New ambulances

watto23 said :

c_c™ said :

Any idea if these ones have sirens that actually work. Current fleet has sirens you can’t hear when they’re behind, but are loud as hell from the side. Fat lot of good that does when they’re trying to clear busy traffic.

Research the doppler effect 🙂
wikipedia even explains sirens…. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doppler_effect

As I said; fire brigade, police, somehow they overcome it better.

watto23 said :

c_c™ said :

Any idea if these ones have sirens that actually work. Current fleet has sirens you can’t hear when they’re behind, but are loud as hell from the side. Fat lot of good that does when they’re trying to clear busy traffic.

Research the doppler effect 🙂
wikipedia even explains sirens…. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doppler_effect

Good to see someone understands basic physics. Though now the whingers above will say but it only happens for ambulances, not police or fire trucks.

c_c™ said :

Any idea if these ones have sirens that actually work. Current fleet has sirens you can’t hear when they’re behind, but are loud as hell from the side. Fat lot of good that does when they’re trying to clear busy traffic.

Research the doppler effect 🙂
wikipedia even explains sirens…. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doppler_effect

c_c™ said :

bundah said :

…it is essential that a driver check their rear view and side mirrors every 3 to 4 seconds to ensure that they are completely aware of what’s happening around them at all times.

Advice like that does explain how so many people manage to tail end cars in peak hour on the Parkway.
You need only do the maths to see how dangerous that is.

You do it regularly according to the conditions, 10 sec cycles is fine.

Actually I think you’ll find that travelling too close to the vehicle in front and therefore not allowing sufficient time to brake in the event of someone decelerating rapidly is the predominant reason why there are multiple car pileups on roads as opposed to checking mirrors, which takes a split second, in order to observe what is happening behind and beside one’s vehicle.

bundah said :

…it is essential that a driver check their rear view and side mirrors every 3 to 4 seconds to ensure that they are completely aware of what’s happening around them at all times.

Advice like that does explain how so many people manage to tail end cars in peak hour on the Parkway.
You need only do the maths to see how dangerous that is.

You do it regularly according to the conditions, 10 sec cycles is fine.

harvyk1 said :

ScienceRules said :

BimboGeek said :

24 vans = 10 crews. Not complaining, but can anyone explain this to me?

Not every van is on the road all the time. Generally the night shift uses a different wagon to the day walkers. This number also allows for spares to cover the inevitable downtime when things break or cars need regular servicing.

Why would the night shift use a different van to the day shift?

Because often at shift change the other crew is out on a job so there needs to be a vehicle available for the incoming crew. Also, they get driven pretty hard so using the same vehicle 24 hours a day probably isn’t a good idea.

ScienceRules said :

BimboGeek said :

24 vans = 10 crews. Not complaining, but can anyone explain this to me?

Not every van is on the road all the time. Generally the night shift uses a different wagon to the day walkers. This number also allows for spares to cover the inevitable downtime when things break or cars need regular servicing.

Why would the night shift use a different van to the day shift?

eily said :

c_c™ said :

eily said :

JC said :

c_c™ said :

Any idea if these ones have sirens that actually work. Current fleet has sirens you can’t hear when they’re behind, but are loud as hell from the side. Fat lot of good that does when they’re trying to clear busy traffic.

Every stopped to think that the reason you cannot hear them from behind but can when they are beside you is a combination of physics and the sound proofing in your own car?

…and too loud music.

Nope, music isn’t too loud, I’m still frequently able to hear the blearing music from the P platers next to me at the lights. Beside the point really, some people do play music loud, so ACTAS has to respond to that. If audible sirens don’t work, install some rumblers on the fleet.

Have never had an issue hearing fire brigade vehicles or police behind, or even at a distance.

The issue is mounting and what frequency of siren. I don’t know where they mount them on ACTAS vehicles, but looking at the front of them, it looks like a lot more stuff in the way of the grill (assuming that’s where it is) than on Fire Brigade and Police vehicles. The frequency is lower than the new fire brigade vehicles too.

Although it might just be as simple as they’re travelling under lights and only turn on the siren when they get behind a vehicle they want out of the way and/or are approaching traffic lights. Seen (heard) that happen.

While there are occasions where one initially hears a blaring siren before seeing the emergency vehicle it is essential that a driver check their rear view and side mirrors every 3 to 4 seconds to ensure that they are completely aware of what’s happening around them at all times. In my experience there are far too many who do not put this into practise and are often caught out which must infuriate those in emergency vehicles.

c_c™ said :

eily said :

JC said :

c_c™ said :

Any idea if these ones have sirens that actually work. Current fleet has sirens you can’t hear when they’re behind, but are loud as hell from the side. Fat lot of good that does when they’re trying to clear busy traffic.

Every stopped to think that the reason you cannot hear them from behind but can when they are beside you is a combination of physics and the sound proofing in your own car?

…and too loud music.

Nope, music isn’t too loud, I’m still frequently able to hear the blearing music from the P platers next to me at the lights. Beside the point really, some people do play music loud, so ACTAS has to respond to that. If audible sirens don’t work, install some rumblers on the fleet.

Have never had an issue hearing fire brigade vehicles or police behind, or even at a distance.

The issue is mounting and what frequency of siren. I don’t know where they mount them on ACTAS vehicles, but looking at the front of them, it looks like a lot more stuff in the way of the grill (assuming that’s where it is) than on Fire Brigade and Police vehicles. The frequency is lower than the new fire brigade vehicles too.

Although it might just be as simple as they’re travelling under lights and only turn on the siren when they get behind a vehicle they want out of the way and/or are approaching traffic lights. Seen (heard) that happen.

BimboGeek said :

24 vans = 10 crews. Not complaining, but can anyone explain this to me?

Not every van is on the road all the time. Generally the night shift uses a different wagon to the day walkers. This number also allows for spares to cover the inevitable downtime when things break or cars need regular servicing.