Failed Inspection

[MacLean]

I'm all for having his car lit up if he's going on runs, but there is a reason there are standards for emergency lights.

Undercar ground effect lighting is not used on emergency vehicles because it does not comply with the FMVSS requirements for emergency lighting.

Buy FMVSS/SAE accepted emergency equipment, or don't bother.

[APB]

Personal commentary, not magazine-based:

In northern New England, it's pretty much standard for people to respond in their own vehicles if they are closer to the call than they are to the station. One person will typically be at the station to drive the emergency vehicle itself, and the other(s) respond directly to the scene. And they do have lights on those vehicles for that purpose. New Jersey does the same thing. Yeah, I know there are national standards, but up there it's not really an option to have everyone comply their POV's to those standards... they're already volunteering, and some things are just too expensive to pay for on the personal dime.

That being said, this is one of those letter-of-the-law things where you're going to fail because by definition you have prohibited lighting. Are they being sticklers? Yup, but they don't have a choice. Law=law.

Have you considered utilizing a couple smaller units like flush-mount TIR3's mounted on the lower frame of the vehicle, or on your step bars if you have them, facing sideways? You could put one behind the front wheel and one in front of the rear wheel, that would take care of your side lighting problems and would likely remain legal because it's not on the undercarriage facing down (how I read it). They're clear when not lit, so you wouldn't have to be advertising yourself as an emergency vehicle all the time. Also it'd use your existing lighting wires.

[Pudge]

I'm late to the discussion here, but here's my .02 no less.


Take them off and sell them on craigslist.

Snow or not, dark of night or not, they simply do not offer as much added benefit as you think they do. They serve one purpose, and one only. That's to "one up" the other guys on the FD's light set up. That's it. I've been there, I'm still (kinda) with the FD, and alot of full time coppers here are part time Firemen. Back in the day it was a constant competition to have the best, most unique, and newest light set up in our vehicles. The hardcore whackers had lights on top, on the side, in every crack or window, and anywhere they could fit one. The guys in LE full or most of the time had theirs very discreetly mounted so as not to stand out when not on.

No offense to you, as I'm sure it looks cool, but if you step back and take a look from the perspective of someone who would be approaching your vehicle in traffic or being approached by it, and really think about it, they don't really help. The money would've been better spent on LED modules to mount between step bars or some place better served for side warning.


I'd be willing to bet that if you posted this on a Fire Service site you'd get hammered with responses alot more harsh than anything here.

Good luck, be safe.

[raminator157]

my vehicle has 2 L.E.D dash lights, 4 Le.d. grille lights, 2 rear strobes in the tail lights and 3 sets of led lights in the rear window. I have a siren. All truck has lights in the front and back. Iam sure you might have read other peoples responses already. It is very common to respond direct to the scene of here. I carry my gear with me along with my portable radio. We do not have very many mad men drving around up here.

And you could have taken the response quoting your state code, from the authority that regulates inspections, at face value. Your undercarriage lights are illegal, and you'll continue to fail inspections as long as you insist on having them.

I've got an issue with vollies running hot to fire calls in their POVs as a general principle. Do you have a siren? Does your POV meet all the definitions of an emergency vehicle? Are you trained to operate an emergency vehicle? Do you carry your turnouts and other necessary gear for response in your car? I ask because I know of vollies who couldn't answer affirmatively to most of those questions -- yet they'll drive like a madman to get to a call, and have to stand there like an idiot until whoever bothered to go to the firehouse brings the truck and gear. And that's not considering the danger they put people in as they respond.

I understand the reasoning and purpose for vollies to respond directly to a fire call. But, in a lot of the US, it's a different place than it was even 30 years ago... and if I were a fire chief, I don't think I'd be signing for the liability involved in a barely trained EVOC driver running hot in their POV.

[raminator157]

Iam removing them this weekend. I did not fully think it through when I bought the lights. You guys have opened my eyes alot. I thank you for that. I am probably gonna throw them away. Because I really dont wanna sell them to some other guy who is gonna use them illegally.

I'm late to the discussion here, but here's my .02 no less.


Take them off and sell them on craigslist.

Snow or not, dark of night or not, they simply do not offer as much added benefit as you think they do. They serve one purpose, and one only. That's to "one up" the other guys on the FD's light set up. That's it. I've been there, I'm still (kinda) with the FD, and alot of full time coppers here are part time Firemen. Back in the day it was a constant competition to have the best, most unique, and newest light set up in our vehicles. The hardcore whackers had lights on top, on the side, in every crack or window, and anywhere they could fit one. The guys in LE full or most of the time had theirs very discreetly mounted so as not to stand out when not on.

No offense to you, as I'm sure it looks cool, but if you step back and take a look from the perspective of someone who would be approaching your vehicle in traffic or being approached by it, and really think about it, they don't really help. The money would've been better spent on LED modules to mount between step bars or some place better served for side warning.


I'd be willing to bet that if you posted this on a Fire Service site you'd get hammered with responses alot more harsh than anything here.

Good luck, be safe.

[MacLean]

Good luck man.

Pick up a Galls catalog and check out the TIR3's and the cheaper Galls knockoff. They are bright and effective and APPROVED.

[Pudge]

Iam removing them this weekend. I did not fully think it through when I bought the lights. You guys have opened my eyes alot. I thank you for that. I am probably gonna throw them away. Because I really dont wanna sell them to some other guy who is gonna use them illegally.

I wouldn't throw them away, get some cash out of them.

[lewisipso]

Sometimes it isn't what you perceive but what others perceive. If I understand the lights you have they are widely perceived for show and not utility. The Vermont Inspection laws will win. Go with emergency lights that are manufactured to work and not manufactured for show. There is a reason those lights are useless for emergency work. Use something else.

[Xiphos]

I do have to say I'm impressed with the OP. Every forum I've ever participated on, when people come ask questions and don't get the answer they want, they usually get butt hurt and degrade into a troll who is shortly banned. This guy sees the wisdom in the advice being given and is planning to correct the issue. Nice.

[Pudge]

I do have to say I'm impressed with the OP. Every forum I've ever participated on, when people come ask questions and don't get the answer they want, they usually get butt hurt and degrade into a troll who is shortly banned. This guy sees the wisdom in the advice being given and is planning to correct the issue. Nice.

Agreed.

[raminator157]

Thanks Guys. Once I get the underglo lights off, I will post some videos of my truck with the current lighting and see what you guys think.

[raminator157]

The Underglo Kit is off the truck and is for sale on craigslist.