Wednesday

I live very close to main roads in Queens, New York and it is not unusual to hear and see various motor vehicles running on the streets with sirens blaring and multicolored lights flashing.

The rule is that cars in their way move over and allow these emergency vehicles to pass.

I agree to this rule and whenever I am involved I try to move out of their way. Ambulances are easy to identify, fire engines are easy to identify. Even marked police vehicles are easy to identify. The problem is with unmarked vehicles with lights flashing and sirens blaring.

In my are a there is a volunteer Jewish ambulance service who responds to many emergencies and many times they are on the scene before the regular ambulance service arrives.

I really don't know who is who when I hear the noise and see the lights. Is it police or is it somebody responding to a medical emergency. Oh, I didn't mention the unmarked police cars who only identify themselves when they put their lights on.

The other day I was driving home and not far from home there was a larger vehicle behind me with lights flashing. The good citizen that I am I cleared out of their way to let them answer the call for help.

I was very surprised to see when he got next to me that it was a plumber's truck. I wondered what kind of emergency they were responding to. A backed up toilet or a clogged up bathtub? I know they feel like emergencies to the people it is happening to but I have yet to see a plumber who will rush to any job.