Another useless light thread

[Monty 35]

Sorry for the rant - but it might make me feel better

I know we've talked about the letter of the law here and volunteer fire/ems providers. But what's got my goat a few times lately has been tow trucks!

The other day I was behind one that was very patriotic. Had flashing red, blue and white lights on the back, and at the time it was just carrying a car on the flat bed down 9A. Today there was one coming the other way on 9A that had flashing white lights on the light bar - again with a car on the flat bed.

Do they ever get tickets? At what point I wonder would they get tickets? And we wonder why people don't pull over for flashing lights .... this certainly doesn't help the cause. I'm not sure why they really need warning lights when they're traveling with a load on the flat bed - if they've secured it properly.

Thank you!

[Mark Z 18]

Honestly I don't think the color of the lights matter, they ignore them all unless it is a vehicle that will give them a ticket! People just don't care and for the time they save you why even bother to use lights? (blue, green) If those few seconds really count then people deserve in house crews.

[50-65 205]

Monty, working near a major facility where cars are towed into and out of every day, I also have seen this. There is no need for tow trucks to have their flashing warning lights on when carrying a car on the flatbed or even towing one for that matter.

According to NYS DMV, the only time a tow truck is to have its warning flashers on is loading/unloading a vehicle when it may present a hazard to other drivers. Once secured and on the way, the lights are supposed to be turned off. If towing a vehicle, the towed vehicle is supposed to be equipped with turn/stop/tail lights that operate with the towing vehicle lights.(Let me follow this by saying this is what I believe is in the CDL/tow truck operator endorsement manual).

BTW, in addition to tow trucks, have you seen the light show put on by many plow contractors? I've seen nearly every color of light on those as well.

[Guest USAFvet]

Clearly a state and local police enforcement issue.

No wonder why so many POV drivers, etc. are disrespectful of Emergency Reponders.

They think a flatbed is near!

[FFFORD 27]

although i do see a need for tow truck/flatbeds to have AMBER warning lights, they are getting out of hand. the other night i was driving to school and was basically blinded by a light show coming down the road, sure enough it was a flatbed. i do think they should have lights, but only when operating (hitching a car) in traffic. other than that they should not have them on unless their load presents a danger to other motorists, but then again, it shouldn't. i do think something needs to be done. not saying cops should start throwing tickets at them off the bat, but maybe a memo to all towing companies regarding proper use of their lights.

[MoFire390 118]

monty u beat me to it... we must have been on 9a at the same time...just dont understand it...NYS is fighting for us to be able to run ONE (1) blue light in the back of our emergency appuratus yet they are running what ever they want??? why??? are they above us when it comes to the response on a highway and for safty??

[mricorp 12]

Seems to be worse in Westchester than many other areas. Seems to be a lack of enforcement from the local PD's on the tow operators there for some reason.

[M' Ave 1,466]

Seems to be worse in Westchester than many other areas. Seems to be a lack of enforcement from the local PD's on the tow operators there for some reason.

Without saying it straight out, you should understand the "lack of enforcement".

Also....it doesn't really matter. Really, this is not a topic worth making an issue out of. People don't pull over immediately for emergency vehicles for a host of reason. Some people freeze, sometimes they don't see OR hear you coming because of loud stereos and such, sometimes they don't really know what to do AND some people just DO NOT CARE. These are only magnified when you talk about volunteer fire/EMS response because most of you have small lights and no audible warning.

I still believe that people will move. Slow down, be a little deliberate in your movements and they'll get out of your way. Except of course for the people that do not care.

It does not matter how many lights a tow truck has on it. It doesn't matter how many flashy, whirly lights an emergency vehicle has. Lets not worry about the tow trucks.

[50-65 205]

In addition to tow trucks and plowing contractors, what's with warning lights on hearses? they are also running strobes, lightbars and wig-wags. Other than those that are in the funeral procession thinking they don't have to stop at red lights, what do they need warninglights for? "Hurry Fred, we gotta get this stiff in the ground before lunch."???

Edited February 11, 2010 by 50-65

[MoFire390 118]

i have noticed this...but never questioned it...good point 50-65. if anyone in the industry can answer ur question would be a whole lot better.