[wongarsu]

He makes an excellent job describing all lots of systematic issues here

- a collision causes an investigation that is "not worth it"

- even in this case that was "high profile, tragic, and absolutely dire"

- vehicles, objects, or people get in paramedics' or EMTs' way on a daily basis, apparently without consequences

- EMTs are subject to high levels of verbal abuse and assaults, apparently without consequences

- yet they are the ones under constant scrutiny

Now don't get me wrong, I am not against oversight. But compare this with American cops, who seem authorized to do far more damage to vehicles and people for often far less immediate benefit, have much laxer oversight, and do not have to endure abuse without recourse (well, technically they do have to do that, but it's not advisable to test this)

[jrnichols]

As another paramedic that has worked in Texas, they are absolutely correct.

What we lack in EMS is the same qualified immunity that law enforcement continues to have.

[alwaysdoit]

Mostly agree, but choosing not to risk a new collision in order to maybe get there slightly faster (what if you damage the ambulance and are unable to continue?) to maybe help someone does seem like the right call

[snickerbockers]

I think the most important problem here is that this is an ambulance not a monster truck. It never ceases to amaze me how people on this site will always insist that the onus should be on society to deal the fallout from silicon valley's poorly-tested and poorly-designed bullshit. In a truly just world we'd be able to charge Google's leadership as an accessory to homicide for this.