Do you or do you not
 

Was driving on the Morse Bridge going north, we were in the middle of the bridge when I fire truck with lights on was heading south on the opposite side of the bridge.
There was no traffic in front of the fire truck.

Question: does the north bound cars have to stop?
We were in the left lane and the driver in front slammed on his brakes and come to a stop until the fire truck passed, they didn’t pull over to the right lane he just stopped in the middle of the bridge.

What is the proper move here?

Good question---here's the applicable statute, but it does not specify which side of the road:

316.126 Operation of vehicles and actions of pedestrians; approach of authorized emergency, sanitation, or utility service vehicle, wrecker, or road and bridge maintenance or construction vehicle; presence of disabled motor vehicle.—
(1)(a) Upon the immediate approach of an authorized emergency vehicle, while en route to meet an existing emergency, the driver of every other vehicle shall, when such emergency vehicle is giving audible signals by siren, exhaust whistle, or other adequate device, or visible signals by the use of displayed blue or red lights, yield the right-of-way to the emergency vehicle and shall immediately proceed to a position parallel to, and as close as reasonable to the closest edge of the curb of the roadway, clear of any intersection and shall stop and remain in position until the authorized emergency vehicle has passed, unless otherwise directed by a law enforcement officer.

However, as an extreme example, I doubt you have to stop for an emergency vehicle going the opposite direction on I-75.

No since there are 2 lanes one should slow and pull over into the right lane if possible but not stop

What you quoted pertains to an emergency vehicle that's behind you.

If your on i75 and an emergency vehicle is stopped on the side of the road your supposed to slow down and move to left lane if possible.

It says nothing about being on the opposite side of the road.

Now, if you're in NYC you immediately get behind the emergency vehicle and bypass all the traffic. lol.

Yes, as I already stated, it says nothing about the opposite side of the road.

Please highlight the part of the statute that states it only applies to emergency vehicles BEHIND you. Common sense dictates that it must mean exactly that, especially on divided roadways, but it does not appear anywhere in the statue.

What was quoted, chapter 316.126(1)(a), applies when an emergency vehicle is approaching from either direction. If an emergency vehicle is approaching, drivers should move as close as possible to the closest edge of the curb. It really is that simple.

The section does not say which side of the roadway for a simple reason: it doesn't matter. If an emergency vehicle is approaching you make way for it regardless of whether it is behind you, in front of you, or approaching from a side street.

On a divided highway, such as I-75, an oncoming emergency vehicle is not on the roadway with you, it is on a separate, parallel roadway. Nothing you do on your side of the divider can make any more room for the emergency vehicle in the other lanes.

On the Morse bridge, the lanes are not divided. If an emergency vehicle with its emergency lights on is traveling on the Morse bridge then all other traffic should be moving to their right to make room for the vehicle to pass. It doesn't matter which direction the emergency vehicle is traveling and it doesn't matter which direction you are traveling, move to the right to make room. It doesn't matter if you are the only other person on the bridge, you still move to the right to make room. It really is that simple.

To answer the OP's question, the right move would have been for traffic going north in the left lane to pull to the right lane and stop until the emergency vehicle had passed. Stopping in the left lane was absolutely the wrong move.

Regarding the Morse Ave. bridge: stopping in the left lane does nothing to help the oncoming emergency vehicle. If I were in the left lane I'd get to the right lane as quickly and safely as possible. If I were in the right lane I'd adjust my speed so whoever was in the left lane could get over into the right lane. Since there is no way the EV would be trying to turn left in front of me to get to a cross street, I wouldn't stop unless traffic in front of me had stopped. I would maintain the speed of the traffic around me, other than to slow down as described above, so the left lane traffic could move over.

What was that driver thinking? "I'll just stop and block the lane. That should help." Thinking is an important part of driving.

Might have been thinking that same thing as the cart driver on the pet peeve thread 😂😂😂

Thank you

Thank you

Thank you that’s what I was thinking
������

Your tag line is, "Living is Easy with Eyes Closed". It isn't. I keep bumping into and tripping over stuff.

As a former paramedic, you win the gold star for giving the correct answer. Unless you are on a divided highway, when an emergency vehicle with flashing lights and siren approaches from EITHER direction, all traffic is to pull over to the right and STOP.

Funny

Morse bridge? yes you have to stop/pull over/ I75 no.

As a former deputy sheriff, I can tell you that we want you to use common sense. I have approached an intersection where people were stopped at a light and then had those people pull onto the shoulder as I was trying to get around them on that same shoulder. My department typically didn't use our siren unless needed because it tends to make people lose their minds. I also appreciated people who signaled that they were changing lanes or pulling over because I knew they had seen me and were taking appropriate action. If I'm coming up on a person in the left lane I wouldn't change over to the right in order to get around because too often they would pull right in front of me so I stay in the left lane, lay on that siren, and hope they pull over soon.

I once was at the light at Morse and 466 East waiting to turn right. Saw an emergency vehicle coming behind me and cars/trucks in all three lanes. The light was red---I looked both ways then I made my turn, even though in another instance it wouldn't have been the correct thing to do. I also could see that the E.V. needed space to get past everyone. I've noticed here, people seem to get confused easily and just do nothing. Again, it makes me wonder if people actually ever had "Driver's Education". Back in the day---our schools had BOTH classroom (for a year) plus behind the wheel. The latter wasn't required but suggested, however classroom was required, with a grade. I still remember many of the road rules---stop-signs and signals to be specific.

I grew up in FL and remember this issue being taught in driver’s ed and it was on the test.

Unless they changed the rule, it is that if there is a barrier median or a median at least 20 feet wide, you do not need to take action when an emergency vehicle is on the opposite side of the road.

Emergency vehicle rights
 

I worked in another state for 46 years as a call fire fighter, retiring as a Lt. I worked full time for 42 years as a full time police officer, retiring as a Sgt. In this case, I would say the laws would be similar state to state.
Let's take the emergency vehicle operator first. He must comply with all traffic laws, the same as everyone else. If he violates a traffic law and causes an accident, he will be held liable. Now, the siren, lights, and air horn are to be used only as a warning device, to assist that operator in making moves that might otherwise be a violation in getting around traffic. When he makes a judgement to do that, it must be "safe and reasonable".
Now the regular Joe driving when seeing or hearing an emergency vehicle he should pull to the right "in a safe and reasonable way" to allow the EV to pass. Doesn't matter which lane your in or what direction your heading, divided roadways excluded, for obvious reasons.

And if at an intersection, you never know if the EV has to make a turn, so stop.

The statute says, “…. the driver of every other vehicle shall….” I would suggest you move to the right, slow down, and stop. That doesn’t mean slamming on your brakes like that car did.

My dad taught me to drive. I still recall him saying expect them to do the dumbest possible thing. I read somewhere that Florida has the worst drivers in the nation. Clearly there are some that want to be certain we do not loose that position.

Reality there is the LAW and the there is reality. If, you are involved in a collision with a cop an ambulance a fire truck you are screwed guilty or not. Also, interesting the postman has the right of way no matter what. Old law that never went away. Not sure if that applies to Fedx, Ups and Amazon.

Clearly, it is a reach to assume other drivers know the law and a further. longer reach that they will follow the law.. Over 90% of accidents are avoidable. Perhaps the word accident is not true.