Rant: pilot car companies

[Station 3]

Hate with a passion a "pilot car" with a whole $40 investment in the entire warning aspect of the vehicle..... your $18 amazon dash light and $21 Amazon lightbar are not enough for 75 mph expressway traffic road closure I'm sorry... and they give me mean looks when I take the traffic control detail away from them in my personal police truck with $2k woth of lightning that payed itself off years ago.

 

[Patr1ck609]

I completely agree with you. Not to mention, some of the vehicles they use, don't look like they can go 50 miles without something falling off. To be fair, I have seen a few that look half way decent with a name brand lightbar on it, i.e. Fed Sig, Whelen, etc, but yeah, those cheap Amazon lightbars & dashlights are just awful.

 

[Nolines]

Is it possible the Wide Load vehicle wasn't referring to the driver??

 

[Turd Ferguson]

The downfall of LEDs. You can't buy an old light bar and put new domes on it for quality warning power.

However I agree that anything worth doing is worth doing right. If you're not willing to drop a little money on proper equipment, then you're not serious about your work. And that goes beyond lights.

 

[GPC]

To be 100% honest though. If you can't see the oversize load I'm not sure that a pilot car is really going to help you...

 

[NPS Ranger]

To be fair, this is completely dependent on the state regs. If a state doesn't require it, people won't pay money for it.

These are NY regs, note 4 lights required, 1000' visibility 360 degrees:
Requirements for Pilot/Escort Vehicle
General: 1997 or newer vehicle must have 100” wheelbase min. unless utility vehicle
Signs: “OVERSIZE LOAD” sign at least 5’ x 12” mounted on front & rear or top
Lights: Flashing/strobe single unit warning light bar (min. 4 lights) on roof; min. 43”/max. 52” long; min. 4”/max. 8” high. If flashing lights: min. 2-95 & 2-150 FPM rotators w/ mirrors(reflective both sides) placed diagonally between lights; 360 degree visibility from 1000’; amber dome cover
Flags:
Additional equipment: state mandated insignia (one on each side of vehicle); 2-way radio; cell phone; 3 emergency triangles and/or flares; 3 emergency flares (for night moves); fluorescent vest w/ certified escort insignia on left chest of vest; stop paddle; 3 18” square red/fluorescent orange flags on staffs (1 must be weighted); fire extinguisher class BC or larger; height pole
Requirements for Pilot/Escort Vehicle Operator
Must be certified by NY no matter where they live. FYI: (518)457-1155/(800)783-1685 or refer to NY Certification Manual. List of NYDMV testing llocations call (518)486-9748

 

[Turd Ferguson]

Rebranded Street Hawg

Less than $350 you could have a street hawg.