Flashing beacons

Robt

Member
Location
Suffolk
Is blinding everyone with blue leds actually necessary to achieve that? All I said was they are too bright. Not that they should switch them off
I drive an emergency vehicle on blue lights as a second job. The amount of idiots that can’t see the lights even at night is unbelievable. Those 20 seconds stuck behind a chap who doesn’t use mirrors could really be all that matters or the one that turns across infornt of an emergency vehicle. They could be dimmer at night but what happens when it’s dark and heavy rain or heavy fog… @JP1 you have anything to add?
 
Is blinding everyone with blue leds actually necessary to achieve that? All I said was they are too bright. Not that they should switch them off
I must admit if you are behind one which isn't running above speed limit the constantly lit blue light in the middle of the back door blinds you. I guess it's one of those things which might be a little irritating but you really aren't gonna give a toss about if you ever end up needing an ambulance.
 

JP1

Member
Livestock Farmer
I drive an emergency vehicle on blue lights as a second job. The amount of idiots that can’t see the lights even at night is unbelievable. Those 20 seconds stuck behind a chap who doesn’t use mirrors could really be all that matters or the one that turns across infornt of an emergency vehicle. They could be dimmer at night but what happens when it’s dark and heavy rain or heavy fog… @JP1 you have anything to add?
On the A12 the other day an Essex traffic car responding had the rear matrix left on "Use your mirrors" as it finally passed every car
 

David1968

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
SW Scotland
I agree. I bought a new trailer and the orange led strobe light is always on when the side lights are on on the trailer, as you say it’s exactly at eye level when driving behind it in a car which must be really infuriating. I haven’t thought yet what I might do to sort it out.
Ours has a switch under the body at the back so it can be switched off.

And the light itself is mounted at the top of the back door, so hopefully not in peoples eyeline.
 

hoff135

Member
Location
scotland
I drive an emergency vehicle on blue lights as a second job. The amount of idiots that can’t see the lights even at night is unbelievable. Those 20 seconds stuck behind a chap who doesn’t use mirrors could really be all that matters or the one that turns across infornt of an emergency vehicle. They could be dimmer at night but what happens when it’s dark and heavy rain or heavy fog… @JP1 you have anything to add?
Plenty idiots, no denying that. Its the led ones I've the issue with. Old fashioned ones weren't a problem. Anyway my opinion is as irrelevant as it's possible to be so no point worrying about it
 

Henarar

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Somerset
Ok

I’m not going to argue back and forth I agree the low level ones are a bloody nightmare I followed a smyth low loader in the dark with factory fitted strobes on the rear you couldn’t tell the difference between them and indicators and were blinding, they should be high level or not at all.
I’ll keep driving with my beacons on when on the road anything to make me more visible is fine by me I’ve done all I can if some knob drives into me
Sorry I meant stobes, beacons are not to bad
 

S00TY

Member
I always enjoy these type of topics on here as it’s interesting to see everyone’s different prospectives.

I will agree that in certain situations flashing lights can be very blinding and unnecessary when you’re stuck behind them on single carriageway roads trundling along for a good way.

However, as far as I’m concerned, on a fast road or duel carriage way, the more visible a tractor or slow moving vehicle is then the better for all concerned. I don’t think a lot of people realise how vulnerable they are at 30 plus mph slower than the flow of traffic.
 
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Lofty1984

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
South wales
I always enjoy these type of topics on here as it’s interesting to see everyone’s different prospectives.

I will agree that in certain situations flashing lights can be very blinding and unnecessary when you’re stuck behind them on single carriageway roads trundling along for a good way.

However, as far as I’m concerned, on a fast road or duel carriage way, the more visible a tractor or slow moving vehicle is then the better for all concerned. I don’t think a lot of people realise how vulnerable they are at 30 plus mph slower than the flow of traffic.
It’s frightening how quick cars are on you if they haven’t got the foresight to get in the other lane early and of course most drivers are selfish and won’t let them out so before you know it they are hitting the anchors at 60/70 mph
 

haybob

Member
Livestock Farmer
Flashing lights are over used big time in UK nowadays, they're is no need for them on majority of roadwork they should be used sparingly and when there is a hazard (wide load ect) never used to be like this, everywhere you go there's kids with twin lights goin
All it does is desensitise the traffic to when there is a real hazzard !!
I know a man who was involved in a serious accident and was very distressing situation. He had his twin lights flashing and they where still running while the investigation team where giving tractor a good going over. I bet it ticked a good box on their clip board. Twin lights didn't help stop a speeding bike, but at least it looked like tractor man had done his bit to be safe.
 

Flatland guy

Member
Location
Lincolnshire
Well now the highway code virtually gives any pedestrian or cyclist the number one right of a public highway and if true they do not have to have any bright clothing etc or not even be aware with their surroundings (headphones etc) on, my opinion is that by driving slow within the law I do not need any beacons on( e.g a normal tractor and trailer, if a car is approaching from behind, then the driver is not focused on their surroundings, if they cannot see a tractor driving at 24.5 mph and alter their speed accordingly, they are probably not going to see a pedestrian or cyclist for that matter.

I do not drive a tractor on any dual carriageway, but can understand the law for them on them roads and they are probably crazy for a tractor to dive on. But around my way any decent road is nearly going to 40 or 50 mph for road safety to stop speeding and deaths, so the powers that be are trying to encourage slower driving all round.
 

Grassman

Member
Location
Derbyshire
With careful use of a little bit of black insulation tape you can tone down the brightness of rear facing LED beacons.

They have a really small area of concentrated light and I just put a little square of tape about the size of a postage stamp over that bit. As long as it’s not too big there is plenty of intensity in the light and the pattern thrown by the lens to be good enough to warn other road users.

I never have them at low level either, always high up so that in the dark the pattern of light can show the shape of the rear of the machine.
That sounds a sensible compromise. So long as it does its job all good👍
 

Robt

Member
Location
Suffolk
Is blinding everyone with blue leds actually necessary to achieve that? All I said was they are too bright. Not that they should switch them off
They are designed to be seen from as far off as possible. The brighter they are the better they achieve this. Watch your average dual carriage way and see how long it takes for the average car to see them... Id say they aren't bright enough!
 

David1968

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
SW Scotland
my opinion is that by driving slow within the law I do not need any beacons on( e.g a normal tractor and trailer, if a car is approaching from behind, then the driver is not focused on their surroundings, if they cannot see a tractor driving at 24.5 mph and alter their speed accordingly,
Thing is, modern trailers are hard to distinguish from lorries from the rear, to the untrained eye.
 

serf

Member
Location
warwickshire
I know a man who was involved in a serious accident and was very distressing situation. He had his twin lights flashing and they where still running while the investigation team where giving tractor a good going over. I bet it ticked a good box on their clip board. Twin lights didn't help stop a speeding bike, but at least it looked like tractor man had done his bit to be safe.
They only need to be on on a dual carriage way by law ,
maybe the driver seen the flashing lights on tractor when approaching and thought oh another flashing light xmas tree to scoot round and band ! It was a hazzard this time and the car driver was blazė because most other tractors they pass are not a hazzard but all have lights on ... 🤷‍♂️
 

Grassman

Member
Location
Derbyshire
They are designed to be seen from as far off as possible. The brighter they are the better they achieve this. Watch your average dual carriage way and see how long it takes for the average car to see them... Id say they aren't bright enough!
Watching some of these emergency services programmes on tv its shocking how long some drivers take before moving out of the way of an emergency vehicle coming from behind. If they don't notice sirens and blue flashing lights then they should not have a licence to drive.
 

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

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