Lightbars on chase vehicles

[Melissa Moon]

Originally posted by David Drummond


I can respect your opinion Melissa, but why does testosterone have to do anything with it?

It was somewhat of a joke not meant to be taken too seriously! No worries. However, I have seen many male chasers talk up their "equipment" with other male chasers the same way that guys into street racing talk up their souped up cars. To me, when that happens it is one big testosterone fest that I kind of find silly. Then again, it's not discounting the fact the we girls have our estrogen fests with shopping and stuff like that. No worries.

 

[David Drummond]

Originally posted by Melissa Moon+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Melissa Moon)</div>

<!--QuoteBegin-David Drummond

I can respect your opinion Melissa, but why does testosterone have to do anything with it?

It was somewhat of a joke not meant to be taken too seriously! No worries. However, I have seen many male chasers talk up their "equipment" with other male chasers the same way that guys into street racing talk up their souped up cars. To me, when that happens it is one big testosterone fest that I kind of find silly. Then again, it's not discounting the fact the we girls have our estrogen fests with shopping and stuff like that. No worries.[/b]

I can see that. I personally am quite proud of a chase vehicle once I am done with it (evidence the chase vehicle build up thead I have going). I put a HUGE amount of MYSELF into building it. I have drawn blood (several times) while building it. It's as much of a hobby itself as the chasing is, it's fun, and I enjoy doing it and using it, so naturally, sure I am proud of it and like to show it off on occassion. Just like I would think anyone would be that put a huge amount of themselves in to making, whether it be a chase vehicle, sewing a new outfit, making a great 4 course dinner, or having the best yard on the block. I think it's just being proud of what you do more than any body chemicals coming in to play.

I have seen a chaser or two that almost seemed ashamed for people to know they were crazy enough to be chasing storms and I never understood that. If you can't be proud of what your doing, then why are you doing it?

I will say regarding lights that moderation depending on the setup is important. While I do have probably an insane amount of light available, your not going to see it all lit up at any one time unless it's on display for something somewhere. Each part of the whole system has it's purpose depending on the situation. I would have UFOs landing if I lit it all up at once! On the other hand, I have seen the magnetic "walmart kojak light specials" in play on some chase vehicles in bad visibility and you might as well throw those in the ditch. If your gonna have them, forgo the walmart toys and get something that is effective.

 

[Aric Cylkowski]

Thanks for letting me know about auxillary lights, I'll be sure to look into them once I get my newer car back on the road.

 

[John Diel]

Hi Melissa,

Enjoying your time 'down under'?

Sorry your "Testosterone" joke didn't go over to ell. Here's a case in point. Yes, I have lights, Weather Station and Radio Antennas. I won't go into the value of said items as that was posted earlier. However, just this very weekend, I saw a little bitty white car that sailed by me on OK 132 (followed closely by a larger SUV) that was festooned with all manner of equipment. Rain guages, Anemometer, temp and humidity sensors, lights, antennas, basically all spaces on the outside of the vehicle that didn't affect vision was covered with something. Guess who was driving said vehicle? Yeah, that's right, a couple of young women. I guess that might be an "over-indulgance of Estrogen"? Nahh.. couldn't be that, they were women, right?

Back to the point, My own reasons are twofold. Safety and Publicity. Keeps me from getting creamed on a dark rainy night and gets my station a few more folks tuning in. There may be a benefit to you though. All those lights keeps the folks looking in my direction so you are perfectly free to stealth about, Testosterone doesn't even enter into the mix.

Have fun, keep Safe and Bag that F5.

 

[Mikel Shively]

I run a Halogen amber mini-bar on top of my car. I only use it in low visability situations, and in situations in which i dont want other people to know that im broke down along side the road. The ONLY reason I use them is SAFETY! I want people to know Im there. I want people to slow down and use good judgement when they are passing by me so that I dont get hit. Anybody that has chased in Missouri knows that our roads are not the best in the world, and its not always possible to get completely off the road without going into a ditch. Personally, I would like to go home to my family after a chase!

 

[Melissa Moon]

Australia is great. I love it here. I just wish that there was more convection to enjoy while here, but that's ok cause missing one season (back home) is not so bad

I think my "joke" went over just fine. I know there are plenty of folks out there who agree, but won't come out and say it on the forum. There's always going to be an exception to any generalization (women driving those things too), but like I said it was a joke that one it not supposed to get their panties in a wad over (which is more likely if one falls into being the butt of the joke).

It's the going to any kind of chaser gathering and seeing a lot of the guys huddled around bragging about what kind of useless features they have on their chase vehicles, and showing them off that makes the rest of us want to gag. Granted, if you have something that actually is of some use, like the turtles Tim Samaras has been using for his research, then showing your devices to others is great because it has some kind of scientific/educational value. I think the thing that gets me the most are all the expensive pieces of meteorological equipment on the top of some vehicles that really are serving no scientific purpose (ie not even being hooked to a datalogger). As far as safety is concerned, I find the excessiveness (like REALLY flashy lights) to be much more of a distraction on the road and therefore a hazard than anything.

Again, it is not my means to cause any offense (which is probably inevitable because some people may feel directly attacked), but this is just what I honestly think. Perhaps I should work on being a little more reserved in expressing my opinions because they are not always in the favourable eye of everyone. But then again, I like hearing everyone else's uncensored opinions, so what would be the point in censoring my own?

 

[Jason Boggs]

I have to disagree with you Melissa. I believe a lot of chasers use flashy lights for their one and only purpose which is safety. I also believe a lot of chasers use flashy lights to say...Hey look at me...I'm important!!! Notice that I said chasers....Not men. Oh, and not all chasers chase for scientific purposes either.

 

[Melissa Moon]

I realize that it's not just men who do this! J-O-K-E! Do I have to spell it? Well, I just did so no worries.

In addition to those who have an excess of lighting to show off, I also realize that there are many who use these flashy lightbars because for safety reasons. HOWEVER, while the latter may have good intentions, I don't think that having out-of-the ordinary lights is actully promoting safety at all. Maybe one little flashy light on top (similar to what the mailman uses if he is delivering from his own car) or using hazards is ok (those show up just fine in bad conditions), but when you have someone who has one of those bars that blinks every which way, I think it's more of a hazard than anything because it catches drivers who aren't expecting to see something so rambunctious off guard and may surprise them and distract them from their driving.

As far as scientific chasing goes, I realize that for many people it's just a thrill. I'll admit that, yes, why I go out there so that I can learn more scientifically, it's also somewhat of a thrill for me too, but I don't own any instruments that are just there for show. Why waste money and show all the gadgets off to everyone else if the gadgets are not doing anything important? To each their own I guess, but when some person goes on and on to me about all the "cool" instruments on the top of their vehicle when the instruments aren't doing anything more than looking pretty, then everything that the person is saying becomes nothing but a bunch of hot air because I see it as nothing but a waste. If someone wants to do that, then that's fine I guess, but don't come bragging to me about it because I won't be impressed.

Wow, you guys really have me on a soapbox tonight . Don't worry, I respect all of your opinions and I love to hear them.

 

[Greg Stumpf]

Originally posted by Melissa Moon
In addition to those who have an excess of lighting to show off, I also realize that there are many who use these flashy lightbars because for safety reasons.

What about all the "lightbar" chasers who running their light units when NOT in a hazardous situation. I can't tell you how many times in the past few years I've seen chasers with these (and sometimes caravans of chasers of similar looking vehicles all with light bars) running their units even while quite far away from any hazardous area on the storm. Sorry, but I'm gonna say it again ... these are Twister wannabees, and are only adding this flare to their vehicles to draw attention to themselves. Just hope they don't mind all the "latch-on" groupie chasers following them everywhere (the "DOW effect")!

IMO, strobe amber lights (single, or lightbar) used in hazardous situations (low visibility) for safety are cool (we did that in the late 1980s with single amber lights). But, seeing vehicles operating lightbars outside of hazard areas draw sighs from me.

Greg (one of those "Civic chasers")

p.s. Mel - your NZ pix are wonderful! Very envious!

 

[Travis Livengood]

I had almost talked myself into getting ambers, but I think I may just get a small light I can clip to the bed for when I'm sitting on the roadside. Just a FEW too many close calls with traffic not getting over.

p.s. the latch-on statement can be a little harsh. Often times, we're all heading the to the same place, and sometimes that means a chaser behind you that you percieve as "following you"

We had that happen sunday. We were listening to others on the ham radio, there were two skywarn guys talking that had just passed us, then pulled over, we pulled over about an 1/8th -1/4 mile up the road due to somewhat intense hail, they then referred to us pulling over because they did and called us wanna-bes....kinda irked me. IF you guys are on here, that rubbed me JUST a little the wrong way.

 

[John Diel]

Andrew,

I'd like to see youe paper sometime. After having been in Emergency Services for almost 17 years (before I saw the light ) I have driven in almost all conditions imaginable. Yes, there is the "Moth to Flame" theory. But for the most part, it doesn't pan out. For all the emergency runs made every day, I don't think the stats pan out that a single vehicle is more likely to get hit using lights or not. IMHO, most research papers are skewed to the left or right depending on what the author is trying to prove.

Am I setting myself up as a target? Possibly. The risk is there. Is it more of a risk when I use my lights as opposed to standard hazard lights? Debatable at best. I'm speaking from experience from across the country and not scientific research though. I've driven emergency vehicles in Seattle, Boston, and El Paso. I've driven emergency vehicles in rural Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Texas. I've driven Abulances, Fire Vehicles, and Police Cars. So I do have some experience in this. I did so both Professionally and Volunteer and I taught others how to do the driving safely as well. I may be unique among most, but I never had any trouble except in Seattle rush hour.

 

[Nick Parker]

IMHO, I think a small lightbar is a good thing for a chasing/spotting vehicle. Especially when designed with alley/takedown lights. I worked with IDOT the summer of 03' (Maintence and Engineering Divisons) and just to keep people friom plowing into the back of us, strobes were PRICELESS. There were many occasians when I would be in a hurry, get out of my work truck to take measurements, and forget to kick the stobes on. And yes, I had to dodge cars slamming there brakes on even on sunny days. Same situations with my strobes on: Most would be able to see, and would slow down or at least get over in the other lane to give me room.

Now spotting/chasing is a whole different ballgame then road constuction. But, after being out on the side of the road many times, I will have a small lightbar as soon as the money permits. I'd rather have a word or two with the county sheriff then to take a SUV up the tailgate.

 

[Karen Politte]

I have lights on my car, too. They're nice little orangey things at the sides called "Hazards" - and they can be used to great effect. That's why factories install them on vehicles before they leave the production line.

"Testosterone-fest".....never a truer word.....

KR

 

[David Drummond]

Originally posted by Karen Rhoden
I have lights on my car, too. They're nice little orangey things at the sides called \"Hazards\" - and they can be used to great effect. That's why factories install them on vehicles before they leave the production line.
KR

Again, using the hazard lights prevents the use of turn signals on almost all vehicles. You do use those right? Turn signals?

 

[Greg Stumpf]

Originally posted by David Drummond
Again, using the hazard lights prevents the use of turn signals on almost all vehicles. You do use those right? Turn signals?

In addition, I find that using hazards invite folks to slow down or stop to see if you are having car trouble.

I'd go with just the parking lights or headlights, or a small amber strobe (turn on only when visibility is bad). Use restraint.