PSA: Please Move Over!
There are not many things I miss about living in Florida. My grandpa, driving a car, and Poland Spring water are pretty much it.
Today I drove for the first time since I spent time in Napa over the summer. While driving down a major road this morning, I saw a police car, sirens on, headed in the opposite direction from me, that slowed down while the cop looked at my side of the road.
When I checked my rearview mirror, I saw an ambulance with its lights flashing. The traffic light turned green, and I crossed two lanes of traffic to move to the right. Nobody else did. I remember that really bothering me back when I lived here.
About 12 years ago, I took several rides in ambulances, laid out and strapped onto stretchers. I was in so much pain at that time in my life that I would pass out from it. Once, I was screaming in pain and didn't even realize it was me who was doing that. And to think, I wasn't even in a life-or-death situation. My ambulances didn't need sirens. They didn't blow through red lights.
Seeing an ambulance with lights and siren on always reminds me of that year when I was so sick. You might think that's why I move to the right for ambulances. It's not. I move for ambulances because that's how I was taught to drive, and I'm the kind of person who follows all the rules when it comes to driving. That year when I was sick *IS* why I get teary when I see an ambulance speeding down the road.
It really hurts me that people in South Florida don't move for ambulances. Somebody is hurting. Something life-threatening is going on if the lights and sirens are on, People. Lights and sirens = serious medical happening.
Please move to the right. Thanks.
Signed,
Someone who met some of the nicest people at a terrible time in my life, people who carried me oh-so-carefully strapped to backboards down long flights of stairs, people who promised not to drop me down the stairs and didn't, people who told me I had pretty eyes, people who showed me pictures of their kids on the way to hospitals to distract me from pain, people named Izzy.
Today I drove for the first time since I spent time in Napa over the summer. While driving down a major road this morning, I saw a police car, sirens on, headed in the opposite direction from me, that slowed down while the cop looked at my side of the road.
When I checked my rearview mirror, I saw an ambulance with its lights flashing. The traffic light turned green, and I crossed two lanes of traffic to move to the right. Nobody else did. I remember that really bothering me back when I lived here.
About 12 years ago, I took several rides in ambulances, laid out and strapped onto stretchers. I was in so much pain at that time in my life that I would pass out from it. Once, I was screaming in pain and didn't even realize it was me who was doing that. And to think, I wasn't even in a life-or-death situation. My ambulances didn't need sirens. They didn't blow through red lights.
Seeing an ambulance with lights and siren on always reminds me of that year when I was so sick. You might think that's why I move to the right for ambulances. It's not. I move for ambulances because that's how I was taught to drive, and I'm the kind of person who follows all the rules when it comes to driving. That year when I was sick *IS* why I get teary when I see an ambulance speeding down the road.
It really hurts me that people in South Florida don't move for ambulances. Somebody is hurting. Something life-threatening is going on if the lights and sirens are on, People. Lights and sirens = serious medical happening.
Please move to the right. Thanks.
Signed,
Someone who met some of the nicest people at a terrible time in my life, people who carried me oh-so-carefully strapped to backboards down long flights of stairs, people who promised not to drop me down the stairs and didn't, people who told me I had pretty eyes, people who showed me pictures of their kids on the way to hospitals to distract me from pain, people named Izzy.
posted by Green at 12/18/2006 07:09:00 PM
3 Comments:
I have driven ambulances, and fire trucks. I have been the driver of a car with a fire truck behind me Code three looking pissed because I didn't hear the siren or see their approach. At higher speeds, it's hard to hear the siren. Harder still with music playing. I know it's hard for older drivers. They have a few of those in Florida I think. They're often distracted looking for their Chads. What pissed me off was people tailgating us to get through traffic, and even passing!
I'm pleased that you were treated well in your time of need.
It bothers me how desensitized people can get to sirens. I think it doesn't just have to do with being distracted or having bad hearing. I used to jump every time I heard a siren go past (I live on a very busy street now, compared to a very very quiet one for several years). Now there are either fewer sirens or I just don't hear them all anymore. But it still bothers me a lot when people don't move out of the way of an emergency vehicle with sirens on. I see it happen all the time.
I never wear hats, but one day about 8 years ago I decided to wear this cute little cap to hide my funky hair. I was about 5 miles from home on my way to class when I happened to turn down the radio and heard sirens. A firetruck was right behind me. I couldn't see the lights in my mirror because the bill of the cap blocked my line of sight to the rearview mirror unless I looked directly at it. I had know idea how long it had been behind me and was so freaked out that I haven't worn a hat in the car since then.
But I know not all people have legitimate reasons. I don't doubt for a second that there are assholes who think, "but I'm in a hurry. I don't have time to pull over for them." Jerks.
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