I agree that there are instances where it is impossible for a woman in labour (even the early stages) to get herself to hospital and as a LAST RESORT maybe an ambulance is required. It's the fact that many use it as their first option because they haven't bothered to make plans, because it's cheaper or because they're plain stupid. I'm sure that the ambulance staff don't mind attending someone who maybe didn't need an ambulance but was genuinely scared and over-reacted. It's the lazy ones who treat it as a taxi service - these are the ones who need to be tackled. Although I'm not sure how - "treating" laziness has always been a tough one...