Dear Editor
This morning I dropped my daughter to school in Sint Peters. Driving a scooter I am a bit more flexible in traffic than the bumper to bumper traffic crawling in and out of that area. Nevertheless, as a responsible parent I try to be as considerate as possible of my fellow road users.
Now as I was on my way out of Sint Peters at exactly 7:15am and just having cleared the entrance to Emilio Wilson Park a large fire truck (L-142) pulled up behind me from that very exit and immediately turned on his sirens. Traffic was backed up and cars had to crawl up the sidewalks to make way. Some were not quick enough and the truck blew his horn loudly and impatiently while the sirens continued blaring. Parents walking with kids moved aside as well to make way for the cars as the fire truck made his way speeding through traffic.
Naturally, there is nothing wrong with a fire truck blazing sirens and horns and speeding through traffic if there is an emergency. Lives are at stake! However, nimble as I am on my bike I decided to follow this truck to see if this show of force was really necessary. To my surprise, as soon as the traffic cleared up around the Texaco Bush Road station, he turned off his sirens and continued to speed through the roundabout, took a left onto Welgelegen Road and quietly turned into the fire station garage.
My question is, is it really necessary for our emergency services to abuse the emergency protocols so as to clear traffic and have an early breakfast? Is it worth endangering the traffic and pedestrians walking on the sidewalks just so you don't have to wait in traffic?
If this becomes the norm, people may become unresponsive during actual emergencies and as a result there may be real casualties. I wonder if that's worth it?
Harold Stevens
