Something I have wondered for some time now. And I know you people are pretty smart. Why is the color blue always associated with the police. You can go to Serbia. You can go to Africa. You can even go to outer Mongolia. And the police are always clad in blue. I know I recall reading some place that the UK pioneered the idea of the modern police force in the 19th century. So I guess most modern police forces are based on that. But why blue? Does it have anything to do with the flag of Scotland?
I think blue is the color of justice but I don't know how that came to be. Here, I remember the police lights being red and I remember when we switched to blue so that you would be able to tell police from fire.
Blue has always been the colour for all emergency vehicles in the UK and it is an offence for any non authorized vehicle to fit any blue lights. It is almost the same in most of Europe and Asia. Flashing amber lights are for heavy cranes and highway maintenance vehicles. America, wanting to be different, adopted red, but police changed over to help their vehicles stand out against the stop lights of vehicles braking to let them pass. The fire department did not think that the high cost of converting their wide array of vehicles was justified, since their trucks are easy to distinguish from a car, but new firetrucks are now adopting the blue lights in most states. I am not sure if US ambulances are doing the same. In the UK, we also need advanced driver training and have to pass a 'blue light' driving test. Judging by some of the accidents that I have seen posted on You-Tube, I don't think that all countries (particularly Russia) follow our example in that one. I sometimes think that Russian police drivers going through a red signal are taught to just close their eyes. LOL
traditions are one of those things that just accumulate over time, like dust bunnies hiding under your bed. they usually start with some kind of an incident in some kind of a story that becomes popular. i don't know the specifics in this particular context, but that's generally how it works.
blue lights for police is a new thing here blue was for required for snowplows...private and public...but a few years ago they changed it to public service plows only...and police switched from red only to red and blue private snowplows are now required to use amber
Years Ago Fire Were Red......Police Blue.....And Amberlamps Were Amber.......Nowadays All Emergency Vehicles Have A Red White And Blue High Intensity Light Bar......So Now You Have No Idea What's Going On Up The Road Ahead...... Cheers Glen.
The first actual "police" to be recorded were in colonial periods acting as naval police from marauding pirates. A common naval uniform consisted of blue dress. Boys in blue. I made that up. But I'm going to start using it.
Blue is for volunteer fire fighters. Red is Fire Dept and Red, White and Blue is police .. least here it is.
Around here a cop car was a black and white, and red lights meant you're under the spot light. But that's changed to blue and white with blue and red lights.
Ice Cube will swarm on any mothafucka in a blue uniform Just 'cause I'm from the CPT Punk police are afraid of me Also, this... The psychological influence of the police uniform
