Ambulance approaching in oncoming lane, do you need to stop?

[Canucks3322]

What's the law in Alberta? An ambulance is coming in the oncoming lane....do you need to stop??

[Jlude]

I don't know if it's law in Alberta... or law at all. But I was taught that regardless if it's behind you or coming towards you, always pull off to the side of the road and slow down/stop.

[The_Rural_Juror]

It's more of a common sense thing than law, but feel free to govern yourself accordingly.

[syritis]

make room if it needs room.
on a 2 lane road. i'll move onto the shoulder a bit but i'll keep moving. on a 4 lane road, depending on the congestion in front of the ambulance i'll move to the shoulder lane.

[Canucks3322]

Hmmm, well there was lots of room in front of the ambulance but the guy behind me pulls a ricer fly by (he was driving an old Chevy Blazer) and gives me a dirty look after I came to a complete stop until the ambulance went by.

[Mibz]

If you hoofed on the brakes needlessly, or because you weren't paying attention, then I'd be pissed too. If you signaled, moved over and then slowed to a stop then I don't see any problem with it.

[Jay911]

On a non-divided highway, you pull to the right and stop, whether the ambulance (or other emergency vehicle) is approaching you from ahead or behind. On a divided highway (example - Deerfoot), you don't have to pull over if they are in the oncoming lanes, since you can't obstruct them (they can't come over and use your lanes anyway).

Also, FWIW, on a one-way street, you are to pull over to the closest curb and stop. So if you are in a lane that is more to the left of the center of the road, you go to the left curb instead of the right.

[J NRG]

.

[speedog]

See section 65(1) of the Alberta Use of Highway and Rules of the Road Regulation (link)

[speedog]

After reading 65(1), one would be led to believe that you are to pull over to the right clear of any intersection and stop regradless of the type of roadway. Doesn't seem to matter if it's a divided freeway (Deerfoot, highway 2) or not although I've never pulled over and stopped on Deerfoot for an oncoming ambulance/whatever and my observations would indicate that virtually no motorists do that on Deerfoot when the emergency vehicle is going the same direction as they are.

Anyhow, Canucks3322 did the right thing.

[speedog]

Now I'll do Canucks3322 one better, what would y'all do in the situation I saw this summer in rush hour Deerfoot just north of Peigan...

Two police vehicles (sirens and lights on) going southbound at a high rate of speed in the right hand lane of north bound Deerfoot. Yeah, going south in the right hand lane. Shocked the hell out of me and most other drivers I saw - thank god no one pulled over into the right hand lane as the law dictates.

[J NRG]

.

[Grogador]

Originally posted by speedog
Two police vehicles (sirens and lights on) going southbound at a high rate of speed in the right hand lane of north bound Deerfoot.

...musta missed the Timmy's turnoff

[Gibson]

Originally posted by speedog
Now I'll do Canucks3322 one better, what would y'all do in the situation I saw this summer in rush hour Deerfoot just north of Peigan...

Two police vehicles (sirens and lights on) going southbound at a high rate of speed in the right hand lane of north bound Deerfoot. Yeah, going south in the right hand lane. Shocked the hell out of me and most other drivers I saw - thank god no one pulled over into the right hand lane as the law dictates.

To me, that's just bloody suicide. We all know people have trouble getting out of the way when they're going in the right direction. Musta been in a pretty big hurry...

[homelessman]

$$$ question

you are in your car with rims on and an ambulance is behind you but the only want to get past is for you to hop the curb, fuck up your rims + wreck your spoiler.

what DO YOU DO

[Canucks3322]

^

[Joe-G]

Originally posted by homelessman
$$$ question

you are in your car with rims on and an ambulance is behind you but the only want to get past is for you to hop the curb, fuck up your rims + wreck your spoiler.

what DO YOU DO

Easy. Make as much space possible on the curb side, and make the ambulance go that route?

Still works... unless the ambulance is moving at a retarded rate of speed in which you would be rear ended due to a slow reaction.

[Legless_Marine2]

Originally posted by Canucks3322
What's the law in Alberta? An ambulance is coming in the oncoming lane....do you need to stop??

I don't know what the law is, but it makes sense for ALL traffic to pull over to the side. That way if he doesn't have enough room on his side alone, he can come up the middle.

I'm always disappointed in driver's responses to ambulances, and would like to see the occasional "ambulance trap"... a lit-up ambulance followed by a cop car, ticketing the selfish pricks that think it doesn't apply to them.

[hampstor]

Remember that book we all read back when we were 14 years old and getting our learners?

http://www.transportation.alberta.ca...ndbook2009.pdf

Page 129:

When an emergency vehicle (ambulance, fire or police)
is approaching you from any direction and is sounding a
siren, you must yield the right-of-way by:
• immediately moving clear of any intersection
• drive as closely as possible to the right curb or edge of the
two-way roadway
• pulling right or left to the nearest curb on one-way streets
• stop until the emergency vehicle has passed and check that no other
emergency vehicles are approaching
You must not follow within 150 metres of any emergency vehicle that has
its siren or lights operating.