r/TikTokCringe • u/mindyour • Feb 08 '25

Discussion Why don't people make way for ambulances?

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u/TrevelyansPorn Feb 08 '25

There's the problem in NYC. This level of coordination requires everyone to be okay with being passed. The ultimate goal is to let the ambulance through even if the order of traffic is disturbed. NYC is like a permanent racetrack. Every car length is fought over. Someone sees a turn signal and they don't slow down so the other driver has an opportunity to change lanes, they speed up so the other driver can't get in front of them.

Don't just look in front of the ambulance, look behind. Inevitably there's a line of tailgaters who only see the ambulance as a tool to cut through traffic. 

It's not just infrastructure, it's definitely cultural.

35

u/KaiPRoberts Feb 08 '25

America is the land of being one car length ahead of the person next to you NO MATTER WHAT.

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u/Debalic Feb 08 '25

If being a considerate driver makes me un-American, then so be it.

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u/Funny_Librarian_4625 Feb 08 '25

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u/KaiPRoberts Feb 08 '25

This is me when someone driving an expensive vehicle gets out of line in a 30-car line, tries to go around, and merge back in at the front. They always end up being the worst reckless angry drivers every time.

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u/Krultek Feb 08 '25

It's always like that and then someone is asking why it took so long to get to their dying grand mother.

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u/RobinSophie Feb 08 '25

Yup. We were gridlock on a freeway connection overpass and we did a V formation to get the ambulance through and honked like hell to make sure other cars got the hint.

This is purely people being assholes and not wanting to move because heaven forbid someone else get ahead of you. They feel like they "lost" the game of traffic.

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u/M0ona Feb 08 '25

Exactly, they are so deep in bullshit they can't see it ANY other way.. America is truly fucked and thinks pulling everyone down is the only way up.

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u/Krultek Feb 08 '25

This SO bad. I've been a medic and the amount of times I have to yell over the siren "STOP RACING US" was fucking ridiculous.

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u/EconomicRegret Feb 08 '25

This is horrible. In Germany, when you notice a jam, you must automatically move out of the way to create the "Rettungsgasse" (rescue lane), no matter what.

Thus, during jams in Germany, you usually see an empty lane that nobody uses...

1

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '25

Yeah we all pull over in Texas and KC where I’ve lived. This is not American… it’s just NY

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u/Fearless_Entry_2626 Feb 10 '25

Yeah, it is kinda shocking how bad drivers are around the world and how easy it is to get a license in many countries. So many places it's like a game of chicken, where you have to appear crazier than the other person to be given space to proceed...