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Advice For Vehicle Lighting
I know a lot of users of this forum don't condone or like the use of emergency lights on personal vehicles, but whatever.
My question is pertaining to some new lights I am looking to purchase for the deck end of my car. I already have two, but they're very cheap and not that bright (especially for daytime use). I found a couple of new lights I want installed, but I have two questions:
1.) I want to mount these on the bottom of the back window. Should either A.) Mount them closer to the middle brake light, or B.) Mount them more towards the outer ends of the back window? I have a regular car, not an SUV or anything.
and...
2.) I am getting the following colors in this order: blue, white, red, amber. I am getting two units, and each unit is divided into two colors. Which colors do you think would do best together? I was thinking blue/amber and then red/white would be good, but I want to hear your opinions.
Thanks in advance.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Andrew on
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I know that these are essentially COURTESY lights, Paul.
As per my experience, I said that the extra year didn't make that much of a different. I am not high and mighty, and I do not know everything there is to know about the field of emergency services.
I can tell that you're a clam, Paul - you're very conservative in your beliefs and there seems to be no compromise when it comes to your ideologies.
Let me ask you - do you ever go above the speed limit? I mean, of course, just when merely driving your car down the highway. You cannot tell me you sit idly at the firey pace of 55 mph. So don't be hypocritical. Just because I drive a little faster than the speed limit (which 99% of drivers in NY do already) with some courtesy lights on, all of a sudden I am a hazard in itself? I don't tailgate, nor do I drive aggressively. I exercise Due Regard in any situation where I am driving a vehicle, whether it be my own or a fire department apparatus.
Even if I were to have 10, 15, or even 20 years in the department it's all the same mentality. Driving safe is a mentality, and someone can learn it in 2 weeks, and some people, despite deep conditioning towards the learning of safe driving ideologies, may never be able to grasp these concepts.
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Permalink Reply by Brian Mackie on
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Paul;
I will give this fellow credit were credit is absolutely due. This guy has spent the time to write, spell check, and use proper grammar almost to a T! Seriously one of the best I have read on here. His motives are, like most, commendable. I can't agree with his methods though. I have seen it and read about it, and Matthew posted some pretty amazing documentation to support what we are trying to say.
Another way to look at it, is.. your Mr. Joe P. Citizen, on your way home from playing bingo, and throughout your entire 60 years of driving, you never had a traffic ticket for even parking. Now, all of a sudden, in your mirrors, you see a strange array of multi-colored lights flashing and blinking, approaching at what appears to you as a high rate of speed. "WTF IS THAT ?" you ask your wife who is along for the ride, and furthermore "WTF ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO?" "I have never heard of any new laws that have been added or changed, and what we are supposed to do"... it's all new to me.. I think I better stop right here, right now, and without notice, because this is scaring me! BANG!
I don't know.. Far-fetched stories like that never happen, and I am at wits end to know why it is needed.
But he does write very well!
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Permalink Reply by Paul Montpetit on
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No Sir...I do not claim to be a saint...I have done things as we all have...only One person never did a wrong and they nailed Him to a cross..but I'm not here to discuss religion..I do have issues with some (mostly newer) people that get in and take off like a bat out of hell to get somewhere and have NO training whatsoever...they put their lives at risk, they put others at risk and they make their Department look like a bunch of assholes...I didn;t just join the Department, have been around the block a time or two...I have seen people come and go...I would rather see you mature into an excellant Firefighter and or Medic than to end up as one of the calls that go out for "man Down" or MVA enroute call...Look around man...it happens everyday...We need to slow down and to stop kiling ourselves....I have been called "conservative" only by those that don't know me...I have risked my ass more than once for those I don't know...Have been recognized more than once for EMS provider of the year and the like....big deal....Conservative...? Don't think so and neither does any member of my crew..we train and work and yes.. play very hard....I think I have said my part...our "discussions seem to falling on deaf ears...so good luck to you....Stay safe, and remember to Keep the Faith (think about that one)....again Good Luck
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and your point is....? LOL He writes it well so it is ok...?
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Well Paul, I'm Agnostic =P
Anyway, I must call you conservative from the evidence that I've collected throughout our discussion - It's all I've got to base your personality off of, am I right?
As for slowing down and being cautious - I am right there with you. Appropriate learning and training is a sufficient way to ensure that we don't "kill ourselves" while responding, no matter what vehicle we may be driving.
Thanks for the luck.
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Thanks for the compliment on my writing and grammar, Paul. I take pride in my writing, and the English language in general so I do my best not to butcher it.
Anyway, I do see where you're coming from, and I have been in this situation many of times before. One time I was driving the ambulance on an EMS call, merging onto the service road from the highway with lights and sirens. Where I was merging there was a car behind me merging ONTO the highway, as well as one in front of me doing the same. For some reason the people in front of me, while merging, slammed on their brakes as I was merging onto the service road. I wasn't tailgating, I was merely merging. In an instant I had to hit my brakes, glance at the sideview mirror to make sure there was no cars driving along side of me, and then cut into the service road's lane. Accident averted, thankfully. I did nothing wrong, but I found a way out. That's one of my rules of the road in ANY vehicle, especially an emergency vehicle - always leave an exit. Even the medic in the passenger seat commended me - someone that has a lot longer time in the field than I do.
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No, it certainly is not ok.
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Permalink Reply by Matthew Powers on
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So you can see why emergency lights in a POV can be a very bad thing? Let me ask you, do you turn them on when you get in your truck and off at the scene, or do you use them only when someone is driving too slow for you?
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I can see that lights in a POV is a double-edged blade.
I turn them on ONLY when there when my pager goes off and I am responding to the station. I do not use them if I am stuck behind a grandma doing 40 in a 55, or if I am behind a driver I deem to be incompetent.
I have responded to the scene of an accident ONCE, and that was only because I was practically there when it happened (within 50 feet). I left my lights on to block off a lane where a damaged vehicle was still halfway in the road, and where a victim was laying in the road right outside of the car door. The first responder showed up a minute or two later and I assisted them in immobilization.
But no, I do not abuse my lights in any way. I understand that these lights and driving in general are a privilege - not a right.
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I am sorry Andrew, I was giving you credit for not using the lights when not on a call. What I was meaning to ask is, are you leaving them on from your driveway to the station, and thus displaying them to all drivers, or do you turn them on only for drivers that are not going as fast as you choose to respond? In your point about the EMS run, it would seam as though the lights actually caused the point of concern, where the ambulance going at the same speed as the other cars without lights would likely not have had this sort of close call.
I must say that I disagree with you on the following statement:
But no, I do not abuse my lights in any way. I understand that these lights and driving in general are a privilege - not a right.
As you are openly showing your abuse of the lights according to the state laws. The citizens that we are here to protect do have a right; to be protected as defined by law. Brian pointed out rather specifically one way in which the excessive lights can become an issue. I am glad that your department has a good relationship with the LEOs but remember, it only takes one person to sour the relationship. When the FD and PD have tensions, your citizens are also loosing out.
I will let you have the last word on this one, but PLEASE speak with your officers, and read the articles I sent you. It is apparent that no one is going to persuade you otherwise, so if you are going to make a purchase please think about buying American.
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Permalink Reply by Rob Vest on
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Another isssue to think about by adorning your vehicle with to many lights. All it takes is one person to pull out in front of you and then your involved in an accident. If your going only 5 mph above the posted limit they are going to crucify you and your department as well as your insurance company may leave you hanging high and dry since they may determine you are operating your vehicle as an emergency vehicle of which you probably aren't insured for.
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Oh, I am sorry Matthew, I misunderstood what you were saying.
As for responding from my house or wherever my location is to the station, my lights are always engaged throughout the duration of the ride UNLESS I come to a red light, in which I turn my front lights off until the red light cycles back into a green light. I don't want to startle motorists coming from the perpendicular direction(s).
As for disagreeing with my statement - that's fine. It's merely semantics. When it comes to the law and it's definition there's a lot of gray area. However, this law is relatively clear in it's definition, although I do not personally agree with it. Like I said before, not all laws are enforced, nor are they all dated for our current needs. I loosely interpret this "law", and as I am not hurting anyone, and officers don't seem to mind, than I do not see a substantial problem.
I don't feel like having a debate about this. What I want feedback on is my original questions, please.
Thank you for your concern.
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