyone scrambles to get into the pre-ordained place they occupied before....
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[kal9001]

If you followed it in a car then yes thats...well....isnt that illegal somwhere?...not sure, anyway how the hell do you expect to remerge back into traffic!
On a bike, I would say normal filtering rules apply. Let the blues pass then resume filtering in your normal manner. As others have said its just the same situation just the ambulance made a bigger gap than what you would normally find.

e.g. an ambulance goes through a dual carriageway thats grid-locked. they all move and theres now a free lane down the middle. You were a mile back past the junction the ambulance came from, no idea it was ever there, accept when you catch up to the traffic that moved earlier. Would you carry on thinking...WTF is there a big gap for oh well. Or stop for no apparent reason.
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[Easter Bunny]

I have overtaken ambulances with lights on a few times on the motorway, but wouldnt in town, you'd look a bit of a dick wouldnt you?


I was going west on the A40 out of London when I come up to a Police convoy consisting of two marked Land Rovers and a plain car in the middle all with lights on, they werent making good progress and I tucked in behind them about 20 feet, the last Land Rover stops out jumps a wanna be stormtrooper who shouts "STAY BACK" whilist waving a sommit that looked like a machine gun!!

Sod that for a game of soldiers, I did a left found a paralell road, hacked it down there for a few hundred metres, got back on the A40 to be at least 100 feet in front of them!

Made sure they didnt catch me up!
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[hellkat]

[hellkat]

On the subject of blues and twos, I tuck in behind them in the freshly made gap, when I can (when its safe to do so) ... but most of the time all the car drivers are on a mission to close up the gap, and its dangerous: they all want to do the same, and don't even notice you in their haste to get in behind it.

I hate it worse when there's one stuck in the traffic just ahead of me, and its forcing its way through, making a bad traffic jam worse.

I really don't know how ambulance drivers cope with the stress of traffic jams.

I would overtake it but IF AND ONLY IF it was sensible to do so or to get out of its way or make a gap to get thru.

I'd never push past just to get ahead, if it meant it would slow the ambulance down (obviously).
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Not nearly as interesting in real life.

[hmmmnz]

i can move alot quicker than a ambulance through traffic,
and following behind one is dangerous on a bike,
cars are in a rush to get moving again and don't see a bike at the best f times,

if you hear an ambo, pick up the pace and stay in front of it
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[hellkat]

I followed a police bike up the side of Buckingham Palace today. Hyde Park Corner was blocked off going down towards Victoria, and the traffic (normally flowing well up there) was JAMPACKED.

So I thunk, Hmmmm, police bike, I'll just slip in behind him and zoom through ...

But the plonker was being all sensible, and didn't put on his siren or anything, just took his time, sitting in the traffic cos his side-boxes were too wide to fit through (what DO they have in those boxes anyway?)

So I followed him thru when he finally decided to use his initiative, and whizzed thru some small gaps that I could see several taxi drivers REALLY REALLY wanted to close but daren't squish me off
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Not nearly as interesting in real life.

[ZRX61]

If you really want to be frowned upon, try following a high profile prisoner transfer 6 vehicle convoy heading to the Old Bailey.... AND attempting an overtake when they get stuck in traffic....

I was spoken to quite harshly by the Dibble who lent out of the window on the 2nd car from the back as I pulled alongside...

He questioned my parenthood & was somewhat interested in "just what the fuck" I thought I was doing..
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