Tow Truck, Lights Siren, Code 3, REALLY? Since when?

[Industrial Toys]

Back starting in the 80s, when I used to drive used Police Cars, and was quite an enthusiast, I read a book "Driving at the Limits of Adhesion" for emergency vehicle drivers. Fantastic book with tips that I have never forgotten.

 

[ovrszd]

Back starting in the 80s, when I used to drive used Police Cars, and was quite an enthusiast, I read a book "Driving at the Limits of Adhesion" for emergency vehicle drivers. Fantastic book with tips that I have never forgotten.

Minus the speed, I'm quite good at judging the limits of tire adhesion from hours of 4 wheeling over every type of surface I could find.

 

[lman]

In Indiana only emergency vehicles are allowed to travel as this tow truck is in the video. A tow truck is not defined as an emergency vehicle and the driver would be liable if an accident occurred and cited for disregarding a stoplight.

 

[ovrszd]

In Indiana only emergency vehicles are allowed to travel as this tow truck is in the video. A tow truck is not defined as an emergency vehicle and the driver would be liable if an accident occurred and cited for disregarding a stoplight.

I'll try to confirm this today but I think it's that way here too. Using the now allowed red/blue lights are at the crash scene. So many wreckers were being hit on the job that something had to be done.

In Ron Pratts video he is inside a municipality. They could have their own rules. For my Son, they are on State and Federal hiways outside municipalities.

 

[LittleBill21]

If you guys watch more then 20 seconds of his video's, he has training to run code 3, he talks alot about training with fire and police. i have watched prolly 50 of his video's he's one of the safest operators i have seen bar none. he truly loves his job. they will specifically request him to run code or to "expedite". he does not make the decision on his own, they have to give him permission.

 

[lman]

I just checked and Missouri does define a tow truck as an emergency vehicle with some restrictions. ( Any wrecker, or tow truck or a vehicle owned and operated by a public utility or public service corporation while performing emergency service)

 

[Industrial Toys]

I wouldn't be violating any traffic laws unless I had some kind of protection. That's crazy.

 

[flyerdan]

I've never heard a tow truck with a siren here in Oregon, and all the wreckers have only red and amber lights. It is the law to move over a lane or slow to well below the speed limit for all responder vehicles, whether it's a police traffic stop, wrecker, A-car or utility truck.

 

[Industrial Toys]

In a sense that's kind of useless. The drunk, stoned or asleep drivers that crash into stopped vehicles won't obey such laws anyway. Only the people, that aren't the problem will obey.

 

[Jstpssng]

Even emergency vehicles are liable if they are in an at fault accident while travelling with lights and sirens. How many times have you seen a fire truck or ambulance lay on the air horn and almost come to a complete stop before proceeding through a red light? A friend who was a firefighter at Bangor Airport as well as a volunteer for his town wouldn't run a light on his truck, he felt that too many felt that it gave them the right to drive recklessly, and said that simply having the light would raise his insurance.