Another hypothetical driving situation

[DingDingDao]

Effowe's thread got me thinking about a situation I got into last weekend.

I was on the freeway with my wife and we were in the carpool lane (here in CA separated from the rest of traffic by a double-yellow line). Traffic was typical LA weekend congestion. A CHP car with lights/sirens on came up behind us going pretty fast (at least 90-100mph). What should we have done?

All of the the solutions I could think of would have been illegal. If we sped up, it's speeding. If we move over, we cross a double-yellow line. If I stay the same speed, it could be impeding an emergency vehicle.

What would you do?

EDIT:

What actually happened: I was speeding up (I could see the carpool entry/exit sign about 1/4mi ahead), and I put my right turn signal on to indicate my intention to get out of his way, but he got on the loudspeaker and said "driver in carpool lane, stay where you are" and ended up going around me and the car in front of me as well. The cop solved his own problem, I guess.

 

[mugs]

Cross the double line if it's safe to do so.

 

[sactoking]

Is there no shoulder to the left? Is it one of those roads with the concrete barrier 4 inches from the roadway?

 

[DingDingDao]

Originally posted by: sactoking
Is there no shoulder to the left? Is it one of those roads with the concrete barrier 4 inches from the roadway?

Yeah, no shoulder. Maybe 5 or 6 inches between the left edge of the lane and the center divider.

 

[effowe]

We don't have carpool lanes where I live, but you have to always get out of the way for an emergency vehicle. I vote crossing the double yellow's, if you do get pulled over it's pretty obvious that you had to move due to the emergency vehicle.

 

[funkymatt]

Most likely not move the car, or slow down. if there's room for me to exit the car pool lane i'll let the cop use it. Plus there's all sorts of glass and shit in that middle no mans land.

 

[Modelworks]

No carpool lanes here , but I believe the law is to get out of the way of an emergency vehicle as long as you can do so safely, even if the traffic laws don't allow it. Example, having to turn onto a side street that is a one way street when it would be going against traffic in order to let a ambulance pass.

 

[spidey07]

You are supposed to get the hell out of the way by moving to the right for any emergency vehicle on any road. If this means actually driving off the road then you are still supposed to do it.

 

[olds]

Originally posted by: mugs
Cross the double line if it's safe to do so.

This

 

[DingDingDao]

So I guess the unanimous choice is to cross the double-yellow line.

What actually happened: I was speeding up (I could see the carpool entry/exit sign about 1/4mi ahead), and I put my right turn signal on to indicate my intention to get out of his way, but he got on the loudspeaker and said "driver in carpool lane, stay where you are" and ended up going around me and the car in front of me as well. The cop solved his own problem, I guess.

 

[sactoking]

Here is the official answer:

21806. Upon the immediate approach of an authorized emergency vehicle which is sounding a siren and which has at least one lighted lamp exhibiting red light that is visible, under normal atmospheric conditions, from a distance of 1,000 feet to the front of the vehicle, the surrounding traffic shall, except as otherwise directed by a traffic officer, do the following:

(a) (1) Except as required under paragraph (2), the driver of every other vehicle shall yield the right-of-way and shall immediately drive to the right-hand edge or curb of the highway, clear of any intersection, and thereupon shall stop and remain stopped until the authorized emergency vehicle has passed.

(2) A person driving a vehicle in an exclusive or preferential use lane shall exit that lane immediately upon determining that the exit can be accomplished with reasonable safety.

(b) The operator of every street car shall immediately stop the street car, clear of any intersection, and remain stopped until the authorized emergency vehicle has passed.

(c) All pedestrians upon the highway shall proceed to the nearest curb or place of safety and remain there until the authorized emergency vehicle has passed.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: funkymatt
Most likely not move the car, or slow down. if there's room for me to exit the car pool lane i'll let the cop use it. Plus there's all sorts of glass and shit in that middle no mans land.

You are required to move to the right, you are not allowed to decide that the emergency vehicle should go around you.

 

[smack Down]

Do nothing, the cop will tell you what he wants.

 

[MotionMan]

Originally posted by: sactoking
Here is the official answer:

21806. Upon the immediate approach of an authorized emergency vehicle which is sounding a siren and which has at least one lighted lamp exhibiting red light that is visible, under normal atmospheric conditions, from a distance of 1,000 feet to the front of the vehicle, the surrounding traffic shall, except as otherwise directed by a traffic officer, do the following:

(a) (1) Except as required under paragraph (2), the driver of every other vehicle shall yield the right-of-way and shall immediately drive to the right-hand edge or curb of the highway, clear of any intersection, and thereupon shall stop and remain stopped until the authorized emergency vehicle has passed.

(2) A person driving a vehicle in an exclusive or preferential use lane shall exit that lane immediately upon determining that the exit can be accomplished with reasonable safety.

(b) The operator of every street car shall immediately stop the street car, clear of any intersection, and remain stopped until the authorized emergency vehicle has passed.

(c) All pedestrians upon the highway shall proceed to the nearest curb or place of safety and remain there until the authorized emergency vehicle has passed.

A more direct answer:

Entering or Exiting Exclusive or Preferential Use Lanes

21655.8. (a) Except as required under subdivision (b), when exclusive or preferential use lanes for high-occupancy vehicles are established pursuant to Section 21655.5 and double parallel solid lines are in place to the right thereof, no person driving a vehicle may cross over these double lines to enter into or exit from the exclusive or preferential use lanes, and entrance or exit may be made only in areas designated for these purposes or where a single broken line is in place to the right of the exclusive or preferential use lanes.
(b) Upon the approach of an authorized emergency vehicle displaying a red light or siren, as specified in Section 21806, a person driving a vehicle in an exclusive or preferential use lane shall exit that lane immediately upon determining that the exit can be accomplished with reasonable safety.

(c) Raised pavement markers may be used to simulate painted lines described in this section.

Amended Sec. 67, Ch. 1154, Stats. 1996. Effective September 30, 1996.

MotionMan

 

[Modelworks]

As a friend just pointed out to me , some laws don't apply when it is an emergency. Ever see a fireman get permission to enter a home that had smoke coming out the windows ?

 

[helpme]

Originally posted by: Modelworks
As a friend just pointed out to me , some laws don't apply when it is an emergency. Ever see a fireman get permission to enter a home that had smoke coming out the windows ?

I think in this case it falls under "implied consent" as opposed to breaking the law to enter the house.

 

[HappyPuppy]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: funkymatt
Most likely not move the car, or slow down. if there's room for me to exit the car pool lane i'll let the cop use it. Plus there's all sorts of glass and shit in that middle no mans land.

You are required to move to the right, you are not allowed to decide that the emergency vehicle should go around you.

This. Do not anticipate the actions of an emergency vehicle. Maintain your speed/directoin and allow the emergency vehicle to maneuer around you. Just because a cop with lights on comes up behind you in a carpool land it doesn't mean you have the legal right to break the law by exiting over a double double line.

 

[HappyPuppy]

I quoted the wrong person.

 

[MotionMan]

Originally posted by: HappyPuppy

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: funkymatt
Most likely not move the car, or slow down. if there's room for me to exit the car pool lane i'll let the cop use it. Plus there's all sorts of glass and shit in that middle no mans land.

You are required to move to the right, you are not allowed to decide that the emergency vehicle should go around you.

This. Do not anticipate the actions of an emergency vehicle. Maintain your speed/directoin and allow the emergency vehicle to maneuer around you. Just because a cop with lights on comes up behind you in a carpool land it doesn't mean you have the legal right to break the law by exiting over a double double line.

Entering or Exiting Exclusive or Preferential Use Lanes

21655.8. (a) Except as required under subdivision (b), when exclusive or preferential use lanes for high-occupancy vehicles are established pursuant to Section 21655.5 and double parallel solid lines are in place to the right thereof, no person driving a vehicle may cross over these double lines to enter into or exit from the exclusive or preferential use lanes, and entrance or exit may be made only in areas designated for these purposes or where a single broken line is in place to the right of the exclusive or preferential use lanes.
(b) Upon the approach of an authorized emergency vehicle displaying a red light or siren, as specified in Section 21806, a person driving a vehicle in an exclusive or preferential use lane shall exit that lane immediately upon determining that the exit can be accomplished with reasonable safety.

(c) Raised pavement markers may be used to simulate painted lines described in this section.

Amended Sec. 67, Ch. 1154, Stats. 1996. Effective September 30, 1996.

It is illegal to not get out of the way (unless instructed otherwise by law enforcement, as was the case with the OP).

MotionMan

 

[Baked]

We don't have stupid double yellow line separating the carpool lane from the normal lane around here. But I know they do in SoCal. I move to the right lane to let the emergency vehicle pass. Did just that yesterday while I was out. Some SUV flipped over on the highway ahead and multiple emergency vehicle came from the back, I just moved over to the right lane. It's all good.

 

[KLin]

I would have flipped the CHP off and brake checked him.

 

[timosyy]

I've never actually seen anyone fully stop their car on the highway as the law would suggest. Weird.

 

[MotionMan]

Originally posted by: timosyy
I've never actually seen anyone fully stop their car on the highway as the law would suggest. Weird.

I see people stop all the time but all the fvcktards fail to pull over first.

They create a lovely wall of cars blocking the emergency vehicles.

Pull over then stop!!!

MotionMan

 

[xanis]

Seems pretty simple to me. You cross the double-yellow line. Even though this is technically breaking the law, it seems like the safest and most logical option.

 

[timosyy]

Originally posted by: MotionMan

Originally posted by: timosyy
I've never actually seen anyone fully stop their car on the highway as the law would suggest. Weird.

I see people stop all the time but all the fvcktards fail to pull over first.

They create a lovely wall of cars blocking the emergency vehicles.

Pull over then stop!!!

MotionMan

I normally just see people pull over out of the lane the emergency vehicle is in and then maybe slow down a bit, but actually stop? /shrug.