Two questions for the U.K.

[mme_hardy]

 The OMT for Doctor Who is "watching from behind the couch".   In every American house I remember, the couch/sofa/davenport is firmly against the wall.  A child who wanted to watch from there would first have to push it forward several inches.   Are British houses differently arranged, or is this just an image?

We were watching QI last night, and the panel were marvelling about American drivers' custom of stopping* when they heard a siren.  (My family: "We don't stop!  We pull over and stop!")   What do Britons do when they hear a siren?  As my daughter exclaimed in outrage, "What is a siren FOR, then?"

* Some of them**.  If they don't have anywhere important to get to.
** When I first moved to the New South, drivers always pulled over -- in both directions -- when a funeral went by.   Ambulances were much more hit and miss.   

Comments

[viktor-haag.livejournal.com]

In Canada, drivers are required, as soon as it's safe to do so, to pull over to the shoulder and come to a stop to let emergency vehicles pass by un-impeded. If unable to pull to the shoulder, you're supposed to "make a lane" and halt your vehicle: this might require pulling over to the middle of the road if you must, you're supposed to head to the right (outside) of the road.

Stiff penalties are in place for getting in the way of an emergency vehicle.

The siren isn't necessarily the important part -- if the vehicle has its lights flashing, you're supposed to still pull over and stop. The siren is for added warning to surrounding vehicles.

[mme-hardy.livejournal.com]

In the U.S. most of the rules are as you describe, at least in the states where I've taken a test.

Pulling over/making a lane is legally required but often disregarded in practice. Lights mean "pay attention", lights + sirens mean "get out of the way". There are complicated rules about oncoming sirens; if it's a divided road with concrete, you don't have to pull over, but there are some kinds of multi-lane roads I disremember where you don't. (Two lanes with a passing lane, maybe?) I just pull over anytime there isn't a barrier.