Emergency Vehicles

Lately I have been watching people's behaviour around emergency vehicles. We all see it and from time to time are involved in it. The fire truck is bearing down, light flashing, siren whaling, and everyone gets out of the way as fast as they can and let them through. As you read this you are probably thinking this is no big deal. It's the law.

That's true, it is the law, which is a good thing.

Somewhere along the way, somebody was smart and convincing enough to get a law written that said emergency vehicles get the right-of-way over everything. They get to go through traffic lights. They can speed. They can go the wrong way down a one way street. This is such a good idea it has been adopted throughout the world. As a society we made a good decision.

There is something more than it being the law that makes people react so quickly. In north America, like most of the world, we do not rigidly adhere to traffic laws. Most people speed a bit. Many don't always wear their seat belts all the time. It's not unusual to see a red light run or to see people jaywalk. Turn signals are often neglected. However, when an emergency vehicle has to get through, almost everyone gets out of the way as fast as possible.

You could argue that it is a self-serving action. They may be on the way to save your house or your wife. There may be an element of that in some people's thoughts but I doubt it. If that was the case then people who were driving in a city where they do not know a soul would not rush to get out of the way. However, someone with an out-of-province license plate react just as quickly as anyone else.

I have no scientific evidence but I think it's because deep down we are still neighbourly. As busy and as self absorbed we can become we still care about the plight of others. We do not want to be the one that compounds the harm that another is enduring.

This basic idea gives me hope for humanity. For all the nut jobs, stupid people, moochers, and greedy jerks everyone claims to encounter we all get out of the way so someone we don't know can get the help that they may urgently need. You will never get recognition for moving to the shoulder but we do it anyway and that s enough proof that when the chips are down, humanity still cares.