Coming from a blue = police state (NH), the CDOT (CO) trucks really threw me off. All plows in Colorado run blue, sometimes with amber. I didn't like it at all, but it is what it is!
Thoughts about Blue Lights on Snow Plows?
- Thread starter firedude
- Start date
technically you don't want chevrons........ a chevron would imply that it is OK to pass on the right , I say that NY state is doing the right thing with the 1/2 chevron. also notice thw yellow and green truck that points the traffic to the center of the truck , that would also be appropriate according to the MUTCD
Nevada law changed a few years ago to allow steady blue to the rear. It really catches your attention and you can see the blue glow through snow quite well.
Here is a link to a study that INDOT conducted.
http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2650&context=jtrp&sei-redir=1&referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dndot%2Bsnow%2Bplow%2Bblue%2Blight%26ie%3DUTF-8%26oe%3DUTF-8%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari#search=%22ndot%20snow%20plow%20blue%20light%22
Here is a link to a study that INDOT conducted.
http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2650&context=jtrp&sei-redir=1&referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dndot%2Bsnow%2Bplow%2Bblue%2Blight%26ie%3DUTF-8%26oe%3DUTF-8%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari#search=%22ndot%20snow%20plow%20blue%20light%22
Going back to the OP's video, the truck shown also has white to the rear in addition to their blue and GREEN cones, it doesn't seem like this agency cares too much about conventional wisdom.
I'm all for safety but it just looks weird... (same truck as my 1st post)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxcdTAEwz6c
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxcdTAEwz6c
Here is my thoughts on the topic as a plow driver and a citizen. I support the idea of using a second color besides amber. 90% of our work is done in the dark. You add in snow, wind, and limited visibility and you can't always see the lights flashing, no matter what the type of light it is, LED/Halogen/Strobe. You have tons of over head street lamps that are yellow in color, headlights from other cars on the road are yellow in color and it tends to wash out the flashing amber lights in blowing snow. Then you have the red tail lights on vehicles as well. So Blue or green in my opinion is a great way to contrast the yellow and red colors and really let the plows stand out and be seen from a farther distance. I don't think flashing white or red should be on plows at all.
The best way to stand out is to be totally different. So if all we see at night in snow storms is amber and red, snow plows should be using something opposite from amber and red. Green and/or blue is perfect for that. Take a look the next time you're driving around on a snowy night and you'll see what I mean.
The best way to stand out is to be totally different. So if all we see at night in snow storms is amber and red, snow plows should be using something opposite from amber and red. Green and/or blue is perfect for that. Take a look the next time you're driving around on a snowy night and you'll see what I mean.
Alaska DOT uses amber and blue, more often than not in an X pattern on the back of the plow. 2 beacons typically end up being seen forward. I've never had an issue with being "surprised" by any of them in front of me, or behind me.
Typically any graders in road service have the same, with the addition of a beacon or two on any extendable wings off the graders.
The loader I ran for a private snow removal company just had a strobe beacon up top and I ran with the LED hazards on. All amber, and I never had any issues with anyone not seeing me while on city streets between work sites or with any "disco effect" while operating it. I might have seen some of the "disco effect" if I didn't have 12 HID worklights on, but all I would see is snow that needed moving
Typically any graders in road service have the same, with the addition of a beacon or two on any extendable wings off the graders.
The loader I ran for a private snow removal company just had a strobe beacon up top and I ran with the LED hazards on. All amber, and I never had any issues with anyone not seeing me while on city streets between work sites or with any "disco effect" while operating it. I might have seen some of the "disco effect" if I didn't have 12 HID worklights on, but all I would see is snow that needed moving
At first I wasn't sold on the fact that plows should use blue lights. After driving on the NJ Turnpike during the snow the other day, I'm convinced. They were in the left shoulder, cars were blowing by them on the right, in the right shoulder and cars just blowing past them. The amber lights weren't easy to see. A contrasting color like blue or green would be perfect, coupled with the amber. I don't think its necessary to the front, but absolutely to the rear
Keith K. said:
Yeah the NRS says it was added in 2003. I will say the steady burn is very visible and whatever they put on their rigs are BRIGHT. I was cruising down the freeway one night and saw what I thought was NHP on a traffic stop because of the flashing blue lights. Once I got closer I could see it was a street sweeper and was a little annoyed. I kept seeing it on the 95 around 11pm so one day I emailed NDOT and asked. They replied back saying they would have their maintenance manager check their sweepers for flashing blue lights. I haven't seen any recently but I don't cruise that area at that time anymore.
I have seen many DOT trucks and sweepers with the steady blue and it is very visible and I think emergency vehicles and other states should look in to it. If it's good enough for CHP it should be good enough for everyone!
nluszcz said:
I agree, I lived in SC for a long time, if you see blue in the rear view it was LE, if it was red it was fire, otherwise it was not something to worry about. I almost pulled over for a CDOT plow when I first moved back to CO...lol
I do like the green idea though, plows running green and amber would be way more visible. The human eye is said to be more sensitive to green therefor you are supposed to be able to see it from much further away and or in poor visibility conditions.
To be honest with everyone here, the only thing I saw blue on was a snow plow. I grew up just outside of Toronto, and all the Ministry of Transportation plows had a single blue two bulb beacon on the cab, and 2 steady red sealed beam lamps rear facing. Private plows were mainly the same (some had bars some had some sort of beacon but it had to be blue) minus the solid reds.
When I moved to FL. it through me for a bit when I saw LEO with mostly blue only, being use to seeing only red on LEO.
When I moved to FL. it through me for a bit when I saw LEO with mostly blue only, being use to seeing only red on LEO.
killCARB027 said:
I agree. We run 9 plows, 3 skid steers, a back hoe, and a loader. All have amber beacons on them. I've yelled at a few guys for not having them on when they're supposed to and having them on when they're not supposed to. I told them if they get a ticket (~$500) for the lights in any manner, it's coming out of their pay checks. Haven't had any problems since.
Street sweepers don't always have a choice. Some states lump snow plows and street sweepers together under "maintenance vehicles" nad lights have to be activated when working in a public access way which some parking lots fall under.
First off, No matter what color or amount of lights, most people do not give 1 crap about plow trucks. Its crazy to witness people trying to weave around and pass large covoys of plow trucks. Most IL govt plows used a whelen DOT system containing a 80" edge with rear strobe 700s rippin in a sync pattern with the bar. The newer trucks have either freedoms or justice bars. Freedom setups have rear 700 super leds while the justice lightbar setups have 6 rear 500s on the rear dump bed. 4 being amber and 2 clear.