Blue lights and the publics response to them

[postal79]

i dont know about anyone else but i feel that blue lights are useless, people dont move for them 90% of the time they look in there rear view see the light and just keep right on going, and without any support form the state with regards to yielding(in new jersey) they will continue to do so...sorry for the confusion everyone.. i was talking about blue lights as in volunteers responding to the fire house
Your experiences with this?

[This message has been edited by postal79 (edited 03-15-2001).]

[RS225]

well unless you are a police man your trucks should have red and white lights on them. but anyway we had that problem in tennessee for a couple of years and then they passed a state law, if you dont yeild you get stopped , talk to your cheif and ask him to talk to city officals if you want to change the law


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...fire fetish???......
...damn right!!!!

[East Haddam#1firefighter]

In Connecticut, volunteers can only have blue lights, unless your chief or deputy. At least thats the way it is in my FD. There is a law in Connecticut that was brought to my attention and it clearly states that anyone who fails to yield the right of way to apparatus or any response vehicle (personnal or Departmental) can get a fine or jail time. I believe it is a 50$ fine. For the most part people get out of the way for us. Everyone be safe and always remember to STAY LOW!!!

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Shawn Daigle
East Haddam F.D.
East Haddam Connecticut

[This message has been edited by East Haddam#1firefighter (edited 03-15-2001).]

[RJE]

From my perspective: In the '70s, the area I lived in was mostly rural. FD was a subscription service. Everyone but the tourists driving through knew we were vollie. Everyone yielded to the blue lights (all that vollies were allowed to run).

In the '80s, the area experienced exponential growth. What was a mostly rural/bedroom community on the outskirts of a major city became a suburb, heavily developed, both residential and industrial. Many of the newcomers (business and resident) didn't know that they were protected by volunteers (dept. had switched to a tax based FPD). A consequence of this (one of many) was that more and more cars were from "the city" coming out to see our shops - the "small town" became an "antiques mecca". Business owners that didn't live in the district didn't know we were vollies. New residents (urban flight types) didn't know, either. And 1 in 3 cars on the roads were either from other towns or the city, or were commuters just "passing through". Lots of them had never seen a blue light, and didn't know what they were supposed to do when they saw one.

Of course, at that time the state didn't have a law requiring them to yield (it was a "courtesy light" - requesting, not requiring them to move right and stop!), so it got worse and worse.

Eventually, the state passed a law where the cops could ticket drivers who failed to yield, just like if the vollies POV/blue light was the apparatus/red lights, and things got a little better.

But how many times have you actually seen or heard of a cop stopping. They're usually going the same place we are, and blow on by.

[ignition_point]

In Indiana we run blue lights, however they're about as effective as amber lights on construction vehicles. The public does not have to yield right of way to blue lights in Indiana, and all people using the lights must obey all traffic laws. Personally I hardly use mine, it brings *much* less attention to yourself if you are speeding, and if you do by chance get pulled over for that, they won't know you're a firefighter. If you got caught speeding with your light on, in Indiana its supposed to be an automatic boot from the department. The only good they do for me, is since I live on the border with Kentucky, a lot of KY drivers come over here. In KY the state police use all blues, so when the drivers come over here and see the blue lights the move out of the way . Anywho, like I said I hardly use mine anymore, the fire isn't going anywhere, it will still be there even if you're a couple minutes late.

[Dalmatian90]

Well...the have some value, but I don't worry about it a lot! They yield, they yield, they don't they don't. In fact just got mine repaired...took me a year to get around to putting a new end on the cigarette lighter

But it does help shave a little bit of time off, especially at red lights where on-coming traffic see it and will yield when the light turns green and I have to make a left hand turn to get to the firehouse.

Also handy as we do a lot of POV response to scenes and it's handy to for the first person to flag the driveway entrance, and the last person to flag the end of the line of parked cars.

To clarify EastHaddam's post...he's pretty close to CT law. Chief & top two assistants in volunteer departments may run red & white lights and siren w/permit (i.e. only the 3 highest ranking individuals in the dept may run red lights & sirens on their POVs). Red lights & siren give you legally right away, and permission to ignore certain traffic regulations when safe to do so (such as going wrongway on one-way streets, going through red lights with due regard, etc).

Blue lights are reserved for volunteer firefighters, but are only a courtesy light and there is no penalty for ignoring it.

[fire boy 038]

I AM A NEW YORK VOLLY I ALSO HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM. NOW I DON'T. I HAVE A REALY BRITE LIGHTBAR AND SEALED BEAM GRILL LIGHTS.I ALSO HAVE A GREAT IDEAL TRY JUST A ELECTRIC AIR HORN SYSTEM.(NOT A SIREN)GALLS FIRE EQUIPMENT HAVE THEM IN THEIR CATALOG FOR AROUND $100.00 MANY FIREFIGHTERS USE THEM UP HERE.GOOD LUCK AND DONT GIVE UP.

TOM BRUNELLE

[ltchris]

I have the same problems as all of you.
What really seems to work good is get really close to them and hit your horn.
If that don't work Becarful and go around them.
Works for me.
Good luck and stay safe.

LT chris

[alexff67]

My blue light sits on my dash of my truck and has only gets used once or twice a year because of two reasons. one I live close to the station or at night if I don't make one of the trucks to let the firepolice know to let me on the scene. It seems like the public either doesn't notice or doesn't care If you only have a blue light.

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Put The Wet Stuff on The Red Stuff

[Rod]

Illinois is the same as some of the other states in that the blue light is just a courtesy light. And everyone is right, nobody seems to care to get out of the way anymore...unless it is their house then "Damn the Torpedoes" and they want you their yesterday! Some Departments have seen that there is a problem and have addressed the issue. Currently the Illinois General Assembly is considering House Bill 0161. It will allow not only the use of white lights but the use of a siren. And depending on each persons interpretation of the law, it give us the Right of Way

Stay Safe

[nomad1085]

I live in CT with blue lights as well. Personally, I've never had anyone not pull over, but thats just me. Some people have problems not getting through traffic and some don't. Drivers these days are very very un-observant, and some as just *******s. My lights are bright enough that they can't not see them, and I haven't run into any severe *******s yet. If someone isn't pulling over, don't ride their bumper, if they panic and slam on the brakes, well, you know the rest. Just be careful whatever you do.

Oh yea, and remember: every state has different laws regarding color of lights and who has to and doesn't have to yield. In CT Vol. Firefighters use blue, but chief officers can use red, white, and sirens.

[This message has been edited by nomad1085 (edited 03-15-2001).]

[APG1]

Looks like that Illinois bill allowing firefighters Wig-Wags (Flashing white lights), blue grill lights (Uhm... these are already legal ) and a siren are going to be allowed for Volly Firefighters. I wonder how easy it will be for EMS/ESDA/Rescue folks to skirt by and use this law too. God knows, I'd kill for wig-wags.

Blue Light laws in Illinois are kind of ironic. According to the law, police vehicles in towns of 500K (Chicago, St. Louis) are allowed to use solid blue. Does this mean Chicago cops with solid blue lights have courtest lights?

[APG1]

House Sponsors:
HANNIG-JONES,JOHN-HOLBROOK-MOFFITT-SMITH,MICHAEL AND BOST.

Short description:
VEH CD-FLASHING LIGHTS-SIRENS

Synopsis of Bill as introduced:
Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that a vehicle
operated by a voluntary firefighter may be equipped with flashing
white headlights, blue grill lights, and a siren (in addition to blue
oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights). Provides that this
additional equipment may be used only in responding to an emergency
call. Effective immediately.

Last action on Bill: PLACED CALENDAR ORDER OF FIRST READING 01-02-21

Last action date: 01-02-20

Location: Senate

Amendments to Bill: AMENDMENTS ADOPTED: HOUSE - 0 SENATE - 0

[Looper]

In Texas, if you runs with lights, you must also have a siren. Police car = fire truck = ambulance = VFD in a POV. Failure to yield right of way to an emergency vehicle is a ticketable offense. As a police officer, I have written several of these.

[LtStick]

Pennsylvania is the same as many other states. A Blue light is a courtesy light and if people don't want to pull over they don't have to. Although one of our members has a very bright small bar light that as blue and white filters in it and he says people seem to move for him. I think some times it might just be a case of visibility. I've seen this light in action and even during the day you can't miss it. Also it also rotates very fast.
I've also noticed some people don't want to move no matter what color light you have. There have been times we've gone out on a emergency call and some people seem to be deaf and blind and when they do finally decide to pull over its in a very dumb spot like a curve on a two lane highway or you'll get some that decide to speed up.
I think there a handy thing to have. It is a very useful tool for fire police so people know that there is someone there directing traffic ahead. It gives them extra visibility.