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Our local rep just stopped by and gave us a demo of Federal Signals new Rumbler siren addition. I was impressed, but I am curious if anyone else has an opinopn or story about them. It seems like a good idea, but is it worth the extra cash?
My first impression was mixed. Yeah, standing next to the thing it sounded like a tornado siren. But from an installers point of view, that is just one more $%@ thing to install. I would really need to justify why I should invest in something that nobody else has tried and would recommend.
kg4ere wrote:Our rep came by and gave us a demo as well. I am wondering what the long term effects of a rumbler are going to be on the avereage vehicle? It certainly has potential to vibrate some things apart.
Do what the public safety agencies here do, and sell of the vehicle when the clock hits 40,000km. Let the next owner worry about it
I have had the experiance of hearing one in action. A second long thump is like a kick in the chest by a horse. They will make anything not bolted down dance across the floor. Seems like they move cars pretty well too, it will at least get the attention of some drivers who don't pay attention to regular sirens to look up and see the flashing lights.
Just ordered one on the new ambulance at work, cost = around 6-700. Should be interesting. The chief had a big woody when he came back from our dealer, so who knows. Can't wait to try it in city traffic.
Federal Police are getting them. Annoying, when you are in a building, sounds like a high speed steam roller going by. And yes, EVERYTHING vibrates around.
I am assuming that if my local department gets these, if they use them at night in the residential districts like they do now with the regular sirens, many people will be upset and complain. It is worse than the train going by, if your house is close to the highway.
For how it affects traffic, meh. Not sure yet. Most people are so immune to external noise in their cars and have their own systems cranked so high I think they won't hear it.
My Sireeno siren on my old Cadillac ambulance was the best. 250 amps of raw motor power could blow the ceiling tiles off the inside of the barn roof.
Now that we have the Rumbler on the new truck, I like it. It definately makes people pay attention to you. Inside the ambulance (a Chevy 4500 LifeLine) is remarkably quiet, even with both sirens and the rumbler in operation.
I know that NYPD and DC Metro have test cars, if not fully starting to outfit their new cars coming in to service with the Rumblers.
I think the attention getting part of it is that people just are not used to the sound. It will make people turn and look at it. The problem with this in metro cities is that like sirens, the people who hear them all the time will become conditioned to the nose to the point they will probably end up ignoring it.
I've heard one once in DC - but short of that, haven't really had any exposure to it. The only reason why it caught my attention was because I heard something rumbling - but knew what it was since an officer friend informed me of them being installed.
Just my $0.01.
-Alex
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Kilgore: Smell that? You smell that?
Lance: What?
Kilgore: Napalm, son. Nothing in the world smells like that.
Kilgore: I love the smell of napalm in the morning. You know, one time we had a hill bombed, for 12 hours. When it was all over, I walked up. We didn't find one of 'em, not one stinkin' dink body. The smell, you know that gasoline smell, the whole hill. Smelled like... victory. Someday this war's gonna end...
Our department did extensive testing. They tested it in urban areas using officers in private vehicles with the stereos turned up and with headphones on. They tested with both a regular siren (200 watt with a 200-watt speaker) and with the Rumbler.
In every case the Rumbler gave several seconds more advanced warning and cleared cars faster.
They found the results very conclusive and are outfitting all vehicles with the Rumbler.