traffic advisors - usefull or confusing to drivers

tekguy

opinions please? sre traffic advisors more effective than standard warning lights or are they more confusing to stopped or passing vechicles

rescue_oz

Since fitting the TA I've had no near misses and once the average moron motorist that we get works it out ie car not moving lights show me to go this way, perhaps I should change lanes then everything is sweet. Regardless of how big the TA or arrow board you'll always get some idiot that pulls up a foot behind you and then yells out what's the problem. Fortunately these ones are so thick they don't understand when you yell back "having an IQ = room temperature is not a capital offence" that you can get on with your work happy that when his twin brother drives along in 1/2 hours time he'll still be stuck at the back of your car getting blinded by the TA.

In short they work for those that are bright enough to work out what they mean.

Lac Man

I agree, traffic advisors/directors/boards are useful when they are bright or big enough to get the point across. The City of Mesa has halogen SignalMasters on the rear deck of their CVPIs and they might as well not be there. But LED traffic advisors are great...at least here...I could see them kind of being an area-specific device, whether it's halogen or LED. People respond well to them here; there is awlays construction on some road in the Phoenix-Metro area, so they are no foreign object for sure.

J-Wall

60a

I swear by them. I used to work for a local street department and one of our trucks had a huge whelen arrow board. When I started there I thought it was ridiculous but after being there three years and seeing how drivers reacted to it, it was one of the most important pieces of equipment we had.

Nothing is idiot proof, there still will be that 25% percent of drivers who just don't get it and wouldn't even if you had a neon sign with their name on it. What's important is you made it clear to the other 75% of drivers, exactly what it is they need to do and if nothing else helped to absolve your self of some liability. If you prevent one crash or save one life the cost of the unit was worth it.

rpollard

Another vote for "helpful, when they are applied/used properly"

If it's in the back glass, surrounded by strobes and LED's, taillight flashers, HAW's, and a lightbar all going at once (don't sneer, guys, I see that around here a lot- mostly on law enforcement) then it is completely worthless as a traffic directing device and is simply another warning light.

If it's permanently stuck on left-arrow or center-out pattern, no matter what the situation, or left on all day by accident (again, don't laugh, I've seen it many times) then it's worse than useless.

If it's being used alone, or maybe in conjunction with say, tailight flashers, 4-ways, or HAW's, then yes, it helps a least a bit.

The big arrow boards are great, I wish we could talk the powers that be into putting them on every engine and rescue unit.

wild_will24 · New member Joined: 14 Apr 2006 Posts: 2

In general, the traffic advisors that are common on emergency vehicles are only useful as additional warning lights, and not as directional notification to drivers (i.e. requesting that traffic move to the left or right). The only thing that seems to work for this are the huge DOT arrow boards accompanied by cones, barrells, etc.

Doug (MD)

JDH

I find that if it is just the TA, it is easy to understand. However when it is coupled with other lights, ie deck and/or hide-a-ways, etc, it can be confusing.

Robert W.

eastfire510

I had a traffic advisor in my car for a little bit...i loved it. For my area, if you use it once a year it pays for itself. I know a local city has stopped ordering lightbars with arrow sticks for thier cars due to stupid people that pull up behind the patrol car (with the arrow stick operating) and just wait.

I agree with others about using just the arrow. Mine has end strobes but I try not to use those when im directing traffic.

JDH

Also, on another note.....the TA has to be used properly.
There was a video that was shown on here some time ago that had a DOT vehical with the arrow directing motorist IN TO the crash. The only driver that paid attention to it realized at the last moment what was happening and slamed into the back of the DOT truck trying to avoid the crash.

mhpf15 · Regular Joined: 17 Mar 2008 Posts: 85 Location: Fulton,MS

it all depends on the intellegence of the driver approaching. I have a liberty in all blue with the TA. I can put it on left arrow and most of the people get stupid and have no idea what it means. that goes for in/out of state drivers. I had a yellow TA in my last patrol car and it seemed to work well when combined with blue flashing. i don't know if the folks are just arrogant, ignorant or if they just think its another pattern on the light....

Pimpala03

Here's some more reading on this subject...

http://www.elightbars.org/bb/red-traffic-advisors-vt11568.html

http://www.elightbars.org/bb/traffic-director-usage-vt17624.html

http://www.elightbars.org/bb/official-directional-light-debate-thread-vt17210.html

http://www.elightbars.org/bb/how-often-do-you-use-your-arrowstick-vt8894.html

Enjoy!

usdemt

Pimp sweet avatar. Congrats again.

eako2107

Heres a good read too. Also google the FHP lighting study (its a huge pdf file online) but worth a read as to how the eye sees what.

http://www.policedriving.com/article145.htm

As for me, I find there is better visibility and more moving over since I separated the 911EP TD and WLs that I used to have stacked- the amber is moving people over more when I use it than when I don't.

tekguy

thankyou for the links sir!

Lac Man

John Marcson

When used at the right time and properly, they work great. When misused (over 50% the time) they are more trouble;e than they are worth. Its all in the usage.

SuperProbie

yes
+1 on cograts to pimp.

and on the topic, All it is, is a matter of usage. If you take the one second before hoping out of your rig or out of your PD car to switch the know or hit the button for the direction you need. All that can do is help. But if you just leave it on the warning pattern all It is is another light.

Especially on the highway. The earlier you tell people to merge the better. Not like it is gonna prevent those arce heads from trying to get as far as they can up to the scene and then merge, but for the people who actually drive like respectfully it is a help.

If I had the $$ I would get a whelen TIR6 TA. Those are nice. All our new apparatus have em and they look good.

hitman38367

Jared @ LIGHTSnSIREN

G-d's Gift to Man.

Seriously, the most under utilized type of emergency lighting, espeically for on-scene use. I was very disapointed when PA outlawed them.

-Jared

Lac Man

Rofocowboy84

Jared @ LIGHTSnSIREN

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