NRR - Rio paramedics

[danielandhisorchestra]

Umm... bit of a weird one. Can anyone from Rio (or anyone with experience of that city) tell me if there is any truth in the following story I have heard?
Somebody has told me that the paramedics or ambulance officers in Rio mainly use motorbikes to beat the traffic but I can't find any images of or information on this. If anyone can confirm/give a fuller explanation/direct me to images, I would be most appreciative.
Thanks, D.

[ginghamkitchen]

I can't help with your query, but the image of a paramedic slinging a badly injured person over their pillion and roaring off is a vivid one.

[Ian Townsend]

Umm... bit of a weird one. Can anyone from Rio (or anyone with experience of that city) tell me if there is any truth in the following story I have heard?
Somebody has told me that the paramedics or ambulance officers in Rio mainly use motorbikes to beat the traffic but I can't find any images of or information on this. If anyone can confirm/give a fuller explanation/direct me to images, I would be most appreciative.
Thanks, D.

And while we're on it is there any truth in the story that paramedics in the UK carry bottles of Coca- Cola?

Apparently, after particularly unpleasant motor accidents and prior to hosing, Coca Cola is poured liberally over surfaces where there are remains of human tissue (blood, fats etc) to make them easier to remove.

Apologies for such an unpleasant post but I've heard this from a couple of different sources and wondered it it's an urban myth / spaghetti-tree / neckful of spiders / Purple Whatsisname type of yarn malarkey.

[babycart]

Motorbike paramedics don't seem to be that rare.

I don't know about Coca Cola, but cinnamon is used to neutralise the smell of rotting corpses. So when you're checking out that new flat, bear in mind that the previous owner may not have been into cake -making

[Viva Chiba]

My wife used flat coca cola to marinate some chicken yesterday.

It wasn't bad

[eric-adams]

try marinating with cherry coke
its ace

[Brainbomb]

Motorbike paramedics don't seem to be that rare.

I don't know about Coca Cola, but cinnamon is used to neutralise the smell of rotting corpses. So when you're checking out that new flat, bear in mind that the previous owner may not have been into cake -making

WTF - I was recently some place that smelled a lot of cinnamon without there being a sound reason for it. I remember it was strange. Now I can't remember where - was it some shop I visited or some room I seldom go to at work or where was it??

[thenameofthegame]

I've been here for just over 2 years and have never seen a motor bike paramedic. I just asked my wife who's lived here all her life and she said that she's also never seen that.

It's like the U.K, basically it's an ambulance and when they hit the siren people just get out the way.

Traffic is a major pain here though and sometimes you grit your teeth when you see an ambulance stuck in the same spot for 5 mins beeping it's horn and what not, I suppose it's not much different to central London at rush hour times, no?

[Brass Monkey]

I hate coca cola, but I do know that doctors use it to calm upset stomachs. Sounds weird but next time you feel queezy neck a can of full fat coke and you will feel better within seconds.

[Plainstone]

Traffic is a major pain here though and sometimes you grit your teeth when you see an ambulance stuck in the same spot for 5 mins beeping it's horn and what not, I suppose it's not much different to central London at rush hour times, no?

The road I take to work is basically a two lane highway heading west out of Tokyo. It has three hospitals en route and subsequently a fair bit of ambulance traffic. I've got quite used to keeping tuned in for the sirens over whatever is playing in the car, but even allowing for the lack of overtaking opportunities and the ever-present roadworks, they manage to snake through at a reasonable clip.

When I first was in Japan I was amazed at how slowly the ambulances seemed to drive until someone pointed out that they actually do a lot more doctory treatment en route than is common in other countries. Might be a bit difficult on the back of a motorbike, though.

[babycart]

Josh in Casualty was a motorbike paramedic, and I haven't watched Casualty for over 10 years.

Maybe BM or someone can tell me what happened in the end? Did that lovely old bloke with a minor head injury who was really looking forward to his retirement end up OK? Did those kids manage to get their ball off the roof at that building site? Did they save that drug addict Mary's baby on Christmas Day?

[No, LordNo]

Traffic is a major pain here though and sometimes you grit your teeth when you see an ambulance stuck in the same spot for 5 mins beeping it's horn and what not, I suppose it's not much different to central London at rush hour times, no?

No it's much worse. Rio is ranked one of the top ten places in the world with worst congestion, London can be a pain but it doesn't make the cut.

[Crawdaddy Simon]

And while we're on it is there any truth in the story that paramedics in the UK carry bottles of Coca- Cola?

Apparently, after particularly unpleasant motor accidents and prior to hosing, Coca Cola is poured liberally over surfaces where there are remains of human tissue (blood, fats etc) to make them easier to remove.

Apologies for such an unpleasant post but I've heard this from a couple of different sources and wondered it it's an urban myth / spaghetti-tree / neckful of spiders / Purple Whatsisname type of yarn malarkey.

http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/acid.asp

[thenameofthegame]

No it's much worse. Rio is ranked one of the top ten places in the world with worst congestion, London can be a pain but it doesn't make the cut.

Well, my son has a doctors appointment at 3pm and we are setting off at 1:30pm and it's only a couple of miles away so I suposse that puts it into perspective! Today is a holiday aswell so it's quieter.

I remember last year I spent 5 hours on Ponte Rio-Niteroi, a huge bridge connecting the 2 cities. The traffic was awefull! Without traffic you could pass through it in 20 mins.

I am just accustomed to it now...

Parking on the other hand is a joke, sometimes there's no room to even park on my own street between Monday and Friday, then there's Flanelinhas too.....

Ahh cidade maravilhosa

[Ian Townsend]

http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/acid.asp

Cheers!

That clears that one up then.

[RedX]

My dad had what the doctor thought was a minor heart attack a few years back, and when the paramedic arrived at the house he was on a motorbike. Poor old dad wasn't worried about his heart, only that he'd have to go to hospital on the back of the bike

[Aggie]

Umm... bit of a weird one. Can anyone from Rio (or anyone with experience of that city) tell me if there is any truth in the following story I have heard?
Somebody has told me that the paramedics or ambulance officers in Rio mainly use motorbikes to beat the traffic but I can't find any images of or information on this. If anyone can confirm/give a fuller explanation/direct me to images, I would be most appreciative.
Thanks, D.

They tried it in Athens too a couple of years ago. I think it worked pretty well for some months, then our rubbish government discontinued the service...

Apparently the motorcycles (which we paid for) are now left to "rot" in EKAV parking stations (EKAV is our state run ambulance service)...

[Aggie]

I hate coca cola, but I do know that doctors use it to calm upset stomachs. Sounds weird but next time you feel queezy neck a can of full fat coke and you will feel better within seconds.

That's true. I like Coca Cola but I avoid it (damn calories) but it's the first thing I try in case of 'upset stomach'... Works miracles, much better than most fizzy, carbonates soft drinks...

[danielandhisorchestra]

Cheers to all for your replies (be they on or off topic), especially NOTG for dispelling the myth, and Plainstone and Aggie for offering further avenues of inquiry

[thenameofthegame]

Cheers to all for your replies (be they on or off topic), especially NOTG for dispelling the myth, and Plainstone and Aggie for offering further avenues of inquiry

Did you hear in Micronesia they throw noodles on pregnant oxes when they are giving birth so that they provide more Ox milk?

[Aggie]

danielandhisorchestra here's a photo of those paramedic motorcycles that were briefly seen in Athens (sounded like a good idea, God only knows why they took it back )...

http://hellas-medic.blogspot.com/200...g-post_26.html