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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Since You Asked: Onions could grow in a mild winter ... Fallen Trooper Memorial to be built at Salem's Capitol Mall ... 'Preacher Train' helped spur settlement of Talent ... Since You Asked: Onions could grow in a mild winter ... Fallen Trooper Memorial to be built at Salem's Capitol Mall ... 'Preacher Train' helped spur settlement of Talent ... SINCE YOU ASKED Since You Asked: Passing fire truck on freeway could get spendy Comment By Mark Freeman Mail Tribune Follow @@MTwriterFreeman MailTribune.com By Mark Freeman Mail Tribune Follow @@MTwriterFreeman Posted Nov. 23, 2015 at 12:01 AM By Mark Freeman Mail Tribune Follow @@MTwriterFreeman Posted Nov. 23, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News While driving down Interstate 5 last week, I ended up in a situation that bothered me somewhat. I drove up to a fire truck with its lights on and siren ablazing headed in the same direction I was. We were between a couple small towns so I figured there was a wreck on the freeway and the engine was dispatched from a nearby city. So I pulled in behind it, slowed to 55 mph (the truck's speed) and proceeded to follow it down the freeway. Several others weren't so patient. They were passing the truck on the left, and by the time we reached the accident, all those cars that passed the truck were stuck in the left lane impeding firemen from reaching the accident. That can't possibly be legal, right? — C.N., Medford We at Since You Asked Central would have joined you in line and jotted down the license plate numbers of all the offenders to turn over to the Oregon State Police. But it might not have done either of us much good. It turns out that Oregon law is a little fuzzy on this one, C.N. Oregon Revised Statute No. 811.145 is the "failure to yield to emergency vehicle or ambulance" statute, and it pretty clearly states motorists must yield to an emergency vehicle with its lights and/or siren on. Failure to do so is a Class B violation that carries a $250 fine, according to statutes. However, it's a little iffy if passing the fire truck on the left truly is impeding the truck's passage, OSP Lt. Bill Fugate says. If Fugate saw it, however, he says he's pull the offending cars over and ticket them because they failed to "clear the way" for the fire truck, he says. "That's the argument I'd make if they took me to court on it," Fugate says. "There's the letter of the law and the spirit of the law." Send questions to “Since You Asked,” Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by email to [email protected] . To see a collection of columns, go to mailtribune.com/youasked . We’re sorry, but the volume of questions received prevents us from answering all of them. By Mark Freeman Mail Tribune Follow @@MTwriterFreeman MailTribune.com By Mark Freeman Mail Tribune Follow @@MTwriterFreeman Posted Nov. 23, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501