Since when the Postal trucks have strobe lights?

[adrian]

I was in Ewa Beach today, when I saw the mail truck delivering mail. What got my attention, is that the truck had flashing strobe lights where the orange turn siginals used to be (I guess they changed the lighting scheme a bit).

I didn't notice those on our mail truck, but is this the norm? Can't people already see the truck?

[Palolo Joe]

Was it a new truck? It's not that hard to switch out regular lights for strobes, but you gotta wonder where the turn signals went. You do increase visibility by adding strobes, I think.

[Miulang]

Was it a new truck? It's not that hard to switch out regular lights for strobes, but you gotta wonder where the turn signals went. You do increase visibility by adding strobes, I think.
And possibly create traffic accidents too. Strobes of a certain intensity have been known to cause epileptic attacks in susceptible people. :eek:

Miulang

[Palolo Joe]

And the "succeptible people" are what, two percent of the total population?

[Miulang]

And the "succeptible people" are what, two percent of the total population?
Doesn't matter. That piddly little 2% are the ones who are going to sue the Feds big time if they have an attack after staring at one of those strobes and get into an accident...Can you say "ka-ching"???

Miulang

[cezanne]

I asked my sister about this. She's a mail carrier. Her vehicle doesn't have it but she said that some vehicles are equipped with them and they're especially for areas where there's high traffic like for example Kalanianaole (townside) and such.

[Miulang]

And the "succeptible people" are what, two percent of the total population?
Doesn't matter. That piddly little 2% are the ones who are going to sue the Feds big time if they have an attack after staring at one of those strobes and get into an accident...Can you say "ka-ching"???

Miulang

P.S. a little primer (http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org/answerplace/Medical/seizures/syndromes/reflex.cfm) on "photosensitive epilepsy" for you:
"...The most common form is photosensitive epilepsy -- that is, seizures caused by exposure to intense or fluctuating levels of light. Some people have seizures triggered by flashing lights or rapidly alternating light and dark patterns. The condition usually begins in childhood and may be outgrown by adulthood.

A flickering fluorescent light, the flicker of sunlight while driving past standing trees, certain video games, or flashing strobe lights can trigger seizures in photosensitive people. The reflex response may be absence (staring) seizures, myoclonic (jerking) seizures, or generalized convulsions. Wearing polarized sunglasses with blue lenses has been cited as good protection against photosensitive reflex seizures...."

[Palolo Joe]

Don't worry, I don't need a primer on "photosensitive epilepsy." Heard enough about it during my Nintendo-playing days.

If you want to nitpick over something as manini as this, go ahead. My position is that the safety benefits far outweigh the potential risk of someone staring at the back of a postal truck and having a seizure.

I'll go back to my original question - one that would probably best be answered by someone here in Hawaii who actually knows what's going on and won't speculate, rather than someone thousands of miles away - are these new trucks? If not, and the strobes are replacing turn signals, where were those signals moved to?

Thanks Cezanne for asking your sister. So she doesn't drive one of these new trucks on her route?

[Miulang]

Hope those strobes aren't in the 10-30 Hz frequency (http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Shadowlands/6583/project412.html).

"...1982 - Electromagnetic weapons for law enforcement use in Great Britain:

A 10-30 Hz strobe light which can produce seizures, giddiness, nausea, and fainting was developed by Charles Bovill of the now defunct British firm, Allen International. Addition of sound pulses in the 4.0 - 7.5 Hz range increases effectiveness, as utilized in the Valkyrie, a "frequency" weapon advertised in British Defense Equipment Catalogue until 1983. ..."

[Palolo Joe]

If you're going to keep trying to derail the thread, at least link to an actual page on Wisconsin Public Radio's website (where the Resonance Newsletter is from), not what you found on some random Geocities page.

We're talking about strobe lights on postal vehicles on Oahu, not your opinion on what constitutes a safe strobe light. Please stay on topic.

[Miulang]

Troll. Pfft.

[cezanne]

Hmmm my sis the carrier says they're not really strobes at all but new flashers that flash at a higher rate. It could be possible that the bulb is higher intensity and/or the the amber lens is clearer too (without it being a strobe). Homework for everyone interested, ask your letter carrier :).

To answer Palolo Joe, "So she doesn't drive one of these new trucks on her route?"...her route is not on a main thoroughfare. It consists more of condos where she has places to park safely.

In regard to strobes inducing epileptic seizures, don't other emergency vehicles use strobes? In fact, I noticed going home on Likelike where they are doing roadside work, one of the contracting companies full-sized pickups was driving against traffic (coned), and it had a strobes where the headlights are. Not trying to be a smart ass or anything, but using ones high beams or even halogens can cause someone to crash. But what are we taught? ... look away from it.

[craigwatanabe]

Strobe lights kits have been around for a while now and is a separate bulb within the light buckets of a turn signal. These additional bulbs or flash tubes are fitted into these light bucket by drilling into them and mounting the bulbs in place.

As for safety. I know the DOT requires public utility vehicles to have some sort of flashers to warn motorists of frequent stops. Regarding high intensity signals such as strobes, if you notice, the "On" cycle of each flash is a short burst followed by a pause then a series of short bursts. This pause breaks the pattern of pulsing which under a steady pattern of pulsing would normally cause these kinds of seizers.

Regarding the epilleptic seizers, remember the movie Andromeda Strain? All it took for that female scientist to get her seizer was a blinking red panel light. It wasn't a high intensity or a strobe, just a simple blinking red incandescent bulb in a predictable blink pattern.

With all the traffic warning signage posted on our public streets, I would think being suseptible to seizer from flashing lights should put you in a position of daytime driving only where the intensity and attention of these lights is less obvious than at night.

I think the burden of safe driving should be put on the shoulders of those capeable of causing accidents. If it means taking 2% of the driving population off the streets from sun down to sun up to save the lives the remaining 98% then that's a good restriction.

As for the virtues of strobes on mail trucks, I think it's better to be seen and avoided rather than not be seen and not get my mail because some person took out the neighborhood mailman's truck.

I actually preferred the old fashioned revolving lights, not quite so shocking on the eyes and it does the same thing...it get's your attention real fast.

[Palolo Joe]

Revolving lights? You mean those old-school ones that cops on TV would put on their dash and it would go around, and around, and around?

Man... I can't remember the last time I saw that kind of light on any type of vehicle.

Cezanne, thanks again for asking your sister.

Troll. Pfft.

I wouldn't talk... seems like you were trolling in the first place, when the rest of us were talking about mail trucks. And then you get caught trying to cite something off a Geocities page.

[craigwatanabe]

Revolving lights? You mean those old-school ones that cops on TV would put on their dash and it would go around, and around, and around?

Man... I can't remember the last time I saw that kind of light on any type of vehicle.


Yeah revolving lights so I no have to watch reruns of Hawaii 5-0 for remember da good old days.

[adrian]

I just saw my neighborhood's postal truck, and they have the hazard lights on. I wonder if that's cheaper to use?

[craigwatanabe]

Only if they're delivering spam mail :eek: :D