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Proof of Human Depravity: Making a Left in Front of an Ambulance

September 28th, 2006 | 1 min read

By Matthew Lee Anderson

Sitting at a decent sized intersection in suburban Los Angeles, I watch an ambulance try to get through to, presumably, take someone to the hospital in order to save his or her life.

Obstructing the ambulances way were not one or two, but five (5!!!) cars that took their left turns right in front of the emergency vehicle.

What were those drivers thinking? "If I don't make this green left turn light, I might have to wait here another 3 minutes. It's just an ambulance. Who cares that its job is to go save lives."

What's the ambulance driver thinking? Maybe he was a gracious guy. Upon seeing the cars turning left: "Please, go right ahead. Don't mind my flashing lights and siren. You just mosey on across the intersection and I'll wait right here with the guy having a heart attack in the back. No hurry at all!"

Wouldn't it be a dark shade of funny if the ambulance had been traveling to get the grandma or child of one of the drivers? Ha!

Matthew Lee Anderson

Matthew Lee Anderson is an Associate Professor of Ethics and Theology in Baylor University's Honors College. He has a D.Phil. in Christian Ethics from Oxford University, and is a Perpetual Member of Biola University's Torrey Honors College. In 2005, he founded Mere Orthodoxy.