In case you missed it, there was a letter to the editors chastising a fire-truck driver’s actions in yesterday’s Intelligencer Journal/New Era. The writer took issue with the driver’s actions on a four-lane, divided highway – US Route 30 on the east side of Lancaster near the state police barracks and Wal-mart.

The editors assigned this title to the letter: “Fire-truck driver’s arrogance.”

The letter writer’s letter continued:

“Saturday morning, Dec. 10, around 8:30, as I waited for the light at the police barracks on Route 30 East, I could hear sirens. At that point, I did not know where they were.

“I proceeded west on Route 30 and saw that a fire truck from the Lafayette Fire Company on Lincoln Highway was entering also going west. I was in the right lane with no one behind me. The left lane was empty, as far as I could see.

“As I looked in my rear-view mirror, I saw that the fire engine was straddling the center line. I was forced on to the shoulder, as I did not want to play “chicken” with a large vehicle.

“The fire engine continued straddling the center line, under Route 340, and forced the car in front of me into the entrance lane. After that, there were numerous cars in the right lane — still no one in the left lane, as far as I could see — and the fire engine finally began traveling in the left lane.

“I arrived at my destination and told a friend about this. She said that I needed to notify the fire company, as this is illegal. I know that it was totally unnecessary — an arrogant move meant only to intimidate. It was also dangerous.”

According to the Pennsylvania Driver’s Manual, in Chapter 3, [NOTE: There are lots of other good safe driving notes in this chapter; notes which some drivers have forgotten.] it states: “Certain vehicles have sirens and flashing red lights or a combination of flashing red and blue lights. The lights assist emergency vehicles to move quickly through traffic and to answer emergency calls.

“Emergency vehicles include fire department vehicles, police cars, ambulances, blood delivery vehicles and specially equipped vehicles from rescue organizations. Watch out for them.

“When you hear a siren or see a vehicle approaching from any direction with flashing red lights or a combination of red and blue lights, you must:

• During an emergency situation, all drivers must obey the direction of any uniformed police officer, sheriff, constable or any properly attired person, including fire police.
• Take sirens seriously, and make way for an ambulance, fire truck or police vehicle.

“Someday you may be the one calling for help, or the life on the line might be a friend or family member.”

Bottom line: In Pennsylvania and most states, the correct thing to do, even on four-lane divided roads is to slow down and pull over. That’s the law.

While the driver of the vehicle with the flashing lights and sirens may not always be “in the right” and some responses may not require full “lights and sirens,” the safest action is to follow the law.