Why do road maintenance vehicles need bright flashing lights?

[matticus]

Are they all failed fire engine drivers??

(I guess I should be grateful they don't have sirens ... )

 

[MontyVeda]

because they're often stopped on the carriageway or going much slower than regular traffic? I think they're classed as 'hazard' lights.

 

[JonBuoy]

I was surprised to see a tractor mowing the spillway on the local reservoir yesterday - I have never seen anyone on the spillway before. I did wonder exactly what the flashing anti-collision beacons were for. No sirens though.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Same with RAC/AA types towing anything.

There's no need for the beacons to be on or, worse still, the hazard lights on the towed vehicle.

 

[oxoman]

Ask the guys who drive the big lane divert lorries with huge lights and arrows or recovery guys why. Suspect the answer would be along the lines of all drivers are blind. As an aside I believe the green flashing lights on construction machines denote the guys wearing his seat belt.

 

[Jameshow]

Same with RAC/AA types towing anything.

There's no need for the beacons to be on or, worse still, the hazard lights on the towed vehicle.

Unless going slower than other traffic.

A farmer was jailed for not having a beacon on recently - killed a motorcyclist.

 

[matticus]

Ask the guys who drive the big lane divert lorries with huge lights and arrows or recovery guys why. Suspect the answer would be along the lines of all drivers are blind.

So should we all have the beacons on a public road?

No, that would be silly. The "lane divert lorries [on multi-lane roads]" I totally get. But bimbling along in a 40mph limit, keeping up with traffic flow (and me on a bike)? Don't think so.
Or parked in a layby, well off the (same) road?

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Unless going slower than other traffic.

That's fair enough. Farm vehicles can be going appreciably slower.

I don't recall ever seeing an RAC/AA type not keeping pace with surrounding traffic.

 

[AlanW]

I work (semi retired) for the AA and despite our vans and other roadside services being lit up like Christmas trees, people still manage to run into the rear of them!

 

[Drago]

So when people crash into them its well and truly the othe persons fault, seeing as the governments own data shows little link between conspicuity and casualty rates. Its just something thats always been done just because, and while the reasoning sounds good the evidence behind its efficacy is slim to see-through.

 

[presta]

An attempt to reduce the risk of this, presumably:

View: https://x.com/fietsprofessor/status/2106684366281662514