Red warning strobes now allowed on non-emergency vehicles?
Discussion
Due to my job, I've spent quite a bit of time driving on the motorways over the last 6 months, and I couldn't help but notice that most of the 'wide load' and escort vehicles, plus a few 'motorway maintenance' vans are using red emergency style flashing strobes on their vehicles.
Went past two this morning that were escorting a large portacabin type load and they both had only red strobes to the rear, and quite a lot of them! Also had strobing headlamps and flashing red lights in the rear light clusters.
I can only assume that are now allowed for private vehicles that are performing a task such as escort or working on a motorway? Didn't it always used to be quite a serious offence to have the wrong colour flashing lights?
Went past two this morning that were escorting a large portacabin type load and they both had only red strobes to the rear, and quite a lot of them! Also had strobing headlamps and flashing red lights in the rear light clusters.
I can only assume that are now allowed for private vehicles that are performing a task such as escort or working on a motorway? Didn't it always used to be quite a serious offence to have the wrong colour flashing lights?
akirk said:
HATO are non-emergency services are they not?
They have red lights...
mind you they also have their own legislation!
IIRC technically it's officially on Plod and HATO ... but as the Police allow the FRS and ambulance service to carry 'police accident' signs etc and because their use is in line with good safety principles there's little public interest in prosecuting , especially as on a 'fresh' scene there's little time to put out cones etc safely ... They have red lights...
mind you they also have their own legislation!
ditto with tolerance on 'reputable' recovery vehicles / traffic management co vehicles ( and some of those staff can legally 'direct traffic'
rear reds on an escort vehicle is overstepping the mark as they mean ' stop' or at least ' do not pass me' , as they don;t have the power to direct traffic ( as the very largest loads still require some police /HATO assistance)
mph1977 said:
but as the Police allow the FRS and ambulance service to carry 'police accident' signs etc
O'rly? No 'Police Accident' signs or paraphernalia on any of my Trust's Ambulance vehicles....not even the 'Team Leader' Ambulance Land Rovers... 
In fact our more modern vehicles don't even have the 'bull horns' anymore, and even the side mounted 'alley lights' only work at a crawling pace...seems that the lighting and siren facilities are more tightly controlled than ever lately.
Ray Luxury-Yacht said:
..seems that the lighting and siren facilities are more tightly controlled than ever lately
That will be by risk averse 'procurement' arms sat in the office ordering it, Your private sector firms like the ones in the OP won't give a toss about all that legislation crap (or may not know it in rare cases).
It seems the more like a mobile disco and a distraction they cause in an over the top' bid to get noticed rather than provide a warning the better.
The recovery industry argument used to be 'if it's safer and good enough for your staff on the motorways it's good enough for ours' even though it's unlawful and they performed in different roles.
Ie only use rear reds or red when working in a live lane or stopped. Or unlike the recovery muppets driving along at 50 or more with their amber beacons on for some strange reason
not helpful.Someone will put me right but i thought there were efforts for the ES and others to use "flashy" lights more "intelligently" at the back or/and front of a scene and not every vehicle inbetween unnecessarily and causing more problems with strobes and rubberneckers.
Ray Luxury-Yacht said:
O'rly? No 'Police Accident' signs or paraphernalia on any of my Trust's Ambulance vehicles....not even the 'Team Leader' Ambulance Land Rovers...
In fact our more modern vehicles don't even have the 'bull horns' anymore, and even the side mounted 'alley lights' only work at a crawling pace...seems that the lighting and siren facilities are more tightly controlled than ever lately.
bull horns will be a procurment decision, it;s a few pence cheaper to get a siren unit without the bullhorn ... In fact our more modern vehicles don't even have the 'bull horns' anymore, and even the side mounted 'alley lights' only work at a crawling pace...seems that the lighting and siren facilities are more tightly controlled than ever lately.
scene lights / alley lights is an area where fantastic tech has overtaken sense ...
mph1977 said:
Ray Luxury-Yacht said:
O'rly? No 'Police Accident' signs or paraphernalia on any of my Trust's Ambulance vehicles....not even the 'Team Leader' Ambulance Land Rovers...
In fact our more modern vehicles don't even have the 'bull horns' anymore, and even the side mounted 'alley lights' only work at a crawling pace...seems that the lighting and siren facilities are more tightly controlled than ever lately.
bull horns will be a procurment decision, it;s a few pence cheaper to get a siren unit without the bullhorn ... In fact our more modern vehicles don't even have the 'bull horns' anymore, and even the side mounted 'alley lights' only work at a crawling pace...seems that the lighting and siren facilities are more tightly controlled than ever lately.
scene lights / alley lights is an area where fantastic tech has overtaken sense ...
JumboBeef said:
mph1977 said:
Ray Luxury-Yacht said:
O'rly? No 'Police Accident' signs or paraphernalia on any of my Trust's Ambulance vehicles....not even the 'Team Leader' Ambulance Land Rovers...
In fact our more modern vehicles don't even have the 'bull horns' anymore, and even the side mounted 'alley lights' only work at a crawling pace...seems that the lighting and siren facilities are more tightly controlled than ever lately.
bull horns will be a procurment decision, it;s a few pence cheaper to get a siren unit without the bullhorn ... In fact our more modern vehicles don't even have the 'bull horns' anymore, and even the side mounted 'alley lights' only work at a crawling pace...seems that the lighting and siren facilities are more tightly controlled than ever lately.
scene lights / alley lights is an area where fantastic tech has overtaken sense ...
for the edumacati on those not au fait with emergency vehicle terminology
an 'alley light' is a light above the cab which can be used to light directly to the side ( for US policeman to look down alleys - hence the etymology of the name ) but also useful for trying to spot house numbers etc.
a 'scene light' is a flood light mounted half way down or towards the rear on the side of the ambulance to illuminate around the vehicle
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