# Strobe Lights & Law ??



## drivewaydoctor

So in your area whats the deal with who has the right-away when working the plow with the strobe lights going?

Here is why I ask. I was back dragging snow out of a residential driveway last night when this girl seen me working and decided she wouldn't wait to see if I was going to stop when backing out. Well don't you know I slammed into her pretty good. Her rear bumper was pretty much ripped clean off the car. Funny thing about this is there were two cops sitting on the street a few doors up and watched the whole thing. The girl got out and started freaking on me saying she seen me coming and I was suppose to yield to her. I told her no way, that high intensity strobe light means I am working here and YOU need to yield to me. One of the cops came walking down and the girl freaked at him telling him how I am at fault and should be charged and blah blah blah... The cop told her to calm down and that he watched the whole thing and SHE is in fact at fault and that in York Region (area I was plowing) it is law that traffic must yield to service vehicles like plow drivers, tow truck drivers etc when the strobe lights running. I've always been told this by other plow guys but never heard it from a cop. Is that how it is in your areas too?


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## jerry b.

drivewaydoctor;683849 said:


> So in your area whats the deal with who has the right-away when working the plow with the strobe lights going?
> 
> Here is why I ask. I was back dragging snow out of a residential driveway last night when this girl seen me working and decided she wouldn't wait to see if I was going to stop when backing out. Well don't you know I slammed into her pretty good. Her rear bumper was pretty much ripped clean off the car. Funny thing about this is there were two cops sitting on the street a few doors up and watched the whole thing. The girl got out and started freaking on me saying she seen me coming and I was suppose to yield to her. I told her no way, that high intensity strobe light means I am working here and YOU need to yield to me. One of the cops came walking down and the girl freaked at him telling him how I am at fault and should be charged and blah blah blah... The cop told her to calm down and that he watched the whole thing and SHE is in fact at fault and that in York Region (area I was plowing) it is law that traffic must yield to service vehicles like plow drivers, tow truck drivers etc when the strobe lights running. I've always been told this by other plow guys but never heard it from a cop. Is that how it is in your areas too?


That is real interesting story there. I live in Ohio and I wonder what the law is here ???


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## beaver2

Consider your self lucky. It was your fault that you backed into a roadway. In most areas the police would laugh if you said "the strobe lights give me the right of way" I bet she could fight that in court and win.

I don't have any code to cite, but there is a reason they are called "warning lights"- to make others aware that you are there. 

I wouldn't plan on using lights as an excuse for backing into someone in the future.

That's cool it worked for you, but I'm on the girls side. (although I would have to actually see what happened to be a fair judge)


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## murphyslaw

In Alaska, if you have warning lights on you have the right away. BUT, if you are plowing and back into someone. you will still get a ticket for unsafe backing. however my insurance is written so that if I get into an accident with the lights on it will be seen as them as not my fault.


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## RAZOR

Sorry but I would think it would be your fault if you were backing out from a driveway on to a roadway. Maybe there is another factor like perhaps they felt she could avoid your truck and didn't even thou she had the right-of way so they charged her. What was she charged with?


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## GreenManEnvy

To the best of my knowledge, the strobe doesn't give you any extra right-of-way. The only laws I've seen (to be fair, the only ones I've looked up) are related to who can run what color of light.

My guess would be, when backing out in to the street, you would be responsible and she would have the right of way.


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## USMCMP5811

beaver2;684116 said:


> Consider your self lucky. It was your fault that you backed into a roadway. In most areas the police would laugh if you said "the strobe lights give me the right of way" I bet she could fight that in court and win.
> 
> I don't have any code to cite, but there is a reason they are called "warning lights"- to make others aware that you are there.
> 
> I wouldn't plan on using lights as an excuse for backing into someone in the future.
> 
> That's cool it worked for you, but I'm on the girls side. (although I would have to actually see what happened to be a fair judge)


Dito..... And if I were the cop, I would have cited you for failure to yeild to oncoming traffic when entering a roadway.


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## 02powerstroke

I know from being a driver for the FD that even running reds and a siren you are ASKING for a right or way.


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## Jdeerekid

In NY that would not give you the right away. You would have gotten a ticket for unsafe backing and not yeilding the right away of the oncoming car. Plus your insurance would have gone way up. I had a buddy of mine back do the same exact thing and he thought the way you did and it was his fault.


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## RepoMan207

Your fault. Definitely. That sucks, glad your here to talk about it.


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## SullivanSeptic

Comming from first hand experience, here in Illinois, strobe lights on the raod way are illegal. They are allowed on private property (driveways, parking lots), But they do not give anyone the right of way. Especially backing out of a driveway. No matter what, the car in the street has the right of way. It seems odd that the girl got the ticket. Seems like part of the story is missing. She did nothing wrong.


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## massfirefighter

You are one of the (insert profanity here) that feel like you are a snow removal god and everyone must look out because my little yellow strobe light is flashing and I'm gonna back right out in front of you because I have the right of way. The flashing lights mean nothing, they are to make you be seen better and that's it! 
Sorry for the rant but I've been to too many accidents and witnessed myself guys backing right out into traffic while plowing driveways.


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## JK-Plow

In Michigan, an emergency vehicle, while having the right of way, still must use do care and caution when the emergency lights are activated. A vehicle working on the roadway may disobey traffic lights and stop signs, generally has the right of way. A private snowplow operator, regardless of having a working light or not, must yeild to vehicles driving on the roadway, as they enter from private property. The only time the private snowplow operator would have the right of way, is if they are plowing the road. Around the metro Detroit area, a number of private snowplows are used as contractors to clear city streets. They have the same right of way as a county snowplow driver. On the private property the snowplow driver would be acting as working on the hightway of the private property, and thus would have the right of way on the private property. But when backing onto the public highway, from private property, the operator has no right of way.


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## kitn1mcc

he is in canada you know how they are up there hell for years ontario ran blue lights on plow


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## 89smurf

kitn1mcc;685235 said:


> he is in canada you know how they are up there hell for years ontario ran blue lights on plow


And? What's your point?


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## Petetheo

And? What's your point? On top of his head.


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## CAT MAN

To me if you seen her coming and you still backed out its your fault with lights or no lights. like the past few days weve been getting hit with snow pretty good and when im out plowing i leave my light on all the time it dont give me a right away i just want to warn other people of me plowing or salting so they can keep a distance. I think its odd the cop didnt give you a ticket for unsafe backing!!


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## beans

HTA 62.31
Flashing blue light on snow-removal equipment

(31) No person shall, while operating a road service vehicle on a highway, plow, salt or de-ice the highway or apply chemicals or abrasives to the highway for snow or ice control unless the road service vehicle is equipped with a lamp producing intermittent flashes of blue light visible for a distance of 150 metres from all directions. 1996, c. 33, s. 11.

Deposit of snow on roadway

181. No person shall deposit snow or ice on a roadway without permission in writing so to do from the Ministry or the road authority responsible for the maintenance of the road. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 181.


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## Jaspell

I am a lawyer in Connnecticut and just plow for fun. Here, you would be in the wrong. It is illegal to fail to yield the right of way while backing out of a driveway. Doesnt matter if you are plowing or not. I would expect you are going to be hearing from her insurnace company regarding her property damage and if she get's a stiff neck, a lawyer as well...


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## ondirtymax

Here in ontario, no matter what type of light you displaying, you are defined as an emergency or service vehicle, in which case motorists must yield to and give right of way to. I'm not saying that gives you free run of the roads, and obviously in this guys case the police who witnessed the accident must have determined the motorist had ample time to yield right of way to the service vehicle (snow plow) and did not! Has nothing to do with being from Canada as one idiot stated, simply the laws that pertain to the area


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## drivewaydoctor

Wow by the sounds of all these opinions I'm sure glad I dont do this in the States.

Some of you are making the assumption that I seen her coming and didn't stop or just rammed her. This is not the case. She came out of a driveway a few doors up and rather than simply back out so she can leave the dead end street she decided to drive past me towards the dead end street to turn around. I Always look before backing into a street and when I did she was not there. Because she was only a few doors up it took only seconds for her to end up behind me. 

I also find it interesting Americans saying "Your fault" or "You got lucky".... I wasn't asking you if you know the laws here because clearly you don't. I was asking what the laws are down there in your areas. The politically correct answer would have been "You would have been at fault here"... Thank god I'm not there....

Thanks for the answers anyways. lol


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## RepoMan207

LMFAO.........Are you serious man? Are you really serious.......C'mon......



> So in your area whats the deal with who has the right-away when working the plow with the strobe lights going?


 Ahh ok, so why ask this then? By the sounds of it your asking our opinion on right away's, Well there ya go.....that is part of driving laws my friend!



> Here is why I ask. I was back dragging snow out of a residential driveway last night when this girl seen me working and decided she wouldn't wait to see if I was going to stop when backing out.


To me.....and it sounds like a good majority of your fellow Plowers, it sounds to us like you saw her, otherwise how is it you KNEW she saw you, and that she was waiting on you??? Like she would admit that not only did she see you, but questioned if you were going to stop...and didn't stop from such a short distance away! Alittle conflicting of a story in itself don't you think?



> The girl got out and started freaking on me saying she seen me coming and I was suppose to yield to her.


Yup you were. But nope....ya didn't. 



> it is law that traffic must yield to service vehicles like plow drivers, tow truck drivers etc when the strobe lights running.


Why is it in a stupid moment about 5 years ago while recovering a stolen rental car in Nova Scotia, I backed up into a street too far, and like you took some schmucks bumper off.....yet I was at fault. I had all my dazzling strobes going, and was driving a huge A** Kenworth Flatbed Tow Truck at the time?

I think your full of it, your not telling the whole story......and then you turn around and add insult to injury with that response........WTF. Own it man, you screwed up. It sucks, it happened, but it did. Don't berate the very people you asked advice from. :angry:


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## CAT MAN

drivewaydoctor;686556 said:


> Some of you are making the assumption that I seen her coming and didn't stop or just rammed her. This is not the case. She came out of a driveway a few doors up and rather than simply back out so she can leave the dead end street she decided to drive past me towards the dead end street to turn around. I Always look before backing into a street and when I did she was not there. Because she was only a few doors up it took only seconds for her to end up behind me.


Well if you didnt see her coming or anything how did you know that she came up by you and turned around and what not??? I find this a little weird that a cop was sitting there and gave her a ticket and not you


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## maineguides

wow if that was the law around here that poor girl would never get to work. That sure is one ignorant law.


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## drivewaydoctor

CAT MAN;686810 said:


> Well if you didnt see her coming or anything how did you know that she came up by you and turned around and what not??? I find this a little weird that a cop was sitting there and gave her a ticket and not you


Because it was a dead end street. I thought mentioned that if you READ!! The cop felt she had no reason to go to the end of the street where it was obvious someone was working backing in and out of a driveway.

Anyways, man some of you people are impossible to talk to. Its like arguing with a drunk in here. (Many years of bouncing at bars to know what that is like). Forget the thread was posted and save getting your panties in a knot girls. Jesus... lol


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## CAT MAN

The only one getting there panties in a knot is you were just asking and telling as we see it!


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## RepoMan207

what a crock........Whatever man. blah blah blah.


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## JDiepstra

drivewaydoctor;683849 said:


> So in your area whats the deal with who has the right-away when working the plow with the strobe lights going?
> 
> Here is why I ask. I was back dragging snow out of a residential driveway last night when this girl seen me working and decided she wouldn't wait to see if I was going to stop when backing out. Well don't you know I slammed into her pretty good. Her rear bumper was pretty much ripped clean off the car. Funny thing about this is there were two cops sitting on the street a few doors up and watched the whole thing. The girl got out and started freaking on me saying she seen me coming and I was suppose to yield to her. I told her no way, that high intensity strobe light means I am working here and YOU need to yield to me. One of the cops came walking down and the girl freaked at him telling him how I am at fault and should be charged and blah blah blah... The cop told her to calm down and that he watched the whole thing and SHE is in fact at fault and that in York Region (area I was plowing) it is law that traffic must yield to service vehicles like plow drivers, tow truck drivers etc when the strobe lights running. I've always been told this by other plow guys but never heard it from a cop. Is that how it is in your areas too?


Poor decision!


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## jamartz

IMO.....a "Service Vehicle" is not a private plow truck plowing someones driveway. A "Service Vehicle" with ambers flashing that would - and - should get the right of way to me would be a tow truck, city, state, county DOT plows, and things like the higway helpers in some areas. 

Yes we are providing a "service" when doing resi's but I would not consider myself as a, defined by the law "service vehicle".

Now if you were sub's by the city to take care of side streets, that may be another story. but, If I backed out of a drive while plowing, and hit a car in the street I would surely be a fault here in Iowa.


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## jamartz

beans;686164 said:


> HTA 62.31
> Flashing blue light on snow-removal equipment
> 
> (31) No person shall, while operating a road service vehicle on a highway, plow, salt or de-ice the highway or apply chemicals or abrasives to the highway for snow or ice control unless the road service vehicle is equipped with a lamp producing intermittent flashes of blue light visible for a distance of 150 metres from all directions. 1996, c. 33, s. 11.
> 
> Also, If we ran a Blue light on our trucks here in the state I am pretty sure in any state we would be ticketed for impersonating an emergency vehicle.
> 
> For crying out loud.......I nearly got a ticket for having clear strobes in the corners of a mustang that I had fo a show and race car. I had them on while it was parked at a local cruise in night and an officer came up and told me I had to shut them off........I didn't feel like arguing with him so i complied even though I am pretty sure I was right. He also told me if I ever turned them on while the car was in motion I would be ticked for impersonating a police officer.
> 
> Just one of my experiances.


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## drivewaydoctor

jamartz;687098 said:


> IMO.....a "Service Vehicle" is not a private plow truck plowing someones driveway. A "Service Vehicle" with ambers flashing that would - and - should get the right of way to me would be a tow truck, city, state, county DOT plows, and things like the higway helpers in some areas.
> 
> Yes we are providing a "service" when doing resi's but I would not consider myself as a, defined by the law "service vehicle".
> 
> Now if you were sub's by the city to take care of side streets, that may be another story. but, If I backed out of a drive while plowing, and hit a car in the street I would surely be a fault here in Iowa.


Well done - finally someone understands the question. Thanks for answering it for me and not being quick to put me in the gas chamber. lol


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## Ford445

I dont know the laws in Canada, nor do I care to know the laws there. Where I live, I dont care what color light you have or what kind of a service you are providing, if you were to back out of anywhere into a street and have an accident, its your fault. It is your responsiblity to safely enter that roadway, if the roadway isnt safe, dont enter it until it is.

Thats all for me.


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## GreenManEnvy

drivewaydoctor;687232 said:


> Well done - finally someone understands the question. Thanks for answering it for me and not being quick to put me in the gas chamber. lol


I apologize if my earlier post wasn't clear - and looking back, I can see where it might be taken as a judgement - but it was intended to explain the strobe/lighting laws here in Pennsylvania (where I've looked them up) and, to a lesser degree (which you couldn't guess at all from what I include in post, profile, or most anywhere else!) in Massachusetts (where I grew up).


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## kipcom

Indiana has had a law for a few years now that "includes" yielding to the right of way to a service vehicle that has a "flashing" yellow light.


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