Should I rethink daily driving my POV with my new job?

[aggmeister2010]

Hey everyone,


I work with a large VFD in a heavily populated and ever expanding area. They allow POVs and they are used frequently throughout the department. I have a black Tahoe PPV that came with a bunch of gear on it, but I just took on a big new job in oilfield sales on the other side of town (gotta pay for fire gear somehow!) and I'm a bit concerned...


I want to be able to respond to calls effectively when that is necessary, and I love that truck. but I'm a bit worried about how I'll be received if I drive up to a customer in a truck outfitted with lights and such that looks like a service vehicle or a "undercover car" or something. That's not my goal. I mean, it's not a ratty old decommissioned patrol vehicle, it's basically brand new...but I feel like I'm going to get some funny looks. I can take off the grill guard to make it look a little more "civilian," but then I lose my intersection lights on the nose, and traffic is so bad in this area, those are critical.


Do any of y'all have other jobs and use your POV as your daily? How is it received? How do you explain it? Does that get old?

 

[dmathieu]

Sounds like you are self conscious about it already. Remove the gear and get a really good 360 degree throw light for your calls.

 

[aggmeister2010]

Sounds like you are self conscious about it already. Remove the gear and get a really good 360 degree throw light for your calls.

Well, it's a PPV with a spotlight and all interior lights (except for a dominator and intersection lights on the grill guard), so it looks pretty "official." Looks similar to some of our Arson investigators' cars I guess. I'm extremely proud of the truck and of the work that I do with the VFD and I don't want some insecurity about people's perceptions to make me pull back, but i don't have much experience using this every day in a job in industry, and I don't know if people will be like "oh, you said you work with the FD, cool no problem" or of I'll be associated with a whacker and lose peoples trust.

Maybe I'm way overthinking it and it doesn't really matter what I drive. I just don't want to freak people out coming onto the drill site!

 

[Station 3]

Who cares what they think be proud of who you are and when they ask "whats up with the ride" tell them Im a fire fighter and I use it for calls. That's what I think.

I would be more concerned with you being in Texas and some cartel guy stealing your ride because they think its a unit and taking it to mexico...........

It happens a lot down here lol

 

[Retired1]

Everyone LOVES a FireFighter.

Leave everything 'as is'. 

Have a graphics company make you large vinyl graphics for each side rear window - reading "VOLUNTEER" in an arc over "FIREFIGHTER". Use red letters with white outline (traditional fire service colors) for definition (and, the graphics will look great with your black exterior). 

It might actually increase your sales!  :thumbsup:

PS #1: It will also serve to show any interested LEO that you are not a 'LEO poser'..

PS #2: Work hard at your new job and do your best to impress your employer. The oil patch jobs are taking a real beating right now. My rural area is heavily dependent on the energy businesses for employment and the news has not been good.

 http://www.wfaa.com/story/money/2015/01/20/baker-hughes-latest-hit-by-oil-slump-to-lay-off-7000/22042433/

 

[aggmeister2010]

I would be more concerned with you being in Texas and some cartel guy stealing your ride because they think its a unit and taking it to mexico...........


It happens a lot down here lol

You mean taking it to Syria? ;-)

PS #2: Work hard at your new job and do your best to impress your employer. The oil patch jobs are taking a real beating right now. My rural area is heavily dependent on the energy businesses for employment and the news has not been good.

http://www.wfaa.com/story/money/2015/01/20/baker-hughes-latest-hit-by-oil-slump-to-lay-off-7000/22042433/

We will be too. Fortunately I'm already in the budget for a few years and our division hasn't seen too much of a sales downturn yet. If times get tough the beds at the fire house are pretty comfortable....

 

[dmathieu]

Has your new boss commented. Ask him about perceptions of potential customers. He wants you to succeed as much as you do.

 

[Sparky_911]

I work at a 9-1-1 center as a day job.  I get a lot of cracks and jokes from coworkers (several of which are also vollies on other depts.) because of my full bar and dog kennels in the back all the time.  I say as long as it doesn't look unprofessional or you get complaints from your boss, roll it!  

And to add to others' suggestions...put a dept logo in the rear window or in front by the VIN plate.  If you are an EMT put a star of life up as well.  Might give your ride a friendlier look.

 

[aggmeister2010]

I'm also considering getting one of those Firefighter plates for TX, but I'm not a huge fan of the design, so we'll see.

 

[Flashguy]

Retired 1 nailed it. I was gonna make the same advice. Either nice graphics or door magnets with the dept patch? Some way of identifying your volunteer status and reason for the lights/PPV. If you go with magnets, you can take them on and off depending on your activity. Good luck!

 

[tvsjr]

Personally, the big magnets would just be whacktastic in my book. You're there to sell oilfield stuff... you're not there to have them inspect your ride. Do your job well, don't make a big deal of it, and I suspect a lot of people won't even notice.

 

[aggmeister2010]

Personally, the big magnets would just be whacktastic in my book. You're there to sell oilfield stuff... you're not there to have them inspect your ride. Do your job well, don't make a big deal of it, and I suspect a lot of people won't even notice.

I kind of agree on the magnets. While it's a cool idea, Our department's logo is quite...busy and colorful. On an otherwise black canvas, it might look odd. For now I'll leave it alone and conduct business as usual. If anyone asks, I'm just doing my duty and being able to respond to important calls!

 

[JazzDad]

... I just don't want to freak people out coming onto the drill site!

Cheese it, boys.  It's the oil field police.

 

[proudfirefighter]

I honestly think people either A) won't notice or B) won't care. 
If anything, I could see a small 3x3 fire decal on the top corner of your back windows, but otherwise I see no need for anything more. The firefighter license plates are nice, but not necessary. 

 

[tvsjr]

I kind of agree on the magnets. While it's a cool idea, Our department's logo is quite...busy and colorful. On an otherwise black canvas, it might look odd. For now I'll leave it alone and conduct business as usual. If anyone asks, I'm just doing my duty and being able to respond to important calls!

And BTW, my truck is a bit more 'overt' than yours... and I've never had anyone say anything besides "that's cool".

 

[J-Rock1944]

I agree with the Firefighter decals suggestion, though not done in such a way that your Tahoe becomes a billboard. I drive a 2006 CVPI ( Formerly owned by the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement in KY) which is currently set up like most of their slicktops. I used to do security and short range truck escorts, and had all amber/ white up front and amber/ red to the rear. I caught some grief a couple times from the State Troopers and Local PD, but that got put to an end once I got onto our County Fire dept. I added a couple department related decals to my back window to ward off suspicion.

I'd say you'd be good to go with 3 or 4 of these, and maybe a couple 2in tall 'FIREFIGHTER' decals along the side windows. One cross in each rear-side window, with the FIREFIGHTER underneath it, and one cross on the left side of the rear window, with the last cross placed under the spot light.) 

I recommend this guy's ebay store, he has some neat graphics and has spectacular customer service. He may be able to conjure up a custom decal style for you, as well. http://www.ebay.com/itm/REFLECTIVE-Custom-Firefighter-Dept-Station-Shift-Decal-Rescue-Sticker-/130624901597?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e69d9d1dd 

 

[aggmeister2010]

And BTW, my truck is a bit more 'overt' than yours... and I've never had anyone say anything besides "that's cool".

Got any pictures?

 

[Ben E.]

I wouldn't even bother to talk about it unless someone asks.  "I'm a firefighter" would be a good enough answer for me, and it should be for anybody who might care.