I know it's an emergency, but do they have to make such a noise

Cops, fire engines, ambulances don't have to use their sirens at all times in an emergency. File photo / NZ Herald

This page last week said it's time for the second dopiest road rule in the world to be thrown out. The dopiest is of course the one where you give way to traffic turning right across your bows. It's gone in 2013.

Dopey Rule Two is the one covering the use of sirens in emergency vehicles. Cops, fire engines, ambulances don't have to use their sirens at all times in an emergency. They can run with just their lights flashing and use the siren only when necessary, at intersections, for example.

Dopey Rule Two doesn't give traffic time to get out of the way of emergency vehicles - because motorists can't hear flashing lights. Here are some responses:

Andrew, an ambulance driver: "The law states that an emergency vehicle may pass through a controlled intersection against the right of way only if: (1) lights and siren are used; (2) speed is 20km/h maximum; (3) care is taken to avoid other vehicles. But the real world is not so rosy. People drive cars with radios so loud they cannot hear a siren. Or they are on a cellphone. Not turning on a siren until late makes the emergency vehicle more obvious. The rule that really needs to be enforced is people giving way to emergency services. Repeatedly, we have vehicles pull out in front of us as we are approaching."

Ed: Perhaps that's because they can't hear flashing lights.

Patrick: "There are many good reasons why emergency services do not use their sirens all of the time. For example, when there are "burgs on". There is no better way to tell a burglar the police are about to arrive than a siren that can be heard from several kilometres away. I also believe ambulance staff use sirens less depending on what type of patient they have in the ambulance. The siren can be very distressing for particular types of patients. The real issue is most motorists haven't got a clue what is happening around them and they need to start using the rear vision mirror."

Warren, a firefighter: "We don't operate the siren constantly for a number of valid reasons. For example, the noise in the cab makes use of the radio difficult and communication between officer and firefighters can also suffer. We do try to avoid using the sirens near rest homes and hospitals for obvious reasons and at all costs near animals, especially around horses. There is really no need to create a lot of noise pollution needlessly on 75 per cent of our fire calls. Flashing lights and, especially, flashing headlights should really be enough if everyone does their part in road safety."

Peter: "I admit it (Dopey Rule One) does confuse overseas drivers, but consider: (1) Drivers wishing to turn left always get opportunities because of being able to turn left in the "shadow" of following drivers who are proceeding straight ahead. (2) Right-turning drivers will, in future, get fewer opportunities to turn right and the increasing line of them will cause far more chaos than the existing law does. In NZ where we have smaller roads with fewer lanes, the current law is a good one. The only way they will improve things with the coming change is if they widen intersections and put a long right turning lane in. Because we will need them."

Vincent: "St John Ambulance officers often prefer to drive without the siren simply because many drivers panic when they hear the siren and become unpredictable. It is preferable to give drivers a bit of a scare as the ambulance safely passes than have them swerve in front of it."