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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Posts
    11

    Default Yield to rural vehicle designated as an emergency vehicle

    Hi, I hope someone can clarify something I don't believe I am getting 100% clarification on with yielding to emergency vehicles in my state, Maine
    In most rural towns they have volunteer firefighters and ambulance drivers, as it costs too much money to put someone at the station full time.
    One town I used to live in nearly everyone it seems when called to a fire, accident etc takes their passenger vehicle, puts on the four ways and speeds to you excpecting you to pull over.
    In an instance last weekend, an individual who I believe is on the fire department come up towards me on a dirt road at about 50 in a posted 35 with nothing but his four ways on. There was no red light on the vehicle and I threfore needed to make a left hand turn, so I stopped and turned as he was ready to go around me on the left...I used my directional and drove like it was a day in the park.
    A friend of mine told me I can't do that. I asked what gives an individual the right to put their four ways on with no other lights such as marked emrgency vehicles do and become an emrgency vehicle...I can't do that. Unmarked police crusiers manage to have lights when they have passenger vehicles?
    I tried deciphering the states law but it does not spell it out very clearly, at least to me anyways http://janus.state.me.us/legis/statu...Ach19sec0.html Title 29-A
    Am I obligated to move over for someone that has just his four ways on? I would understand such as the case of an unmarked police cruiser who would be equipped with such signaling, but I can't come to terms that just because you have your four ways on automatically authorizes one as an emergency vehicle I am to yeild to?

    Any assistnace would be appreciated.

    Thank You

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Behind a Desk
    Posts
    98,846

    Default Re: Yield to rural vehicle designated as an emergency vehicle

    You're probably looking for this statute, which speaks to the use of lights by volunteer fire department personnel.

    But if you believed this was a volunteer fireman on his way to an emergency call, why wouldn't you want to get out of his way?

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Seattle
    Posts
    3,577

    Default Re: Yield to rural vehicle designated as an emergency vehicle

    Let me go into a little more detail. If I read these statutes correctly, you are NOT required to stop, pull over, yield right-of-way, etc. to a vehicle using just it's normal "emergency" four-way lights. Section 2054 - Emergency and auxiliary lights; sirens; privileges states in part:
    Quote Quoting §2054. Emergency and auxiliary lights; sirens; privileges
    4. Right-of-way. An authorized emergency vehicle operated in response to, but not returning from, a call or fire alarm or operated in pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the law has the right-of-way when emitting a visual signal using an emergency light AND an audible signal using a bell or siren.
    "Emergency light" is defined as
    D. "Emergency light" means an auxiliary light displayed and used on an authorized emergency vehicle to distinguish it and make it recognizable as an authorized emergency vehicle.
    And "auxiliary light" is defined:
    C. "Auxiliary light" means a light, other than standard equipment lighting such as headlights, taillights, directional signals, brake lights, clearance lights, parking lights and license plate lights, that is displayed on a vehicle and used to increase the operator's visibility of the road or the visibility of the vehicle to other operators and pedestrians
    So, I think that flashing any "standard equipment" lighting (including four-ways), would not constitute an "emergency light", which is required in order to force you to yield right-of-way.

    But, as Mr. Knowitall asks, "...why wouldn't you want to get out of his way?"

    Barry

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Posts
    11

    Default Re: Yield to rural vehicle designated as an emergency vehicle

    Thank you both for clarifying that. In answer to the question why I wouldn't pull over if I am believed it was someone on the emergency crew. The primary reason is pretty much I don't know that he is one, I know who the person is by house/name as it was a street I once lived on, but this person also has resigned, rejoined and resigned the fire department more times then Garth Brooks retired singing. He don't have the credentials or anything other then "standard" four ways typically any vehicle I see with four ways on and nothing else, is a sign they are about to break down and pull over...I have nothing to take the matter seriously. Plus the individual who I am discussing this with "thinks" he is on the fire department, so nobody really knows, I just wanted to calrify how serious I take someone behind me with four ways on as I said, usually people put them on when they are dealing with a disabled vehicle..not flying down a dirt road kicking up rocks and potentially damaging my vehicle.

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