Flashing white lights on school busses now??

[The patriot]

What the **** are these lights supposed to mean?

I've noticed that about 40% of the school busses in my area have these annoying lights on the roof flashing.

There dont seem to be any reason for it. Sometimes there are students in the bus, sometimes not.

What in blazes are they for?

Eric:{

 

[Shovelhead]

In our area we have trouble with fog in the early morning.

There was an accident a year or so ago where a school bus full of kids got CREAMED by an 18 wheeler because if the limited visability and excesive speed by the truck.





It's kinda like the annoying flashing brake light I put on the back of my H-D dresser.



Yeah it's annoying ..... but it got your attention didn't it?

 

[Briar Hopper]

I'd like to have one mounted under my rear bumper to get tailgaters to back off.

As for school buses, those lights have been on them in Kentucky for many years now, ever since a drunk driver killed 28 kids and adults in a church bus in Carrollton County.

 

[Snow man]

Brair,I find the edge comp(on level 5x5),dd3's,and the tight DTT TC a very good combo for eliminating all tailgaters!I have no morr tailgating problems after idrop the hammer,from zero boost,tailgater gone,LOL.

 

[Fireman Dave]

We have the strobes in WI since a bad accident a few years ago in our area. A semi rearended a school bus at 60mph while the bus was stopped to pick up a student. It was a foggy morning. The front of the semi ended up sitting in the back rows of the bus seats. The first arriving units were there for a few minutes before they realized that a stationwagon had been between the two and had been pushed under the back of the bus with both the semi and the bus sitting on top of it. A family of 4 in the car were killed along with one student on the bus. The strobes do help make the buses more visible, and I'm glad they're on them with my daughter riding a bus every day.

 

[Doc Tinker]

The white strobes are the norm now, on school busses. The driver's are not supposed to use them unless they are driving in inclement weather, at least not in Michigan. I see them running with the strobes turned on all the time.



What kills me is why they need to be on there. Who can miss a big yellow bus driving down the road?



Doc

 

[The patriot]

Originally posted by Doc Tinker

What kills me is why they need to be on there. Who can miss a big yellow bus driving down the road?

Well... yea. That's why I asked.

In my area, the busses dont drive more than 400 feet before reaching the next stop. Even though it's a residential neighborhood and the speed limit is 25, I've seen the busses going over 50( amd a lot of cars too!). I dont have any kids, but if I did, I'd be PO'ed!!

The drivers drive like they get some sort of a bonus if the kids get home early.

I can see having the lights for a safety point of view, but I dont think it's a good idea to be on all the time.

Kind of like the 3rd brake light. If you were paying attention to what you were doing (driving) it wouldnt be necessary.



Just my . 02

Eric

 

[Fireman Dave]

That strobe light does get your attention, and it stands out quite well in foggy/hazy conditions, I've noticed. I think it's biggest advantage is that it increases people's awareness from a longer distance that a school bus is coming up - especially when cresting a hill, etc... My experience comes from a rural area where our buses are on state highways and county roads a lot.

 

[QRTRHRS]

I think all the buses in my area have them and use them all the time. One time, driving an empty tri-axle in the fog and not excessively fast either, I see flashing yellow lights. Thinking a bus was about to stop, I locked em' up and went sideways. Bus goes by me the other way as I check my shorts. Nimrod forgot to turn off his big yellow lights. Had he had a strobe, perhaps I would have seen him coming sooner.

 

[Papa Joe]

We've got them, too. Must say, they really work well to get your attention.



The school district here is really strict. When it's dark or foggy - turn 'em on. When it ain't - turn 'em off.

 

[Papa Joe]

BTW - Most of our rural kids are on the prairie where the rest of the traffic is clipping along at 45 plus mph. It helps slow 'em down.

 

[The patriot]

Originally posted by Papa Joe

The school district here is really strict. When it's dark or foggy - turn 'em on. When it ain't - turn 'em off.

Wish they would do this here. #@$%!

 

[dewdo]

The emergency vehicles that have the strobe lights use them to turn traffic lights in their favor when approaching an intersection. I don't know if that would be the purpose of them on school busses or not. The light has to flash at a certain rate in order to trigger the receptor at the traffic light.



Dewdo in the real Washington

 

[Wirenut]

I've seen a few around here with them, but we dont have one on ours. I've heard nothing of having to have one installed, but they are a good idea.

 

[Dkevdog]

I'm Posting this on Behalf of my Wife, who has been a school bus driver for 5 years:



I drive nearly 800 miles a week, 9 hours a day in bus,primarily special needs children. I spend the day picking up your precious little cargo. While I've not seen the aformentioned strobes you speak of, I can tell you that anything that can be done to alert approaching drivers of a bus picking up students gets my vote. I have been rear ended by a driver not paying attention to my lights. Not see the "Big Yellow bus???" Please!!! There isn't enough paper, pens or time in my day to write down all of the discourtious and rude drivers I face on a daily basis. Those who continually ignore our flashing red lights, cut us off, and run red lights are the ones I speak of. And trust me, there are many. If it were up to me, I'd have them lay out spike strips instead. So the next time you see a bus on the road, or pulled to the side of one, slow down, give us some room, obey the laws. The kids on that bus just might by your own, or your neighbors, or brothers or sisters. If only one accident could be avoided... it is well worth the effort.



Kev (for wife)

 

[Fireman Dave]

Well said, Mrs. Dkevdog.