To all concerned.....
I have no intention of impersonating a police officer on the roadway. I
trailer or tow my vehicle everywhere it goes and it was always my intention
to cover the light, regardless of color, with a canvas cover. When towing
the vehicle I turn on the emergency flashers provided as part of the turn
signal package. I also have an M-60 machine gun which I do not feel is
necessary to display on the vehicle when it is in transit. When I display
the vehicle, if the location is a school or such place, even though it is
not a firing weapon I leave it at home or simply choose not to attend that
particular function. Image for us is everything, we have to put our best
foot forward to the public and not look like a bunch of wanna be nut jobs
playing soldier.
What I do care about is representing the vehicle in as accurate of a fashion
as possible. If I am going to build a security police vehicle and take it
to shows and such, I feel obligated to represent the vehicle as honestly as
possible if for no other reason that out of respect for those who really did
that job. I also volunteer at a museum where accuracy is the word of the
day and I agree that historical accuracy is the best route. We already have
people among us who have no idea about Korea and Vietnam, restoring the
vehicles is my way of trying to help remember. I know that sounds smarmy
but it is nonetheless the truth about how I feel.
While I like driving my vehicle I do not particular enjoy tooling around
town in it as I live where there is an active military base and again, do
not have the intention of representing myself as a member of that
establishment. Early journeys around town elicited that sort of response and
I decided then there not to do it.
If there are people out there in various clubs who are doing something
wrong, the word should be given to them directly, not just as a shotgun
blast upon the readers as a whole, it is a far better method.
Famous quote "The floggings will continue until morale improves!"
David & Donna Brubaker
Member MVPA
M-151A2
http://www.piace.com/~b52d/
----- Original Message -----
From: Henry J. Fackovec <fackovec@radiotech.com>
To: Military Vehicles Mailing List <mil-veh@mil-veh.org>
Sent: Thursday, September 06, 2001 8:52 AM
Subject: [MV] Lights and Sirens on MVs (An unpopular view)
> 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