I am a MP ( Military Police) stationed at Camp Pendleton Ca. I have worked with civillian cops on many occasions. I can tell you from personal experience. These boys ain't mess'n around. If you get caught with that blue light you are going to be in more trouble than you can talk your way out of. Now if a felony arrest record is worth the risk, be my guest. While you are at it hope and pray you don't end up being buba's wife.

 

In most states in order to have a light bar for your own vehicle ( think lights for volunteer fire fighters and such) you have to pass an emergency vehicle operators course.

 

Volunteer firefighter are scrutinized for using lights because they must exorcise due reguard when they use them to get through traffic in an emergency.

 

Its an Infra Red technology or however it is you spell it
-Patrick

 

Did a search on that and its illegal in some states, probly all of them. But still a way awsome thing to have They cost bout 200-500 depending on what company and if you want stealth or not

 

All the guy wants to do is have some lights on his truck. Its just like adding a neon kit or something. you don't drive around with it on but its cool to have to show your friends. As for the so called MP from camp pendleton...that is a joke and so are you. i have been in the military for 5 years and around it for even longer and all the MP's or SP's are all the same. they all think they are bad a**'s but the truth is you couldn't score high enough on your ASVAB to get the job in the military you actually wanted. So i say light that B*tch up and take some video of it and send to me cause im thinking about doing the same thing to my truck!!

 

Make sure you write us from jail. Well, if your new girlfriend Bubba will let you write from there!

Listen pal, no need to get upset and start slinging insults just because you want to break the law. Give it a rest. Everyone telling him not to are doing it for a very good reason...it's illegal. And take it from me, I'm in LE and I wouldn't hesitate to haul whoever has these on their vehicle to jail. It's senseless.

If you want to be a cop so bad, go be a cop. Other than that, quit trying to act like one!! It's against the law, PERIOD! We can't take chances that you just might be some guy that uses it on a farm. We have to assume that it might be used for harm, as they have been in the past(there have been many documented cases), hence why it's ILLEGAL! So all measures will be taken to enforce it.

 

Can you guys lay off of this, all he wants is lights. This thread wack now. I think he gets the point that its not legal to drive around the city with them on.

 

That statement is out of line.

Has nothing to do with this thread. 5 years in the military, big deal. I have underwear older than you.

Your statement just shows your lack of maturity and professionalism by flaming a fellow member of the military.

 

Dude....lay off the personal insults. There is no need for that here.

 

They call that a MIRT, I was making one but you have to get pretty close to the strobe rate for the light to change. It's infrared so your "headlights" won't do the trick, although I've heard that before. I have a spotlight and that won't work either. If someone is interested in trying to build one there is a forum I can direct you to but it is very involved, a lot of soldering and about $20 worth of parts. Most weren't able to accomplish it, including myself.

 

Here is what I can tell you, having had full size lightbars and hide-a-ways on all of my F-150's (1997, 1998, 2004).

First, you WILL get pulled over if you have any color other than amber. I have never had blue or red colored lenses, but I imagine those would land you in a world of hurt. I say this because I have had green and purple lenses before, and would get pulled over many times, and every time I would have to explain where I worked in the security field and all that. So unless you have all amber, expect to get pulled over a lot. If that's worth it to you, go for it. Personally, I got tired of it and swapped out for all amber lenses. It wasn't worth the hassle just to "look cool".

Of course, nowadays you can get LED's, which are totally clear until activated. Again, I caution that on occasion you will still get pulled over and asked to turn on your lights. If they are all amber, you're ok. Any other color, I don't want to think what they'd do. Also, make sure you NEVER have your lights on unless you have a reason. I learned that after leaving work and forgetting to switch them off, so take it from me, you better have a reason if you've got those lights flashing, even if they are just amber.

I've seen a lot of guys on here with the amber/white LED combo. I think that's a major bad idea, flashing white lights is just as bad as blue or red. Police use them, also ambulance and other emergency vehicles. I realize that city and town maintenance vehicles have the amber bars with the end linear LED's being white, but I would still stay far away from any flashing white LED's or flashing clear strobes.

Rule of thumb, stay with amber or reap the consequences.

Be prepared to be pulled over. Even if you're legit, it sucks to be pulled over for any reason at any time.

A couple other things to keep in mind:

When you add a lightbar (or mini-bar, rotator, etc.) to your vehicle roof, it will affect your aerodynamics and gas mileage.

It will also affect your resale value (go try trading it in, Ford always gives a hassle about it, yet then turns around and sells it as-is anyways even though they claimed they couldn't and it would cost them x amount to remove the bar and fill the holes, etc. so they can then resell it). I've driven by and even stopped once to talk to the guys who bought my previous trucks, all with the lights still on them, untouched by Ford. Yet still it affects your trade value...

Lastly, no emergency lights or full-size lightbars will change traffic signals. That is a seperate device (yes, it CAN be incorporated into a full-size lightbar, which is normally what is done, so as soon as an emergency vehicle turns on it's lights it also emits the signal to clear the lights ahead of it as it comes within range). But just to clear up the confusion, it has nothing to do with the rotators/strobes/LED's themselves. It's illegal for anyone but authorized emergency vehicles so put it out of your mind. If I remember correctly, the guy they caught abusing it was driving an older white Ford pickup. Not good, let's keep our 150's clean.

 

Any electronics guy can whip up a signal switcher. However, using one in a private vehicle is a felony in most states. Maybe in all states.

And oddly enough, when you trigger one here, the camera located on many signal lights snaps a picture of your vehicle. City insurance is the reason, but imagine the fun when that picture hits the local cops...


Neighbor of mine has a pilot service with amber lights on his lightbar. He has giant pilot service signs on the truck. And he still gets pulled over and made to turn on the bar when he is just driving the truck.

He says the light bar costs him about two miles to the gallon at freeway speed. Makes a lot of noise at cruise. He has to put bags on the lights when he is not engaged in piloting, and they flap in the wind.

Dunno, doesn't seem like a 'fun' mod.

Why not just get a police uniform and a bright flashlight and sneak up on your buddies on foot? Penalty is no worse and it would be cheaper.

 

Yeah, lights that are illegal.

But I also was responding to the guy slinging insults which is totally immature here. Not that he's the only one immature in this thread. But at least the others are being civil about everything.

 

I am a paid on call Firefighter and I have lights and siren on my truck. I can tell you that it can get pretty expensive. I am not sure of the laws in your state? But you can put strobe tubes in your taillight and headlights. I know in WI if you are on private property you can have your lights on. Or, like when I was loading my friends bike up on to my trailer at night I had my rear lights on and a cop drove by and didn't stop. I have all LEDs in my truck other then the hidden strobes and the lenses are clear. If you are looking for some ideas, send me an email.
Eric