Hello! Amber lightbar: Legal in CA & NV?

[IS98]

Hello everyone! Just found this thread. Not sure if this is the right place to ask but I am hoping it is!

Every year I volunteer as pseudo-security at a certain "festival" in the Nevada desert. A few of the volunteers have their own cars marked specially for this event. Many liberties are given as to the design and equipment on the cars. For emergency lights we are given small single light strobes that plug into the cigarette lighter. (pictured) Not great by any stretch of the imagination.

This year I was planning on getting my own amber light bar for our vehicle. I chose a model off Amazon that is both price conscious and large/bright enough to easily be seen. (pictured) In a recent discussion it was brought up that I should check the legality of having this mounted to the vehicle, especially in Nevada. I looked it up and what I found suggests that simply having this mounted on a vehicle requires a permit from Nevada Highway Patrol. I am wondering if any of you, especially those of you on here who use these light bars recreationally have any insight into this.

Some important points:

- This will be mounted semi permanently onto the roof rack (late 80s model soft top Jeep)

- Lightbar will not be turned on/used on or near public roads

- Vehicle will be drive to/from Nevada from California for this event each year.


If anyone is at all familiar with this situation I welcome your insight! I am happy to chat on here or in private! Thanks for reading!

 

[Pete L.]

Welcome to ELB.
I would think your choices would be:
-get a permit from NHP
-mount your bar when you get on site and remove it before you leave.

 

[IS98]

Welcome to ELB.
I would think your choices would be:
-get a permit from NHP
-mount your bar when you get on site and remove it before you leave.

Hello Pete! Thank you for the warm welcome!
Since the lightbar is 48", ~30lbs. My first choice would be to get the permit. NHP states a yearly permit is only $2. However I am curious if they will grant a permit under the circumstances, which do not specifically fall under any of the listed criteria.

I am also curios what you think about having a cover over it for the 49-50 weeks per year it will not be used and how this would hopefully solve the potential "impersonation" problem. Something like this, but preferably without "Not in Service" on it.

emergency-vehicle-light-bar-covers - LED LIGHT BAR COVER

CALL FOR FLEET DISCOUNT PRICING, TERMS APPLY Prices on average are : 159.95 for 48 x 13 inch light bar cover

lightbarcovers.com

TYVM!

 

[NPS Ranger]

Just trying to be helpful here. If you're only going to be using this once per year, and covering it up the rest of the time, is it really worth the inconvenience of having it mounted? More wind resistance, noise, worse gas mileage, inability to access low parking garage/mall entrances, etc? The reasons for a fullsize lightbar are to obtain right of way while driving (not applicable to amber) and to protect the vehicle when stopped, particularly when cars are approaching at higher speeds. I'm not sure the speeds you deal with in your "pseudo-security" role would be that high, I'm envisioning traffic control at parking areas, or slow patrol through campsites. Cheap little amber blinkies suck, but there are better magnet mount amber blinkies that do a good job and don't have to be permanently wired, can run off a cigar plug and be demounted at the end of the week. Also you said "under the circumstances, which do not specifically fall under any of the listed criteria" for a state permit, why set yourself up for a hassle during the other 50 weeks of the year? A used Whelen L31 off of Ebay or Facebook Marketplace would be super bright, there are many other easily available quality used lights out there that would do the job during your festival, and then be invisible for the rest of the year.

 

[TDC]

Sounds to me like they want you to be seen, maybe for insurance purposes, but not seen too much. Class 3 type thing.

"Festival" and "Government" (those people telling you what to do) don't always fit together well, so if it stands out too much, the organizers might tell you to go home? Just an idea.

Go with some plug in beacon or dash lights, or maybe a cool retro beacon (Model 14 or older), all party-like.

 

[IS98]

Just trying to be helpful here. If you're only going to be using this once per year, and covering it up the rest of the time, is it really worth the inconvenience of having it mounted? More wind resistance, noise, worse gas mileage, inability to access low parking garage/mall entrances, etc? The reasons for a fullsize lightbar are to obtain right of way while driving (not applicable to amber) and to protect the vehicle when stopped, particularly when cars are approaching at higher speeds. I'm not sure the speeds you deal with in your "pseudo-security" role would be that high, I'm envisioning traffic control at parking areas, or slow patrol through campsites. Cheap little amber blinkies suck, but there are better magnet mount amber blinkies that do a good job and don't have to be permanently wired, can run off a cigar plug and be demounted at the end of the week. Also you said "under the circumstances, which do not specifically fall under any of the listed criteria" for a state permit, why set yourself up for a hassle during the other 50 weeks of the year? A used Whelen L31 off of Ebay or Facebook Marketplace would be super bright, there are many other easily available quality used lights out there that would do the job during your festival, and then be invisible for the rest of the year.

It's not what I wanted to hear, but you might be right. The vehicle is old and boxy, the bar will sit In front of the roof rack, so I can't imagine it will make the mileage any noticeably worse. The speeds we deal with are very low. Biggest danger is people on bicycles not paying attention.

I will try to reach the fleet coordinator for the event. If they are ok with it, I will try to get the NHP permit. If it isn't well received, the L31 looks good, I see one on ebay for $175, but the rest are $400+

 

[IS98]

Sounds to me like they want you to be seen, maybe for insurance purposes, but not seen too much. Class 3 type thing.

"Festival" and "Government" (those people telling you what to do) don't always fit together well, so if it stands out too much, the organizers might tell you to go home? Just an idea.

Go with some plug in beacon or dash lights, or maybe a cool retro beacon (Model 14 or older), all party-like.

They def want us to be seen, but bright, expensive light are definitely not their priority, especially because their fleet is mostly rental vehicles, where they can stick a shitty magnet strobe on the roof for the week. Only a few bring their own vehicles each year.

If they don't like the idea of a full size lightbar, the model 14 does look cool, but mechanical moving parts are not good in this environment. Something mounted on the roof rack will be much better than something mounted on the dash.

Thank you for your reply!

 

[Lt.214]

Hi, after reading this thread, and if it were me, I would look towards either the mag mount whelen beacon, or a mag mout federal modl14 or similar light(just for being more period correct for the vehicle you listed). The model 14 is a well built light. In its time it was a leading model used in applications from emergency vehicles to service vehicles (tow trucks, city street services, electric services, etc.). It was built for extreme duty and service. If it were me, I wouldn't permanently mount a bar for a once a year detail. The magnetic mount option seems the best option. Of course, do what you feel is best for you.

Chris

 

[IS98]

Hi, after reading this thread, and if it were me, I would look towards either the mag mount whelen beacon, or a mag mout federal modl14 or similar light(just for being more period correct for the vehicle you listed). The model 14 is a well built light. In its time it was a leading model used in applications from emergency vehicles to service vehicles (tow trucks, city street services, electric services, etc.). It was built for extreme duty and service. If it were me, I wouldn't permanently mount a bar for a once a year detail. The magnetic mount option seems the best option. Of course, do what you feel is best for you.

Chris

Hi chris, I have been looking at the alternates people have been suggesting to me here. I am more preferable to the Whelen L31 as it has no moving parts and closer matches the style of the vehicle IMO. I also believe I found a loophole that will allow me to comfortably mount the Xprite year round. If this does not pan out I will 100% be coming back here to double check the suggestions and pick up a used alternate. Thanks very much for taking the time to reply!

 

[CD3]

There maybe a loophole in a NV law but not in CA. Read section 27606 of the California Vehicle Code.