davepl1968
Newly Enlightened
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2015
- Messages
- 3
If you've ever been behind a modern fire truck, you've no doubt noticed that they have a -wickedly- bright CMHSL (ie: third brake light). Now you might be tempted to assume that because it's a fire truck it follows a special set of rules. And it does - sometimes.
According to the last time I read our state's (WA) motor vehicle act, which might vary state by state, emergency vehicles are only granted dispensation from laws the rest of us have to obey while responding to an emergency and the emergency equipment is operating. By that I assume lights and sirens, but that's just an assumption.
So, given that the CMHSL is the same at all times (emergency lights operating or not), I presume they must be DOT legal.
If you've seen the ones I'm thinking about, they have the initial strobe (likely 20Hz for 3 seconds) and then once on are very hard to even look at. Not that I want one that bright, but would it be legal? My logic is "if Fire Trucks can do it when not responding to an emergency then I can too", but maybe that doesn't hold up. So before I start asking questions about a subject that could be taboo, I wanted to find out if, and why, it is taboo (if it is).
Thanks!
Dave
According to the last time I read our state's (WA) motor vehicle act, which might vary state by state, emergency vehicles are only granted dispensation from laws the rest of us have to obey while responding to an emergency and the emergency equipment is operating. By that I assume lights and sirens, but that's just an assumption.
So, given that the CMHSL is the same at all times (emergency lights operating or not), I presume they must be DOT legal.
If you've seen the ones I'm thinking about, they have the initial strobe (likely 20Hz for 3 seconds) and then once on are very hard to even look at. Not that I want one that bright, but would it be legal? My logic is "if Fire Trucks can do it when not responding to an emergency then I can too", but maybe that doesn't hold up. So before I start asking questions about a subject that could be taboo, I wanted to find out if, and why, it is taboo (if it is).
Thanks!
Dave