Why would a Lawn Care Operator need a

[Avise Lawn Care]

Why would a Lawn Care Operator need a light bar on top of the cab??? I can't figure how flashing light would help or why/when a LCO would use them.

Not trying to be/sound like a smart a$$, just curious.

Thanks
Avise

[Envy Lawn Service]

DOT regulations for commercial trucks in some areas I suppose.

But figure most use them for safety really.
It's good to have the warning lights while you are parked curb-side or while plowing.

[Big M LawnnSnow]

I have strobes on my trucks.
I originally got them for snow plowing but use them when parking on a busy stree or backing trailers into driveways and when driving arpond busy commercial parking lots

[rodfather]

DOT also uses them on mowers that cut along roadways.

[SWD]

I run crews around a bunch of reeeeaallly old people - so old they are myoptic and virtually deaf.
I had to change uniform shirt colors because it gets so bright here, people couldn't see the white t-shirts, so now the crew is in yellow.
Same with the vehicles/ztrs-had one rear ended by an auto driven by a elderly person who claimed they couldn't see the slow moving warning triangle clearly displayed on the rear of the ztr.
Funny thing was the mower was stopped behind the 20' trailer and truck, both of which were parked in a parking lot and had warning cones up.
No real damage but scared the poop out of my crew leader who thought he was going to be a hood ornament for a moment.
Ever since then, lights on for safety and when parked and working, strobe on the cab roof is on.

[exmark1]

Our's are mounted stricktly for plowing but are never removed! I never thought of using it for marking the truck in busy times, thanks for the tip!

[NEPSJay]

maybe because the truck is used in the winter months for snow removal purposes.

[mcwlandscaping]

maybe because the truck is used in the winter months for snow removal purposes.
probably that and around here on busy streets you have to have them on for certain things, my dads a surveyor and all there company trucks had to be wired up with strobes. and man, strobes and LEDs just look cool!!

[J&R Landscaping]

Down my way, its the Law! If your vehicle is plowing snow you need an amber warning light of some kind. Not everyone uses them but I think they look cool and they draw attention to your truck. If the truck has you company name on it, potential customers may see you, like how the job looks and give you a call. Them strobe bars are sweet lookin!!!!!!!!!

[jt5019]

If we have to park in the road while mowing/mulching or whatever the reason the lights come on and we put cones out. Other drivers are impatient and careless it doesn't hurt to have extra safety. Both of my trucks have amber quad flash strobes mounted on the roof and two led lights mounted on the toolboxes facing the rear.

[Precision]

other drivers are idiots and any thing that helps to not get your truck or equipment creamed is a good thing.

[topsites]

other drivers are idiots and any thing that helps to not get your truck or equipment creamed is a good thing.

This is very true. I don't have revolving flashers but installing extra brake / turn-signal lights on the trailer has helped (by extra I mean there are now 4 brake / turn lenses instead of the original 2, the new ones are on the tailgate itself while the originals are by the fender which is hard to see when they're riding my bumper <- Their fault I know, but an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure).

The funniest thing happened to me the other day, I had got done unloading a cubic yard of slate chips and this stuff for some reason produces a solid amount of a white dust... So I had a good amount of this white dirt on my trailer as I'm driving down the road, I built up some speed and then there was a light cloud forming behind me and lo and behold: NO tailgaters!!! The closest car must'a been 1/4 mile behind me lol it almost made me want to do it more often thou it really was mostly by mistake.

The one cracks me up are the guys with the cones... I can see it on a busy street but here we are in a cul-de-sac and I'm thinking, you know, if you can't SEE my truck !!! I'm ok with tree guys using those big'uns, but the landscapers with the itty-bitty cones, it's funny.

[tulipgrove]

My trucks have light for the same reasons...My crew's truck has Backrack with Code 3 420 Dual Rotator, mine has magnetice Whelen Strobes...mostly for plowing (Required now in MD) but also we do a hospital (Cones and lights REQUIRED) and senior homes....been hit 3 times in two years, if they can't see a Chevy 2500 Crew with a 14' trailer they shouldn;t be driving..so we NEED cones and lights so my equipment (AND GUYS) dont get hit...

[topsites]

Well how else do you remember which one's yours?

[nobagger]

I have a dual strobe Whelen on top of the cab and its freakin' bright and crazy flash pattern's. I use it for plowing and dont leagally need it for that but too many clueless drivers out there so every little bit helps. Now that we're in summer I'm just too lazy to take it off,lol.

[fiveoboy01]

I have a dual strobe Whelen on top of the cab and its freakin' bright and crazy flash pattern's. I use it for plowing and dont leagally need it for that but too many clueless drivers out there so every little bit helps. Now that we're in summer I'm just too lazy to take it off,lol.


Do you have a picture of it? I assume it's magnetic and plugs into your cig lighter?

I've been looking at the whelen LED strobes, seriously considering buying one. A few weeks ago someone almost stunt-drove their car over my trailer ramp(which was down). Now I put a cone at the back corner of the ramp when it's done, and I'm contemplating a strobe for when the truck's sitting. Just too many people out there who can't drive or once their cell phone goes to their ear, they forget how to pay attention.

[HFS]

I was once told that your rear vehicle and/or trailer lights need to be visible when loading and unloading on a public roadway and flashing. I don't use the flashers when loading and/or unloading. I just place a reflective road cone at the front and rear of the truck. I do use warning lights when backing and heavy traffic areas. LATER...

[Tim Wright]

I will give you another reason. If anything ever happens such that you go to court, and all of the warning possibilities were not covered by you, ei lights, cones, flares, barracades, armed gaurds, dogs, snakes, 007, or whatever; if you have them there is no excuse for the other party to have smashed into you. And trust me, the other parties lawyer will dig up the time when you were a kid, and had your bike laying on the sidewalk after falling and some old woman walked right into it and fell on her rear end. They will dig up the time granny fell on your baby rattle and busted her hip.

In other words, cover yourself, no matter who is laughing.

Here in WV I call it, "The Sue Me State."

Tim

[Uranus]

I dont have a strobe on my cab, but I'm thinking of getting one. That way every time I see a thread that is over a year old I can go out and stare at the pretty flashing light. Come on guys.

[tulipgrove]

Uranus.....why wouldn't ANY contractor use warning lights? You have men parking in traffic lanes (sometimes), unaware drivers, snow plowing, towing, busy parking lots.....saftey should come FIRST...won't do any good if your supervisor gets hit by a car because they didn't SEE them working. I've been asked by my clients to use cones, lights on their properites for saftey. It just makes sense to use them..not over do it...10 strobes and such, but just one good Mini Light Bar would do. My trailer has been hit three time by senior citizens, one time my man was on it...now cones are ALWAYS used and lights, if you have precautions in place, they have NO EXCUSE for hitting your equipment.

[Budget]

I am getting a strobe set up that go into my current lights, and a amber strobe for the top of truck. I always put a cone out by the rear of my trailer.

[RedMax Man]

I got stobes on the roof, Makes backing up trailers safe and parking on busy street as well as plowing. I plan on getting more that are lower like hideaways and dash mount lights. I also have traffic cones, allows for safer parking and more visibility for other drivers.

[STRINGALATION]

I think lights just make you look impressive to people kinda like my theory with wanting an enclosed trailor makes people think what are they about to do?

[nobagger]

Do you have a picture of it? I assume it's magnetic and plugs into your cig lighter?

I've been looking at the whelen LED strobes, seriously considering buying one. A few weeks ago someone almost stunt-drove their car over my trailer ramp(which was down). Now I put a cone at the back corner of the ramp when it's done, and I'm contemplating a strobe for when the truck's sitting. Just too many people out there who can't drive or once their cell phone goes to their ear, they forget how to pay attention.

I dont think I have any pics but it used to have the magnetic mounts but with the new truck I went to rubberized suction cups with the magnets molded inside, even thats comming off this fall and I am atattching it to my dump bed because the cab protector covers 75% of it from behind. Mine has the dual strobe lights and 4 mirrors inside and a amber lense.

[extremerc76]

i have a 12V cig lighter amber rotator that i use for a few accounts, are they even legal to have on the truck? i never really asked any one?? do you need permits for them? i know for the FD blue lights you need a permit, but not sure about amber in NJ

[topsites]

I can see it, when pulling from a driveway onto a 45-55mph zone, heavily loaded with the Z or mulch, and starting off up a hill... It takes me minutes before I get up to the minimum allowed (40mph), and I can give it the fuel but it's hard on the transmission, and it sucks it up like the space shuttle, not too excited about filling that 30 gallon tank, I'm not.

It's one of the reasons why I put led light bars on my trailer gate, thou I just use hazard flashers when taking off like that...

I checked into getting more running lights, legally I think the trailer is ok, but here in VA you have to be real careful how you light up the truck, I think the 5 lights on top of the cab are ok, but much beyond that I'm not so sure... I would think thou, a yellow or orange rotator or bar should be ok. Neon isn't, I would have to guess the line is drawn between function and show, that's where attention needs to be paid.

[extremerc76]

i use mine very little, a few accounts on one busy road (blind corners, tight road) where the speed limit is only 25mph, but no body does under 35. i also use it when i am backing into my driveway with the trailer when starting to get dark, but thats about it

[Prestige-Lawncare]

Like mentioned by many on here ... great for safety when parking on a busy street or road. Liken it to using safety cones too.

You do have safety cones on your trailer ... don't you?

[SEALAWNMANAGEMENT]

Not to disagree with anyone but there have been numerous cases of people driving into emergency vehicles parked on the side of the road with there lights on. I wouldn't get to carried away with the lights.

[packer101]

we only have one truck with a fullsize light bar, but all of our others have alot of hideaway strobes.... mainly like everyone has said, for plowing, parking in bad spots, backing up... plus they look nice

[Prestige-Lawncare]

I really like the strobes in the parking lights that I see on the road at times. Where can I get the stuff to set them up on my F-350 ... and about how much are we talking about? Also ... I should be able to set them up on the back of my enclosed trailer ... shouldn't I?

[HFS]

I really like the strobes in the parking lights that I see on the road at times. Where can I get the stuff to set them up on my F-350 ... and about how much are we talking about? Also ... I should be able to set them up on the back of my enclosed trailer ... shouldn't I?

The strobes your looking for are called "hideaway" strobes. You can find them cheap at www.galls.com or try www.strobesnmore.com All you need to install them is drill a 1" hole in the light house. You could put them in your trailer lights, but I don't think its worth the $$$ and the problems. Just make sure your lights don't alternate and have them flash together or you could be in for a fine in most areas. Something else to look into instead is those new smaller LED lights. I just put some in with a special lic plate bracket and its great. They take up less room and a lot less battery power. (You can now leave them on if you need to when the truck is off.) LATER...

[packer101]

i've never heard of the need for them to flash at the same time before, atleast not around here, is that common else where?

[RICHIE K]

All our trucks have them ( snow-biz roads etc....)

[HFS]

i've never heard of the need for them to flash at the same time before, atleast not around here, is that common else where?

In MN you can choose to have amber lights flashing in an alternate pattern. You can have clear to the front at the outer most side corners as long as they flash together. (NO WIG-WAGs in the headlights.) You can also have red to the rear at the outer most side corners as long as they flash together. Emergency vehicles and wreckers are the only ones exempt from this. The corner strobes are good. I have mine flash together and alternate between the front and rear. My goal is to slowly switch out to all LEDs to save power and money in the long run. LATER...

[batdaddy044]

In addition to protecting our vehicles ,in high hazard traffic stuations,be it plowing , loading/off-loading equipment/job materials, many of us are also
volunteer firefighters/EMS/rescue squad members, storm spotters,etc.,who also use our vehicles in our volunteer capacities.I use only plug-in beacon lights on my trucks and use them when ,and only when neccessary.

[americanlawn]

HFS -- I love 'em too. They look cool! I'm gunna check out the links your provided (thanks dude).

[americanlawn]

HFS -- I just ordered nine "combo" units from gall.com (Lexington, KY). Nice folks. $80 each, but they are both taillights & daytime running lights units (front & rear). They said I could easilly take 'em out in case we bought new trucks. Thanks again, americanlawn.

[HFS]

HFS -- I just ordered nine "combo" units from gall.com (Lexington, KY). Nice folks. $80 each, but they are both taillights & daytime running lights units (front & rear). They said I could easilly take 'em out in case we bought new trucks. Thanks again, americanlawn.

That's good to hear. Hope you like them after you get everything installed. Also the Galls brand is good stuff if you ever need to get anything else from them. LATER...:drinkup:

[americanlawn]

Thanks dude -- They gave me a confirmation number and said if we are EVER disappointed, just let 'em know, and they will take care of it, and I know they will ---great company. Thanks again HFS......... last week, I saw a plumbing company van with these "strobe lights" parked in a driveway...very impressive, so now I'm thinking these light units might attract lawn/tree customers too.

[mooreslawnmaintenance]

I put strobes on my truck, because sometimes I park on the wrong side of the road when Im blowing off the yard and Im not trying to get ran over