What's this new blue light legislation about?

[x635 4,066]

While looking at the pending legislation on the NYS Assembly website, I found this:

S04514 Summary:

SAME AS    No same as                                                         

                                                                               

SPONSOR    FUSCHILLO                                                           

                                                                               

COSPNSR                                                                       

                                                                               

MLTSPNSR                                                                       

                                                                               

Add S1144-a, amd S1800, V & T L                                               

Provides right-of-way for vehicles responding to an emergency and displaying   

blue or green emergency lights; requires motorists to yield to such lights.   

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S04514 Actions:

04/14/2003 REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION                                         

01/07/2004 REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION                                         

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S04514 Votes:

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S04514 Memo:

So, I'm confused now..does this mean blue and green lights will be the same as red lights as far as yielding goes, yet the operator must still obey all traffic laws?

If passed, this is going to bring about quite a few problems, IMO.

[BFDCAR5 0]

Connecicut has a similar law... While responding with a blue or green light the operator of said vehicle must follow all traffic laws, unless they are yielded the wright of way. But you are no considered an emergency vehicle. Also in connecticut the fire chiefs must apply for a red light and siren permit in any POV or vehicle owned by the volunteer company,if the town owns the vehicle then it does not need a permit.

[WAS967 97]

But this states that people would need to yield to Blue and Green lights. Hmm....this would indeed cause some confusion. People don't get out of the way for the Red lights and sirens. What makes people think they will get out of the way for a blinky green or blue light? And what of the idiots who think they own the road because they have thier green or blue light going? I refused to yield to a blue light jocky one day because he was driving like a total idiot. Too bad I never found out what department he was with. I would have loved to chat with his chief.

[RWC130 594]

I also found this one...

TITLE OF BILL : An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in

relation to authorizing blue lights to be affixed to police vehicles

PURPOSE : To authorize police vehicles to display blue lights.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS : Section one adds a new subparagraph b to

paragraph 4 of subdivision 41 of section 375 of the vehicle and

traffic law to allow one or more blue lights or combination of blue,

red and/or white lights may be affixed to a police vehicle, and such

lights may be displayed on a police vehicle when such vehicle is

engaged in an emergency operation.

JUSTIFICATION : Currently, police departments are not authorized

under the vehicle and traffic law to use blue colored lights as part

of their emergency equipment. Colored lights that police are

authorized to use under the current statute are red, white and yellow.

Studies have been conducted which have determined that blue colored

lights attract the attention of drivers better than any other color.

The combination of red and white colored lights used by almost all

police departments in the state, is more than effective for law

enforcement purposes. Police officers have determined however that for

safety reasons, blue colored lights in combination with the current

configurations would further enhance officer safety.

Presently, the law provides blue lights for use by voluntary fire

personnel. Police use of blue colored lights would be in addition to

the continued use of blue colored lights by volunteer fire personnel.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY : New bill.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS : None.

EFFECTIVE DATE : Immediately.

[DOC22 1]

Looks like now is a good time to be careful not to abuse these lights, since the State could just turn around and restrict their use to Police only.

[Guest JQP442]

The bill that would let police use blue lights still has not passed and is not law yet.

[mikerabbit 2]

Blue also travels through snow and heavy rain better than red. Not sure about vs. clear & amber

Mike

[WAS967 97]

The law wouldn't restrict blue lights to only police officers. It would just make official the use of blue lights on police cruisers. Many departments have blue lights on thier car already, just not in accordance with V&T law. With the proposed ammendment, it would make it legal. Who wants to take bets on wether it gets opposed by the volunteer firefighter's association? Anyone?

[x648eng119 2]

Whether or not it gets approved or not, it will not have any effect on the police agencies that use them already. My personal feelings about this issue are mixed. One one hand, it might make it easier for those of us with blue lights because people might think we are emergency vehicles and yield to the right of way. On the other hand, it's almost like taking something away from us. If it does get approved, I wouldn't be suprised if a few years down the road, after a couple of people wreck thier cars while responding, they will take them away from the volunteers, and leave us with nothing. Another downfall would be people (myself included) with lights exceeding the leagal limits (amount of lights, not colors) attracting the police officers, and then they will take action, because we are displaying more blue than they are. WE HAD IT FIRST!!! Anyway, that's enough rambling for now!

[WAS967 97]

I think they should take away courtesy lights. Heck, if you want to go to fires/EMS calls, stay at the station. Be on duty. That way the apparatus gets to the emergency quickly and would fix some of the time issues. Plus it gets all the freaking idiots off the road who think that the blue/green/whatever light gives them some law granted power to run people off the road and/or break V&T laws.

[Firefighter57 0]

WAS.....the prob with us staying at the firehouse and being on duty is the whole point why we aren't payed. that and i think i speek for everyone when i say this, i know BHFD on some days dosent get any calls at all. people would be waiting at the firehouse for a whole day and not even get a run.