Wreckers & Snow Plows - "Anything But All-Amber"

[dg0223]

I haven't been able to find the law that allows tow trucks to run red lights to the front in Texas.

If the lighting laws weren't a jumble of words that confuse people, things would be way easier to decipher. Red, white, and blue, in any combination should be specifically reserved for emergency vehicles. Amber should be reserved for construction, maintenance, and tow trucks, and if your vehicle doesn't need to have emergency lights then you shouldn't have emergency lights mounted on your vehicle, period.

The other problem is some volunteer firefighters have plain white trucks, or other plain non-marked vehicles with a lightbar mounted on them. There should also be some sort of law regulating the use of lights on a POV.

 

[buddek09]

dg0223, It's funny that you mention about it being a pissing contest on a simple conversation and then decide to make it a pissing contest by making 2 posts that have nothing to do with the original thread either.

Getting back on topic. Though I'm not fully against red/blue when used with respect I don't like regular towing companies running full red/blue like below. My previous post about the company uses mainly amber but has red/blue which they enable for responding/on scene at accidents.

 

[dg0223]

The thread was asking about what types of emergency lighting is used on snow plows and tow trucks and my reply was about the types of emergency lighting used on tow trucks.

I don't think you know what a pissing contest is. I wasn't arguing with anybody, I was simply adding to the discussion. I am not saying anybody is right and I am wrong. I'm simply adding facts about the tow truck/show plow thing and sharing my opinion on how I think emergency lighting should be mounted on an emergency vehicle and how I think the lighting laws should be enforced in order to prevent some random person who isn't a LEO or first responder from mounting a lightbar on their vehicle for no reason other than they like blinking lights.

 

[OSP959(R)]

I'm sorry I said anything about 'blue' and 'emergency' lighting. I've only known it as an emergency color.

To get back on topic, i saw a wrecker in Texas that changed colors in its flash pattern. It was blue and amber, but switched to green and then back to blue amber.

 

[dg0223]

I'm sorry I said anything about 'blue' and 'emergency' lighting. I've only known it as an emergency color.

To get back on topic, i saw a wrecker in Texas that changed colors in its flash pattern. It was blue and amber, but switched to green and then back to blue amber.

That's what I mean, no real enforcement of anything down here. Gets a bit crazy.

 

[Doyle257]

In Western NY tow operators can only use amber to the front, unless they are a police hook, then they operate red/white

As for the rear, its kind of a free for all. I've seen Amber, white, Blue, Red and green. Pretty much the only color I have not witnessed on the back of a hook is Purple, which is reserved for funeral processions. it all changed when they changed the language about 10-12 years ago, to allow Police Fire and EMS have blue to the rear. Before that, it was all Amber, at least at this end of the state.

 

[Station 3]

That's what I mean, no real enforcement of anything down here. Gets a bit crazy.

The new law that allows Wreckers to run "RED" was just put into Texan Legislation last legislative update which they do every September its called the "Move Over Law" which now treats tow trucks as emergency vehicles just like fire trucks ambulances and police cars on the side of the road. And in that amendment they allowed them to run red.

 

[TDC]

I haven't been able to find the law that allows tow trucks to run red lights to the front in Texas.

If the lighting laws weren't a jumble of words that confuse people, things would be way easier to decipher. Red, white, and blue, in any combination should be specifically reserved for emergency vehicles. Amber should be reserved for construction, maintenance, and tow trucks, and if your vehicle doesn't need to have emergency lights then you shouldn't have emergency lights mounted on your vehicle, period.

The other problem is some volunteer firefighters have plain white trucks, or other plain non-marked vehicles with a lightbar mounted on them. There should also be some sort of law regulating the use of lights on a POV.

Sec. 547.305. RESTRICTIONS ON USE OF LIGHTS(d) A vehicle may be equipped with alternately flashing lighting equipment described by Section 547.701 or 547.702 ("School Bus Lights") only if the vehicle is:
(4) a tow truck while under the direction of a law enforcement officer at the scene of an accident or while hooking up to a disabled vehicle on a roadway

And whatever ... it's a Tow Truck. They are supposed to have cool lights.

 

[OSP959(R)]

I've seen red and Amber on the front of tow trucks in Texas. The first time I encountered it I thought it was a fire truck coming at me

 

[dg0223]

Sec. 547.305. RESTRICTIONS ON USE OF LIGHTS(d) A vehicle may be equipped with alternately flashing lighting equipment described by Section 547.701 or 547.702 ("School Bus Lights") only if the vehicle is:
(4) a tow truck while under the direction of a law enforcement officer at the scene of an accident or while hooking up to a disabled vehicle on a roadway

And whatever ... it's a Tow Truck. They are supposed to have cool lights.

A tow truck isn't always under the direction of a law enforcement officer at the scene of an accident, nor is it always hooking up a disabled vehicle on a roadway. That said, this law says nothing about allowing a tow truck to display a flashing red light.

And no matter how much I like emergency lighting, lights on a vehicle are not supposed to be cool, they're supposed to be functional and serve a purpose.

 

[Station 3]

A tow truck isn't always under the direction of a law enforcement officer at the scene of an accident, nor is it always hooking up a disabled vehicle on a roadway. That said, this law says nothing about allowing a tow truck to display a flashing red light.

And no matter how much I like emergency lighting, lights on a vehicle are not supposed to be cool, they're supposed to be functional and serve a purpose.

Yea I love lights as well but I don't agree with these guys running red blue to the front they can run it all day long to the rear but the "trend" I have been seeing lately is these guys don't really care about the important rear lighting and just want to light up the front of the truck to make it look "cool"

 

[LRGJr72]

Hot Springs, South Dakota

 

[LRGJr72]

Crawford, Nebraska

 

[LRGJr72]

A wrecker on 6 Mile Rd at the Southfield Freeway (NW Detroit).

 

[irsa76]

Meanwhile here in Australia I know of a number of tow truck operators who've had their authorities suspended due to having white to the front and/or TA bars.

 

[LRGJr72]

Meanwhile here in Australia I know of a number of tow truck operators who've had their authorities suspended due to having white to the front and/or TA bars.

That's insane. Is that regulated by the federal government or each state?

 

[Doyle257]

Meanwhile here in Australia I know of a number of tow truck operators who've had their authorities suspended due to having white to the front and/or TA bars.

That is obscene. There is def such a thing as TOO MUCH oversight...this being a prime example...

 

[Phillyrube]

Meanwhile here in Australia I know of a number of tow truck operators who've had their authorities suspended due to having white to the front and/or TA bars.

That's insane. Is that regulated by the federal government or each state?

That is obscene. There is def such a thing as TOO MUCH oversight...this being a prime example...

Remember, this is America, I can do what I want, when I want, and exercise my God given right to drive where and how I please.

I used to write wrecker and funeral cars for illegal lighting: use of white and or HAW. To be fair, I wrote the hearse after they planted the guy in back.

 

[Doyle257]

Remember, this is America, I can do what I want, when I want, and exercise my God given right to drive where and how I please.

I used to write wrecker and funeral cars for illegal lighting: use of white and or HAW. To be fair, I wrote the hearse after they planted the guy in back.

I mean, Ive seen wreckers get written for Blue, Red, green, and white when not authorized, or in unauthorized locations...but A TA BAR?!?! come on

 

[irsa76]

That's insane. Is that regulated by the federal government or each state?

State authority, who also fines you heavily for something as stupid as the handle of the broom being too short.
I actually thought it was BS but I happened to have a job interview last week with a towing company and asked about it, he showed me the schedule of penalties.