Blue lights!

chris_bass

I know it is kind of the whole point of them but do they really need to be quite that bright?

had an ambulance go past last night and couldn't see a thing for about 5 minutes afterwards!!

and they always seem to sneak up on me in the day, wait until they are just behind me and then put their sirens on and scare the life out of me!

slowbike

perhaps they were touting for business?

arran77

Slowbike wrote:

perhaps they were touting for business?

You really do struggle with colours don't you.

slowbike

arran77 wrote:

Slowbike wrote:

perhaps they were touting for business?

You really do struggle with colours don't you.

No .

arran77

Slowbike wrote:

arran77 wrote:

Slowbike wrote:

perhaps they were touting for business?

You really do struggle with colours don't you.

No .

They're quite different, I'm sure even you can see that.

chris_bass

I'm pretty sure he was suggesting they were trying to cause me to have an accident and therefore could do what ambulance folk do best!

slowbike

Talking with a tech support guy yesterday - he was having to take his son into hospital for an MRI scan - came off his motorbike when a tree fell in front of him ... only good part was that he was being followed by a fast response paramedic ...

RDW

Chris Bass wrote:

I'm pretty sure he was suggesting they were trying to cause me to have an accident and therefore could do what ambulance folk do best!

Interesting insight into arran77's thought processes, though.

arran77

RDW wrote:

Chris Bass wrote:

I'm pretty sure he was suggesting they were trying to cause me to have an accident and therefore could do what ambulance folk do best!

Interesting insight into arran77's thought processes, though.

No, just a bit of banter with slowbike

Mikey23

I was grinding up the hill from the aptly named slaughterbridge the other day with an ambulance behind me all the way. He could have passed but I'm sure he was waiting for business...

arran77

Mikey23 wrote:

I was grinding up the hill from the aptly named slaughterbridge the other day with an ambulance behind me all the way. He could have passed but I'm sure he was waiting for business...

Surely not with a spritely youngster such as yourself or did they know about your past

veronese68

Did Mikey have an accident?

arran77

I don't think he's ever mentioned it, I'm sure he'll be along soon with the details

raymondo60

My optician told me I was colour blind the other day - it was a real bolt-out-of-the-green!

chris_bass

Mikey23 wrote:

I was grinding up the hill from the aptly named slaughterbridge the other day with an ambulance behind me all the way. He could have passed but I'm sure he was waiting for business...

when you say grinding....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grinding_(dance)

arran77

Chris Bass wrote:

Mikey23 wrote:

I was grinding up the hill from the aptly named slaughterbridge the other day with an ambulance behind me all the way. He could have passed but I'm sure he was waiting for business...

when you say grinding....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grinding_(dance)

And we're questioning the way my mind works

mattbabs

A few weeks ago I saw a cyclist with a flashing blue light on the back of his helmet. Don't know if this is legal but it was certainly more noticeable than a red one.

Mikey23

One day last July I was riding along... Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

slowbike

It's not a good idea to fall asleep at the handlebar - even if you've got an ambulance following you .....

arran77

mattbabs wrote:

A few weeks ago I saw a cyclist with a flashing blue light on the back of his helmet. Don't know if this is legal but it was certainly more noticeable than a red one.

Been discussed here....

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=40012&t=12678744

StillGoing

The reason the tones aren't in use until they are upon you is to minimize the social impact of sirens. There is a greater fear of crime than the actual risk of crime and people hearing two tones going all the time heightens the fear of crime. Not everyone can tell the difference between the various emergency two tone sounds, automatically thinking it's the police on the way to another incident unless they actually see the vehicle responding is an ambulance or fire pump. Also the police don't or shouldn't be using them as often as they do in many incidents in case it alerts the suspects they're on the way to try and catch. Sirens are supposed to be used only to alert other traffic/pedestrians of your presence and to clear the way when needed.

e999sam

philthy3 wrote:

The reason the tones aren't in use until they are upon you is to minimize the social impact of sirens. There is a greater fear of crime than the actual risk of crime and people hearing two tones going all the time heightens the fear of crime. Not everyone can tell the difference between the various emergency two tone sounds, automatically thinking it's the police on the way to another incident unless they actually see the vehicle responding is an ambulance or fire pump. Also the police don't or shouldn't be using them as often as they do in many incidents in case it alerts the suspects they're on the way to try and catch. Sirens are supposed to be used only to alert other traffic/pedestrians of your presence and to clear the way when needed.

In all my time as an emergency vehicle driver I have never been told not to use sirens to minimise social impact. The only criteria is will they help or hinder my progress.

Pross

I use a flashing blue fibre flare on my top tube. I don't know if it is legal or not but would rather have something that may catch a drivers attention and avoid them pulling out on me over the risk of being pulled over for using it.

arran77

Pross wrote:

I use a flashing blue fibre flare on my top tube. I don't know if it is legal or not but would rather have something that may catch a drivers attention and avoid them pulling out on me over the risk of being pulled over for using it.

I thought if it's attached to the bike then it is covered by the same laws as any other road vehicle, attached to the rider is different though, might be wrong?

Pross

arran77 wrote:

Pross wrote:

I use a flashing blue fibre flare on my top tube. I don't know if it is legal or not but would rather have something that may catch a drivers attention and avoid them pulling out on me over the risk of being pulled over for using it.

I thought if it's attached to the bike then it is covered by the same laws as any other road vehicle, attached to the rider is different though, might be wrong?

Don't know and don't care (although the thread linked to above suggests the rider is considered part of the bike). I'd rather do what I can to be seen and if I get pulled for it so be it, I suspect the worst I would get would be some advice and in my experience coppers tend to be sensible and are unlikely to hassle someone for making an effort to stay safe.

arran77

Pross wrote:

arran77 wrote:

Pross wrote:

I use a flashing blue fibre flare on my top tube. I don't know if it is legal or not but would rather have something that may catch a drivers attention and avoid them pulling out on me over the risk of being pulled over for using it.

I thought if it's attached to the bike then it is covered by the same laws as any other road vehicle, attached to the rider is different though, might be wrong?

Don't know and don't care (although the thread linked to above suggests the rider is considered part of the bike). I'd rather do what I can to be seen and if I get pulled for it so be it, I suspect the worst I would get would be some advice and in my experience coppers tend to be sensible and are unlikely to hassle someone for making an effort to stay safe.

Sorry I bothered you :P

StillGoing

e999sam wrote:

philthy3 wrote:

The reason the tones aren't in use until they are upon you is to minimize the social impact of sirens. There is a greater fear of crime than the actual risk of crime and people hearing two tones going all the time heightens the fear of crime. Not everyone can tell the difference between the various emergency two tone sounds, automatically thinking it's the police on the way to another incident unless they actually see the vehicle responding is an ambulance or fire pump. Also the police don't or shouldn't be using them as often as they do in many incidents in case it alerts the suspects they're on the way to try and catch. Sirens are supposed to be used only to alert other traffic/pedestrians of your presence and to clear the way when needed.

In all my time as an emergency vehicle driver I have never been told not to use sirens to minimise social impact. The only criteria is will they help or hinder my progress.

Would depend which service of the emergency services you are in as to the standard of your driving and whether your hierarchy bother to disseminate the information down. In the police, only certain driving authorities are allowed to use the equipment and those that are, are told of the social impact during their advance driver course, or at least we were in my old force. A lot of research was done over the years to assess the public fear of crime and actual risk of being a victim of crime. It identified that things like the noise of two-tones, graffiti and badly maintained buildings all heightened individuals fear of crime when in reality, they were at little or no risk. Too often you see emergency services vehicles going down the road with no traffic or other risk with the tones going off. Sometimes they aren't even doing any great speed.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8072184.stm

Colinthecop

I left the Met and moved to the Scottish Highlands in 2001.

I had my own station on the West coast of Skye and my own Police car. I was surprised to find it had no siren. When I asked I was told that the sound of sirens makes people think there is more crime and the boss didnt want that.

Admitedly I didn't need them, but that's not the point.

Wirral_paul

Colinthecop wrote:

Admitedly I didn't need them, but that's not the point.

Awww thats not good Colin - they didnt give you many toys to play with!! :? :shock:

wishitwasallflat

Pross wrote:

I use a flashing blue fibre flare on my top tube. I don't know if it is legal or not but would rather have something that may catch a drivers attention and avoid them pulling out on me over the risk of being pulled over for using it.

I quite fancied doing this too but I wondered; is it not annoying having the flashing light just below you all the time?

Pross

wishitwasallflat wrote:

Pross wrote:

I use a flashing blue fibre flare on my top tube. I don't know if it is legal or not but would rather have something that may catch a drivers attention and avoid them pulling out on me over the risk of being pulled over for using it.

I quite fancied doing this too but I wondered; is it not annoying having the flashing light just below you all the time?

I very rarely notice it as it's mounted under the top tube and my thighs shield it.