Well...I thought it was a cool photo.

[Troy]

My car (in front) and my partner's car behind, while we were investigating a crash yesterday.  It looked better in person, as the sun was just rising in the east.  I still think it turned out pretty neat though. 

[gopherit]

Troy..
It is a cool pic of the 2 units.
Like them best when not staged, you work with what you have @ the time.

Larry

[doug]

wow you still use the red spotlight lamps

[Troy]

wow you still use the red spotlight lamps

I only put mine on when I'm working daywatch.  I put the white spot light back on when I'm working nights.  Since the white spot lights are useless during the daytime, I might as well get some use out of them with the red in there  . 

[CFDBASHER]

Why is your RED spot located on the drivers side, and the CLEAR located on the passenger side (long reach in an emergency situation)? We only have a CLEAR located on the drivers window column, and thats to use at night (darkness). Actually we are dispensing with spots in favor of Q-Beams. I've never seen a spot with two color bulbs, so whats the story? Thanks in advance, Chuck

PS: I agree that staged photos are usually not that interesting.

[duckman376]

cool pic.  I was curious what good the dual spotlights do when you are running a single man car?  I can only assume you are a one man car with all the stuff in the passenger seat there. 

[Troy]

Why is your RED spot located on the drivers side, and the CLEAR located on the passenger side (long reach in an emergency situation)? We only have a CLEAR located on the drivers window column, and thats to use at night (darkness). Actually we are dispensing with spots in favor of Q-Beams. I've never seen a spot with two color bulbs, so whats the story? Thanks in advance, Chuck

PS: I agree that staged photos are usually not that interesting.

Chuck...We work 4 month shifts at a time and we're on daywatch right now.  My partner has his red on the passenger side because he keeps it on there even when we switch to graves.  I only put mine on during daywatch.  When we switch to nights, I take the red bulb out and put the white one back on.  It's as easy as changing a light bulb in your house.  It's just a one piece sealed light.  As for the "long reach" to the passenger side...Not a problem.  We turn that right side light on from a button on the siren control head mounted in the center console stack.

And duckman...that should answer your question too.  We use the right side light all of the time (working alone).  Just aim it up at the start of your shift...and push the button when you need it.   

[CFDBASHER]

Thanks for the explanation.  Switching the bulbs makes sense.  I did wonder if there was a new spot offered with two bulbs installed (probably would be a good marketing idea and get extra sales).  However, I like the new Q-Beams with the lithium battery in the handle, as you can take it with you, and its brighter and has wider footprint than a flashlite (although bulkier, its assists in not stepping on the occasional angry Alligatorin the dark).

[motorcade1]

Troy...

I think it is a good photo.  Wish I had done same back when.  Helps with the memories too...  

Back in the day I had a red lens that snapped onto the spotlight (held on by springs).  Later with the quartz bulbs it got too hot and warped the lens... bummer.    I used it on our slicktops during the day and aftn shifts.  They are great for long distance warning and targeting cars.  Some of my compatriots made jokes until one of them saw it from a distance.  Funny, everyone wanted to borrow it from then on.  

We always ran one man cars so all our cars had the passenger spotlight controlled by a switch on the console as well.  Great tactical tool.  Always had mine set up for the rear window of a car on T-stops.

Mark

[dso109]

We run single man units as well and about half our fleet has dual spotlights. The units with the dual spotlights are used by our FTO's so the have a spotlight as well when the FNG is driving.

[duckman376]

Dual spotlights are nearly unheard of down here..... It would be nice to be able to use a spotlight when I already give up control of my car to a FNG. 

Also, slightly off topic, my dept doesn't like the cow catchers either, because they are "intimidating", yet we chase more cars and use the PIT quite frequently. 

[diecastlover]

Troy if you dont mind can i put this as my backround? 

[Troy]

Troy if you dont mind can i put this as my backround? 

I don't mind at all.  Here is another one of my favorites...You choose.

[diecastlover]

THAKNS!! i like the first one....but in the second one thats a crazy traffic jam! people are out of there cars i see

[Dick Williams]

Troy, does California still have that antique requirement for a steady-burning red light facing forward that was in force for decades?  I always thought it was an anachronism that CA maintained that law long after revolving lights, then lightbars, became available.

[Troy]

A steady burning red light is required to the front for all CA emergency vehicles.  Most of them are in the light bar.  I just like the "old school" red spot light.  The red spot is not required, but looks good    The interior lights on my car have a solid red to the front.   

The requirement is CA Vehicle Code section 25252.

[motorcade1]

Actually Dick... that is a very well functioning item, the steady red forward light that is.  As I noted earlier, I used a snap on lens for our slicktop patrol car spotlights (in MI).  By using the snap on lens, I could remove it and have a standard spotlight at night.  I got that lens from Darley Fire Equipment but they are no longer available, even if they were, the intense heat of the halogen spotlights would melt it. 

That solid steady red beam can be seen much farther than any light rotating or LED.  I was so impressed with the results I was seeing at work, that I installed one in the grill of my car to supplement my "magnetic wizbang roof light" that I used as a volunteer fire fighter for 20 years.  Many of my fellow vollies commented on how bright the light was and how far down the road they could see it as I approached.  I also noted a quicker response by cars I was approaching (those coming at me and those going the same direction as me).  The movement of my car must have made the light appear to flicker from time to time and because it was visible so far down the road, it gave others more time to recognize it and react to it.

In many ways I think that it should be standard on all emergency vehicles.  After all, that steady red simply means STOP.

[Dick Williams]

Thanks for sharing your experience - it doesn't seem logical at first that a steady light would get more attention than a flashing light, so your observation from real life is very interesting.

[bandit]

That looks odd with the passenger door American Flag reversed, yet on some units its the opposite way around.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ardala/2702508013/

[motorcade1]

Technically, that is the correct way to display the flag even though it counters the expected view of the flag waving to the rear of the car (a perceived illusion of the flag waving in that direction due to the forward motion of the car).  The flag is supposed to be displayed with the blue field in the upper left corner (as the viewer looks at it) according to flag etiquette.

[Troy]

Mark is right...and the flag on the passenger side is supposed to be reversed.  From old history, "the stars always go into battle first".  If you were looking at a real flag, and walk around it, the blue/stars are always to the front.  When we started putting flag decals on our cars after 9-11, like most Americans did, our garage staff wasn't really aware of the etiquette and only bought one style of decal.  As they started showing up on the cars, it was quickly pointed out that the flag decal on the passenger side was wrong, and needed to have the blue/stars to the front.  Now we have 2 (left-right) flag decals.  The photo that bandit posted is just an older photo and an older car that probably never got updated.  I'll have to check it out.  Just by the photo, I know what car that is 

As for the lights...More and "flashy" isn't always better.  With pretty much everything being LED now days, it gets a bit confusing.  I've seen some fire apparatus that have gone was overboard with lights.  No research, no testing, no flash pattern regulations...just shove as many lights as you can on it to make it look good.  I have had the same experiences as Mark, and have read the research.  Slow, longer dwell time flash patterns are what you need.  Not a disco ball flying down the road.  Driver's need time to see, understand, and react.  The more flasy, wizbang stuff they see coming, the more confused they get.  Roll up behind them with a big red spotlight through their rear window, and it's pretty clear.  But we all know, you could have 10 light bars on your roof...there will still be those drivers that slam on their brakes right in front of you and have no idea what to do.         

[Mike H]

Maybe W/O Lemon Grove Ave., behind the Home Depot. I know Lemon Grove is county but with that traffic backup maybe station A was called to help?

[Troy]

Maybe W/O Lemon Grove Ave., behind the Home Depot. I know Lemon Grove is county but with that traffic backup maybe station A was called to help?

You nailed it!  It's E/B SR-94 just west of Lemon Grove Av.  It was out of the "city", but my partner and I rolled since we figured that the CHP would need some help...and they did