Expedition w/ ROTO RAY

Fluffy126577

New Member
May 24, 2010
721
Toledo, OH
Why even have it when it's not even effective IMHO going that fast.. Is it possible to slow them down or varible the speed?
 

Station 3

Member
May 21, 2010
3,395
Edinburg Texas
That Expo with the roto ray dident look that bad. I think it was a wast of money but ehhh i could love it in time ;) Oh and that ambulance well thats just WTF very ugly :roll:
 

nerdly_dood

Member
Jun 15, 2010
2,312
Georgia
jarthur said:
Roto Ray on fire apparatus = dumb

Roto Ray on normal sized vehicles = ridiculously dumb
I don't much like it, especially on small vehicles, but my uncle is colorblind, so red lights aren't very visible to him (blue stands out like a sore thumb, even in the day) and he's mentioned to me that those lights are remarkably effective for him. Again, I don't much like them, but if it adds visibility for colorblind people I don't have a problem with it on normal-size fire trucks. As for smaller vehicles like that one, I think it looks too ridiculous to be used at all, even if it does make the vehicle more visible to colorblind people.
 

Klein

Member
May 22, 2010
966
Texas
the video is making it look like it is going super fast. they do spin quickly but that one looks like it is on speed.
 

fireman616wfd

Member
May 24, 2010
2,126
Oxford, MS
well if he is color blind and can see certain colors better than others and those roto-rays are effective to him then this is the perfect truck..


file.php
 

nerdly_dood

Member
Jun 15, 2010
2,312
Georgia
fireman616wfd said:
well if he is color blind and can see certain colors better than others and those roto-rays are effective to him then this is the perfect truck..
file.php
Well, as a matter of fact, that truck is very illegal in Virginia. Blue lights are only allowed on police vehicles, green lights are only allowed on vehicles used as a mobile command post, and although those roto-ray lights are occasionally seen in Virginia (mainly in Arlington) rotating lights are technically not allowed although they're used frequently in the more traditional top-mounted form. Plus that truck's just plain ugly anyway. :lol:

§ 46.2-1023.
Fire apparatus, forest warden vehicles, ambulances, rescue and life-saving vehicles, [and] vehicles of the Department of Emergency Management ... may be equipped with flashing, blinking, or alternating red or red and white combination warning lights of types approved by the Superintendent.
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504 ... +46.2-1023


Virginia is pretty picky about what color light is used where. Personally I don't mind blue being used on fire vehicles as a secondary color, but green IMO should only be used as Virginia law allows:

§ 46.2-1025.
D. Vehicles used by police, fire-fighting, or rescue personnel as command centers at the scene of incidents may be equipped with and use green warning lights of a type approved by the Superintendent. Such lights shall not be activated while the vehicle is operating upon the highway.
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504 ... +46.2-1025
 

nerdly_dood

Member
Jun 15, 2010
2,312
Georgia
fireman616wfd said:
lol I was just joking about this.. just tossing all the colors on one truck and dual roto-rays.
That seems to me to be the way of getting through traffic that's most similar to getting through a crowd of people by flapping your arms and screaming "EEEEEE!! EEEEEEE!!"
 

fireman616wfd

Member
May 24, 2010
2,126
Oxford, MS
nerdly_dood said:
That seems to me to be the way of getting through traffic that's most similar to getting through a crowd of people by flapping your arms and screaming "EEEEEE!! EEEEEEE!!"

:lol: wear a Tie Dye shirt and try that..
 

nerdly_dood

Member
Jun 15, 2010
2,312
Georgia
fireman616wfd said:
:lol: wear a Tie Dye shirt and try that..
Oh yes, gotta wear the tye-dye.
 

K9Vic

Member
May 23, 2010
1,225
Fort Worth, TX
nerdly_dood said:
Well, as a matter of fact, that truck is very illegal in Virginia. Blue lights are only allowed on police vehicles, green lights are only allowed on vehicles used as a mobile command post, and although those roto-ray lights are occasionally seen in Virginia (mainly in Arlington) rotating lights are technically not allowed although they're used frequently in the more traditional top-mounted form. Plus that truck's just plain ugly anyway. :lol:


http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504 ... +46.2-1023


Virginia is pretty picky about what color light is used where. Personally I don't mind blue being used on fire vehicles as a secondary color, but green IMO should only be used as Virginia law allows:


http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504 ... +46.2-1025[/quote:3an1nsrt]


I do not think that Texas cares anything about the laws in Virgina for their fire trucks. All the colours on that fire truck are legal in Texas where this truck is from and blue is very common on fire trucks here. Green has no designation, but is primarily used as command.
 

nerdly_dood

Member
Jun 15, 2010
2,312
Georgia
K9Vic said:
I do not think that Texas cares anything about the laws in Virgina for their fire trucks. All the colours on that fire truck are legal in Texas where this truck is from and blue is very common on fire trucks here. Green has no designation, but is primarily used as command.
fireman616wfd mentioned it for my colorblind uncle's sake. Personally I figure, if it's in Texas it's subject to Texas's laws so it's not my problem, but he was suggesting it for me, and I live in Virginia. The next best thing to blue lights on a fire truck is red and white Roto-Ray lights, which (if I haven't mentioned already) are very effective for him.
 

VolEms

Member
May 24, 2010
2,112
NY, USA
I was thinking of putting in on a POV for a friend who had an unlimited budget. I really put a crazy amout of Lights , Siren , Gorver, Howler on it. I dont think a rotoray looks good on a POV as well call me crazy Im so scared of hurting someone with it. Its metel and spines very fast.
 

stansdds

Member
May 25, 2010
3,533
U.S.A., Virginia
I'm not a huge fan of the Roto-Ray, but I see them on fire apparatus in Richmond and Hopewell, VA. Something whirling around like that could present a hazard to someone who is too close to it.


As for all the colors of lights on apparatus in TX, I can see it being a benefit to those who have color blindness and the flashing of the Roto-ray as well. Of course, if flashing is what you want, why not use the old four-bulb rotating beacon. Maybe the NYPD was onto something with their version of the Federal 175H. Two bulbs horizontal, one bulb 15 degrees down tilt, opposite bulb 15 degrees up tilt. ;)


Wonder how much Federal Signal would charge if they were still selling 175H's ?
 

charlie82

Member
May 21, 2010
353
PA / USA
Most Rotorays turn off when on scene. So, hurting someone should not be an issue.
 

Lightbarnut

New Member
Jun 9, 2010
720
Palatka, Florida.
I just got an idea. You know those hitch covers with the deer that has a target on it's belly that puts up it's arms when you press the brake pedal? Make a Roto-Ray version so when you push the brake pedal it starts spinning.Could be retrofitted with fins for boat ramp use when you're trying to get your boat trailer out of the water,a little extra propulsion. :lol:
 

Fluffy126577

New Member
May 24, 2010
721
Toledo, OH
VolEms said:
I love this one. 6 Speakers and a Rotoray . I think this guy is visible and with 600watts will wake up the dead. ai950.photobucket.com_albums_ad345_VolEms_rototaysuberban.jpg


It looks like one of those ugly teenagers with the large forehead and mouth/head gear from the dentist.
 

Travelin Man

Member
Jul 9, 2010
295
Central Virginia
nerdly_dood said:
Well, as a matter of fact, that truck is very illegal in Virginia. Blue lights are only allowed on police vehicles, green lights are only allowed on vehicles used as a mobile command post, and although those roto-ray lights are occasionally seen in Virginia (mainly in Arlington) rotating lights are technically not allowed although they're used frequently in the more traditional top-mounted form.

The Roto-Rays are more than "occasionally" seen in Virginia. We've got them all over Virginia: Arlington, Fairfax uses them abundantly (although the county-owned pieces are going to the Whelen mini-bars), Prince William County, everything in Richmond City has them, and heck, Warrenton has dual Roto-Rays on three of their rigs.


And if dual Roto-Rays isn't enough, how about three of 'em? :D


afarm5.static.flickr.com_4082_4817564388_d76214e8b4_z.jpg


Roto-Rays are definately a love 'em or hate 'em thing. Having been around them for many, many years, I find them to be a very effective warning light when seen head on.
 

nerdly_dood

Member
Jun 15, 2010
2,312
Georgia
Travelin Man said:
[/quote:28jc24nk]
...And I'm rather certain they're not used in Charlottesville, absolutely certain they're not used in Roanoke, not sure about lynchburg... can you vouch for rural areas or places that aren't in NoVA?
 

Travelin Man

Member
Jul 9, 2010
295
Central Virginia
Yes, travel down I-81 to Marion in Smyth County (very rural), and you'll see DUAL Roto-Rays on the front of their two E-One quints. Down in Tidewater, you'll find them on rigs in Virginia Beach and Newport News. Near Richmond, everything in Richmond has them, and you'll also find them in Hanover, Louisa (rural), Powhatan Counties (rural), and two in Chesterfield County. Closer to you, Charlottesville has them on their newest Quantum rescue-pumper, Augusta County Station 10 has them, as does the City of Harrisonburg. And, really close to you, slide over to the Town of Bedford in Bedford County and check 'em out on the new pumper and tiller.
 

nerdly_dood

Member
Jun 15, 2010
2,312
Georgia
Travelin Man said:
Yes, travel down I-81 to Marion in Smyth County (very rural), and you'll see DUAL Roto-Rays on the front of their two E-One quints. Down in Tidewater, you'll find them on rigs in Virginia Beach and Newport News. Near Richmond, everything in Richmond has them, and you'll also find them in Hanover, Louisa (rural), Powhatan Counties (rural), and two in Chesterfield County. Closer to you, Charlottesville has them on their newest Quantum rescue-pumper, Augusta County Station 10 has them, as does the City of Harrisonburg. And, really close to you, slide over to the Town of Bedford in Bedford County and check 'em out on the new pumper and tiller.
I need to get around more. :oops:

VolEms said:
Im Lovin the Tomar LIghtbar.
I'm not. I hate them with a passion. The only light from them that I can stand is their "Blade" and even that I don't like very much.
 

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