Then not two minutes later this ambulance arrived, no flashing blue lights, now noisy siren sharing it's music with everyone within a hundred metres, not even a patient being transported. No, all the driver did was park just here, on the bend. The bus driver can not now see if anything is coming the other way and has to take a chance. There is no danger in him taking a chance of a collision, just blocking the road. If there is something coming the other way there is now much less room for him to get out of the way. All the ambulance driver did was park there for 5 minutes, neither he, nor his partner got out of the ambulance and after 5 minutes he drove away again without blues and twos going so he didn't spend the 5 minutes checking with his control where exactly his emergency was.So what was he doing in Fleet Street, apart from causing problems that is?
4 comments:
It sounds as if they were probably strategically positioned in the central area of the town on standby in order to try and reach a category 'A' call, the government target requiring the ambulance service to reach the patient within 8 minutes in something like 95% of all such calls received. (I believe this requirement either is already, or on 1/4/08 is about to become, even more strict with the countdown period starting as soon as the call starts to be received in the emergency despatch centre rather than at the end of the call.)
As you probably are aware from your detailed local knowledge, generally the ambulance or rapid response car parks some 150 yards further down Fleet Street towards the Harbour; on Beacon Quay, by The Pavilion or by the bus stop in Rathmore Road, adjacent to the traffic lights by the Grand Hotel so they can make a rapid response in numerous directions.
No doubt well-intentioned action on the part of the ambulance crew who perhaps were not as familiar with the normal spot where crews park in Fleet Street, and unfortunate that inconvenience was created to you or your colleagues.
I am aware that ambulances need to make quick responces to calls but with the diversion that is on at the moment there are a lot more buses than usual using Fleet St so any extra vehicles parked there are going to add to the congestion. I would have thought that it would be better if they found somewhere else to park for the duration due to the fact that they themselves may get caught up in said congestion. I have seen 5 buses stuck next to where the ambulances usually park. No rapid responce available there.
Looks like the driver fancied a pasty.
PS Torquay is still looking nice. Am glad they tidied up the harbour. I was mortified, however, to witness a FirstBus doing it's rounds on a 64 route. They were using the OLD Optare Solo for that route as well, cheapskates.
And I didn't get confused by the harbour layout. Although I was racking my brains to remember which side you stop for Newton. Guessed and got it right. Seeing Newton and Brixham buses come up Fleet Street is strange.
Post a Comment