Jim_Ferer wrote:Years ago, my department had a policy of using the siren all the time.
It's the cars you don't see that are the problem.
I HATE SUCH AN INCONSIDERATE POLICY.
I have madentire runs without sounding the siren, or sounding it only a few times just as needed.
Yes, the unseen vehicles can be a big problem.
I was heading north
against red.
All east and westbound traffic at the major intersection had stopped well before we goto it. Great!
But westbound lane # 2 was vacant.
Since I could not see around westbound vehicles in 2 lefturn lanes and lane #1 through-lane, I nearly stopped.
Some idiot, oblivious why ALL traffic on BOTH sides of him was stopped for a
green signal, zoomed through his vacant lane athe speed limit; 35 mph!
He almost hithe front of my vehicle as I nosed forward, right-aimed blinking LED shining right at him!
I don't blame him for proceeding throughis empty lane.
But I'd slow way down suspecting something; a dog in the intersection, a person crossing or an EV.
This would have been a good occasion to have right and left-facing siren speakers -if there were such things. Our forward-facing speakers aim too much sound forward.
Worked well as we approached the intersection, but once in it was all aimed beyond.