I am a college student, and probably plan on going into law enforcement, so I know the law fairly well, but this one has me stumped. I am authorized to photograph at Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, and am out there a few times a month. I often have to stop off to the side of the road in different areas when plane spotting, and the road nearest runway 27 at IAH is narrow, and people like to speed a lot. I have been considering putting in some white and amber strobe lights that would only be used when I am parked on the side of the road, and using a magnetic beacon ("Kojak" light) on top of my car when stopped, which would probably be amber.
I am in the law enforcement community, and have many friends that are cops and lawyers, but I get a lot of conflicting information, and the Texas Transportation Code is a little vague. Some have recommended blue and amber strobes, others have said white and amber, and a few have said amber only. I have also gotten conflicting information for the Kojak light, as some have said it can be blue, and others have said amber. Some have even said I can’t have them at all!
I’m probably going to go with amber and white strobes and an amber beacon, but thought I’d give this a go and see if any LEOs or experienced lawyers want to chime in. Best answer will go to whoever gives me a good explanation backed up with the actual law.
JayJay- My hopes are that I won’t be harassed, I am friends with the security patrols at IAH, I am more worried about HPD giving me problems, since they don’t know that I am authorized to be there, and may think that I am impersonating an officer with the white strobes, which I have been told are also forbidden (stroboscopic lights do not flash at the same time as the hazard lamps).
Steven- I have a small convertible, the supplied hazard flashers are useless, and until I can afford to buy a second car (probably a Jeep), I would like to have some added protection from inattentive drivers.
Leslie- Thank you for clarifying on the blue, I had seen it on construction vehicles and tow trucks, so I was wondering about that. I believe you are thinking of Aldine-Westfield Rd, I am actually talking about Lee, Farrel, and Rankin. The only one with a place to stop is Lee, and that’s only open from dawn to dusk, if I want shots in the early morning, I have to stop on the side of the road. Anot
(continued) Another good spot is FM 1960, but the cops don’t like people stopping there. Good point on the impaired drivers, although I am more concerned about how foggy it gets in the morning, and being seen by regular drivers. Come down and visit us, Houston is a great city.
Chet- Thanks, I have read the code many times over, it is not very helpful, because it doesn’t specify as to whether I can have strobes or not, and says nothing about the beacon. Those are covered in other sections.
Thank you all for your answers!
Here is the Texas Transportation code on restricted use of lighting:
http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/TN/htm/TN.547.htm#547.305
Here is the section you need, Hazard Lamps Permitted.
http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/TN/htm/TN.547.htm#547.331
Sec. 547.331. HAZARD LAMPS PERMITTED. (a) A vehicle may be equipped with lamps to warn other vehicle operators of a vehicular traffic hazard that requires unusual care in approaching, overtaking, or passing.
(b) The lamps shall be:
(1) mounted at the same level and spaced as widely apart as practicable on the front and on the rear of the vehicle; and
(2) visible at a distance of at least 500 feet in normal sunlight.
(c) The lamps shall display simultaneously flashing lights that emit:
(1) a white or amber light, or a color between white and amber, if the lamp is mounted on the front of the vehicle; or
(2) a red or amber light, or a color between red and amber, if the lamp is mounted on the rear of the vehicle.
Add:
You can have a flashing, strobe, or beacon doesn’t matter, as long as it is white to amber in the front, amber to red in the rear (but two lights on the front or back can not "wigwag" they have to flash simultaneously).