Wow Henry - talk about opening up a can of worms!
I have a big problem with people receiving tickets for having lights on their
vehicles that are *not* operating. If someone puts blue and red flashing lights
on his car, truck, motorcyle, whatever and is stupid enough to use them without
proper authorization - ie he isn't a real cop or emergency vehicle... give him
a ticket. Same with the siren. (However I have been to many parades where
sirens are commonly used as part of the parade)
To think that it is a good idea to ticket someone for just having the lights in
place is a real danger.
Analogies:
Driving a Military vehicle painted in camo ---> impersonating military
personnel
M38 with dummy weapon --> impersonating armed military personnel
Civilians dress in military style clothing - impersonating national guard,
military, etc
People in possession of military manuals - creating militia without
authorization, counter insurgencies, etc.
This list can go on and on. Come on this is America, not Amerika.
I think you had better stop worrying about what people do regarding putting
light bars on their vehicles and such and start worrying about the neighbors
down the street who think you are harboring weapons of mass destruction or
weapons of war. If you think light bars are bad, what about camo painted MVs?
Scary looking half tracks. Armored vehicles. Using your logic, surely that
"must" be illegal also.
Sorry, but Amber beacons are on top of school buses, dump trucks, garbage trucks
and many many other vehicles in Indiana. They are all legal warning devices. I
drive over 30K miles per year and still don't get confused when I see amber
rotating beacons. I just slow down a bit.
Come on, we pay the cops, they should be doing things that really help stop and
deter crime. Non-operating light bars?? Doesn't seem like a big danger to me.
Folks, we if we keep going in this direction, America will become a police
state. We can't have our rights but then also deny other people's rights. It
just doesn't work.
Dave in Indiana - now going out and placing my large amber rotating beacon on my
M51 dump and going for a ride! I might even get real defiant and leave off my
seatbelt for a mile or two.
"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