I’ve passed driving tests in both Spain and Florida, and in both places a yellow light is for “special vehicles other than police and ambulances”. Roadwork crews for example. Sometimes you see one on a real big tractor. From what I’ve seen driving in other places, the meaning was the same: road crews; a vehicle at each end of a “special transport”; stuff like that.
I realize that in the US rules can change on the county line, but road signs tend to be pretty universal…
Have you considered speaking to your local police department about it? They should be able to either confirm he was legit or make a note that there was a report of some guy with a yellow light is acting like he was some kind of law enforcement officer. Either way, can’t hurt - right?
IIRC from my administration of justice classes, at least in California a blue strobe light denotes a vehicle with an armed law enforcement officer. Anything else (yellow being warning lights, tow trucks have them; red and white are other emergency vehicles, fire and paramedics) probably isn’t a cop.
And as iamthewalrus said, it can’t possibly hurt to call the police and see if the car is legit. If you don’t have a cell phone, I’d suggest (and IANAL) driving to a well lit, populated area or to the police station if you are in a town you are familiar with. Better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6.
In Colorado there have been a number of police impersonators and every time the newspapers report that you should drive to a public area or the nearest police department.
Here are the tips they always seem to give:
-If you’re unsure about the legitimacy of an officer in an unmarked vehicle trying to make a traffic stop, turn on your hazard or flasher lights and proceed to a well-lit area or a location where there are other people present before you stop.
-Every officer should be in possession of a photo issued identification card at all times. If the person stopping you is not in uniform, or in a uniform that doesn’t display a badge, ask for this ID card to be presented.
-If the person is not able to answer your questions quickly, call 911 right away.
-Do not get out of your car if you have concerns about the legitimacy of an officer making a traffic stop.
-Report any suspicious traffic stop to the police.
-Trust your instincts in any situation.
I’d say the first one is probably the best if you have any questions. Your hazard lights let them know you know they are there. It avoids any confusion and is easily explainable.
-Tcat
Ok. I will call the Colonie Police, as that’s where I was. (Around here the town system is really weird…I’m still in Albany but they call it Colonie and they have Colonie police. And towns turn from one to another in the weirdest of places.)
bouv, to be honest, I have no idea. I have seen unmarked cars on I-87 with people pulled over; they generally have a small blue light flashing on the driver’s side of the dash. I don’t think I’ve ever seen one with only red lights. But I could have and forgotten it.
Yellow around here is construction, etc., too; it means “caution”. So they put it on extra-wide trailers and stuff. I would feel the same way - why is some utilities guy trying to pull me over?
Tikki, actually I live in NY. But I thank you for the info. I now have ammo to go and hit up my SO with.
Keep us updated.
Sometimes drivers of vehicles with yellow lights do have the authority to write tickets. My father works for the water/sewer department and even has a badge. He can write tickets.
I don’t think he’d be able to write a ticket for a blown tail light, though.
In Ontario, emergency vehicles (police, amblulace, fire) have flashing red and white lights. Only snow-removal vehicles have flashing biue lights. All sorts of ‘be careful around me’ vehicles–tow trucks, really big cranes, phone-company trucks, garbage trucks, etc–have flashing yellow lights. I have heard that volunteer firefighters have flashing green lights that they put in their personal cars when on a call, but I have never seen this.
I have seen what I think were ‘unmarked’ police cars in Toronto: they were ordinary-looking sedans, except that they had slightly-darker markings that said ‘Police’. The effect of the markings was like the difference between matte and glossy paint of the same colour: fairly subtle, but definitely visible. And I could see flashing lights (turned off) inside the car, on the back deck.
Are police cars required to have some form of marking in Ontario?
He was totally some rent-a-cop on his way home from a shift spent tooling around the mall parking lot. 
Anaamika, you don’t make clear: did you actually have a tail light out? The reason why I mention it is because a few years ago, in (Spotsylvania?) Virginia there was a case of a guy who warned women that there were sparks flying out from underneath their cars. He did this to get them to stop and pull over. At first, he didn’t stop when they did, and police later surmised that he was practicing, ginning up the nerve for a real attack. Eventually, he did…several times, if memory serves. Maybe your guy was doing the same.
Yellow lights are just attention-getters for safety purposes. Wreckers have them, escort cars for over-size truck loads, all kinds of government service vehicles. It means only to use caution around them, as they may be going slow or make some sudden and unexpected turn, stuff like that. No, he couldn’t have pulled you over.
Being related to and good friends with a number of police officers, I can tell you that no legitimate cop will ever object to assuring a wary motorist that he/she is for real. Just ask them to follow you to a place where you feel safe. A good cop will even give you directions to the nearest station house, where his/her bona fides can be verified. Of course, you’d damn sure better go to the station house, or there’s going to be a warrant out for your arrest.
I have, and can confirm this. In rural Ontario towns, it is common that when the volunteer firefighters are called, they go to the fire station in their own cars, each with a flashing green light on the dash or on the roof.
Every year somebody starts pretending to be a cop and the police announce that it’s an obvious fake because the flashing lights weren’t exactly right. Now for my take on it.
Don’t tell the public that it’s obvious, because all the vehicles have different lights, and sirens around here. Drivers can’t easily tell anymore if a cop, or an impersonater is trying to pull them over. There should be state wide specifications and a list of a couple designs at most that can be used. This would improve public safety, by allowing drivers to know that light is fake.
The worst light I saw was mounted behind the front grill. It was only visable from certain angles, and not much so at that.