# Impersonating a Emergency Vehicle!?!?



## ceaman (Sep 19, 2001)

I run clear hideaways in 4 corners of the truck... 

One town I work in insists that for safety's sake, all plow trucks should run flashing strobes or rotating beacons, all of the time.

One officer (out of 70) has threatend me once last year and again yesterday that he will ticket me for "impersonating a emergency vehicle". I asked if it was the color of light? If I changed it to another color would I be ok? He said no flashing lights, other drivers might get spooked and cause a wreck or pull over and get out of my way. Told me that I cant just go arround showing off all of the toys on my "SHOW TRUCK". 

Where do I look to find out the true law??? I searched the net but the only rules i find regarding lights is the firemans "blue light laws"


----------



## 99SDPSD (Jan 20, 2001)

Try your state DMV website or call the main dmv office and talk to an offical.


----------



## WHITE=GREEN (Jan 14, 2001)

did this happen in the " town that insists all plow trucks run flashings strobes or beacons"? if so have him call whomever told you this, assuming it was a town official and discuss this with them. also you could turn your strobes off when going from job to job to prevent from being "noticed".


----------



## mdb landscaping (Sep 29, 2000)

if they are amber, i wouldnt see the problem. Now clear ones i can sort of understand. I saw a guy today with clear strobes in his tail lights, and when i looked up quickly i thought it was an emergency vehicle. I guess it all depends on your local town.


----------



## ceaman (Sep 19, 2001)

I was in the private lot when he "spoke" with me!

Yes, same town.

I told him who said they should be on. He told me that I still can't run them and he will ticket all plowers with lights.


----------



## jbutch83 (Sep 30, 2002)

Jeremy,

From a law enforcement point of view in Indiana, you can not be ticketed for having strobes or flashing lots on when you are in a private lot. Once you are on a street, then you can be ticketed, but not on private property, I don't care what the officer tells you. I would not ticket anyone for using strobes when plowing, but I do work with some guys that might. I would suggest going to that officers department, and ask to speak with a supervisor, or chief, and explain the situation to them, and see what they say. This guy just has a hard on for you, not sure why, but he does. Again, as long as you are on private property, no ticket can be issued, but once you are on a street, you can get a ticket for the strobes. 

John


----------



## WHITE=GREEN (Jan 14, 2001)

let me take a guess, sounds like this cop might be about 5'2" and weighs about 110 lbs soaking wet out of the shower with a big chip on his shoulder. in PA where i live an officer cannot cite anyone on private property for a traffic violation without the consent of the property owner. if you turn your strobes off before you leave the property i cant see how he could enforce it. 

Quote:
"He said no flashing lights, other drivers might get spooked and cause a wreck or pull over and get out of my way."

if your plowing a lot/business isnt that the purpose of strobes to get the "blue hairs" out of your way .


----------



## cbr954plower (Nov 20, 2002)

Actually, what I know is that in Indiana... as the state, you may only have rotating (yellow) lights while on public road..... and I would not even do that, (got pulled over for that) argued then he better pull over every tow truck that goes by.... 

No strobes at all on public..... on private lots there is nothing they can do.... you in theory tell him to blow it out his whooo haaa!!!!


----------



## BOSS 444 (Jun 17, 2001)

Hey ceaman,

I am looking into hideaways & would like to know the answers to your questions also....

I would also still like to come down & look @ those U-edges sometime. I cought a manhole cover & broke one of my steel ones. The current weld is holding, but I might replace w/ urethane. (sp?)

Thanks again,
Boss...

.....looks like more snow for tonight!!


----------



## jbutch83 (Sep 30, 2002)

Hey, for all of you in Indiana, I just got off of work, and before I left, I looked up what is required for snow plow vehicles in the state. It basically states that you can have on your vehicle what ever the state vehicles have when they are plowing, when you are on local, county and state roads. I left in a hurry, as we are getting snow and I need to get to plowing, but I will double check the law again when I get back into work. 

Ceaman,

Like I said before, check with the dept. that this guy is from, something is wrong here. 

John


----------



## BOSS 444 (Jun 17, 2001)

John,

Thanks for the up-date...& full report tomorrow.

This is important to me as well....as I don't want to spend the time & $$ if it will just cause greef from the boys in blue....
(yourself not w/standing of couse!)

Thanks again,
Boss


----------



## Temco (May 26, 2002)

In Mass. you need a permit for any flashing, rotating or oscillating lights unless your name is on the sides of the vehicle. This doesn't apply to blue or red which you always need a permit for.


----------



## kawdude (Nov 19, 2002)

anyone know the NY laws concerning lighting?


----------



## cat320 (Aug 25, 2000)

I have never had a problem with them I have a Whelen 8 strobe bar on top all amber except for one lens clear then hidaways in front and rear clear front red rear.And believe me no one pulls over.I think it's better to be safer and be seen than not .Especially when it really comming down .


----------



## John DiMartino (Jan 22, 2000)

I stopped using my strobes on the road, i had them on by accident,a few cars pulled over for me,must have thought i was going to a fire or ambulance.All my strobes are clear,there is no way to make them amber without changing all the bulbs,my rears are in the reverse lights because of the design it will be next to impossible to put them i nthe running lights,and both the headlights,and side markers are clear on my Ram.The lights almost look a slight blue to them,which is fire colors here..I only run them in parking lots now.


----------



## Temco (May 26, 2002)

I'm actually really surprised about the concerns of people pulling over when they see lights flashing on your truck. I'm in law enforcement and noone pulls over for the blue ones on the roof of my cruiser


----------



## NNJSnow (Feb 16, 2002)

Well you cannot be ticketed for the strobes you say you have on your vehical as long as you do not use them traveling from job to job or to get ahead of traffic. Also you saying that they are clear and red and blue are for emergency vehicals so again there is no problem there. I'm sure if you check there are other plowers with hide-a-ways. This cop might just be bored or something but i know around here they are happy to see you. I have corner strobes as well and a full lightbar.....maybe its because my father is a police officer or maybe they just don't care round here


----------



## Pelican (Nov 16, 2001)

I tried to warn some guys who were speaking of hide-a-ways on another thread of the possible consequences and was flamed for it! 

Kawdude, in NY you can have amber flashers in any quantity, including hide-a-ways in your parking lights. Your headlights cannot legally be part of your warning system regardless of color, this is reserved for emergency vehicles. I believe you may have red or amber flashing to the rear, but amber is the only color that may flash to the front.


----------



## digger242j (Nov 22, 2001)

> I......was flamed for it!


That's because you've been hoarding all the snow--it's just displaced anger......


----------



## jbutch83 (Sep 30, 2002)

For the Indiana guys, I will try to state this as clearly as I can, because I can't even decipher the way it reads in the book.

Indiana Dept. of Transportation shall adopt standards and specifications that apply to head lamps, clearance markers, id. lamps, and other lamps on snow removal vehicles on Indiana Highways instead of the lamps otherwise required.

The way the law is written, what I take it means is that you can have flashing lights or what not, but it does not state anything about strobe lights. 

I know that in my Dept. we would not issue tickets to guys that are plowing with strobes on. Now if you are driving on the city streets, and not plowing, you are fair game, and I know of several people that have gotten tickets for this, (none were in the winter, or on snow plow vehicles though).

I would check with your local city, county, or state dept. and see what they say, but remember that you can not get a ticket for having the strobes on when you are on private property. I know that this does on clarify everything for everyone, because I am somewhat confused on what the law states. This is what happens when you get a bunch of politicians writing laws, and they do not always make them clear.

John


----------



## snowblower50 (Mar 2, 2001)

*emergency lights*

Pelican is right, in NY, no clear hide-a-way strobes permitted on any vehicle except police, fire and ambulances. Snow plow trucks use amber front and back. I am the local fire chief and have already told 2 of my members to remove the clear strobes from their private vehicles. Volunteer firefighters use blue lights.

Pete, Chief of Patchogue Fire Dept.

P. S. It's snowing here...


----------



## Got Grass? (Feb 18, 2001)

NYS Light law.

Only Amber lights allowed.

http://www.nysgtsc.state.ny.us/emer-vt.htm#sec375
http://www.nysgtsc.state.ny.us/emer-faq.htm


----------



## TLS (Jan 31, 2000)

I'm in PA and I use a magnetic mount rotating amber becon. It's on when I approach my plowing destination and I usually turn it off when I'm done and pull back out on the road.

Now if its SNOWING really hard, and its nighttime, I'll leave it on between lots. With my plow, the plow lights are real close together and I've seen others like this and thought that it was just a narrow jeep or small car, when BAM all of a sudden its some hot shot out there with his 9' Fisher in the straight position! :realmad: If he were to have a becon, I'd instantly be cautious of what was approaching me.

I feel that if your WIDER than 96" going down the road, you better have some type of strobe or becon to make people take a second look.

As for the strobe hideaways in the headlights....I can see the cops point if your driving around with them on. Strobes are annoying as hell to begin with, and if I were a Cop driving around and saw someones "SHOW TRUCK" out there with strobes a flashing while simply driving down the road, It'd probably get my attention.


----------



## GesnerLawn (Nov 30, 2002)

Jbutch83 - It looks like you have have the General Statute relating to snow removal vehicles. Looks like the law makers are leaving it to the DOT. You will need to check the DOT regulations to see how they implemented the statute.


----------



## CPSS (Mar 15, 2002)

Due to the wording of the NY state law, I think anyone that was plowing and did NOT have a flashing amber light would be opening himself to liability it there was an accident. I'm amazed around here to see some guy backing out on to a busy street, at night, without any warning lights. I agree that clear hide-a-way strobes are illegal in NY, and probably many other states. Why not just use amber as required?


----------



## KLMlawn (Apr 18, 2001)

I also believe that in NY, you need to carry a certification card for anything other than a yellow light if it is on a un-official vehicle.
Basically the short version for NY is:
Red - Law enforcement and Fire vehicles
Blue - Fire responder (usually personal vehicles)
Green - Medical/Ambulance
Yellow - anything else ...

If you want to get really into technicality ... there are other reg.'s governing the positioning of certain colored lights on non-official vehicles ... for example ... ALL vehicles are required to have RED lights facing rearward to indicate stopping, but they cannot be mounted forward of the windshield or be seen from the front of the vehicle.
Which brings me to an off topic observation ... what can we do to stop the "Trix" shops and auto stores from selling those colored turn and marker bulbs ... many of which are "red, blue, and green" and are facing forward, can be seen from a forward direction and could be mistaken by the unsuspecting motorist to be an emergency vehicle if the individual had his flashers on ...


----------



## ceaman (Sep 19, 2001)

Here was what I found as of now. I am trying to contact the DOT attorney to find the rest of the story on the DOT specifications.

IC 9-19-6-19 
Flashing warning lights
Sec. 19. (a) A vehicle may be equipped with lamps that may be used for the purpose of warning the operators of other vehicles of the presence of a vehicular traffic hazard requiring the exercise of unusual care in approaching, overtaking, or passing. The vehicles, when so equipped, may display the warning in addition to any other warning signals required by this article.
(b) A lamp used to display a warning to the front must be mounted at the same level and as widely spaced laterally as practicable, and must display simultaneously flashing white or amber lights or any shade of color between white and amber.
(c) A lamp used to display a warning to the rear must be mounted at the same level and as widely spaced laterally as practicable, and must show simultaneously flashing amber or red lights or any shade of color between red and amber.
(d) A warning light must be visible from a distance of not less than five hundred (500) feet under normal atmospheric conditions at night.
As added by P.L.2-1991, SEC.7.

IC 9-19-6-23 
Standards and specifications
Sec. 23. (a) The Indiana department of transportation shall adopt standards and specifications applicable to:
(1) head lamps;
(2) clearance lamps;
(3) identification lamps; and
(4) other lamps;
on snow removal equipment when operated on Indiana highways instead of the lamps otherwise required on motor vehicles by this chapter.
(b) The standards and specifications adopted under subsection (a) may permit the use of flashing lights for purposes of identification on snow removal equipment when in service upon the highways.
(c) The standards and specifications for lamps referred to in this section must correlate with and, so far as possible, conform with those approved by the American Association of State Highway Officials.
(d) A person may not operate snow-removal equipment on a highway unless the lamps on the equipment comply with and are lighted when and as required by the standards and specifications adopted under this section.
As added by P.L.2-1991, SEC.7.


----------



## SCAPEASAURUSREX (Aug 21, 2001)

Well In NY your not allowed to use amber strobes at all !! unless you work for the state ... Go figure that one.. I would think that would open the state up for liability since they are not allowing plow operators in inclement situations to warn others of their precence... ???


----------



## SCAPEASAURUSREX (Aug 21, 2001)

*NJ NJ NJ NJ NJ NJ*

Sorry , That was supposed to be NJ not NY...


----------



## OffRoadPlow (Dec 30, 2002)

*Michigan*

Reads somthing like:

(f) A vehicle to perform public utility service, a vehicle owned or leased by and licensed as a business for use in the collection and hauling of refuse, an automobile service car or wrecker, a vehicle engaged in authorized highway repair or maintenance, a vehicle of a peace officer, a vehicle operated by a rural letter carrier or a person under contract to deliver newspapers or other publications by motor route, *a vehicle utilized for snow removal*, a private security guard vehicle as authorized in subsection (7),...

(7) does state in another section that you can not use one when in motion on a highway.... Does not state any diffrence if it is white out conditions.... hmmmm


----------



## Fine Lines Lawn (Mar 14, 2001)

Thanks guys,
We operate the rotating amber Hi-Lite bars on our trucks. Last Sunday one of the trucks was pulled over by a state trooper and warned not to use it on the interstate when travelling between jobs. He wasn't issued a ticket, just asked to turn it off between jobs.


----------



## mike9497 (Oct 30, 2002)

whats the deal with connecticut.i was told you can't have them at all by an off duty state trooper.but i have a pemit for one of my trucks


----------



## greenquestlawn (Feb 1, 2001)

I find it hard to believe that someone would not turn their strobe, revolving lights OFF between jobs.


----------



## mike9497 (Oct 30, 2002)

if its snowing hard and there are not alot of people on the road i keep them on low double flash so i could be seen.the hide a strobes in the front i leave off but the beacons and rear hide a strobes i keep on.i don't want my truck getting smashed cause the other driver didn't see me coming.


----------



## ceaman (Sep 19, 2001)

Most everyone here leaves the beacon on when they are only going a couple of blocks between jobs..... When you are out for 24 hours straight you sometimes just forget to turn it off.


----------



## cat320 (Aug 25, 2000)

Well i think that anyone that uses light to warn other people is smart.Long as your not useing red or blue in any combonation you shuold be fine in any state period.It's more of a safety issue than just running down the street with your light flashing.I have a strobe light bar mounted to my truck all year,but it's not on unless i'm plowing or on the side of the road working.But it's on to let some people what your doing and to be aware.

Besides who said we are inpersonating them they are inpersonating us  .And besides i would think that people would know the difference between us and the police, or maybe not there are alot of ignorente people out there.


----------



## JCurtis (May 14, 2001)

The State of Connecticut requires a Flashing light permit for any flashing light, red, blue, amber white or green, when the light is used on a public street.

The permit is $7.00 per vehicle per year and needs to be signed by the local police chief.

You do not need the permit to use an amber light on private property.

Of course no one but police/fire/ems can use red/white

Volunteer fire use blue

Public utility and service vehicles use amber.

Don't know anyone that uses green

I heard some funeral homes in certain states use purple but thats not one I care to discuss.


----------



## lawncare3 (Nov 12, 2002)

Find out @ thge local DMV and if the officer is wrong report him for harrisment. IMHO


----------



## chtucker (Sep 6, 2002)

JCurtis... Green in CT is Volunteer EMS...... And you work at a hospital! probably not too many volunteers left..


----------



## JCurtis (May 14, 2001)

Well you learn something new every day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

I know quite a few Volunteer EMS units, none of them have green lights.


----------



## lawnkid (Feb 5, 2002)

This topic is obviously very big. what I don't understand is that most cop cruisers and ambulances and fire Trucks have ared and amber lights on them so I don't see why a clear light would make a difference. If I saw clear lights I wouldn't pull over. I saw this one guy yesterday driving a chevy Kodiak with a 10' Meyer and a flink V-box and he had yellow hidaways in the back of his truck and had a beacon in the front running them at 7:30 in the morning. Is there any company that manufactures a yellow or orange hideaway like the municipal and freeway trucks use on their plows?


----------



## fordman (Oct 31, 2001)

They definitly inforce this more in the U.S than in Canada, up here we run all blue lights without needing a permit or anything. Never ever had a problem with local police either.

By the way volunteer firefighters up here also use green lights.


----------



## ceaman (Sep 19, 2001)

I replaced the clear hideaways in my back up lights with Amber (yellow) strobe bulbs. I moved the clear bulbs into the upper red portion of the tailght. I also spoke with 2 other officers and the police chief today who said that i should be fine and that the officer was in error telling me I cant run strobes. He asked (politely) that I not run them all of the time, but said there wasnt anything they could do if I did.


----------



## BOSS 444 (Jun 17, 2001)

ceaman,

Glad to see that you have somewhat resolved your problem. You were right, this guy must have just had it in for you. I feel that you handled it correctly by doing your homework & speaking w/ someone else downtown. After talking on the phone, I got to thinking we should 'catch' lunch sometime, I would like to see your lights before I purchase. 

Let me know,
Boss 444


----------



## Got Grass? (Feb 18, 2001)

Ahhhh, Rookies....


Glad to hear you cleared the situation up.


----------



## Got Grass? (Feb 18, 2001)

Ahhhh, Rookies....


Glad to hear you cleared the situation up.


----------



## Got Grass? (Feb 18, 2001)

Ahhhh, Rookies....


Glad to hear you cleared the situation up.


----------



## Got Grass? (Feb 18, 2001)

Whoa trip. post... Sorry bout that... 
Said the server was busy.... At 4am????????


----------



## ceaman (Sep 19, 2001)

lunch sounds great! Give me a call.... If the snow isnt flyin' im usually free!


----------



## Rob (May 15, 2001)

*Not a plow vehicle... but*

I find it a bit amazing that the police are stopping guys out doing work running the proper color strobes.

But, here's one I saw last night that really kind of irked me. I'm driving home in rush hour traffic on I-95. Up from behind and in the hammer lane comes a small "rice-burner". You know, the ones with the blacked out windows, lowered to the ground etc. This guy is running a strip of blue neon in the front passenger window. So, that by itself I believe is not allowed in CT,  but then he rides right up on the bumper of the car in front of him.. and hits on alternating / flashing headlights  !! It was bumper to bumper traffic so a "real" officer would have used the shoulder therefore the guy in front did not pull off. I saw him do this repeatedly over the next 4 miles with some people actually moving over for him. I would have took down him license plate, but of course, he had some of that black tint over that as well. 

Anyway... just had to vent a little.


----------



## mike9497 (Oct 30, 2002)

rob 

i think i know what car your talking about.where were you on 95 plus what town are you from?the projects i plow out down in new haven theres a guy there who has the blue across the front with the flashers.i think cars like that should be taken of the street.


----------



## Rob (May 15, 2001)

Mike9497,
I was in Stamford at the time, I saw him at exit 12, and had him in site through exit 17 (Westport). I live in Stratford.


----------



## BOSS 444 (Jun 17, 2001)

Cool,

I'll let you know in advance....when its not snowing off course!

Thanks,
Boss


----------



## GesnerLawn (Nov 30, 2002)

I know this is a little off topic, but has to do with appropriate warning colors. I have 3 rings of red reflective tape on the top of each of my plow sight rods (or whatever you call them). They stand out well to both me and any oncoming drivers, but I guess I shouldn't have anything red and reflective on the front of the vechicle. Should I take it off and replace with silver or something? 

Thanks.

Darryl


----------



## mdb landscaping (Sep 29, 2000)

dont take it off. i dont know of any law that would prohibit reflective tape. ive seen it on numerous vehicles.


----------



## ceaman (Sep 19, 2001)

I dont think anyone would say a thing to you for reflective tape ..... but you know some people are agenst safety.... I think


----------



## mike9497 (Oct 30, 2002)

connecticut has laws for everything.they take all are money and are state is saying there in need of large amounts of cash so lets make a $7.00 law to have strobe lights.i think its stupid.all the HOME BOYZ have them but they never get in trouble.only us hard working biz men get B****** at.


----------



## Pelican (Nov 16, 2001)

Jeff,

In my area most of the volunteer EMS is operated by Fire Districts, and the members are issued blue light cards due to the Fire Department affiliation. A bit south of me there are independantly operated volunteer EMS units that run with the green lights that have been mentioned.

I've seen the purple lights you mentioned, a bit eerie.


----------



## RodPhillips (May 25, 2001)

*Every state is different*

Here in NH police run all blue and fire/ambulance run red. Both fire and police run some clear strobes mixed in.
I am a deputy fire chief and run full light bar with red strobes and clear end caps (also have yellow flashers in the bar for plowing) and clear strobes in all 4 corners on my personal vehicle like most department members do. I run only the yellow flashers while plowing.
Independent plowers run yellow and some are starting to put clear strobes in the corners and this can be confusing.


----------



## pbeering (Jan 13, 2003)

*Strobes in Indiana*

Indiana Law allows flashing lights for a variety of vehicles, including snowplows. Lights must be amber to the front and amber or red to the rear. You should have the pairs set to flash simultaneously rather than alternating. Take a look at what INDOT has done on their trucks for examples of what is legal. The statutes were amended to specifically allow this set-up for volunteer fire fighters last year, but these provisions have been around a while.


----------

