If you are a car enthusiast, it is highly unlikely that you have not travelled on the Pakistani highways during night time. Motorway Police cars are a common sight on the highways during night. Their flashing red and blue lights can warn the drivers from a distance that there is a police car right around the corner.
A few days back, we showed you the inside of new Motorway Police fleet car. On these new cars, Motorway Police had a very peculiar requirement for lightbars. They wanted lightbars from a vendor in USA named Whelen Engineering, who specializes in automotive and aviation lightings, because the vendor makers very high-quality lights. The lights that Motorway Police ordered are from Whelen’s Legacy Series, which are very bright and have an effective range of 1 kilometer according to the supervisor at Toyota Easter Motors, as if the lights they are currently using are not bright enough. They can blind you for a few minutes if you stare at them during the night and can effectively cause epileptic seizures to people who have this problem.
To add to this, when I got to know the price of these lights, I got a little shocked. A single lightbar costs more than Rs. 600,000 (around $6,000). The dealership imported more than a 100 pieces, so they got a good deal and the lights ended up costing them Rs. 580,000 (around $5,800) a piece.
I don’t know what is the utility of these lights that they had to spend so much money on getting them. They could have easily fabricated similar lights in Pakistan at much cheaper cost. I mean, 600,000 rupees is a huge sum.
Do you think the money Motorway Police spent on these lights is justified?
They could have bought a Mehran and put it on top of their Altis with the headlights ON..
No need to buy such expansive lights …. Huge waste of money … I second to Obaid
I think that the money is justified. Whelen is a company who specializes in things like these and knows what its doing where as any ‘fabricated’ light in Pakistan is not only a safety hazard but as pointed out by you a problem for people who can have epileptic seizures. In Pakistan we dont put much stress when it comes to automotive safety, and when such high speeds are involved I would feel much safer if I knew the lights from Whelen rather than a ‘Jugaari’
I am sure they must have their reasons. Why be distrustful all the time? You should ask them straight up.
I just visualised that and cannot stop laughing HAHAHAHAHAH
I can source a PT-54 Nichia Phlatlight LED which costs roughly $8 a piece and it can run 6V – 9A (63W/led) Just one led is bright enough to cause permanent eye damage. Mainly used in LED/Laser Hybrid HD Projectors that produce tons of lumens when mixed with a rotating phosphor disc.
They are available at mouser and Digikey aswell (if you’re electronics geek you know what i am saying)
20 of those on each sides, 10 red and 10 blue, and some Attiny-MCU programming , a total of 40 LED’s pulling 2700 watts, this setup shouldnt cost more than $600.00 to make, and This $6000 pricetag is just ridiculous, reminds me of that bicycle repair bill of 112k from a government service personnel.
I have seen these new cars and lights on M1 yesterday night. These extra bright lights are a huge distraction and safety hazard for anybody passing by, and are so bright that I could not concentrate on the road. On top of that, yesterday Motorway police probably decided to show off their new cars, and parked three cars in one place with full flashing lights on. Imagine the disco show they were creating. I strongly urge the Motorway Police to tone down the intensity of these lights. I love my eyes.
even I had to visualize it before posting 😀
I mean this is insane..!
yup that’s crazy.. and like Umair just mentioned, its a huge distraction too..
What will be the use of lights? Will it be disco on the streets or is it some sort of new going for police.
600000? Seriously, can a poor country like ours splurge on these things.
you made my day…..ha ha ha
😀
there could be another reason behind this cost, maybe its the same traditional thing which goes with contractor(local suppliers) the bar could be half of its price, and the half of the price goes in suppliers/local venders pocket. like in any other govt department, i remember in Musharraf era when Sh. Rasheed was railway minister, there was this report revealed the DC BULB they use in cabins costs around Rs. 45 but they buy it and shows in papers costing like some Rs. 520
if traditional lights are creating eye hazards, then they first start strict action against HIDs (in halogen housings) , they create more disaster at night then anything else on road.
bhai thora kum karlo plz, 6 lac kafi zada hai
Hahaha@disco
hahaha, nice !!
iam 100 percent agree with the below statement of Umz • 15 days ago
Seriously these lights are producing unwanted glare and distraction. our eyes cants see anything on the road when these LED red blue lights are blinking at road side.
Somebody must pass my request to Motorway police to remove or reduce the unwanted instensity/glare of these lights…specially in this fogy weather.
umz
I have seen these new cars and lights on M1 yesterday night. These extra bright lights are a huge distraction and safety hazard for anybody passing by, and are so bright that I could not concentrate on the road. On top of that, yesterday Motorway police probably decided to show off their new cars, and parked three cars in one place with full flashing lights on. Imagine the disco show they were creating. I strongly urge the Motorway Police to tone down the intensity of these lights. I love my eyes.
I being a regular driver on motorway at night have a few good things to say about these lights but they are all in “French” and you would probably like to censor them!
The fact that the police in Pakistan keep the lights on at all times is just stupid. The reason these lights cost so much is because they are meant to be extremely bright and blinding and are only to be used in emergency situations and not when they are cruising down the side of the road. Here in the states, if you see btights flashing lights around, the only instinct is to assess where the emergency vehicle is and to safely pull over. They are meant to be bright so that they are visible by far. But sadly, no matter how many US made or other high quality imported products our emergency forces buy, if they don’t know how to properly use them, then what’s the point?
They use these lights for the theaf daku to indicate them, hoshiyar
The Price Of Light Bars are Also hight
and the hooter(siren) + speaker cost a 1.5 lakh on each tiger(patrolling car) the total amount of speakers+hooter+lights bars coast upto 7.5 lakhs
my father is in motorway police
iam not agree with the comments thats lights bar are for safety
it is used for stormy weathers like fog hazzard