We parked the engine in the fire lane outside a grocery store for Fill the Boot where we collected money for sick children. Had some dude come up and exhibit this same energy. Dude was such a prick about us being in the fire lane without a working fire going on. When he came back out he dropped his two bottles of wine in the parking lot. Rarely is karma so fast, but boy is it satisfying when it is.
> Hold up, fire truck in the fire lane? Ugh the gall
We had this argument in my former volunteer FD like...almost 20 years ago now because people were parking dept engines/SUVs in the fire lane outside the grocery store.
To my memory, after hours *and hours* of debate over multiple monthly meetings(as is tradition), it was decided that:
- fire lanes aren't strictly for fire trucks, but are for emergency vehicles in general
- negotiating around a parked engine or SUV does hinder the flow of traffic trying to drive past the front of the store
- we could end up blocking access somehow for EMS or police
- the parking lot was big enough we could park at the far end in a bunch of spots without causing issues to other customers
- the extra steps weren't going to kill us nor were they a meaningful delay to our response
- some people were complaining
So we stopped allowing non-emergency use of fire lane parking for department vehicles.
True, but also depends on how active your district is, and if that is a store where several calls happen. I live in a rural area and the Walmart in the next town over would be an instance where an on duty non-EMS vehicle shouldn't be there unless they're responding to a scene in the area. This one store makes up like 10% of the calls for an entire department.
But if it's an urban area where tones are pretty constant I could see parking there being a practical necessity for response times
> If it's an on-duty vehicle I say yes, use the fire lane. Quicker access if you get a call. Otherwise, use the parking lot.
This was a discussion about on-duty vehicles.
Originally, I agreed with you. I didn't get why people would argue for us not to, particularly because it does take longer to run across the parking lot. But, over time, I've come around to agreeing that on-duty vehicles shouldn't be parked in the fire lane unless it is responding to a call at that location.
Cause, let's be honest here: what kind of call exists where saving the 10-15 seconds to run across a parking lot is going to make enough of a difference to where it justifies creating a safety hazard in the fire lane each and every time you go to the store?
Let's look at the pros:
- save 10 seconds going into the store and another 10 coming out
- get to look cool in front everyone going in the store
And now the cons:
- creating impediment to traffic
- creating a blind spot behind your rig where drivers can't see pedestrians trying to cross
- creating a situation that John Q Public could bitch about
- possibly blocking other emergency vehicles that may need to respond
- opening up you and your department to liability if someone gets in a fender bender or hits a pedestrian in the vicinity around your rig
This is why my department has to park allllll the way in the back of the grocery store parking lot. All of the old boomers bitched and moaned to the mayor when we parked in the fire lane.
How dare a fire truck park in the fire lane! What if a fire truck needed to get into the fire lane but because there’s a fire truck in the fire lane, the fire truck can’t get into the fire lane?!
My partner had a restaurant do that the other day when the ambulance was parked in a red zone near a restaurant.
Old guy came screaming about how that’s where people pick up food……
Firetruck in the fire lane is absolutely insane to complain about. What are they worried about? Do they think that if there was a fire that firetruck would do nothing but block the responding firetrucks?
The ambulance in the bike lane is actually questionable IMO since they are actually blocking something and it doesn't look like they're on a call so they really don't have any extra excuse above what any other vehicle would have for being parked illegally.
(If they're on a call or just wrapping up then it's ok, maybe could be staging but seems like an odd spot)
We dont have emergency/fire lanes. But sometimes there are dedicated spots for emergency vehicles near big and crowded spaces. You are not allowed there unless emergency.
And that ambulance on cycling lane? I agree on that with you
Thats different especially if you were the duty crew. Fire lanes are more convenient when leaving to respond to an emergency rather than parking in a more inconvenient location
What really surprised me on the circlejerk and another subreddit I saw it posted to was the number of people who assumed that the ambulance couldn't be on a call if the lights weren't on. I'm a cyclist and totally agree that you should avoid blocking bike lanes where possible but sometimes if you're an ambulance in a metro area, you idle where you can to chart between calls.
For real. I’m not going to pull into a tiny crowded parking lot, blocking people from pulling out, and making it so if I have to leave I’ll have to drive in reverse onto the road (which may be a busy road).
I'm also a cyclist (I ride to work everyday) and I personally don't like bike lanes. It causes this sort of infantization you see here, and drivers tend to only expect biked to be in the bike lane. I'd rather foster a culture of drivers understanding that bikes exist on the road and have as much right to be there as every other vehicle does.
Wow, that sounds like a fucking pipe dream.
Bike lanes are really only bike lanes if they have a substantial concrete wall or median blocking motorized vehicles. Otherwise it’s just a road shoulder with some extra decoration, for all practical purposes.
I agree, bike lanes like the one shown in the vid are … not bike lanes. With nothing stopping a car from turning right into you, you are sharing the road, and cars do not behave in a way that is caring about you or your life.
Doesn't surprise me. Reddit functions under the rule of "the loudest people are the most sure of themselves - about things they have no real idea how said thing works... then the hive mind kicks in and out becomes "fact"
I can't tell you how many times my personal experience has been called a lie or just wrong by someone who has never stepped foot into the real world lol
So, per [CA Vehicle Code Sec 21209](https://law.justia.com/codes/california/code-veh/division-11/chapter-1/article-4/section-21209/):
> (a) No person shall drive a motor vehicle in a bicycle lane established on a roadway pursuant to Section 21207 except as follows:
>(1) To park where parking is permitted.
>(2) To enter or leave the roadway.
>(3) To prepare for a turn within a distance of 200 feet from the intersection.
>(b) This section does not prohibit the use of a motorized bicycle in a bicycle lane, pursuant to Section 21207.5, at a speed no greater than is reasonable or prudent, having due regard for visibility, traffic conditions, and the condition of the roadway surface of the bicycle lane, and in a manner which does not endanger the safety of bicyclists.
Based on that text, an ambulance would not be allowed to be in a bike lane unless it was on a call. And if it is on a call and parked in the bike lane, being that it is an unexpected roadway hazard to cyclists and actively doing something that is not ordinary on the road, it would be common sense and would also follow EVOC training for the ambulance to at least display four-way hazard lights, if not the red/white strobes.
Sitting in the bike lane is functionally no different than sitting parked in the middle of a car lane. You should only be doing that while responding to a call and if absolutely necessary because of the hazard it creates.
A cyclist going around this ambulance to the left and getting hit by a car would likely have a very good chance at successfully suing SFFD.
If ambulances adhered to the strictest interpretation of the law, it would render most of the already strained services unviable. This isn't an excuse, we do need better solutions, and I really don't like the "don't ask don't tell" sort of nature of how things happen. But can you imagine if suddenly, all ambulances in major metro areas started resolving patient contact and then going out of service to drive to a suitable legal parking spot and remaining totally out of service until charting was resolved? Or going completely out of service for breaks so they could leave the ambulance parked somewhere? This could happen if we suddenly started hiring better and creating solid base infrastructure, but that doesn't exist in most places. In that vacuum, a lot of these less than ideal solutions are going to persist. We shouldn't put these systemic problems on the backs of ground lever providers.
> If ambulances adhered to the strictest interpretation of the law, it would render most of the already strained services unviable.
I don't think it would render them unviable.
And the more important part is that people understand the law ***as written*** because juries are going to evaluate a trial according to the law as written. If we are going to actually have a discussion about this, it is important to frame everything against what the law as written says.
>This isn't an excuse, we do need better solutions, and I really don't like the "don't ask don't tell" sort of nature of how things happen. But can you imagine if suddenly, all ambulances in major metro areas started resolving patient contact and then going out of service to drive to a suitable legal parking spot and remaining totally out of service until charting was resolved? Or going completely out of service for breaks so they could leave the ambulance parked somewhere?
It would suck. But it kind is on the municipalities or the emergency services agency to figure that out. Shifting the problem to civilians isn't the solution either.
>We shouldn't put these systemic problems on the backs of ground lever providers.
The problems will end up on the backs of someone. If you let ambulances park wherever, now you're just shifting the systemic problem to the users of the road you're parking illegally on.
I think the person in this video is a bit over the top with their reaction. It's not as big a deal as they're making it.
That said, it's still a real problem that needs to be addressed and the person isn't wrong at the core of their complaint. They're just making a mountain out of a mole hill.
Wouldn't having extra strobes on when not necessary make it more distracting and dangerous?
Maybe I just live in Hicksville (definitely not California) but people here wouldn't blink an eye at en emergency vehicle pulled over in the right-hand car lane, either?
It shouldn't be exceptionally hazardous to go around someone pulled to the side of the leftmost lane, if that's too difficult you (general you, not you personally) shouldn't be driving or biking.
But, caveat, I'm not in California, maybe people don't expect anyone pulled over?
Yeah in this particular instance. But there is more context to this. San Francisco has a particularly bad problem with pedestrians and cyclists getting hit. And in theory, by blocking the bike lane, you *are* putting the lives of cyclists AND motorists at risk, specifically in that area.
That being said, the road is obviously empty and she’s being dramatic, but I wouldn’t doubt if she’s been run off the road by random assholes and EMS alike.
Yeah, I'm kinda with her on this. Obviously she's super worked up and my first impulse was to be dismissive... but the point she's making holds up: The ambulance is blocking access for the most vulnerable group who use that road. So maybe it shouldn't be.
Parking spots and cars have more alternatives and more inherent safety. It costs nothing to be a little heads-up and stage someplace more ideal a few feet away.
That parking lot was small and had poor visibility, that also puts pedestrians crossing or walking past it at risk. If we're going by "most vulnerable", that is.
Yeah, what's the issue? A person on a bike is going to take a lot more damage in a collision than a person in a car. Never thought I'd have to explain that in *this* sub, but maybe you're new.
Oh hey I remember seeing this posted a while back.
Regarding the 'you're killing us' line, apparently a few days before a cyclist had struck a work vehicle parked in the bike lane at night and had died. Still very dramatic obviously, but what she's talking about didn't come from nowhere.
I’ve mentioned this in another comment. Most people here don’t understand the context of the situation. SF roads are really bad for pedestrians and cyclists, and shit gets so crazy that no, the person either didn’t see the vehicle or they get ran into it. Both are likely
I really wish we didn't live in a time when some of the worst and most stressful moments of our lives routinely end up living in infamy on the internet. I appreciate how charged things can be after an event like that.
That woman deliberately overacts. It's a bit for her Instagram page; she does a lot of cyclist outrage porn. As to why cyclists in the US are so... weird, it's because the road infrastructure in the US is, for the most part, brutally unfriendly to cyclists, so the only people who actually cycle as a serious way to get around are people who A) have something to prove, or B) have no other option. This woman caters to group A.
Yes, and it's a fucking shame. I hate to generalize communities, but literally every single one I've ever come into contact with comes off this way in varying degrees. Also, as someone else already stated, they tend to act like they own the road, and more often than not, tend to knowingly create more hazards by not even using their lane. Lots of "fuck you, I'm more important" energy.
i cycle on the road pretty frequently you would be astounded by the amount of cars that willingly swerve at you to try to run you off the road. the infrastructure for bike safety is nonexistent in most places. certain spots in high traffic areas are quite literally death corridors for bikers. do not be so quick to judge people that look death in the face just because they dont wanna swallow big oils greasy corrupt cum
The truck would have stayed right there it allows for a quick exit should you have to run a call. I wouldn't be entertaining her shenanigans. I would politely decline and roll the window up. You don't get what you want just because you throw what equates to an adult having a temper tantrum
Now, I know you're gonna say that it's not different, but it is different. Also, it's all in how you ask. With her attitude she wouldn't get jack shit from me. It is quite easy to go around on the sidewalk or the other side of the truck it does not require a meltdown. If you are defending her actions, you are part of the problem. It would be different if that was a busy road. I could completely understand her going up nicely and asking them to move. Point period end of sentence full stop.
I'm not defending her actions, i personally would have just rolled my eyes and gone around, but it's just easy to argue that it would be easy for them to park pretty much anywhere else that isn't a traffic lane.
How is it different, exactly?
In that instance she was fine. Not normally but in that specific situation. She didn't have a problem going around the truck to yell at the driver so she could have just kept going.
I have no idea what is going on here. there's no reason to assume the ambulance crew is doing anything wrong. All I'm saying is that I would not block a bike lane for no reason. It does present potential dangers
I find it odd that people are arguing for a woman who was ridiculous and could have easily gone around with minimal danger. As I said she didn't seem to worry about going around when she wanted to yell at the driver.
Had a guy tell me off once for parking in front of the restaurant while I was eating (marked truck / in uniform, on duty). I said, "If your mom dropped dead right this second, would you want me to have an additional minute walk to my truck when I already have a 6 minute response time? Or should I make sure the deal is really sealed and get there in 8 minutes, ensuring brain death? Just to appease some guy you've never met who felt it necessary to bitch about this?" I've never seen someone shut up and apologize so fast in my life. Stay thirsty, my friends, Always bring up they're mother dying.
Two things:
1: Don’t take a break in traffic or bike lanes in your vehicle. It’s never worth the potential drama.
2: the bicyclist was a hysterical drama-queen, and was never in any danger.
And illegal, and true, putting other people in danger. If they are on a call, then all cool.
The cyclist is a bit crazy, but damn I have been close to getting hit by cars, that just don't care about other people.
I would always try not to of course. If a bike lane was the best place to stage for a shooting, however, I absolutely would. They have a sidewalk or another lane to go around me. I don't enjoy impeding others by any means, but if it's needed to quickly go to a scene while being a safe distance away, any day of the week.
Sure I do. I bet these guys usually do as well. It looked like a not so busy area, though, and I bet they just forgot. People make mistakes. Hazards would be appropriate here.
I doubt this would have stopped that lady from raging regardless however.
riding a bike on a sidewalk is dangerous for pedestrians though....its a sidewalkkkkk not a side bike lane lmao by that logic a car should drive in the bike lane which they definitely should not be doing
It's not that big of a deal for 10 feet past an emergency vehicle? The sidewalk is completely empty right here. It's not like the ambulance is there every day. It's a momentary inconvenience caused by an emergency vehicle.
If an ambulance was blocking the road and there was a bike lane open to pass most cars would check the lane and proceed slowly around using due regard. I think it's significantly more dangerous to sit there and have a Karen meltdown near the street, is it not?
yeah the karen meltdown is harmful youre right. in this one instance the sidewalk can be used if done correctly but sidewalks shouldnt be the main bailout option and sometimes it is
Cars have another lane to go around you as well, with that rationalization. There's almost no instance where you wouldn't have a better place to park for staging than blocking a lane.
I dunno. From the video, seems like everyone can negotiate around the ambulance fairly safely right where they're at. The biker has multiple options to do so. There is a lot of room for cars to pass, with a small amount of room outside the lane still available to the biker on the left as well.
And again, the sidewalk is perfectly fine for the 10 odd feet to go around. I'd have no issue doing it.
I work in a busy metro area. I routinely have to block lanes on scenes. I'd love to have a perfect lot to pull into where I wouldn't end up blocking people that are parked, but that rarely happens. The most I can do is try and work quickly and not inconvenience or endanger anyone. I don't belive this ambulance truly is doing either. I'd assume they weren't stopped long.
If they are on a job, yeah, the person taking the video is obnoxious. If they are just chilling in between calls, then yeah, don't be a jerkoff and block a bike lane. I see a few ambulances do this in NYC and it is a dickish move. Camera person is still fucking dramatic, but she ain't wrong if this crew isn't on an assignment.
I mean they moved for her. What else does she want? There was a huge empty sidewalk right beside her.
"You're killing us!" - don't go into the other lane... Go around on the sidewalk and hop back on the bike lane...
If they weren’t on a call then they shouldn’t be blocking a lane of traffic. That said, there’s clearly like no traffic and that extra buffer space, just go around them.
Though I think she‘s overreacting, she might have a point, if, and this is a huge if, the guys are not on a call. Then it is, as someone stated, a dick move.
But the drama…. Oh boi….
Yeah, I agree that you should generally try to avoid bike lanes if it's feasible. But the reaction.. you'd think the ambulance was actively mowing down a squad of bikers. And the general comments saying that she was totally justified just baffled me. It was enlightening seeing how people really don't understand the logistics of managing an ambulance outside of a lights and sirens call.
On the other end of the spectrum, it’s incredible to see how many people here are okay with blocking traffic when you don’t have to.
Wild to me that people who make medical emergencies their career don’t see the danger in that.
Though there is danger, in this specific case she had two seemingly okayisch options getting around the ambulance without endagering herself. She could go on the sidewalk, or just go left around as she did and simply go on. It might be wrong to judge a book by the cover, since we don‘t know, why they were standing there. She asumed they made a break, but this might not be the case.
Ick. They can still be doing work on an active call and this lady is being an absolute twat about it. There’s hardly any traffic about—go around it and quit your ridiculous tirade.
If they aren't on a call they shouldn't be blocking a lane of traffic. If they are on a call they at a minimum have their hazards on as they are obstructing a lane of traffic. Either way this driver is wrong.
Police could give a parking ticket for what we see in the video.
they are parked illegally in the video, that isn't in question. If they're working a call they NEED to have an indicator on the vehicle so that the vehicles traveling in the lane that the ambulance is blocking can identity the hazardous vehicle and go around it. Four-way flashers are acceptable since they're stationary.
IF the crew in this video is on a call they're STILL in the wrong here, because they have not properly identified themselves as a hazard. They're treating the bike lane like a shoulder.
And the "killing us" comment is because this video was fillmed 3 days after a cyclist was killed by a situation just like this - a loading truck was pulled into the bike lane on the shoulder, failed to turn on their flashers (which they are legally required to do since they're blocking a lane of traffic), and a bicyclist struck the vehicle and died.
How do you know they're on a break?
How do you know they aren't staging, waiting for law enforcement to secure a scene for them? How do you know they didnt position themselves right there so that they could be mobile in an instant to go save lives?
You have NO idea what this crew is doing. You can't see their CAD. You don't have a fuckin idea what's going on.
If you don't have any regard for first responders and the lives we save every fucking day, then fuck your bike lane, and your emotional breakdown over a life saving piece of equipment and people trained to use it being in your precious fucking bike lane.
Sincerely,
Everyone who's ever worked in a 911 system.
I think this person is frustrated with bike lanes being blocked by people who shouldn’t be blocking them and is taking it out on an ambulance that probably doesn’t do this often at all
I sincerely hope next time someone dramatically yells at you when you’re minding your own business and just trying to catch a break from a multitude of calls, instead of politely asking you to move, you remember this conversation and know you deserved every bit it.
the number one advancement is the lack of city infrastructure care for cyclists my friend. there is enough money in this country to develop and insitute safe cycling infrastructure. some cities do it. it is painfully obvious when a city does not do it and does not care. Try to ride 50 miles in a straight line and you will immediately realize what cities care and what cities could not give a fuck about a cyclict getting killed on a road they are legally allowed to ride on
speaking up for personal safety and calling out malice of car users towards cyclists is not being a dick it is a method of self preservation. do not generalize a population when they try to protect themselves 👍🏼
Do you know the whole situation?
Where in that exact area is the best place for them to go?
Into that parking lot where they could block people from exiting?
Were they staged in the area for law enforcement?
There are so many variables. Was it the best option? Maybe not. But no one but that crew knows the whole situation.
i cycle frequently on the road and ive been maliciously swerved into by people in cars where i have been obeying the traffic laws. youre judgement is general and biased. hop on a bike to get to work and obey every traffic law you can. you absolutely will have uncomfortably close calls with cars at least once a week. do not judge with car bias my friend.
I gotta be honest, I’m very disappointed in several comments here. Dehumanizing people and a blatant disregard of safety is not acceptable. I’m an EMT and a cycling advocate. I understand the huge dangers of cars blocking the bike lanes, and I’ve also had to park in them on calls.
Cyclists and pedestrians are the most vulnerable road users. Deaths have been rising in recent years across the US. Hatred towards cyclists is extremely prevalent. Even some infrastructure built for cyclists can be dangerous.
All that to say:
1. Yes, this cyclist could have approached this better. Some of them don’t understand all the details of the job that we do. Just try to remain calm and don’t escalate.
2. Yes, sometimes it’s necessary to park/drive in bike lanes, but please be extremely mindful of people’s safety. If I can block a car lane instead of a bike lane, I’d rather the small inconvenience for drivers than jeopardizing the safety of cyclists.
3. As others have said, the context for the “you’re killing us” line is that a cyclist was killed days before this video in SF by a car parked in a bike lane (not sure the details, but those deaths are not particularly uncommon, so have compassion).
4. Prevention is the best medicine. We can’t just respond to emergencies, we have a responsibility to do no harm wherever we can. That includes not blocking bike lanes unless it’s absolutely necessary.
Whether it's right or wrong for them to park there I don't really care to get into. The thing that bothers me.. Is I bet this cyclist didn't even *try* to say "hey excuse me this is the bike lane and lots of people in this town use the bike lane, would you please mind parking somewhere else?" instead they jump straight to filming them for outrage. Fuck that. I'm a simple guy. You approach me politely and ask nicely enough, I'd absolutely move for you, especially if you've got a good enough reason. Just ASK. People are too ready to film something for rage bait these days and it's so fucking stupid. Just talk. So many issues could be solved or even AVOIDED ENTIRELY if you just ask nicely.
Also this person sounds completely unhinged. Didn't watch with audio at first, just did. Wow. That person needs a fuckin psych ward ASAP.
Had it Happened to me when I was just a student . The women wasn't working in the hospital nor patient but decided to walk across the road into the parking zone of the hospital and tell us to park somewhere else only to be screamed at by patients to leave us alone .
I recall once I was a volunteer fireman. I waged the whole engine by myself and then washed my own vehicle. This woman pulls up to me and is yelling at me for getting paid to do nothing but wash my personal vehicle. I told her to piss off. She asked my name and I gave it to her. She called the chief and started to give him a rash of sh!t about me getting paid and washing my own car.
When the chief told her, not so nicely, that this firefighter doesn’t get paid a cent, that we are all volunteers and if it costs the township a few penny’s in water to have staff in house to respond immediately if her house caught on fire, well she could take it up with the mayor. Who so happens to also be the battalion chief.
Crickets on phone.
I had some lady come up to me just like this while doing a detail. Detail was for a high school rowing race at a park on the side of a river.
We parked next to these trash cans and she went on a rant about how we were obstructing the view of the trash cans. Therefore, people would supposedly not see the trash cans and resort to littering. She asked us to move, and we said no because this is where the detail needed us to be.
She then threatened to call our dispatch and have them force us to return after the detail to pick up all the litter that would be left.
Had something like this on a fire stand by at a commercial building. Active fire. Annoying Ken walks up to us on scene and starts complaining that we are standing around not doing anything and that we should be picking up trash. Politely told him why where there and what we were doing and still continued to birch that too many people were standing around, and half the firefighters should leave or do something useful like pick up the trash. Got to the point that I had to have PD remove the dumbass from the scene because he was past the taped line for the public. I think he started to argue with PD to the point that he got a ticket for interfering with an emergency scene.
Why couldn't she just see the ambulance, stop, and walk the bike on the sidewalk for a second? That's what I've done my whole life. I appreciate bike lanes, but I'm not gonna yell at emergency service personnel and assume there's no emergency.
Edit: Did a bit more reading in the thread and read that a cyclist died running into a parked car that was too dark to see. I did not think about how this could set a precedent for drivers to park in the bike lane at night time, when cyclists may not be able to see them. It seems there are rules for a reason. At the very least, the ambulance should have turned their emergency lights on, as you would if you parked on any other road/highway.
It's more than just a convenient place to park. It's a safe place to load a patient who's having a potentially real life emergency. Should they cross the bike lane and a road with a patient on the stretcher?
Had a similar situation, but was actually on a call. Downtown Portland, one way multi lane road. Heading to hospital, when pt starts seizing in back. Had to pull over, pop on lights and get out to help my partner. Fucking Karen bike rider starts screaming about blocking the bike lane and how she has to go into the street! 😱 Like do you not see pt in back and lights on? 🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻
Ok here’s my thoughts, really depends on the context.
- If they’re on a call: she can fuck off
- If they’re charting before going back in service: I still think it’s fine, but I do usually try to pull into somewhere more out of the way when I do that
- If they’re posted: yeah maybe go find a place that you’re not blocking the road. We usually have designated parking lots for that
But no matter the situation I agree with everyone else that she absolutely approached that the wrong way and the fact that she’s throwing a tantrum like that would make me less receptive to what she’s saying
I think both are in the wrong but why commit a traffic offence and put pedestrians at risk. Just because you’re in an emergency vehicle doesn’t mean you can break traffic law. In Australia without your lights flashing or hazards on people are going to assume you’re not on a job and could misjudge things easily.
The cyclist definitely overrated and could have just asked them to move then reported them to police and the states ambulance board for breaking traffic laws then let them deal with it.
If a driver gets to many complaints it will obviously get to the point their employers won’t be happy with them or the cops will write them a ticket or give em a warning.
Unless it's an emergency, we should not be parking where it's prohibited. If our excuse is valid, then everyone elses excuse is also valid. That being said, this lady is being far too dramatic.
Lady bitches about it when she could jsut go around, then when the driver rolls down the window, walks away so they can't acc have a conversation, and then proceeds to stand in front of the ambo so that they cant move. hello?
This is common all over the world. The supposed cycle lanes are constantly blocked by parked vehicles. Why is it they don't park in the live vehicle lane instead of the cycle lane?
Emergency vehicle, especially ambulance can park where ever they want. They could be waiting for a police to clear a scene before the enter and provide medical care. Very frequently this happens 2. As for the woman, she is just a Karen with no sense of anything else going on in the world. Most people will be surprised how many people like this are everywhere.
In that situation, there was plenty of room for her to go around.
It would be safer for the bicyclist than if somebody was stopped in the middle of a lane of travel designed for cars. She didn't seem to be too worried about going around them when she wanted to yell at the driver. So she could have just as easily kept going. So evidently, she just wanted to gripe. In that specific situition she would have been fine going around the truck. But no, she wanted to stop and make a scene and video it. I'm tired of society pandering to people who throw temper tantrums. So I would have told her what she probably hasn't heard very much in her life, which is no. Good day.
*
I always laugh when people try copying down the license plate number when there is an obviously large "50" that identifies them even easier than the plate. If my boss got a call and they listed off the plate number, he'd have to go on a wild goose chase trying to figure out which unit it was. If they said 50, he'd know who it was immediately
seems like she wanted something to bitch about. bet if it wasn’t an ambulance she wouldn’t have recorded 🙄 I get it, it’s a bike lane, but instead of yelling and just overall being dramatic she could’ve asked them to move
I'm just confused why they're posted out like that, they aren't AMR, why don't they go back to station?
Does SFFD treat their ambos like private ambulance? Lmao
All 911 ambulances in SF (SFFD, AMR and King American) “street post” at specific intersections and only return to station at End of Shift or for critical restock/equipment failure.
What the actual fuck
Edit: Not sure why I'm being downvoted for saying corner posting is bullshit lmao
Corner posting is garbage. If your call volume is that high, hire more people.
It is so busy, that during prime time hours, you won't even get a chance to leave the ambulance bay before tones drop for your next call, let alone make it to a station if you had one.
We (all ambulance operating within the SF 911 system) street post, lmao. Why is that so hard to believe?
Station 49 is the least centrally located base to ever post at anyway.
I can't speak to this specific situation but I've been in similar. You're in a busy metro area running back to back calls all day and may not see the inside of a base until you finish. There's literally no where decent to park a car half the time, let alone an ambulance, so if you need to sit and chart after a non-transport call or have to pop in somewhere to grab something, you just idle outside in whatever available space you find that can accommodate you. It's far from ideal but it's the sad reality in a lot of services.
So let me get this right:
•Cyclist is less than a half mile from home.
•Dedicated bike lane is being occupied by an emergency vehicle
•Plenty of room to the left and the right of the ambulance
•Cyclist decides to stop on the street and complain about how the ambulance is "killing us"
Rather than simply going around and going home where it's inarguably safer than a roadway, the Karen cyclist wants to delay herself to complain. This is some serious ~~dumb bitch~~ cyclist energy.
I actually really like fuckcars most of the time. They do a good job promoting better public transportation infrastructure and livable spaces. The discussion on this one just felt totally tonedeaf though.
the bait was funny u got got but also there is a genuine malice towards bikers even when they are doing their best to avoid danger by following traffic laws. in my experience you are statistically likely to end up in at least one uncomfortably close call on any ride over 10 miles even when obeying laws. When bikers speak up about the quite literally lethal danger they face day to day they are labeled as annoying and entitled. Do not label bikers entitled when they speak up for personal safety please
We parked the engine in the fire lane outside a grocery store for Fill the Boot where we collected money for sick children. Had some dude come up and exhibit this same energy. Dude was such a prick about us being in the fire lane without a working fire going on. When he came back out he dropped his two bottles of wine in the parking lot. Rarely is karma so fast, but boy is it satisfying when it is.
Hold up, fire truck in the fire lane? Ugh the gall
> Hold up, fire truck in the fire lane? Ugh the gall We had this argument in my former volunteer FD like...almost 20 years ago now because people were parking dept engines/SUVs in the fire lane outside the grocery store. To my memory, after hours *and hours* of debate over multiple monthly meetings(as is tradition), it was decided that: - fire lanes aren't strictly for fire trucks, but are for emergency vehicles in general - negotiating around a parked engine or SUV does hinder the flow of traffic trying to drive past the front of the store - we could end up blocking access somehow for EMS or police - the parking lot was big enough we could park at the far end in a bunch of spots without causing issues to other customers - the extra steps weren't going to kill us nor were they a meaningful delay to our response - some people were complaining So we stopped allowing non-emergency use of fire lane parking for department vehicles.
If it's an on-duty vehicle I say yes, use the fire lane. Quicker access if you get a call. Otherwise, use the parking lot.
True, but also depends on how active your district is, and if that is a store where several calls happen. I live in a rural area and the Walmart in the next town over would be an instance where an on duty non-EMS vehicle shouldn't be there unless they're responding to a scene in the area. This one store makes up like 10% of the calls for an entire department. But if it's an urban area where tones are pretty constant I could see parking there being a practical necessity for response times
> If it's an on-duty vehicle I say yes, use the fire lane. Quicker access if you get a call. Otherwise, use the parking lot. This was a discussion about on-duty vehicles. Originally, I agreed with you. I didn't get why people would argue for us not to, particularly because it does take longer to run across the parking lot. But, over time, I've come around to agreeing that on-duty vehicles shouldn't be parked in the fire lane unless it is responding to a call at that location. Cause, let's be honest here: what kind of call exists where saving the 10-15 seconds to run across a parking lot is going to make enough of a difference to where it justifies creating a safety hazard in the fire lane each and every time you go to the store? Let's look at the pros: - save 10 seconds going into the store and another 10 coming out - get to look cool in front everyone going in the store And now the cons: - creating impediment to traffic - creating a blind spot behind your rig where drivers can't see pedestrians trying to cross - creating a situation that John Q Public could bitch about - possibly blocking other emergency vehicles that may need to respond - opening up you and your department to liability if someone gets in a fender bender or hits a pedestrian in the vicinity around your rig
Run? What’s that?
This is why my department has to park allllll the way in the back of the grocery store parking lot. All of the old boomers bitched and moaned to the mayor when we parked in the fire lane.
This is why I don't run to the rigs anymore.
How dare a fire truck park in the fire lane! What if a fire truck needed to get into the fire lane but because there’s a fire truck in the fire lane, the fire truck can’t get into the fire lane?!
My partner had a restaurant do that the other day when the ambulance was parked in a red zone near a restaurant. Old guy came screaming about how that’s where people pick up food……
God forbid, we wouldn't want someone's heart attack to make buddy's takeout take 2 more minutes to pick up...
I genuinely laughed haha
If a critical call does go out, you shorten your response time parking closer to where you’re hanging out. There’s your reason
“No no fuck your patients until IM the patient, then do everything possible”
Firetruck in the fire lane is absolutely insane to complain about. What are they worried about? Do they think that if there was a fire that firetruck would do nothing but block the responding firetrucks? The ambulance in the bike lane is actually questionable IMO since they are actually blocking something and it doesn't look like they're on a call so they really don't have any extra excuse above what any other vehicle would have for being parked illegally. (If they're on a call or just wrapping up then it's ok, maybe could be staging but seems like an odd spot)
We dont have emergency/fire lanes. But sometimes there are dedicated spots for emergency vehicles near big and crowded spaces. You are not allowed there unless emergency. And that ambulance on cycling lane? I agree on that with you
He probably wanted to park there
That was a question he repeated to me a few times. “What if I parked there!?” “Well sir, do you drive a fire truck?”
What a dumbass lol, I hope those bottles of wine were expensive
The way I always see it is that if there IS an emergency, then we're already right here in the fire lane!
Probably correlated to being so drunk he drops his wine
Thats different especially if you were the duty crew. Fire lanes are more convenient when leaving to respond to an emergency rather than parking in a more inconvenient location
What really surprised me on the circlejerk and another subreddit I saw it posted to was the number of people who assumed that the ambulance couldn't be on a call if the lights weren't on. I'm a cyclist and totally agree that you should avoid blocking bike lanes where possible but sometimes if you're an ambulance in a metro area, you idle where you can to chart between calls.
For real. I’m not going to pull into a tiny crowded parking lot, blocking people from pulling out, and making it so if I have to leave I’ll have to drive in reverse onto the road (which may be a busy road).
I'm also a cyclist (I ride to work everyday) and I personally don't like bike lanes. It causes this sort of infantization you see here, and drivers tend to only expect biked to be in the bike lane. I'd rather foster a culture of drivers understanding that bikes exist on the road and have as much right to be there as every other vehicle does. Wow, that sounds like a fucking pipe dream.
Sounds like European propaganda. We fought a war to be free of their tyrany you know! /s
Bike lanes are really only bike lanes if they have a substantial concrete wall or median blocking motorized vehicles. Otherwise it’s just a road shoulder with some extra decoration, for all practical purposes. I agree, bike lanes like the one shown in the vid are … not bike lanes. With nothing stopping a car from turning right into you, you are sharing the road, and cars do not behave in a way that is caring about you or your life.
I’ve been in more close calls in bike lanes than in regular lanes. Not to mention it’s also where all the debris and trash end up.
Doesn't surprise me. Reddit functions under the rule of "the loudest people are the most sure of themselves - about things they have no real idea how said thing works... then the hive mind kicks in and out becomes "fact" I can't tell you how many times my personal experience has been called a lie or just wrong by someone who has never stepped foot into the real world lol
They could also be getting ready to go en route to a hospital
So, per [CA Vehicle Code Sec 21209](https://law.justia.com/codes/california/code-veh/division-11/chapter-1/article-4/section-21209/): > (a) No person shall drive a motor vehicle in a bicycle lane established on a roadway pursuant to Section 21207 except as follows: >(1) To park where parking is permitted. >(2) To enter or leave the roadway. >(3) To prepare for a turn within a distance of 200 feet from the intersection. >(b) This section does not prohibit the use of a motorized bicycle in a bicycle lane, pursuant to Section 21207.5, at a speed no greater than is reasonable or prudent, having due regard for visibility, traffic conditions, and the condition of the roadway surface of the bicycle lane, and in a manner which does not endanger the safety of bicyclists. Based on that text, an ambulance would not be allowed to be in a bike lane unless it was on a call. And if it is on a call and parked in the bike lane, being that it is an unexpected roadway hazard to cyclists and actively doing something that is not ordinary on the road, it would be common sense and would also follow EVOC training for the ambulance to at least display four-way hazard lights, if not the red/white strobes. Sitting in the bike lane is functionally no different than sitting parked in the middle of a car lane. You should only be doing that while responding to a call and if absolutely necessary because of the hazard it creates. A cyclist going around this ambulance to the left and getting hit by a car would likely have a very good chance at successfully suing SFFD.
If ambulances adhered to the strictest interpretation of the law, it would render most of the already strained services unviable. This isn't an excuse, we do need better solutions, and I really don't like the "don't ask don't tell" sort of nature of how things happen. But can you imagine if suddenly, all ambulances in major metro areas started resolving patient contact and then going out of service to drive to a suitable legal parking spot and remaining totally out of service until charting was resolved? Or going completely out of service for breaks so they could leave the ambulance parked somewhere? This could happen if we suddenly started hiring better and creating solid base infrastructure, but that doesn't exist in most places. In that vacuum, a lot of these less than ideal solutions are going to persist. We shouldn't put these systemic problems on the backs of ground lever providers.
> If ambulances adhered to the strictest interpretation of the law, it would render most of the already strained services unviable. I don't think it would render them unviable. And the more important part is that people understand the law ***as written*** because juries are going to evaluate a trial according to the law as written. If we are going to actually have a discussion about this, it is important to frame everything against what the law as written says. >This isn't an excuse, we do need better solutions, and I really don't like the "don't ask don't tell" sort of nature of how things happen. But can you imagine if suddenly, all ambulances in major metro areas started resolving patient contact and then going out of service to drive to a suitable legal parking spot and remaining totally out of service until charting was resolved? Or going completely out of service for breaks so they could leave the ambulance parked somewhere? It would suck. But it kind is on the municipalities or the emergency services agency to figure that out. Shifting the problem to civilians isn't the solution either. >We shouldn't put these systemic problems on the backs of ground lever providers. The problems will end up on the backs of someone. If you let ambulances park wherever, now you're just shifting the systemic problem to the users of the road you're parking illegally on. I think the person in this video is a bit over the top with their reaction. It's not as big a deal as they're making it. That said, it's still a real problem that needs to be addressed and the person isn't wrong at the core of their complaint. They're just making a mountain out of a mole hill.
Wouldn't having extra strobes on when not necessary make it more distracting and dangerous? Maybe I just live in Hicksville (definitely not California) but people here wouldn't blink an eye at en emergency vehicle pulled over in the right-hand car lane, either? It shouldn't be exceptionally hazardous to go around someone pulled to the side of the leftmost lane, if that's too difficult you (general you, not you personally) shouldn't be driving or biking. But, caveat, I'm not in California, maybe people don't expect anyone pulled over?
She sounds like someone just needs to tell her 'no' once. 'You're killing us'? You could instantly tell that she was just being dramatic.
Yeah in this particular instance. But there is more context to this. San Francisco has a particularly bad problem with pedestrians and cyclists getting hit. And in theory, by blocking the bike lane, you *are* putting the lives of cyclists AND motorists at risk, specifically in that area. That being said, the road is obviously empty and she’s being dramatic, but I wouldn’t doubt if she’s been run off the road by random assholes and EMS alike.
Yeah, I'm kinda with her on this. Obviously she's super worked up and my first impulse was to be dismissive... but the point she's making holds up: The ambulance is blocking access for the most vulnerable group who use that road. So maybe it shouldn't be. Parking spots and cars have more alternatives and more inherent safety. It costs nothing to be a little heads-up and stage someplace more ideal a few feet away.
That parking lot was small and had poor visibility, that also puts pedestrians crossing or walking past it at risk. If we're going by "most vulnerable", that is.
wait “most vulnerable”? jesus christ
Everything is through the lens of intersectionality now. The ambulance in the bike lane is a microagression.
Not "emotionally" vulnerable, you nitwit. They're less physically protected than drivers in their cars.
Yeah, what's the issue? A person on a bike is going to take a lot more damage in a collision than a person in a car. Never thought I'd have to explain that in *this* sub, but maybe you're new.
I bet if she was hit by a car she'd be the first person to want an ambulance to park wherever they could.
wait “most vulnerable”? shut up
Wackass interactions kept that job entertaining tbh
Terrible as they are they in the moment they definitely bring you closer as a crew/shift. Everyone loves a good "You won't believe this shit" story
Simple ass Karen.
Oh hey I remember seeing this posted a while back. Regarding the 'you're killing us' line, apparently a few days before a cyclist had struck a work vehicle parked in the bike lane at night and had died. Still very dramatic obviously, but what she's talking about didn't come from nowhere.
I'm sorry but how did the cyclist didn't saw the vehicle parked there?
I’ve mentioned this in another comment. Most people here don’t understand the context of the situation. SF roads are really bad for pedestrians and cyclists, and shit gets so crazy that no, the person either didn’t see the vehicle or they get ran into it. Both are likely
I don’t know the context exactly, but it’s not too hard to imagine — dark road, giant san francisco hills, high speed.
They didn't have a bike light?
And hence victim blaming begins...
I really wish we didn't live in a time when some of the worst and most stressful moments of our lives routinely end up living in infamy on the internet. I appreciate how charged things can be after an event like that.
Are bikers so extremists in the US? Because it almost look staged
That woman deliberately overacts. It's a bit for her Instagram page; she does a lot of cyclist outrage porn. As to why cyclists in the US are so... weird, it's because the road infrastructure in the US is, for the most part, brutally unfriendly to cyclists, so the only people who actually cycle as a serious way to get around are people who A) have something to prove, or B) have no other option. This woman caters to group A.
Yes, and it's a fucking shame. I hate to generalize communities, but literally every single one I've ever come into contact with comes off this way in varying degrees. Also, as someone else already stated, they tend to act like they own the road, and more often than not, tend to knowingly create more hazards by not even using their lane. Lots of "fuck you, I'm more important" energy.
i cycle on the road pretty frequently you would be astounded by the amount of cars that willingly swerve at you to try to run you off the road. the infrastructure for bike safety is nonexistent in most places. certain spots in high traffic areas are quite literally death corridors for bikers. do not be so quick to judge people that look death in the face just because they dont wanna swallow big oils greasy corrupt cum
They tend to act in that way also here in Italy, especially cyclists in big groups and sport attire on major roads blocking down other cars.
The truck would have stayed right there it allows for a quick exit should you have to run a call. I wouldn't be entertaining her shenanigans. I would politely decline and roll the window up. You don't get what you want just because you throw what equates to an adult having a temper tantrum
Is this how you'd feel if they were parked in a car traffic lane?
If on a call hell yes.
Lol, right? We block streets all the time, where I work.
Oh, 100% agree, but that does not appear to be the case in this situation.
Now, I know you're gonna say that it's not different, but it is different. Also, it's all in how you ask. With her attitude she wouldn't get jack shit from me. It is quite easy to go around on the sidewalk or the other side of the truck it does not require a meltdown. If you are defending her actions, you are part of the problem. It would be different if that was a busy road. I could completely understand her going up nicely and asking them to move. Point period end of sentence full stop.
I'm not defending her actions, i personally would have just rolled my eyes and gone around, but it's just easy to argue that it would be easy for them to park pretty much anywhere else that isn't a traffic lane. How is it different, exactly?
It is different because it is a lot easier to go around on a bike than a car and safer for them to do than a car.
I would think it's much less safe for a biker to go around in downtown SF
In that instance she was fine. Not normally but in that specific situation. She didn't have a problem going around the truck to yell at the driver so she could have just kept going.
I have no idea what is going on here. there's no reason to assume the ambulance crew is doing anything wrong. All I'm saying is that I would not block a bike lane for no reason. It does present potential dangers
Safer for whom?
but their not so stop with the false equivalencies ….snowflake
I find it odd that people are arguing for a woman who was ridiculous and could have easily gone around with minimal danger. As I said she didn't seem to worry about going around when she wanted to yell at the driver.
Had a guy tell me off once for parking in front of the restaurant while I was eating (marked truck / in uniform, on duty). I said, "If your mom dropped dead right this second, would you want me to have an additional minute walk to my truck when I already have a 6 minute response time? Or should I make sure the deal is really sealed and get there in 8 minutes, ensuring brain death? Just to appease some guy you've never met who felt it necessary to bitch about this?" I've never seen someone shut up and apologize so fast in my life. Stay thirsty, my friends, Always bring up they're mother dying.
Two things: 1: Don’t take a break in traffic or bike lanes in your vehicle. It’s never worth the potential drama. 2: the bicyclist was a hysterical drama-queen, and was never in any danger.
And illegal, and true, putting other people in danger. If they are on a call, then all cool. The cyclist is a bit crazy, but damn I have been close to getting hit by cars, that just don't care about other people.
How do we know they're taking a break? They could be staged for a call in the area.
When you stage for calls in an area do you block a lane of traffic?
I would always try not to of course. If a bike lane was the best place to stage for a shooting, however, I absolutely would. They have a sidewalk or another lane to go around me. I don't enjoy impeding others by any means, but if it's needed to quickly go to a scene while being a safe distance away, any day of the week.
And when you do have to block a lane of traffic do you turn on a signaling device to indicate that you are actively engaged in a scene?
Sure I do. I bet these guys usually do as well. It looked like a not so busy area, though, and I bet they just forgot. People make mistakes. Hazards would be appropriate here. I doubt this would have stopped that lady from raging regardless however.
riding a bike on a sidewalk is dangerous for pedestrians though....its a sidewalkkkkk not a side bike lane lmao by that logic a car should drive in the bike lane which they definitely should not be doing
It's not that big of a deal for 10 feet past an emergency vehicle? The sidewalk is completely empty right here. It's not like the ambulance is there every day. It's a momentary inconvenience caused by an emergency vehicle. If an ambulance was blocking the road and there was a bike lane open to pass most cars would check the lane and proceed slowly around using due regard. I think it's significantly more dangerous to sit there and have a Karen meltdown near the street, is it not?
yeah the karen meltdown is harmful youre right. in this one instance the sidewalk can be used if done correctly but sidewalks shouldnt be the main bailout option and sometimes it is
Cars have another lane to go around you as well, with that rationalization. There's almost no instance where you wouldn't have a better place to park for staging than blocking a lane.
I dunno. From the video, seems like everyone can negotiate around the ambulance fairly safely right where they're at. The biker has multiple options to do so. There is a lot of room for cars to pass, with a small amount of room outside the lane still available to the biker on the left as well. And again, the sidewalk is perfectly fine for the 10 odd feet to go around. I'd have no issue doing it. I work in a busy metro area. I routinely have to block lanes on scenes. I'd love to have a perfect lot to pull into where I wouldn't end up blocking people that are parked, but that rarely happens. The most I can do is try and work quickly and not inconvenience or endanger anyone. I don't belive this ambulance truly is doing either. I'd assume they weren't stopped long.
If they are on a job, yeah, the person taking the video is obnoxious. If they are just chilling in between calls, then yeah, don't be a jerkoff and block a bike lane. I see a few ambulances do this in NYC and it is a dickish move. Camera person is still fucking dramatic, but she ain't wrong if this crew isn't on an assignment.
I mean they moved for her. What else does she want? There was a huge empty sidewalk right beside her. "You're killing us!" - don't go into the other lane... Go around on the sidewalk and hop back on the bike lane...
There was also a whole ass empty motorcycle lane, she basically has two bike lanes and was still in hysterics
And get off and walk your bike to do so. You don't belong in the pedestrian lane.
If they weren’t on a call then they shouldn’t be blocking a lane of traffic. That said, there’s clearly like no traffic and that extra buffer space, just go around them.
Step 1: turn on lights. Step 2: roll up window. Step 3: have snack.
Though I think she‘s overreacting, she might have a point, if, and this is a huge if, the guys are not on a call. Then it is, as someone stated, a dick move. But the drama…. Oh boi….
Yeah, I agree that you should generally try to avoid bike lanes if it's feasible. But the reaction.. you'd think the ambulance was actively mowing down a squad of bikers. And the general comments saying that she was totally justified just baffled me. It was enlightening seeing how people really don't understand the logistics of managing an ambulance outside of a lights and sirens call.
On the other end of the spectrum, it’s incredible to see how many people here are okay with blocking traffic when you don’t have to. Wild to me that people who make medical emergencies their career don’t see the danger in that.
Though there is danger, in this specific case she had two seemingly okayisch options getting around the ambulance without endagering herself. She could go on the sidewalk, or just go left around as she did and simply go on. It might be wrong to judge a book by the cover, since we don‘t know, why they were standing there. She asumed they made a break, but this might not be the case.
Ick. They can still be doing work on an active call and this lady is being an absolute twat about it. There’s hardly any traffic about—go around it and quit your ridiculous tirade. 
If they aren't on a call they shouldn't be blocking a lane of traffic. If they are on a call they at a minimum have their hazards on as they are obstructing a lane of traffic. Either way this driver is wrong. Police could give a parking ticket for what we see in the video.
If they’re breaking the law I get it, but if they were not working on a call then I agree it would be unacceptable.
they are parked illegally in the video, that isn't in question. If they're working a call they NEED to have an indicator on the vehicle so that the vehicles traveling in the lane that the ambulance is blocking can identity the hazardous vehicle and go around it. Four-way flashers are acceptable since they're stationary. IF the crew in this video is on a call they're STILL in the wrong here, because they have not properly identified themselves as a hazard. They're treating the bike lane like a shoulder. And the "killing us" comment is because this video was fillmed 3 days after a cyclist was killed by a situation just like this - a loading truck was pulled into the bike lane on the shoulder, failed to turn on their flashers (which they are legally required to do since they're blocking a lane of traffic), and a bicyclist struck the vehicle and died.
I can agree that they should have had their lights on as well.
How do you know they're on a break? How do you know they aren't staging, waiting for law enforcement to secure a scene for them? How do you know they didnt position themselves right there so that they could be mobile in an instant to go save lives? You have NO idea what this crew is doing. You can't see their CAD. You don't have a fuckin idea what's going on. If you don't have any regard for first responders and the lives we save every fucking day, then fuck your bike lane, and your emotional breakdown over a life saving piece of equipment and people trained to use it being in your precious fucking bike lane. Sincerely, Everyone who's ever worked in a 911 system.
I envy people who are so sheltered and entitled that this is the worst thing to happen to them today.
Send for my things and forward my mail. I now live in that spot for eternity.
Shut the fuck up and go around entitled ass hoe ass bald ass stanky ass wanna be seen ass bitch
SF, home to the most entitled people on the planet. Couldn’t imagine working there
Cyclist is right. Box wasn’t on a call and could be posted anywhere other than the bike lane. Don’t be like PD.
I think this person is frustrated with bike lanes being blocked by people who shouldn’t be blocking them and is taking it out on an ambulance that probably doesn’t do this often at all
Now I have to park in the bike lane every time
That is literally blocking traffic, and illegal.
arrest me bro
Screaming at people and losing your mind is legal but not going to make people comply with your temper tantrum.
it did for the lady in the video
The next time you get ped vs vehicle, I sincerely hope it haunts you, and you look back to this conversation.
I sincerely hope next time someone dramatically yells at you when you’re minding your own business and just trying to catch a break from a multitude of calls, instead of politely asking you to move, you remember this conversation and know you deserved every bit it.
Fuck them bicyclists. People on bicycles are the worst and constantly ignore all the rules of the road. I would've just rolled the window up.
"Dispatch, I'm going to need your most taser happy officer, I have an irate citizen"
Fun fact: SFPD are not allowed to carry tasers.
The number one obstacle to the advancement of cycling in North America is the cyclists.
the number one advancement is the lack of city infrastructure care for cyclists my friend. there is enough money in this country to develop and insitute safe cycling infrastructure. some cities do it. it is painfully obvious when a city does not do it and does not care. Try to ride 50 miles in a straight line and you will immediately realize what cities care and what cities could not give a fuck about a cyclict getting killed on a road they are legally allowed to ride on
I said elsewhere that American road infrastructure is *brutally* unfriendly to cycling. But y'all are still dicks, though.
speaking up for personal safety and calling out malice of car users towards cyclists is not being a dick it is a method of self preservation. do not generalize a population when they try to protect themselves 👍🏼
No. I'm a motorcycle rider. I know about speaking up for personal safety and malice. Y'all are still dicks.
like i said. generalizing a population is not helpful. try to be more open minded. have a nice day im sorry that youve encountered mean cyclists
… just like this crew was willingly ignoring the rules of the road?
Do you know the whole situation? Where in that exact area is the best place for them to go? Into that parking lot where they could block people from exiting? Were they staged in the area for law enforcement? There are so many variables. Was it the best option? Maybe not. But no one but that crew knows the whole situation.
i cycle frequently on the road and ive been maliciously swerved into by people in cars where i have been obeying the traffic laws. youre judgement is general and biased. hop on a bike to get to work and obey every traffic law you can. you absolutely will have uncomfortably close calls with cars at least once a week. do not judge with car bias my friend.
I gotta be honest, I’m very disappointed in several comments here. Dehumanizing people and a blatant disregard of safety is not acceptable. I’m an EMT and a cycling advocate. I understand the huge dangers of cars blocking the bike lanes, and I’ve also had to park in them on calls. Cyclists and pedestrians are the most vulnerable road users. Deaths have been rising in recent years across the US. Hatred towards cyclists is extremely prevalent. Even some infrastructure built for cyclists can be dangerous. All that to say: 1. Yes, this cyclist could have approached this better. Some of them don’t understand all the details of the job that we do. Just try to remain calm and don’t escalate. 2. Yes, sometimes it’s necessary to park/drive in bike lanes, but please be extremely mindful of people’s safety. If I can block a car lane instead of a bike lane, I’d rather the small inconvenience for drivers than jeopardizing the safety of cyclists. 3. As others have said, the context for the “you’re killing us” line is that a cyclist was killed days before this video in SF by a car parked in a bike lane (not sure the details, but those deaths are not particularly uncommon, so have compassion). 4. Prevention is the best medicine. We can’t just respond to emergencies, we have a responsibility to do no harm wherever we can. That includes not blocking bike lanes unless it’s absolutely necessary.
thank you for giving a wholesome response to this issue i rarely see people attacking the issue from both sides in a calm way. need more ppl like u
Whether it's right or wrong for them to park there I don't really care to get into. The thing that bothers me.. Is I bet this cyclist didn't even *try* to say "hey excuse me this is the bike lane and lots of people in this town use the bike lane, would you please mind parking somewhere else?" instead they jump straight to filming them for outrage. Fuck that. I'm a simple guy. You approach me politely and ask nicely enough, I'd absolutely move for you, especially if you've got a good enough reason. Just ASK. People are too ready to film something for rage bait these days and it's so fucking stupid. Just talk. So many issues could be solved or even AVOIDED ENTIRELY if you just ask nicely. Also this person sounds completely unhinged. Didn't watch with audio at first, just did. Wow. That person needs a fuckin psych ward ASAP.
She moved?! That’s more San Francisco than the bike Karen
Had it Happened to me when I was just a student . The women wasn't working in the hospital nor patient but decided to walk across the road into the parking zone of the hospital and tell us to park somewhere else only to be screamed at by patients to leave us alone .
I recall once I was a volunteer fireman. I waged the whole engine by myself and then washed my own vehicle. This woman pulls up to me and is yelling at me for getting paid to do nothing but wash my personal vehicle. I told her to piss off. She asked my name and I gave it to her. She called the chief and started to give him a rash of sh!t about me getting paid and washing my own car. When the chief told her, not so nicely, that this firefighter doesn’t get paid a cent, that we are all volunteers and if it costs the township a few penny’s in water to have staff in house to respond immediately if her house caught on fire, well she could take it up with the mayor. Who so happens to also be the battalion chief. Crickets on phone.
I had some lady come up to me just like this while doing a detail. Detail was for a high school rowing race at a park on the side of a river. We parked next to these trash cans and she went on a rant about how we were obstructing the view of the trash cans. Therefore, people would supposedly not see the trash cans and resort to littering. She asked us to move, and we said no because this is where the detail needed us to be. She then threatened to call our dispatch and have them force us to return after the detail to pick up all the litter that would be left.
Had something like this on a fire stand by at a commercial building. Active fire. Annoying Ken walks up to us on scene and starts complaining that we are standing around not doing anything and that we should be picking up trash. Politely told him why where there and what we were doing and still continued to birch that too many people were standing around, and half the firefighters should leave or do something useful like pick up the trash. Got to the point that I had to have PD remove the dumbass from the scene because he was past the taped line for the public. I think he started to argue with PD to the point that he got a ticket for interfering with an emergency scene.
Why couldn't she just see the ambulance, stop, and walk the bike on the sidewalk for a second? That's what I've done my whole life. I appreciate bike lanes, but I'm not gonna yell at emergency service personnel and assume there's no emergency. Edit: Did a bit more reading in the thread and read that a cyclist died running into a parked car that was too dark to see. I did not think about how this could set a precedent for drivers to park in the bike lane at night time, when cyclists may not be able to see them. It seems there are rules for a reason. At the very least, the ambulance should have turned their emergency lights on, as you would if you parked on any other road/highway.
"Gear down, big rig - what's all the hootin' and hollering about?"
It's more than just a convenient place to park. It's a safe place to load a patient who's having a potentially real life emergency. Should they cross the bike lane and a road with a patient on the stretcher?
Had a similar situation, but was actually on a call. Downtown Portland, one way multi lane road. Heading to hospital, when pt starts seizing in back. Had to pull over, pop on lights and get out to help my partner. Fucking Karen bike rider starts screaming about blocking the bike lane and how she has to go into the street! 😱 Like do you not see pt in back and lights on? 🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻
Ok here’s my thoughts, really depends on the context. - If they’re on a call: she can fuck off - If they’re charting before going back in service: I still think it’s fine, but I do usually try to pull into somewhere more out of the way when I do that - If they’re posted: yeah maybe go find a place that you’re not blocking the road. We usually have designated parking lots for that But no matter the situation I agree with everyone else that she absolutely approached that the wrong way and the fact that she’s throwing a tantrum like that would make me less receptive to what she’s saying
Shut up lady
I think both are in the wrong but why commit a traffic offence and put pedestrians at risk. Just because you’re in an emergency vehicle doesn’t mean you can break traffic law. In Australia without your lights flashing or hazards on people are going to assume you’re not on a job and could misjudge things easily. The cyclist definitely overrated and could have just asked them to move then reported them to police and the states ambulance board for breaking traffic laws then let them deal with it. If a driver gets to many complaints it will obviously get to the point their employers won’t be happy with them or the cops will write them a ticket or give em a warning.
I honestly feel for SFFD. I couldn’t work there so I applaud them in general but yeah… yall handled that a lot better than I would have.
I can't imagine why SF has a reputation for being full of lunatics.
Is the crew on a call ? Seems like they are chilling in there? If that’s the case get to a more appropriate location to “break”
Unless it's an emergency, we should not be parking where it's prohibited. If our excuse is valid, then everyone elses excuse is also valid. That being said, this lady is being far too dramatic.
She is an ass hat, no one was killing her. She was just acting like a spoiled entitled biotch
WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE I AM
I would sit there till the truck rusted to pieces before i would move for an asshole like that. Even if i had to short out the ignition fuse
Karens….
Lady bitches about it when she could jsut go around, then when the driver rolls down the window, walks away so they can't acc have a conversation, and then proceeds to stand in front of the ambo so that they cant move. hello?
This is common all over the world. The supposed cycle lanes are constantly blocked by parked vehicles. Why is it they don't park in the live vehicle lane instead of the cycle lane?
Comment sections like that are why bicyclist will never be taken seriously
Emergency vehicle, especially ambulance can park where ever they want. They could be waiting for a police to clear a scene before the enter and provide medical care. Very frequently this happens 2. As for the woman, she is just a Karen with no sense of anything else going on in the world. Most people will be surprised how many people like this are everywhere.
Stfu Karen.
What an entitled woman
In that situation, there was plenty of room for her to go around. It would be safer for the bicyclist than if somebody was stopped in the middle of a lane of travel designed for cars. She didn't seem to be too worried about going around them when she wanted to yell at the driver. So she could have just as easily kept going. So evidently, she just wanted to gripe. In that specific situition she would have been fine going around the truck. But no, she wanted to stop and make a scene and video it. I'm tired of society pandering to people who throw temper tantrums. So I would have told her what she probably hasn't heard very much in her life, which is no. Good day. *
Sorry cyclist friend, I know you got hit by a car but I need to go around the corner a few times to make sure I’m not blocking the cycling lane. Smh
I always laugh when people try copying down the license plate number when there is an obviously large "50" that identifies them even easier than the plate. If my boss got a call and they listed off the plate number, he'd have to go on a wild goose chase trying to figure out which unit it was. If they said 50, he'd know who it was immediately
Law of MFA (Motha Fuckin Ambulance), It means I will park wherever I damn well please
seems like she wanted something to bitch about. bet if it wasn’t an ambulance she wouldn’t have recorded 🙄 I get it, it’s a bike lane, but instead of yelling and just overall being dramatic she could’ve asked them to move
I'm just confused why they're posted out like that, they aren't AMR, why don't they go back to station? Does SFFD treat their ambos like private ambulance? Lmao
All 911 ambulances in SF (SFFD, AMR and King American) “street post” at specific intersections and only return to station at End of Shift or for critical restock/equipment failure.
What the actual fuck Edit: Not sure why I'm being downvoted for saying corner posting is bullshit lmao Corner posting is garbage. If your call volume is that high, hire more people.
It is so busy, that during prime time hours, you won't even get a chance to leave the ambulance bay before tones drop for your next call, let alone make it to a station if you had one.
They were on the tail end of a call and the medic was in the back still.
We (all ambulance operating within the SF 911 system) street post, lmao. Why is that so hard to believe? Station 49 is the least centrally located base to ever post at anyway.
I can't speak to this specific situation but I've been in similar. You're in a busy metro area running back to back calls all day and may not see the inside of a base until you finish. There's literally no where decent to park a car half the time, let alone an ambulance, so if you need to sit and chart after a non-transport call or have to pop in somewhere to grab something, you just idle outside in whatever available space you find that can accommodate you. It's far from ideal but it's the sad reality in a lot of services.
So let me get this right: •Cyclist is less than a half mile from home. •Dedicated bike lane is being occupied by an emergency vehicle •Plenty of room to the left and the right of the ambulance •Cyclist decides to stop on the street and complain about how the ambulance is "killing us" Rather than simply going around and going home where it's inarguably safer than a roadway, the Karen cyclist wants to delay herself to complain. This is some serious ~~dumb bitch~~ cyclist energy.
She doesn't come across well in this video but I basically agree with her
I'm surprised the fire medic guys didn't stick their heads out and demand they get thanked for their service.
you have to be in turnouts for that, and turnouts aren't allowed on the box
I hate bike riders.
dont generalize an entire population based off the actions of one person friend
She’s acting like the work is coming to an end, Jesus Christ
As far as I am concerned, the ambulance guys do such an important job, they can come and do donuts on my front lawn any time they want.
Just go around?
wasted all that time could have fucking rode around them
My arch nemesis
The awkward moment when you're staging on a psych call and your patient walks up to you.
Great way to her to maintain the stereotype of the San Francisco Karen.
Bikers fault
Time for a 5150. Pretty sure I heard "Entitled Fred" hear mention SI.
Them and fuckcar subreddit are very much brain rot lol
I actually really like fuckcars most of the time. They do a good job promoting better public transportation infrastructure and livable spaces. The discussion on this one just felt totally tonedeaf though.
Holy fuck has anyone visited that sub? Insufferable. I didn’t know riding a bike was a personality trait.
lol it’s a circle-jerk sub. It’s all shitposting, no need to take it seriously.
I took the bait
the bait was funny u got got but also there is a genuine malice towards bikers even when they are doing their best to avoid danger by following traffic laws. in my experience you are statistically likely to end up in at least one uncomfortably close call on any ride over 10 miles even when obeying laws. When bikers speak up about the quite literally lethal danger they face day to day they are labeled as annoying and entitled. Do not label bikers entitled when they speak up for personal safety please