thor@ihuxw.UUCP (08/03/83)
Here, as promised, is "Seifert's spectacular, stupendiously
spiffy, stealthaly silent siren song survey summary".
My machine isn't in the mood to post news this week, so I am
using a friend's account to post this. Please send any responses
to: ihnp4!ihuxl!seifert rather than ihuxw!thor. Thank you.
The vote is:
6 - yes (7 including myself)
1 - use moderation
1 - couldn't tell what their opinion was
1 - no, (but persons breaking 'netiquite' by doing
a followup rather than a reply deserve to
be in the minority)
some replies, mildly edited:
==============================================
I personally would opt for some moderation in the usage of sirens
(read intelligent usage). In OK where I most recently moved from the
standard procedure regarding sirens is that they are only used when:
1. Approaching a vehicle from the rear - punch the siren button
briefly.
2. Approaching an intersection with visible vehicles/pedestrians
- again briefly punch the siren.
3. Approaching a blind intersection - punch the siren beginning a
good distance before the intersection and carrying through it.
David W. Berry
-------------------------------
From: Rick Sample <decvax!ubc-vision!sample>
1) Here in Vancouver, emergency vehicles (in emergency mode) always
use both lights and siren. The only time that lights alone are used
is when a cop is pulling someone over for a traffic offense.
2) I vote in favour of sirens.
-------------------------------
(1) some of these emergency veh. don't even bother to use their lights
around here ... very dangerous ... very annoying
(2) I vote for sirens (as well as lights)
lynda feng houxz!llf
-------------------------------
Dave:
You must not live in Wheaton. I was in Wheaton today
for lunch, and while waiting at a red light at the corner
of West Street and Roosevelt, the fire dep't rescue squad
came barreling through the intersection, sirens loud and
also laying on the air horns! Couldn't miss him!
A friend and neighbor works for the Wheaton Fire Department,
and he told me about how former mayor Ralph Barger
used to complain about the fire engines going by his
house in the middle of the night with the sirens on.
So, instead of turning the sirens off,
the firemen used to say, "here comes Ralph's house,
let's lay on the horns!"
I'm for sirens. As for Ralph, we got rid of him.
He's no longer mayor -- he's in the House of Reps in Washington.
Somewhat by default, incidentally -- he replaced two people,
both of whom died while holding the seat.
Carl Blesch
Bell Labs - Naperville, Ill.
IH 2A-159, (312) 979-3360
ihuxm!prgclb
-------------------------------
Yes, unfortunately, this stupidity goes on in New Jersey, too. I agree with
you 100%. I have also had some close calls -- not just due to lack of sirens
but also with some idiots of patrolmen who don't look to see if there is any
traffic coming before opening their car doors as wide as possible -- even when
they aren't in a hurry. I vote to have the sirens restored.
Brian Carty
mhtsa!bcc
mh3bs3!bcc
pwbcc!bcc
-------------------------------
>From psvv Fri Jul 22 08:42:10 1983 remote from houxg
We don't seem to have the siren problem in the New York,New Jersey area.
Especially at the intersections where they need the sirens the most.They
really let them wail!
-------------------------------
Here in the east, mid-Jersey to be exact, the practice is also
prevalent. I have, however, seen ambulances blip their sirens
when they are going through an intersection or are coming up
on traffic that they want to get out of the way. In addition to
police and ambulance vehicles don't forget fire vehicles and
the crazy volunteer firefighters with their cutsie blue lights
in their grills. Every time I hear the fire siren go off
I just run and hide.
Joseph L. Wood, III
BMWCCA - NJ Chapt.
ABI Holmdel
(201) 834-3759
ariel!jlw
================================================
I just got a new officemate, who is involved with
the ambulance/fire dept, and he says it is illegal to use
sirens except at intersections. Also ambulances must obey all
traffic laws, except that they may cross red lights after
stopping first (but if they're hit its still their fault).
He didn't know if this was a recent change or if this is
unique to Illinois.
Seems to me that E.V. used to zoom around, but used
sirens, now E.V.s go slower, but still break a lot of traffic
rules and don't use their sirens. If 'they' don't want
E.V.s running around with sirens all the time disturbing
people (never bothered me very much and I used to live
within a block of three major streets and heard them *often*)
then the E.V.s really should obey *all* the traffic regs.
Those flashing lights may be ok at night, but are next to
worthless in daylight.
yours for the elimination of 'stealth' emergency vehicles,
Dave Seifert
BMWCCA, Windy City Chapter
ihnp4!ihuxl!seifert (NOT ihuxw!thor)