Can any vehicle (UK) wear orange flashing roof lights?

Question

I know blue lights denote emergency vehicles and it can be an offence to have them on your car/van- also that you are obliged to pull over for them.

However I see a lot of vehicles (car recovery trucks, water board Land Rovers, even builders' vans) with orange lights- what' the dea lwith these...can anyone have them as they just act as a warning of long vehicle/ heavy load etc etc?

Thanks!

Answer 1

Just a warning.

Answer 2

Orange Flashing Light

Answer 3

Can you have them? Of course. Then the question becomes "Are they legal?" and I have no idea of the laws in the UK to be honest. But even if they are legal, is there a compelling reason to have them?

In the United States it seems everyone has a flashing amber light. Garbage trucks, mail trucks, snow plows, highway department vehicles, school buses, and the list goes on. As a result the public is getting desensitized to amber lights, which is making it more dangerous me me and my fellow tow truck operators.

Ah, the web is such a wonderful place. NOW I do know the rules for amber lights in the UK, thanks to http://www.ukemergency.co.uk/information/bluelightuse.htm

It covers all colours, and amber is thus:

AMBER

any vehicle’s indicators

amber pedal reflectors or pedal lights

reflected from a registration plate

reflected from a road clearance vehicle

reflected from a vehicle carrying dangerous substances

reflected on some old or heavy vehicles

flashing amber lights on

a road clearance vehicle

a bin lorry

a breakdown vehicle

a vehicle with a 25 mph top speed

a vehicle wider than 2.9 metres

a roadworks vehicle

an escort vehicle

a Revenue and Customs vehicle

a surveying vehicle

a clamping or tow truck vehicle

airport vehicles

any other specially authorised vehicle

So, there you have the definitive answer finally.

Answer 4

No only certain vehicles but the list is long,wide loads,recovery vehicles,vehicles working on the maintainance of the highway etc.These are listed in the Act.The regulations are complex and too long to list here for instance a recovery vehicle is one capable of lifting another vehicle off the road not just towing it.Because so few people know the details of this law it is often abused.

Answer 5

The basic rule of thumb concerning flashing vehicle lights here in UK is that emergency vehicles, police, fire and ambulance are allowed to have blue flashing lights. Tow-away vehicles such as those owned by garages and the emergency breakdown services of the motoring organisations, may use amber/orange flashing lights. A doctor on call may use his green flashing light.

If you want flashing lights [orange/amber] buy yourself a garage car tow/lifter vehicle, register it in the name of your firm, [Blogs Towing] and then race up and down the motorway with lights flashing. Cannot see any reason why it's illegal - you will be operating on behalf of your garage, racing to a distressed customer who has broken down. On paper anyway. Oh - you'd better fit a two way radio in the vehicle so that you can talk to the wife back home who is manning your 'control desk'.

GOOD LUCK WITH THAT! Hope to see you out there sometime.

Answer 6

The light is for any vehicle that will be stopping at the roadsde (motoway hard shoulder, roadworks etc) to do maintenance work or such like, and is compulsory for them (it is illegal NOT to have one!). So I am pretty sure anyone can have one although I dont see much point, as there are no privilages! And there are most likely rules about driving with it flashing if there are no reasons for it.

Answer 7

The orange flashing light just means slow moving vehicle.
Anyone can have one, but if you just put one on a car without a recovery bar or sign the police will probably pull you.

Answer 8

I believe anyone can put orange lights on their vehicle. But you are only supposed to use them to warn of a hazard.

If you have them on for no reason, you may get pulled...

Answer 9

any vehicle can have then but can only be used when showing for a hazard. i.e to warn other vehicles of your presence like when parked on hard shoulder, or to warn of slow moving vehicle, or wide load.

Answer 10

Anyone can use them off road. Severe restrictions on-road