Traffic question. Yielding to emergency vehicles. See inside.

I’d try really hard to get out of the vehicle’s way. I’d go to the right if I’m on the right side of the road, to the left if I’m on the left side—no way me cutting through four lanes of traffic to pull over would help. If I’m in one of the middle lanes, I’d try to get to the closest or easiest side.
(Of course, I’ve been one to pull over my bicycle when they go by… probably overkill)

This reminds me a time when that did happen. I was younger, and my mom was driving me and my sister somewhere. I remember because it left quite an impression on me. We were in the carpool lane, and while it was less full than the others, it was still pretty slow.
An ambulance came onto the highway—I dunno where they needed to get, or if they realized the highway was so congested, but there they were just a bit ahead of us, now stuck because cars were piling up behind them on the ramp, with lights flashing and sirens full blast. (It was loud!)
She immediately started going really slow, only to get a chorus of honks behind her, but was succeeding in creating an open isle in front of her which some people in the adjacent lane used to their own advantage. Everyone in the other two/three lanes—I don’t remember exactly how many—were more concerned with getting ahead of all the other cars than letting the ambulance by. We watched it slowly try to work its way through, and no one was letting it through, it was only making headway by being extremely aggressive, and cutting in front of cars trying to cut it off. (It still had its lights and siren on, mind you).
They finally got to our lane, which had a long stretch of clear road by now, did that hand-up-and-nod thing, and sped down the stretch… and I dunno what happened after that.

It was insane to witness, and I wish I was exaggerating.

When being approached by an emergency vehicle that you see and or hear, my state law requires cars to immediately pull to the right side of the road and allow the emergency vehicle to pass. In some cases a complete stop may be necessary to allow the emergency vehicle to pass. If stopped at an intersection with two-way traffic, remain stopped until the emergency vehicle passes. I have seen it on really busy roads where it is like the parting of the waters and been pretty chaotic. In worst case scenarios just do what you got to do to get out of the way or suffer the wrath of a really really loud horn.

If I’m in the right lane, I pull off the road to the right. If I am in the left lane, I look to see what the cars behind me have done. If they have pulled close to the right lane to leave space for the emergency vehicle, I do the same. If they have pulled left, I do the same. If I do the opposite, even if it is the correct thing per the law, I will only accomplish blocking the “lane” that has been opened up.

I have been known to run a red light when there was no other option for getting out of the way. I looked both ways, zipped across the road and immediately pulled to the right.

If there is absolutely no space then I yield to the left.

So far, all the answers are correct. The object is to yield, no matter what it takes. Even running a red light is allowed, under these circumstances. On an emergency runs, I have had drivers to do all of the above. Yes, the law states to pull to the right curb and stop, but, this is not always necessary, especially on the interstate. This why emegency vehicle drivers are taught to expect the unexpected and be prepared.

I was answering a bad traffic accident call one Saturday afternoon. I was the nearest car in service and I was at least 30 miles away. This is a long way for a Code 3 call. I tightened my seat belt and turned on my lights and siren. I was traveling 10 mph over the posted speed limit. I came in behind a man driving his car, that would not yield to my cruiser. I did everything to get him to move over to the right lane. No other cars were on the road, at that time. As we both approached an intersection, I noticed a motorcycle officer on the side of the road. I switched radio channels and asked him to pull this driver over. He responded and did so. A few minutes later, he advised me that this driver was deaf and wore no hearing aids. You have to expect the unexpected, when driving an emergency vehicle.

You’re supposed to do your best to get to the right. If that option is unavailable for any reason, you are to stop where you are until the emergency vehicle passes yours.

A if at all possible, then B, and C as a last resort.

Whatever is the most out of the way.

Pull over right if possible, pull over left if not. I always wonder what to do if that happens at a congested two-way road. Say if you’re in the passing lane, you can’t get right due to cars on the other side, and left means going into oncoming traffic. Braking would mean the ambulance can’t get by, right? So in that case, do you try to outrun it for a safe spot to get out of the way?

@john65pennington Was the deaf driver blind too? Those lights are hard to miss.