Police light bar effectiveness

[brianl703]

Quote:
Yeah, if the police wanted to save lives, they should start ticketing those poking along in the left lane.


I've had some of those jerks actually speed up when I went to pass them (passing on the right is not illegal in Virginia, nor have I found a state where it is..and I've been looking). Suddenly, 70MPH wasn't fast enough when moments before 60MPH was too fast for them.

I don't know about you, but I'm not a herd animal and I don't want to drive in one, particularly when the highway is otherwise empty of cars except for the lane commanders and the 10 cars behind them.

 

[Bryanccfshr]

Let off the trhottle and you are out of the herd

 

[brianl703]

Originally Posted By: Bryanccfshr
Let off the trhottle and you are out of the herd


Yea, then some [censored] is tailgating you. Bright idea. Although if I'm between a tailgater and a Lane Commander, I'll move over if at all possible. Let the tailgater do the dirty work of getting the Lane Commander to move over (they usually do). I'm not going to act as a buffer between the Lane Commander and the tailgater. I don't tailgate anyone, but I happily take advantage of those willing to do what I'm not...

 

[Bryanccfshr]

what's a tailgater? I only check the rear view if I am changing lanes and thats the side ones.

 

[brianl703]

That's some real defensive driving you practice there.

 

[Gary Allan]

Originally Posted By: Canawler
Originally Posted By: brianl703
Yes, it does. West Virginia has half the population density. They also have a 70MPH speed limit.


I was amazed the first time I travelled on WV 50 from Clarkesburg to Parkersburg. Four lane road with a lot of cross roads and the speed limit is 65.

First time I've seen 65 on anything other than a limited access highway.
There was virtually no traffic and you could make great time legally.


If I'm not mistaken, this is the way it is on the way to Lock Haven where my daughter did her Freshman and Sophomore years. I thought it odd too ..but it's right here in PA. I recall telling my daughter to watch her speed ..and she said, "but I'm not speeding". I think it was Rt. 220 off of I-80. Cross roads ..plenty.

 

[brianl703]

I remember PA proudly advertising "STILL!! 55" when the surrounding states had raised their limits to 65. I guess that's why I'd rather stay off the PA Turnpike and use I-68 instead..it's faster, more lanes, wider median, and free. Also not foreign-owned, either.

 

[Gary Allan]

That's not the case now. The higher density areas of the turnpike are still 55 ..but not the rural areas. I-80 is 65 ..and, as I said, some of the non-limited access road too. Those Reagan years of the Federal Highway fund hold back are thankfully long gone.

It doesn't matter though. I-80 is so boring... you would have to do 90mph to keep yourself from falling asleep. I left it for a 2.5 hour more scenic route just due to the boredom.

 

[AcuraTech]

You all need to read the book 'Traffic'. Goes in depth about everything being discussed here. The problem isn't so much that speed kills, it's that human error kills.

The human brain isn't built to comprehend moving across land at 80 mph. Modern highways are built to be optical illusions making you seem to be going slower than you really are. Modern cars (even the so called "economy" cars) are so quiet and isolating on the highway that you often catch yourself speeding until you glance down at the speedometer.

One good example of the optical illusion of highways: how far apart are the striped divider lines painted on US highways? Most people say 3 to 6 feet. The answer is 13 to 15 feet.

 

[AcuraTech]

Point of it all being, if you feel that you need to drive 80 mph, that's fine. I often drive that speed on rural interstates myself.

But when I'm in the far right lane of a 3 lane urban interstate, doing the speed limit, don't ride my a** like I'm blocking the bar urinal at closing time.

Left lane = make way for passing traffic
Right lane = get off my a**, if you wanna pass get to the left

BTW color schemes here:
Police: Red and Blue "cherries and berries"
Fire and EMT: Strictly Red
Security, City, and Plowing: Orange

 

[labman]

I agree with all the above except the light colors. I have seen police adding yellow or orange. I find that harder to sort out at the far limits of my vision. The further back you sort out what is up ahead, the better. I think your list would be a good way for it to be with no exceptions.

Also, anybody else been blinded by coming up on a stopped school bus in the dark with flashing headlights? Another extremely stupid idea from the federal government.

 

[brianl703]

No, but I've been blinded by the LED brake lights on an ambulance.

 

[Canawler]

Originally Posted By: Gary Allan
If I'm not mistaken, this is the way it is on the way to Lock Haven where my daughter did her Freshman and Sophomore years. I thought it odd too ..but it's right here in PA. I recall telling my daughter to watch her speed ..and she said, "but I'm not speeding". I think it was Rt. 220 off of I-80. Cross roads ..plenty.


You know... now that you mention it, I've been on 220 between Williamsport and Lock Haven and some sections are indeed 65 with cross traffic.

 

[brianl703]

Originally Posted By: AcuraTech
Most people say 3 to 6 feet. The answer is 13 to 15 feet.


Are these people stoned or something? All you have to do is consider how wide the average car is, which is roughly 6 feet, and then consider that you have roughly half the width of the car on each side, and that's roughly 12 feet--which just happens to be the minimum width of a lane per Interstate highway specs. It can be narrower for other roadways, however--typical urban highway lanes can be 11 feet.

Source:

FHWA


EDIT: There are some dirt roads that were paved around here that I'm fairly certain are only 18 feet wide, making for a 9 foot wide lane.

 

[RacerE7773]

Originally Posted By: CivicFan
I do not like them. They have a very low profile so by the time you realize it's a cop car, it's probably late.
That's the whole point of the low profile. I saw a local coming towards us and said "that's a {cop}." My wife didn't see until he was right beside us and past us.

 

[rshunter]

Originally Posted By: RacerE7773
Originally Posted By: CivicFan
I do not like them. They have a very low profile so by the time you realize it's a cop car, it's probably late.
That's the whole point of the low profile. I saw a local coming towards us and said "that's a {cop}." My wife didn't see until he was right beside us and past us.

This is why I'm glad that I've got 20/10 vision. People often refer to me as "eagle eye". I mention stuff that I see and others are constantly saying, "Where? Where is it? I don't see anything." To which my normal response is, "What are you, blind? IT'S RIGHT THERE!!!"

 

[CJWink]

When I was a deputy in Iowa we were only allowed red and white. We each had our own car and got to do some things as we wanted to them, I wanted some blue lights but was told I couldn’t have them. Reason given was because in Iowa blue was reserved for volunteer fireman so that they could have a light that wasn’t associated with official government vehicles so as to avoid paying higher auto insurance.

I used the Federal Signal Smart Vector bar, with the siren mounted on a front bumper push bar.