how quick is an ambulance?

[icenian]

I ended up following an ambulance most of the way home last night. Not deliberately, but he was slower than I'd normally be, and if I backed off he seemed to end up getting slowed down so he was there again when I came out the next bend. Somehow though it just seems wrong to be overtaking an emergency vehicle

Not that he was taking it easy (it hurled it into the bends pretty convincingly like he was in a hurry), but even on a mile long straight bit, slightly downhill, he wasn't getting over 65mph. Is that really top whack?

It was a bit scary watching what people do with an ambulance trying to get through, though.

To start with, it approached from behind me. This was as I waited at a roundabout. I was facing a stretch of empty dual carriageway, so I just pulled out and got across the roundabout, figuring he could pass me easiest on the dual carriageway. The 4 or 5 cars behind me (in 2 lanes) just sat there though, and tried to shuffle sideways a bit so the ambulance had to creep through with about 1/2 inch on each side - even though there was no traffic on the roundabout and they could have just got out the way

Next, after letting the ambulance past, and trying to keep a good way back (sure they don't need my lights in their mirrors, wondering if I'm going to do summat daft) I got a grandstand view of how drivers react. Most seem to pull in sensibly, but there were quite a few who - seeing an ambulance charging up behind, jump on the brakes

The worst was the person who helpfully moved in next to the kerb and stopped - right on a blind left hand bend

Whatever they pay ambulance crews - it's not enough...

(Also, if you ever find yourself behind an ambulance, be aware that everyone is staring at it go past and they will then pull out without looking. I was too far back to get involved in the potential carnage, but had I been daft enough to sit a few seconds behind the ambulance I think I'd have got taken out at least twice in 5 miles...)

[Xander]

if his lights were on and he was going slow that means some one in back was in a bad way........

[moon]

yep, the way they drive depends on what's goin on in the back, on the way TO a shout they can drive flat out, but on the way back sometimes they have to compromise between speed & smooth ride... (& you're right they don't get paid enough, along with most of the emergency services including Lifeboat men & nurses...)

[Confucious]

Used to be pdq http://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilde:A..._18jun2005.jpg but now not-so-quick http://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilde:IMG_1001.JPG

[Rubberchicken]

Quite a chilling thing to see, an ambulance driving well under the local speed limit... Something seriously out of whack going on in the back there...

[Dilbert]

yep, the way they drive depends on what's goin on in the back

"Delicate Cargo"

... (& you're right they don't get paid enough, along with most of the emergency services including Lifeboat men & nurses...)

[Dilbert]

Lots of good points in there Icy especially :

(Also, if you ever find yourself behind an ambulance, be aware that everyone is staring at it go past and they will then pull out without looking. I was too far back to get involved in the potential carnage, but had I been daft enough to sit a few seconds behind the ambulance I think I'd have got taken out at least twice in 5 miles...)

And then there's the tail-gaters, especially on motorways, they just can't wait to get out and behind that blue flashing light

[Wee Jack]

From experience of these things ....... If there are two Paramedics in the front of the ambulance and it is running under "blues and twos" , then they are answering a treble9, they will go as fast as the traffic conditions dictate is safe to do so.

If however, you see the ambulance with just the driver in the front and running "blues and twos" that means they are enroute to the nearest A&E with a patient on board. Again this will be traveling as fast as is safe to do so , but in this case the patient's condition dictates what is safe. The driver is not "the boss" the man in the back with the patient calls the shots , known as the "attendant"and sometimes you may see an ambulance flying along a 90mph and then slowing to about 20mph or less - or even stopping (still under blues and twos) the attendant has told the driver to slow/or stop for a reason , he may be insterting a canular or having to intubate or maybe requires assistance in some way. This is exceptional as generally the preparation is all done before the ambulance leaves the scene but things can sometime deteriorate quickly.

I once had to drive about 6 miles with the blue lights on but no horns at 10 - 15 mph , with a patient (moped rider) with multiple fractures and suspected spinal injuries , strapped to a spinal board. It needed to be a smooth as possible. I was getting some odd looks from people who could not understand why the wagon was going so slowly under blue lights.

So "how fast is an Ambulance ?" - as fast as any white van man but with many more things to consider.

[icenian]

I've seem ambulances going at a steady pace, clearly with some poor soul in a bad way in the back, but this guy was going a fast as conditions would allow most of the time, hurling it round tight bends (plus it was quite near to an A&E but heading away from it). He just seemed to be unable to get above 65mph on the fast bits.

I'd have thought it would be good for 80 odd on an open road? Basically like a white van but slowed down a tad by having aerodynamics of a brick.

I really really hope they don't have some sort of PC agenda that keeps them to speed limits

[Rubberchicken]

I'd have thought it would be good for 80 odd on an open road? Basically like a white van but slowed down a tad by having aerodynamics of a brick.

And being heavy as same, I'd guess... All that medical kit must weigh a ton...