THIS IS NOT A FLAME:
just a thought on all of this. allegedly there are reciprocal agreements
between the 50 states for vehicle registration and use. i.e. an antique
vehicle from new jersey
with 1 tail light after dark is legal in it's home state and would have
to be allowed in Pennsylvania after dark also. (not legal with pa
antique to run after dark if you
don't have 2 tail lights and turn signals).
on military base's with tags on the vehicle and the addition of POV
(standing for "personally owned vehicle") they don't care what you have
as far as
markings/equipment. at least that has been the norm here in pa for a
very long time.
in the civilian world with sirens and emergency type lighting this all
seems to go out the window. for added confusion in pa our volunteer
fireman use blue lights, you
should move for them, but don't have to. cops use red lights and you
better move for them or else.....
imagine the confusion in a state where blue is for cops and you have a
blue light on your air force jeep because it is some kind of a flight
line vehicle. tons of trouble
even with the POV marking because most local law enforcement types don't
understand what POV means any more, and the argument they extrapolate
from that is
john q public doesn't either, so you must be impersonating a cop.
basically to sum this rambling up: what is legal in your local patch of
the world may not fly 25 miles up the road, and may get you in a world
of trouble.
there is a happy medium to all of this. it is to use common sense!!!!
"Henry J. Fackovec" wrote:
Hey all:
After Dave Brubakers question about putting a warning light on a
restored MV
I started thinking about warning lights and the general lawlessness of
some
of the participants in this hobby
While I am the first to restore a vehicle to factory condition, even
if it
does not meet current safety standards (I.e.single tail lights, no
reverse
lights, no seat belts...) I really take objection to people who put
blue or
red or amber warning lights, sirens, or the markings including the
words
POLICE, AMBULANCE (i.e. Military police, Security Police...)
Besides having been a member of the public safety community, I am in
the
business of building and equipping emergency vehicles, and have been
for
almost 20 years, in four states. Each state has laws that specify
what
type/color of warning device can be displayed by what type vehicle.
While
the Military is generally exempt from there regulations; we, as
Military
Vehicle collectors are not.
I have at least two people in my club that are blatant violators with
illegal colored lights, and I can not even count how many members have
sirens mounted and operational on their vehicles. It is one thing if
we were
to trailer these vehicles to shows, park them on the line and trailer
them
home, but most of us drive to and from, drive in parades and generally
tool
about town in our HMVs. The temptation to sound the siren is great:
It is
fun, for a change you are on the other side of the siren switch, It
get
peoples attention, lets the nit-wit who cut you off know that you are
someone "important", it also gets you noticed my the local (or not
local)
law enforcement communality. It may be fun rationalize that we are
slow
moving vehicles with poor rear lighting and, and to drive around with
the
amber beacon rotating , but it confuses civilian drivers, and could
add more
danger than it averts.
Bear in mind that even mounting a light/siren on a vehicle in many
cases is
illegal: The blue light does not have to be illuminated for you to be
charged with criminal impersonation, it just need to me mounted on the
vehicle.
Some suggested guidelines:
1- Check your States motor vehicle laws and other applicable statutes
(i.e.
impersonation of Police officer...) before mounting lights.
2- If it is legal to mount a light (probably an amber one), check to
see
when you can legally operate it. (i.e. only if you are moving; stopped
at an
accident; moving less than 10 MPH....)
3- If you are worried about being rear ended in you MV, instead of the
revolving light, hook up and use
4 way flashers (Permanent or magnetic) (Though using them while moving
on a
vehicle under a certain weight is illegal in some states like NH )
4- Make canvas covers for the lights for when you are operating on
public
ways.
5-If you have a MP Jeep/ M43 ambulance, make blank magnetic strips to
obliverate the word Police/ Ambulance on the vehicle while you are
opperating in public.
6- If you mount a siren on the vehicle, do not hook it up. We are not
emergency vehicles, we do not have the right/need to clear traffic...
7 If you do hook it up, DO NOT use your siren in a parade: It is
becoming
the standard for emergency service to use the siren as a signal to
clear the
parade route for a REAL emergency..
I know that these views will generate some hatred and flames, but
think
about it; does the hobby need a bad reputation based on the illegal
actions
of a few putzes?
Respectfully submitted,
Hank
(Waiting for Ron with his counter view<G>)
Stay tuned; tommorows topic: Fake or real guns on HMVs: What are you
thinking?
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This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Mon Oct 08 2001 - 10:58:56 PDT