The sight of an ambulance struggling to make its way through the traffic congestion is something that not many people can ignore but most motorists seem to look the other way whenever an ambulance is heard wailing behind them.
There are some who slow down or pull over and wait until the ambulance passes, while some others — especially autorickshaw drivers — literally chase the ambulance to make the most of the window created for them.
Most people admit they have observed fellow motorists who just don't give way to an ambulance. They also feel the many campaigns on this by the Bengaluru Traffic Police haven't had any impact. They feel only a stringent enforcement could go a long way in sensitising people about the issue.
Kavana Jain, a professional who has given up hope with regards to bringing about a change in the attitude of people, thinks it is better to educate children about the importance of giving way to an ambulance. "Parents tend to listen when their children tell them something and the younger generation seems to be a wee bit more sensitive than older people. It would also help for people to put themselves in the shoes of the person in the ambulance. If their dear one was in there, wouldn't they give way?" she asks.
There are those who also feel that had lane discipline been enforced with all sincerity, people would have fallen in line and understood the importance of letting an ambulance pass. But Vivek Kubaji, a software engineer who works near Electronic City, points out the two main issues any road user faces — people not following lane discipline and mismanagement of traffic. "Even if the traffic police create a separate lane for ambulances and other such emergency vehicles to move without any hindrance, I don't think it would have worked in our city because people are extremely insensitive and don't bother about letting another vehicle pass. Riders and drivers cutting across lanes is the worst kind of problem any motorist can face," says Vivek.
Ambulances are stuck in the traffic congestion whenever there are no traffic personnel to ease the congestion. Kalpan Haridas, a retired teacher, feels creating awareness about allowing an easy passage for ambulances must be highlighted on social media, radio and on hoardings. "People don't seem to have any regard for another person's life or respect for the law. Speeding behind an ambulance just to get to one's destination is not done," she says. She points out that corporate advertising about this issue can go a long way in reinforcing civilised behaviour on the road.
For medical practitioners, there's nothing that is more important than saving a person's life. Hospital managements say that care is taken to ensure that there is no misuse of an ambulance and that there is always a doctor, a nurse and an attendant present in the ambulance. Sharing a doctor's perspective, Dr G Gururaj, professor and head of department, Centre for Public Health and WHO Collaborating Centre for Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion, NIMHANS, feels people must let an ambulance pass as soon as they hear the siren.
"Vehicles on the road aren't going to reduce, so people will have to be a little more sensitive. One must understand that an ambulance with a siren blaring is always carrying a patient who needs urgent medical attention and that the vehicle needs to move without a hindrance," states Dr G Gururaj. He also points out that the increasing number of vehicles and narrow roads have lead to slow-moving traffic which has made the easy passage for an ambulance a real challenge.
![]( "rushing Speeding behind an ambulance has become the norm. DH Photo by S K Dinesh")
The sight of an ambulance struggling to make its way through the traffic congestion is something that not many people can ignore but most motorists seem to look the other way whenever an ambulance is heard wailing behind them.
There are some who slow down or pull over and wait until the ambulance passes, while some others — especially autorickshaw drivers — literally chase the ambulance to make the most of the window created for them.
Most people admit they have observed fellow motorists who just don’t give way to an ambulance. They also feel the many campaigns on this by the Bengaluru Traffic Police haven’t had any impact. They feel only a stringent enforcement could go a long way in sensitising people about the issue.
Kavana Jain, a professional who has given up hope with regards to bringing about a change in the attitude of people, thinks it is better to educate children about the importance of giving way to an ambulance. "Parents tend to listen when their children tell them something and the younger generation seems to be a wee bit more sensitive than older people. It would also help for people to put themselves in the shoes of the person in the ambulance. If their dear one was in there, wouldn’t they give way?” she asks.
There are those who also feel that had lane discipline been enforced with all sincerity, people would have fallen in line and understood the importance of letting an ambulance pass. But Vivek Kubaji, a software engineer who works near Electronic City, points out the two main issues any road user faces — people not following lane discipline and mismanagement of traffic. "Even if the traffic police create a separate lane for ambulances and other such emergency vehicles to move without any hindrance, I don’t think it would have worked in our city because people are extremely insensitive and don’t bother about letting another vehicle pass. Riders and drivers cutting across lanes is the worst kind of problem any motorist can face,” says Vivek.
Ambulances are stuck in the traffic congestion whenever there are no traffic personnel to ease the congestion. Kalpan Haridas, a retired teacher, feels creating awareness about allowing an easy passage for ambulances must be highlighted on social media, radio and on hoardings. "People don’t seem to have any regard for another person’s life or respect for the law. Speeding behind an ambulance just to get to one’s destination is not done,” she says. She points out that corporate advertising about this issue can go a long way in reinforcing civilised behaviour on the road.
For medical practitioners, there’s nothing that is more important than saving a person’s life. Hospital managements say that care is taken to ensure that there is no misuse of an ambulance and that there is always a doctor, a nurse and an attendant present in the ambulance. Sharing a doctor’s perspective, Dr G Gururaj, professor and head of department, Centre for Public Health and WHO Collaborating Centre for Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion, NIMHANS, feels people must let an ambulance pass as soon as they hear the siren.
"Vehicles on the road aren’t going to reduce, so people will have to be a little more sensitive. One must understand that an ambulance with a siren blaring is always carrying a patient who needs urgent medical attention and that the vehicle needs to move without a hindrance,” states Dr G Gururaj. He also points out that the increasing number of vehicles and narrow roads have lead to slow-moving traffic which has made the easy passage for an ambulance a real challenge.
There are some who slow down or pull over and wait until the ambulance passes, while some others — especially autorickshaw drivers — literally chase the ambulance to make the most of the window created for them.
Most people admit they have observed fellow motorists who just don't give way to an ambulance. They also feel the many campaigns on this by the Bengaluru Traffic Police haven't had any impact. They feel only a stringent enforcement could go a long way in sensitising people about the issue.
Kavana Jain, a professional who has given up hope with regards to bringing about a change in the attitude of people, thinks it is better to educate children about the importance of giving way to an ambulance. "Parents tend to listen when their children tell them something and the younger generation seems to be a wee bit more sensitive than older people. It would also help for people to put themselves in the shoes of the person in the ambulance. If their dear one was in there, wouldn't they give way?" she asks.
There are those who also feel that had lane discipline been enforced with all sincerity, people would have fallen in line and understood the importance of letting an ambulance pass. But Vivek Kubaji, a software engineer who works near Electronic City, points out the two main issues any road user faces — people not following lane discipline and mismanagement of traffic. "Even if the traffic police create a separate lane for ambulances and other such emergency vehicles to move without any hindrance, I don't think it would have worked in our city because people are extremely insensitive and don't bother about letting another vehicle pass. Riders and drivers cutting across lanes is the worst kind of problem any motorist can face," says Vivek.
Ambulances are stuck in the traffic congestion whenever there are no traffic personnel to ease the congestion. Kalpan Haridas, a retired teacher, feels creating awareness about allowing an easy passage for ambulances must be highlighted on social media, radio and on hoardings. "People don't seem to have any regard for another person's life or respect for the law. Speeding behind an ambulance just to get to one's destination is not done," she says. She points out that corporate advertising about this issue can go a long way in reinforcing civilised behaviour on the road.
For medical practitioners, there's nothing that is more important than saving a person's life. Hospital managements say that care is taken to ensure that there is no misuse of an ambulance and that there is always a doctor, a nurse and an attendant present in the ambulance. Sharing a doctor's perspective, Dr G Gururaj, professor and head of department, Centre for Public Health and WHO Collaborating Centre for Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion, NIMHANS, feels people must let an ambulance pass as soon as they hear the siren.
"Vehicles on the road aren't going to reduce, so people will have to be a little more sensitive. One must understand that an ambulance with a siren blaring is always carrying a patient who needs urgent medical attention and that the vehicle needs to move without a hindrance," states Dr G Gururaj. He also points out that the increasing number of vehicles and narrow roads have lead to slow-moving traffic which has made the easy passage for an ambulance a real challenge.
The sight of an ambulance struggling to make its way through the traffic congestion is something that not many people can ignore but most motorists seem to look the other way whenever an ambulance is heard wailing behind them.There are some who slow down or pull over and wait until the ambulance passes, while some others — especially autorickshaw drivers — literally chase the ambulance to make the most of the window created for them.
Most people admit they have observed fellow motorists who just don’t give way to an ambulance. They also feel the many campaigns on this by the Bengaluru Traffic Police haven’t had any impact. They feel only a stringent enforcement could go a long way in sensitising people about the issue.
Kavana Jain, a professional who has given up hope with regards to bringing about a change in the attitude of people, thinks it is better to educate children about the importance of giving way to an ambulance. "Parents tend to listen when their children tell them something and the younger generation seems to be a wee bit more sensitive than older people. It would also help for people to put themselves in the shoes of the person in the ambulance. If their dear one was in there, wouldn’t they give way?” she asks.
There are those who also feel that had lane discipline been enforced with all sincerity, people would have fallen in line and understood the importance of letting an ambulance pass. But Vivek Kubaji, a software engineer who works near Electronic City, points out the two main issues any road user faces — people not following lane discipline and mismanagement of traffic. "Even if the traffic police create a separate lane for ambulances and other such emergency vehicles to move without any hindrance, I don’t think it would have worked in our city because people are extremely insensitive and don’t bother about letting another vehicle pass. Riders and drivers cutting across lanes is the worst kind of problem any motorist can face,” says Vivek.
Ambulances are stuck in the traffic congestion whenever there are no traffic personnel to ease the congestion. Kalpan Haridas, a retired teacher, feels creating awareness about allowing an easy passage for ambulances must be highlighted on social media, radio and on hoardings. "People don’t seem to have any regard for another person’s life or respect for the law. Speeding behind an ambulance just to get to one’s destination is not done,” she says. She points out that corporate advertising about this issue can go a long way in reinforcing civilised behaviour on the road.
For medical practitioners, there’s nothing that is more important than saving a person’s life. Hospital managements say that care is taken to ensure that there is no misuse of an ambulance and that there is always a doctor, a nurse and an attendant present in the ambulance. Sharing a doctor’s perspective, Dr G Gururaj, professor and head of department, Centre for Public Health and WHO Collaborating Centre for Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion, NIMHANS, feels people must let an ambulance pass as soon as they hear the siren.
"Vehicles on the road aren’t going to reduce, so people will have to be a little more sensitive. One must understand that an ambulance with a siren blaring is always carrying a patient who needs urgent medical attention and that the vehicle needs to move without a hindrance,” states Dr G Gururaj. He also points out that the increasing number of vehicles and narrow roads have lead to slow-moving traffic which has made the easy passage for an ambulance a real challenge.