I tried to ignore this post. But people have a misconception all LEO's are out to irritate or inconvenience them.
In 2011, 165 LEO's lost their lives while working. Out of 165 deaths 60 of them where traffic related and 72 where from being shot.
There were 54774 assaults reported and 14578 injuries.
So when i stop a car i dont want the driver of the car to be able to see what im doing or where im at chance of being assaulted, shot, the chance to flee (traffic stop occupants) and so i can see movements inside the car. And as far as the lights, yeah one would think a little single red bubble light on top of the car would alert oncoming drivers of an upcoming situation, but it doesnt. People either do not pay attention or their being rubber neckers (checking to see a dead body, someone they know, or hoping to be on the next edition of COPS)
I can not count how many accidents, involving police cars, i have seen or heard of where people say they couldnt see the light. Or how many countless times i have been going to an extreme emergency where my lights and siren are activated and the driver in front of me doesnt see or hear me.
So my sincere appologies for any tax paying, law abiding citizen, innocent bystandard that is passing by a location i am at with my emergency lights activated and the brightness of my lights makes you squint while your breaking your neck to see what im doing, or my lights screw up the video your making, for that i am sorry.
Also no LEO's out there sit around a table and say lets see how we can screw with people today, i know, lets spend tons of money on every light fixture we can add to a car and blind EVERYBODY.
The lights are in place for SAFETY for not only the officer but the person being stopped and for the public passing by.
The majority of the equipment we carry or utilize today stems from some lawsuit.
I wish it was like Mayberry where Sheriff Andy just handed the cell keys to the town drunk and told him to go lock himself up for the night (and he did). But its not, people dont want to go to jail and will do anything to keep from it.