Beacon Light ??

What is the purpose of the rotating/flashing yellow beacon lights on tractor cabs? Seems like CIH tractors are more prominent with them but there are a "few" JCB machines that fly up and down the roads(dairy) . Is this a factory installed fixture or an accessory ? I am aware that the newer/larger combine cabs have them but was under the impression that those had to do with the grain tank getting/being full ?

Some of the guys that live in Quebec can correct me, if I am wrong, but I think they are mandatory if the tractor is driven on the road in Quebec. License plates are mandatory , too.

It is something safety experts came up with to help big equipment to be seen. All newer tractors, combines, sprayers, and other ag equipment has them on it.

You know drivers can't see a 50 thousand lb tractor with a 100 ft harrow going down the road with flashers on so it must now have a yellow flashing light on top. Any of the newer equipment when you turn the light switch to road position. The hazards, headlights. Header end lights all come on. Now you have a beacon you can't turn off unless you pull the fuse. It's real annoying when I go out to the hanger and start every thing weekly at work. Looks like a disco with 6 pieces of equipment running all with the beacons flashing. We had to get the fire detection system modified it kept thinking we had a fire an you had to stand and hold the override till the fire dept arrived.

And now a lot of states do not require motor cycle riders to wear a helmet. 

jaybmiller wrote: safety ? HAY idiot drivers, I'm HERE !!!

Many of the dairy farms around here have bought land 20 miles from the home farm. I would hate to think about getting caught behind one of their tractors and have to follow for 20 miles.

I live on a dirt road.  I'll pull over to the edge if there is a wider area and stop or I'll pull in one of the driveways.

I ride and drove truck, people do not see what they do not wish to see. No Helmet or vest or truck carried energy absorbing barricade will stop the idiots from killing Riders, other drivers, road or emergency workers or farmers. The problem is not the lack of lights or the lack of a helmet or the lack or flashing beacons on everything not signage or the presence of machines bigger than a house, it is the overly stupid the overly anxious the severely distracted and in a stupendous hurry to be somewhere else that really has no value but to be somewhere else.


Actually watched as a person got in their car drove ACROSS THE ROAD, bought what I suspect was a pack of smokes maybe a bottle of something then started back across the road and cut off a rider who died on scene. No need to have used a car, was a crosswalk not thirty feet away and pulled out in front of a bike with a headlamp on while running less than 45mph. I was sitting eating my lunch hauling grain when this all went down, was sad and stupid all at once.

I was 12 years old driving a tractor, crossing the road to get to our yard and was hit by a car.  Little narrow front tractor.  Crazy memory....Dad was a policeman at the time, looked into the laws (of course he was a little spooked by the whole ordeal, first about my well being, then being sued and so forth), and he told us we should just drive in the lane like a vehicle.  Couple years later, I was driving our MF165 home from the ventilated engine mechanic, driving right in the lane how dad said.  Police car pulled up beside me, one from dad's department, motioned for me to pull over.  Should have seen the look on his face when I shook my head no!  Hahaha

When I drove my Gleaner A( a birthday present for another Allis lover)  down the 2 lane highway I took MY lane, even though there's a wide gravel shoulder. Loooooong line of traffic behind me, too bad. No lights but a new SMV sign .

While living overseas years ago came back for a family visit and brother's neighbor stopped in with used Ford FWD he just bought and it had lights all over it. Brother started teasing him that it must have been a county or state unit with revolving light on cab and additional flashers on cab, then we found the tag which showed it was an English built unit and was imported to the US.

Let me preface this by saying I have been riding motorcycles for 50 years (at least it will be 50 when it gets warm enough for me).