Military Vehicles

[Costie101]

Does anyone know where I can find out about the laws governing the military government vehicles using emergency strobe lights. I drive for an Admiral of the coast guard he wants the car equiped with emergency lights just in case there is another 911 type incident. Is it legal to have and use in traffic. If anyone knows please reply back. Thanks

[ngcsubutterbar]

is it a military vehicle? military reg and military tags? call your local JAG office and ask them.

[gijoeyl33]

if they are coast guard vehicles another good approach would be contacting CGIS, im sure their vehicles are equipped with the equipment you speak of and should know the laws

[Barenaked]

How did you end up with that job? Yuk.

[mcsap]

Military vehicles are exempt from having our state license plates, safety inspection etc. They can pretty much do what they want. No state issued CDL is required of a truck that would otherwise be a comm vehicle. I suspect most states leave the feds alone.

Recruiters, US mail trucks all are exempt.

[jaunt10]

mcsap is there a place that says what a government car is entitled to? i drive a govt car quite a bit but i have no idea what the restrictions are as to tickets (i know govt cars can get them) , weapon carrying etc.

[mcsap]

I guess that such restrictions are based upon the individual states. We of course can stop a gov't vehicle and cite/arrest the driver under our laws. I do not know of any national database that would contain such exceptions. I just know our state laws are pretty lenient with them as it would be CRAZY to have them even try to comply with various state laws as they may be moved around.

Why don't you ask at your motorpool ? I am the one who got out of the military in 1982, you are still in !!

[jaunt10]

i really dont get the car from the motorpool i borrow it from a regular joe schmo O-1 (squadron duty officer) that has the keys to the car thats on the flight line. We get a little binder with the keys that just tells you what to do if you get a ticket or get in an accident and the govt gas card. thats about it, everything else is pretty much in our hands.

[mcsap]

How about this for a break ? A person from PA who is on active duty stationed OUTSIDE of PA can drive on their expired license as long as they are stationed outside of PA. Can be expired 15-20 yrs, doesn't matter. They can come back on leave, still not a problem.

If they get discharged or stationed here, then they have 60 days to renew.

I knew this while stationed at McGuire AFB in NJ. I got stopped on my motorcycle and the trooper didn't believe me. He had somebody call PA and ask and after about 15 minutes I was on my way.

[jaunt10]

very interesting..when i was in florida my license for texas expired and the dmv there told me to wait to renew it till i got back to texas..and i got renewed that same week.

[Group9]

Does anyone know where I can find out about the laws governing the military government vehicles using emergency strobe lights. I drive for an Admiral of the coast guard he wants the car equiped with emergency lights just in case there is another 911 type incident. Is it legal to have and use in traffic. If anyone knows please reply back. Thanks

My guess would be that the Coast Guard qualifies as a federal law enforcement agency, especially since being re-incorporated under the Department of Homeland Security, which is, without a doubt, a federal law enforcement agency. Ergo, a vehicle transporting an Admiral of the Coast Guard on official business would probably be okay. DHS regs would be the deciding factor here I would think. If it was okay under their policy, state law would not be relevant.

Emphasis on "my guess".

[Stingray102]

I'm in the Coast Guard and just came from a WMD/Hazmat response unit that had lights installed on most of our response vehicles. Having the lights on a federal vehicle is not a problem as long as it is okay with the CO. We required all of our members to take the training on when and when not to use them though. I believe that requirement is a Coast Guard requirement and can be verified through your local CGIS office.