Dangerous sneaking through road blocks

IT’S unthinkable that any appointment could be so pressing that one could put another’s life in serious danger.
Yet, this is what occurred last week at The Basin when numerous drivers deemed it necessary to sneak through a road block at Liverpool Road.
Victoria Police, Ambulance Victoria and the SES had closed a laneway in order to safely attend a three-car accident.
But evidently, the frustration over being held up for a few minutes was too much for many drivers to handle, and they chose to break the rules and drive on through.
These actions were a danger to all those present.
While crew members were tending to an injured elderly driver, they are simply not aware of, or expecting, cars to be in the lane.
In an already chaotic situation, these acts unnecessarily increased the likelihood of another serious accident.
On their Facebook page, The Basin CFA captured this sentiment precisely.
“We can’t let you through just because you have to get the kids to school, or you are late for work … you can’t sneak through.
“ … you could be risking our lives and we don’t like that.”
This echoes of an incident in April, when a CFA member was injured by a driver refusing to stop at a road block, at the site of a fatality in Yellingbo.
Emergency services crews fulfil a crucial role in our community.
They provide on-the-ground support in natural disasters such as floods or storms, as well as road rescue and search efforts.
While we may not need them often, when we do, there help is invaluable.
So let’s at least repay their fine work by ensuring their safety when they are undertaking their work.
Please, if you come across an accident scene, take a deep breath, gather your thoughts and spare a thought for the many hours these volunteers and members offer to our communities each week.