sequential rear turn signals

Why? I know some light bars have build in Traffic signal preemption white strobes and those can, and should be, hooked to the parking brake or transmission selector so they are turned off when the vehicle has stopped - otherwise the traffic signal will stay stuck.

So I if bust a brake line going down a winding mountain road at night, and in addition to having to steer with one hand while I try to use the brake lever to maintain control, I have to also do it in the dark, now?

I have sequential's on my 99 mustang. I don't think they make much difference as far as turn signal effectiveness but when you put the emergency flashers on they have a lot more impact as emergency flashers, much more eye catching then just the plain non-sequential.

Yes, and the new black box data recorder will record everything so your next of kin will know why you're dead...

Ford had them earlier than that in Cougars, and perhaps some Pustangs.

Looked great.

The Opticoms are designed to shut down when the vehicle is parked.

The reason is that with all the front lighting on it blinds oncoming traffic. It does make sense and for many depts. it is SOP to shut off the front lights once you're on scene.

One of the weird parts of the NFPA light study was the finding that people under the influence actually steered toward the lights! Not a good thing.

Nope, If the vehicle is still in gear the lights stay on.

ISTR mid 60s to early 70s Tbirds having them as well. As a young lad at the time, I thought they were way cool.

Yes, they did look cool, and they were on some TBirds. You could retrofit them on Mustangs with a little creativity.

Popular Mechanics did a project, from which you could make a PC board and install them on any car that had, or could be modified to have, three independent lenses on each side of the car.

When they worked...(oxymoron)

Stepfather had a '67 and a '69. He kept the 67 (obviously) for 2 years and traded for the 69. After three years they were a money sink. The Ford dealer finally wired them up so they just blinked like normal turn signals...

No. They're turn signals. The ones that the aid truck uses to turn into the local Starbucks parking lot.

So I can stop, shut off the engine, put the brake on, transmission in gear and run the headlights?

(snip)

BTDT, from the oncoming traffic end. Got hollered at by the cop because I apparently wasn't following his hand signals to wave me around the wreck on the narrow winding road. I tried to explain to him that I couldn't SEE him, due to all the lights, but of course he wouldn't believe that. Thankfully, he was to busy to pursue the matter, and told me to get out of there.

This was a small rural sheriff's dept, so aside from the state-run certification school, I doubt they had any advanced training. A very low-budget county. I should have written a friendly letter to the Sheriff about it, but being young and indignant, of course it didn't occur to me at the time.

IIRC, the sequencing was mechanical, not electronic, and that was a source of problems. I referenced the magazine article which was an electronic sequencer and should have lasted much better..

You could BUT I cannot think of very many times you could while operating an emergency vehicle. Most of those get started at the station and you DON'T shut them down until they are parked in the station again. The lighting and other loads on the electrical system don't allow you to shut down, plus if your actually using the equipment you need the engine power to the PTO.

Your vehicles must have unique turn signals. The only sequential ones I have seen are the arrow stick and similar that are used to direct traffic around the vehicle. Never seen any emergency vehicle with sequential TURN signals.

I am beginning to see a lot of light variations that I had not seen previously.

Flashing lights on 18 wheelers - fore and aft, blue lights flashing from behind, etc.

I was always taught many of these are illegal, but apparently they arent, or the cops are not watching.

States regulate much of vehicle law and as you would expect and it varies from state to state. Below is *part* of AZ law. I couldn't find anything specific for sequential turn signals. Section 28-939-2 (below) says "one or more [turn] lamps" so it would appear to be legal in AZ (unless I missed another a more specific law in my search). However using other flashing lamps while moving in AZ is apparently not legal (28-947-C below).

--------------------- 28-939. Signal lamps and devices

A. A motor vehicle may be equipped and if required under this article shall be equipped with the following:

1. A stop lamp on the rear that emits a red or yellow light, that is actuated on application of the service or foot brake and that may be incorporated with a tail lamp.
2. One or more lamps or a mechanical signal device that is capable of clearly indicating an intention to turn either to the right or to the left and that is visible both from the front and rear.

B. A stop lamp shall be plainly visible and understandable from a distance of one hundred feet to the rear both during normal sunlight and at nighttime. A signal lamp or lamps indicating the intention to turn shall be visible and understandable during daytime and nighttime from a distance of one hundred feet both to the front and rear. If a vehicle is equipped with a stop lamp or other signal lamps, the lamp or lamps shall:

1. Be maintained at all times in good working condition.
2. Not project a glaring or dazzling light.

C. A mechanical signal device shall be self-illuminated when in use at the times provided in section 28-922.

-------------------------

A. A person shall direct a lighted lamp or illuminating device on a motor vehicle, other than a head lamp, spot lamp, auxiliary lamp or flashing front direction signal, that projects a beam of light of an intensity greater than three hundred candlepower so that no part of the beam strikes the level of the roadway on which the vehicle stands at a distance of more than seventy-five feet from the vehicle.

B. A person shall not drive or move a vehicle or equipment on a highway with a lamp or device on the vehicle that is capable of displaying a red or red and blue light or lens visible from directly in front of the center of the vehicle. Lights visible from the front of a vehicle shall be amber or white. This section does not apply to either of the following:

1. An authorized emergency vehicle or a vehicle on which a red or red and blue light or lens visible from the front is expressly authorized or required by this chapter.
2. A fire engine that is solely used for hobby or display purposes and that has been issued a historic vehicle license plate pursuant to section 28-2484 if either of the following applies:

(a) The lights are covered and are not activated while a person is transporting or driving the vehicle to or from a parade, authorized assemblage of historic vehicles or test.

(b) The lights are activated only in a parade, for an authorized assemblage of historic vehicles or for testing purposes.

C. Except as provided in subsection D or E of this section, flashing lights on motor vehicles are prohibited except either:

1. On authorized emergency vehicles, school buses or snow removal equipment.
2. As warning lights on disabled or parked vehicles.
3. On a vehicle as a means for indicating a right or left turn.

D. A vehicle may have lamps that may be used to warn the operators of other vehicles of the presence of a vehicular traffic hazard requiring the exercise of unusual care in approaching, overtaking or passing. The vehicle may display these lamps as a warning in addition to any other warning signals required by this article. The lamps used to display the warning to the front shall be mounted at the same level and as widely spaced laterally as practicable and shall display simultaneously flashing white or amber lights or any shade of color between white and amber. The lamps used to display the warning to the rear shall be mounted at the same level and as widely spaced laterally as practicable and shall show simultaneously flashing amber or red lights or any shade of color between amber and red. These warning lights shall be visible from a distance of at least one thousand five hundred feet under normal atmospheric conditions at night.

E. A person may equip a motorcycle with a means of modulating the intensity of a head lamp beam between the higher and lower brightness at a rate of two hundred to two hundred eighty cycles per minute. A person shall not modulate the head lamp beam during the hours of darkness as prescribed in section 28-922.

The other day, I saw the local plumber's van with flashing red and blue lights in the front grill.

At first I wondered "What the heck!"

In this town, however, he may well have been a member of the volunteer fire department.

It wouldnt make much difference here. The cops overlook more than they should.

Or going on an overflowing toilet call... 8-O

I think I'd rather live in your town than one where they are picky picky... ;)