First experience .. Vic law regarding passing emergency vehicle

[Kil4Collingwood]

Originally Posted by pottery beige

you can spit, cry and sook as much as you want

red n blues

police / fire / ambos

And Magenta. In other words, Vicroads cars harrassing truckies.

[Streets]

Originally Posted by prydey

no excuse for travelling within 50m of the preceding vehicle. being a country road, there is any number of scenario's that could cause a vehicle to suddenly brake. part of operating a vehicle is having that awareness, and respecting following distances.

Exactly right. Every time on the highway I get someone sitting up my **** despite being on the speed limit. They're not trying to intimidate me, they just have no idea about safe following distance, or they don't care. What's their plan if I have to jam on the brakes, or if I blow a tyre? They don't have a plan. Because people don't think about what they're doing and what's going on around them when they drive. And when you're up someone's **** at 100kph you have nowhere to go when something goes wrong.

[BPXR6T]

Driving at 11PM and a cop had a car pulled up on the other side of the westgate. Heavy traffic and absoute chaos, some braking madly others nearly flying up the **** of others. One cop talking to the driver and his partner standing beside him holding his torch up flashing in the eyes of on coming drivers. WTF. Was he trying to warn drivers to slow down, surprised he didnt cause an accident. I was in the process of slowing down as fast as I could without wearing the truck behind me then copped a torch straight in the eyes blinding me and causing me to look away from traffic. Absolute fool.

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by Wretched

Should it then be extended to anyone pulled over on the side of the road for an emergency? For example changing a tyre? These people would be more at risk as these people are likely to be unaware of the surroundings.
May be to all roadside emergencies? Yellow lights (RACxxx staff too, they're on the clock too).

EDIT:
Case in point.


http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/me...17-gxy366.html

Deleted.

[b0son]

What prompted this? I dont recall any ES vehicles being hit on the side of the road. OTOH, there have been quite a few non-ES vehicles hit.

[pezimm]

Originally Posted by sgt_doofey

And just to think, we also have to 25km/h in roadworks as well unlike other states.

These laws are all about protecting the people who's jobs are to be out on those roads with cars.

I would be very interested in learning what are the statistics before and after the rule was applied. How many injuries and deaths by motor vehicle impact to emergency service personnel were there before and what were they reduced to?

How do these stats cross reference to the motor vehicle accident numbers near emergency vehicles with flashing lights?

My gut feel is that we may actually have more people injured after the rule's implementation than before. But happy to be proven wrong.

A decision to implement a rule like this in a new state must be based on hard data, surely!

[prydey]

Originally Posted by pezimm

I would be very interested in learning what are the statistics before and after the rule was applied. How many injuries and deaths by motor vehicle impact to emergency service personnel were there before and what were they reduced to?

How do these stats cross reference to the motor vehicle accident numbers near emergency vehicles with flashing lights?

My gut feel is that we may actually have more people injured after the rule's implementation than before. But happy to be proven wrong.

A decision to implement a rule like this in a new state must be based on hard data, surely!

Why do we need to wait until people die before we take preventative action?

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by pezimm

I would be very interested in learning what are the statistics before and after the rule was applied. How many injuries and deaths by motor vehicle impact to emergency service personnel were there before and what were they reduced to?

How do these stats cross reference to the motor vehicle accident numbers near emergency vehicles with flashing lights?

My gut feel is that we may actually have more people injured after the rule's implementation than before. But happy to be proven wrong.

A decision to implement a rule like this in a new state must be based on hard data, surely!

Think you will find Vic gov would have used other states stats & would have conducted some sort of study, whatever means they used would be better than a Gut Feeling.

[pezimm]

Originally Posted by prydey

Why do we need to wait until people die before we take preventative action?

I'm not suggesting that at all. My intention was to point out that there are people dying on other situations and we don't attack those causes with the same determination - i.e. cyclists on the road, pedestrian crossings, fatigued drivers, ice addicts behind the wheel, etc...

If there are limited resources - time, money, staff, etc - priorities must be established.

Still, back to this change in particular, I'm not convinced (haven't seen any data) to indicate there has been a positive impact following the implementation of this rule.

[pezimm]

Originally Posted by trublu

Think you will find Vic gov would have used other states stats & would have conducted some sort of study, whatever means they used would be better than a Gut Feeling.

The Vic government doesn't seem to have a great track record with detailed studies to drive policy - i.e. East-west link contract broken, elevated rail in SE Melb, CFA debacle, etc... What makes you think they used sound studies for this law change?

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

Doesn't look like much policing on the Hume since this new law appeared.
Guess even the local HWP don't want to trigger a mass pile up.

Well the HWP proved me wrong yesterday,
in the opposite direction a cop had someone pulled over on the superslab near the Euroa turn off. ( I stopped on the old Hume observing) Not one car, motorhome or B double appeared to slow down. (Mixed Victorian and out of state plates)

I did notice most trucks changed lanes but cars didn't. I still haven't seen TV or newspaper ads up here, regarding this law.
If it so important to all the experts, where is the evidence and media blitz.

[joolz]

Originally Posted by Lever T

load of rubbish. A mate of a mate of my wife's third cousin read about it on Facebook

It wasn't from facebook. A caller to 3AW reported it.

[Ben73]

Originally Posted by prydey

And they are on the clock.

If you're not on the clock then jog on

[GK]

Originally Posted by prydey

Why do we need to wait until people die before we take preventative action?

Perhaps if no people have died or been injured there's actually no need for the over regulation, ahem preventative action.

[78xcgxl]

Originally Posted by pezimm

The Vic government doesn't seem to have a great track record with detailed studies to drive policy - i.e. East-west link contract broken, elevated rail in SE Melb, CFA debacle, etc... What makes you think they used sound studies for this law change?

Is that you Matthew Guy??? How was the lobster???

[pezimm]

Originally Posted by 78xcgxl

Is that you Matthew Guy??? How was the lobster???

Hahaha, nah not me... I just like decisions to be data-based. Libs also make some pretty silly calls for the wrong reasons.

[Ben73]

If we think trained professionals with flashing lights and the ability to have lanes shut down if they feel the need, need a 40kmh speed limit then perhaps we should have a 40km/h speed limit every time someone stops on the side of a highway. or 25 just so we are all extra safe.
Someone who gets a flat tyre or breaks down most likely has no training in road safety, so we should slow to 40 past them. They have no flashing red and blues or emergency vehicles to park off-set behind them to protect them while they change a tyre, so therefore we need to slow traffic.
I have heard of more people being killed while changing a tyre than emergency service workers being hit by traffic.

People will say "how often do you get a flat or breakdown"
Yeah not often, but it happens to hundreds of people around the country everyday. We should all slow, even if it only saves one life.

[b0son]

Same reason we don't have a body like WorkCover investigate household accidents. An employee is a sacred cow, a private citizen on their own time is expendable.

[xxx000]

Originally Posted by b0son

What prompted this? I dont recall any ES vehicles being hit on the side of the road. OTOH, there have been quite a few non-ES vehicles hit.

It's about the safety of everyone at a crash or emergency incident.

The presence of emergency service vehicles on the road would potentially mean people being on the road (emergency services workers and anyone involved) plus other vehicles in unusual positions, .

There's legislation in the U.S. covering this and I've seen it in operation. It appeared effective in keeping other cars a safer distance away from an incident

[roKWiz]

Looks like I've just found the answer to riding my bike safely on the road, just fit some red and blue flashing rear lights.

[Trevor 57]

Originally Posted by b0son

What prompted this? I dont recall any ES vehicles being hit on the side of the road. OTOH, there have been quite a few non-ES vehicles hit.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2005-04-2...ticket/1558384 - just one

[kennyboy]

As a volunteer firefighter with the CFA, I have been on the back of a truck, lights and sirens, at night on the Hume, semi so close up our arrrs our driver couldn't stop at scene of car accident, had to reverse a kilometre back. Have also seen on more than one occasion colleagues have to jump out of way of cars and trucks even though witches hats and stop slow signs in use! On at least one of those there was heavy smoke blowing across the road. Have also heard many similar stories from other firefighters. Law wouldn't be required if drivers drove sensibly .

[roKWiz]

Digging this old chestnut up again for an update.
On the Hume over the past few weeks I've noticed several times the HWP and (Vic roads) pulling trucks over and parking in front of them (lights on) now. Seems standard practice to change to the outside lane and pass with no one slowing down.

[OzJavelin]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

Digging this old chestnut up again for an update.
On the Hume over the past few weeks I've noticed several times the HWP and (Vic roads) pulling trucks over and parking in front of them (lights on) now. Seems standard practice to change to the outside lane and pass with no one slowing down.

Yep .. I noticed that too a couple of days ago. Police car with lights on had car pulled up .. I started to slow down (as I eventually realised I was meant to) and everyone drove around me without slowing down. I think it's a forgotten rule already ..

[roKWiz]

Not so much the slowing down I was getting at but the fact they were parking in front of trucks only (looks like they want to remain invisible and not freak drivers out) cars I haven't seen any being pulled over lately.
The Hume (NE Vic) you wouldn't expect to many slowing down cause a lot are from interstate.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

The Hume (NE Vic) you wouldn't expect to many slowing down cause a lot are from interstate.

SA had it first, and here you have to slow to 25, not 40. but then most things are a bit slower here

it will eventually be implemented nationwide, as the idea behind it is sound, but i can't see anyone actually getting pinged for it. i doubt they would have the resources to despatch someone to the scene ready to ping people every time an emergency services vehicle pulls over and puts the lights on.

[OzJavelin]

Originally Posted by prydey

SA had it first, and here you have to slow to 25, not 40. but then most things are a bit slower here

it will eventually be implemented nationwide, as the idea behind it is sound, but i can't see anyone actually getting pinged for it. i doubt they would have the resources to despatch someone to the scene ready to ping people every time an emergency services vehicle pulls over and puts the lights on.

Eventually .. maybe. Can see in-car radar/camera in police cars in the near future. If lights operating, and car stationary, radar/camera go to work ..

[wobblysauce]

Also, a good point if you need to pull over not just to do it in a spot for good for yourself but for others behind.

Police do not mind being in a safer position but do not take them for a 10k ride.

[Syndrome]

Could it be the four policemen killed on a Melbourne freeway this afternoon was because people were panic breaking to get under 40 km/hr thus causing the accident?

https://www.news.com.au/national/vic...9ab13847d924ae

[chevypower]

Surely on a divided road like a freeway, everyone wouldn’t have to slow down, just clear the lane where the cop car is stopped? On an undivided road it makes sense.