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Pennsylvania POV Lighting

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  • #1

    Pennsylvania POV Lighting

    I am trying to figure out how to follow the law on POV lighting while not doing too much damage to my vehicle.
    I want to get blue lights for my car, but I don't want drill into the vehicle. I was thinking interior lights, but can't find a way to get 360 visibility with only two light sources(as the law states).
    Has anyone found a way to mount a smaller bar 20" to 30" without magnets and drilling? Or will I be okay with a visor light and a rear facing light in the back window?
    I was thinking an LED Equipped Hunter TIR visor light for the front and a combination traffic director/light bar for the rear.
    Tags: blue light, legal requirements, personal vehicle, pov, volunteer
  • #2
    How about no lights all since they offer no legal ability to violate any traffic laws whatsoever?
    "Loyalty Above all Else. Except Honor."

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    • #3
      Originally posted by FWDbuff View Post
      How about no lights all since they offer no legal ability to violate any traffic laws whatsoever?
      Figured someone would say that; however, my experience has been the opposite. When riding with other members who have lights, I have found it is quicker than if I had gone without.
      I live 4.5 miles from one station and 7.5 miles from the other, so it would allow me to save time.

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      • #4
        More than likely will not save much time.


        More than likely with out the lights, it just might save someone's life.

        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZdEH...e_gdata_player

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        • #5
          Originally posted by NuangolaVFD1646 View Post
          When riding with other members who have lights, I have found it is quicker than if I had gone without.
          How?
          You cannot speed or pass people. You cannot go through controlled intersections or stop signs, you cannot pass school buses, buck lanes into oncoming traffic, etc etc etc. So unless the other members are willingly and knowingly violating the MVC of Pennsylvania (which makes them a huge liability to both themselves and the Department) their blue lights are absolutely, positively W O R T H L E S S.
          "Loyalty Above all Else. Except Honor."

          Comment

          • #6
            While I am in agreement that lights are for the most part unnecessary, I will actually answer your question.

            If you are going to follow the law, you will need exterior mounted lighting. Without knowing the specifics of your vehicle, it is impossible to tell you how to do that. If you don't want drilling or magnets, there are some other mounts that can be used for certain types of lights but they only work on certain vehicles. What I normally see is either headache racks on trucks or using luggage racks for SUV's / cars. Talk to a couple of your local troopers or local PD and see what they say about the lights. No matter what they say, you still have to follow the law, but they may be able to give you insight those of us on the board cannot. If you are not going to drill, and you are driving anything other than a truck, you will be affecting door seals when you run wires.

            Back to the necessity of the lights. I used to run exterior lights (never more than a single light bar). Like you I live away from the station and would be parked on scene from time to time. In those cases it was nice to have the light running to warn traffic coming to the scene. It is for that same reason I contemplate putting one back on occasionally. It has been 7 years since I had one though and it hasn't really been an issue. For responding, they really are pointless. You can track response times for years on end and I think you will find the actual time saved to be less than 30 seconds on the longer response distance.

            (8 miles at 55mph = 8 minutes 44 seconds........8 miles at 50mph = 9 minutes 36 seconds) So for your response, if there is a person in front of you the entire time that slows you 5mph the entire way, it will be less than a minute saved. That is including no stops, slower speed limits, or other real world things you run into. That also assumes the person will pull over and let you pass at a safe place right when you come upon them- they hardly do that when you have red lights and sirens.

            So in the end, if you want to put one on, the car insurance company is ok with it, the department is ok with it, and you follow the law - go for it. Know that you will now be an ambassador for the department in everything you do in your vehicle because the light says "I am a member of the fire department and this is how we all drive."

            Comment

            • #7
              Originally posted by HuntPA View Post
              Like you I live away from the station and would be parked on scene from time to time. In those cases it was nice to have the light running to warn traffic coming to the scene. It is for that same reason I contemplate putting one back on occasionally. It has been 7 years since I had one though and it hasn't really been an issue.

              So in the end, if you want to put one on, the car insurance company is ok with it, the department is ok with it, and you follow the law - go for it. Know that you will now be an ambassador for the department in everything you do in your vehicle because the light says "I am a member of the fire department and this is how we all drive."
              Thanks for the honesty in your reply.

              I often drive directly to scene because there's no way to catch a rig from that distance(I already know that someone on the forum is probably going to complain over a POV on scene, but that's besides the point.) I end up doing traffic control on quite a few responses so I need the visibility.

              My two departments are fine with it as long as I play by the rules.

              I was thinking about using the factory luggage racks on my Chevy Traverse, but was having trouble finding adapters for the oblong shape, so I just wanted to see if anyone else had any ideas that would be easier to do.

              Comment

              • #8
                2x4's and duct tape

                Comment

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