A new REACT type organization? What do you think?

ClintonPSE

Member
Mar 13, 2013
181
Clinton, IA
So I ran across this group on Facebook. I've never seen or heard of them before, but I have mixed feeling on it...

If I was a LE officer, I wouldn't want another citizen risking his vehicle and life unnecessarily...

As a tow truck operator, I would kind of appreciate this assistance,especially at night.  But shouldn't extra coverage be left up to the tow company and LE?

Take a look at this and share your thoughts!

www.guardrailangels.org
 

PJD642

New Member
May 20, 2010
1,543
east of Cleveland
Hmmmm.  I've got to give them credit for having a decent web site, with proper grammar and spelling as far as I looked through it.

I'm on board with the whole raising-awareness of "move over" laws.  Not too sure about the "Guard Rail Angels" official vehicle ID stickers and such....
 
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MtnMan

Member
Dec 20, 2012
1,533
Eastern PA
If I was a LE officer, I wouldn't want another citizen risking his vehicle and life unnecessarily...
If I were LE, I don't think I'd want unidentified civilian vehicles pulling up on my traffic stop out of nowhere.

The group definitely has the hallmarks of an amber light whacker club: a mission that skirts the periphery of actual emergency responder duties, the absence of any formal certification or training, and a paid ($98 / year!) membership to gain access to official patches, vehicle stickers, and the exclusive secret blog. The only thing missing is a made-up system of ranks (Shoulder Blade? Embankment Enforcer? Median Major?).

More seriously, I'm disturbed by the aggressive posturing of their their tagline "move over or we'll move you over." That sounds like incitement to (quite literally) cross the line into vigilante traffic control. I also suspect they're wildly overestimating the effectiveness of a passenger-size vehicle as a "traffic blocker." I've seen enough videos of secondary collisions where patrol cars become projectiles. There's a reason why DOT uses big trucks full of sand, with additional collision barriers, for that purpose.
 

tsquale

Lifetime VIP Donor
Oct 12, 2010
10,511
Minnesota, USA
Not sure how I feel about it. I'm not LEO, but also agree with Mtn Man. I wouldn't want additional vehicles on scene further bottle-necking a situation. If the particular incident warranted additional warning and/or lane blocking it would be requested and be taken care of. Seems like a bunch of tow operators and whackers with nothing better to do and a burning desire to share their "war stories" about how they saved someone from being hit. 

:yawn: Guess I need some coffee...
 

jph2

Member
Apr 21, 2012
2,122
USA Michigan
It is a professional-looking website, but I agree with PJD642, MtnMan, and tsquale. Pretty hefty dues at $96 year, if you ask me. :wacko:

And for sure, LEO does not need an unknown civilian pulling up on a traffic stop. There's enough to be concerned about with that first vehicle, let alone adding more to the mix. Especially in today's environment.
 
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Phoenix_Rising

Lifetime VIP Donor
Feb 27, 2012
6,742
Berks County PA
so (god forgid) joe blow runs into one of the chuckle heads, wonder if they think their insurance is going to cover the claim :nono:


know what they say: road to hell is paved with good intentions
 
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okc_f150

Member
Oct 3, 2013
318
Oklahoma City
I know I'm going to get roasted for saying this, but here goes...

I think REACT got a bad rap a few years back by a few bad apples. The organization has teams across the US, each providing different levels of service to their communities.

REACT teams across the US are working on integrating into the NIMS system used by FEMA so they can be called upon by EMs to help with disasters.

Local REACT teams provide valuable support, assisting with search and rescue efforts, crowd and traffic control, portable lighting towers, and more.

I know of teams that have donated tens of thousands of dollars worth of manpower to local municipalities. Some teams are called to assist their communities on a daily basis.

Just because a few people thought being on REACT gave them the right to put flashy lights on their cars and be whackers, doesn't mean the group is useless.

When it comes down to it, REACT volunteers are out there with the first responders, risking their lives and property just the same, to help the community.

We've all seen the videos of VFFs abusing their lights and sirens, heard about police impersonators almost weekly. How often have you heard of REACT members doing this stuff?

I just ask that people stop lumping all REACT teams together. Each team has it's own duties, it's own policies, and it's own group of dedicated volunteers. Each team has it's own agreements with local, state, and federal law enforcement, emergency managers, and local governments. I just don't understand why this community can't get behind these people just the same as they do with first responders.

As for the "uardrail Angels", they are probably going about their mission the wrong way. But who are we to judge them? We should try to educate them, give them advice, and help them figure out how they can better serve their communities. Who knows, maybe they have some sort of agreement with their local LE to help with this stuff...
 

Flashguy

Member
Jan 4, 2011
842
United States, Florida
Yeah...I looked through the pictures and agree it looks like a majority are big trucks and wreckers. We call for a second engine to block, why not a second wrecker for them? If the group is mainly a network of big trucks, helping other big trucks....great! If it's guys with scanners listening for PD calls and blocking with the family mini-van, I'm not a fan. I agree though...the LEO view on this is probably bad and more issues by them being there.
 
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Jarred J.

Lifetime VIP Donor
May 21, 2010
11,580
Shelbyville, TN
"if you see a brother or sister working alone on a dangerous roadside, celebrate labor day by pulling off behind them and giving them lights"

I'm down for some free lights...
 

delcofirecop

Member
Jul 22, 2012
232
usa pa
While i agree the move over law is important for everyone in public safety and towing and recovery and it is common for one tower to sit behind another tower  while loading a car. These people look like a bunch of new generation whackers.
 
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Turd Ferguson

Member
Jul 3, 2011
2,250
Sumner, Wa
What about a Flaming Chicken?
 
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