Watching old cop shows from the 70's,they used to put the old Mars light on the roof of their car when responding to a call.Does anyone know when that was stopped and why it was stopped.Here in Chicago,the unmarked police cars have flashing headlights.
2007-03-07 22:59:51 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Law Enforcement & Police
I don't know when it stopped, but I can tell you why. In those old movies, how many times did you see the light go flying off during the pursuit? When they start taking corners at high speed, the magnet is not enough to hold it on.
Not to mention most cars now days are maned by only one officer not two. In the movies it was usually the partner that put the light on the top. Have you ever tried to drive fast, talk on the radio, and place a light on the top of your vehicle at the same time? It's not very easy.
With time comes technology. They now have ways of making lights smaller and brighter and able to be concealed in the dash or grill. These lights can be turned on with a flip of the switch and you don't have to worry about them falling off during the pursuit.
2007-03-08 02:45:12 · answer #1 · answered by thanson73 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When they would open the doors after arriving, they would rip out the cord from the light and break them. Not like in the movies where they put the light on top of the car, and then when they arrive at the scene, somehow the cord is on the inside of the door frame.... like the light was out on top of the car and then the door closed on top of the cord. I guess they stopped to save money on repairs.
2007-03-08 07:12:51 · answer #2 · answered by tmarschall 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No one could ever see the damn thing. Strobes replaced them because of the lumens they put out. Same with a "yelping" siren. A long, steady whine of a siren made it difficult for people to gauge the direction the sound was coming from. The intermittent "yelp" used today allows people to locate the general direction of the oncoming emergency vehicle.
2007-03-08 08:01:26 · answer #3 · answered by Quasimodo 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They stopped doing it because any idiot can purchase a flashing removable dome light on E-bay and there were too many people impersonating officers with it.
Installed strobes, while not hard to purchase either, are not cheap to purchase or install. Thus less likely that your average scumbag will go through the trouble.
2007-03-08 07:33:49 · answer #4 · answered by Tough Love 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
As technology improved, it was no longer necessary to have a separate instrument for a light.
Progress, ya know!
2007-03-08 09:43:55 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The fireball as it is called is still used
2007-03-08 07:31:10 · answer #6 · answered by watchman_1900 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think because we all knew what they looked like. That is why they are like undercover and stelth
2007-03-08 07:03:38 · answer #7 · answered by anoldwomanlivinginashoe 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Technology.....a better and more convenient way was found.
2007-03-08 07:48:22 · answer #8 · answered by dude0795 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋