Posts by thatoneiowan

  • Mountain Rescue + other services

    Iowa also classifies wreckers as "emergency vehicles" and towing services are allowed to use red/blue lighting specifically when they are on scene. Unless extreme circumstances apply (several mile traffic backup, for example) they cannot use red/blue lights while responding or after they have departed. They cannot use sirens as far as I'm aware. They are all privately owned. This was explained to a coworker of mine who specifically asked Motor Vehicle Enforcement about this after he noticed towing companies running red/blue (who subsequently explained it to me).


    - Rural mail carriers typically will have an amber strobing light on the top of their vehicles that runs continuously while on their delivery routes.
    - Highway Helper program only uses lighting (amber) when on scene.
    - I've only personally seen a few POVs belonging to volunteer firefighters. Only one had any additional lighting, and it was just a single rotating dash light in white.
    - Funeral procession cars are permitted purple lighting, if memory serves correct, while conducting a procession but I don't think they're allowed sirens.


    In short... I need to brush up on our state laws a bit, it looks like... lol

  • Traffic demand, and Waypoint

    Quote from Aether

    While I do like the idea, since only the mobile versions have access to Google/Apple maps and therefore traffic, I don't think it could be implemented anytime soon. I don't believe OpenStreetMaps has a traffic utility either


    While I don't truly know either way, I feel like that there's some sort of free (likely crowdsourced) traffic speed information application. INRIX may have something free but probably unlikely. Like you said Google/Apple Maps traffic speeds wouldn't work well on OSM. While I don't know very much at all about either Esri or ArcGIS there may be something out there possibly? (Honestly, just throwing out random ideas at this point.... Too tired to think straight lol)

  • Stingers

    Quote from BWard

    Yes it should

    Could arguably make a separate police station with custom building/vehicle names and graphics if you want it but as it is right now I don't think it's necessary, at most it sounds similar to a Highway Helper program that isn't restricted to highways or traffic incidents

  • All mission bug in the middle of the sea​

    If they are actually ferry routes then I wouldn't mess with them (especially just for this game's aesthetic). They're likely to get added back anyways, and whoever has to put them back probably won't be too happy they were deleted for a game.


    If they AREN'T actually ferry routes then you can go to the OpenStreetMap website, create an account, and follow the instructions to edit the map.

  • New POIS

    Pretty sure farm is already a POI but not sure if it's linked to calls like tractor fire or anything like that


    Other two I support

  • Alliance Mutual Aid Suggestion

    Quote from Missionchief17

    Works for me! Would love to see this in the future

    I don't play a whole lot and honestly that is one of two reasons I've never joined an alliance is because nobody else can "mutual aid" my cars on my behalf (the other reason being I play in Iowa so all my units (which primarily are PD) are pretty distant from anyone else). I even have a police academy and am close to a fire academy being built just to be available to whoever if I ever do join an alliance lol.

  • Realistic Mode

    Quote from Jason

    A minute to travel 0.35 miles is an average speed around 20mph. I don’t see that being a realistic emergency response speed.


    The speed cannot be changed as it’s what’s calculated from the routing system. Usually people complain it’s too slow though. It’s a first to see someone want it slower!


    Does it not take into effect speed limits on OSM? I play in a rural area and it seems when my deputies need to get from one town to another it seems to be at about speed limit (65-70 mph). Granted... In real life they tpically push 90 to 100... Lol


    Edit: I ask this because I'm curious to know whether adding a 55mph speed limit on the gravel roads would be beneficial or not.

  • Police/Medical Officers

    I may be wrong on this but I think the idea of a police supervisor vehicle was shut down as you could just rename a regular patrol unit.


    Also as it stands now EMS fly cars are already in game, which could also be renamed to be a supervisor if that's what you were talking about

  • Graphic Pack Search Engine

    I think if this were to be implemented, tags of some sort would be helpful too. It would offer a way to search a bit broader (American, British, Generic, APNG, vehicles instead of icons and vice versa) and still be able to have a specific title.

  • Random Patrol button

    While we're on the subject of patrol paths... Has it been discussed to move patrol paths to each department? I'm still a small player at best but I have at least a dozen patrol paths for one county (two each for two towns, 4 for the rural county area, and 4 for the county seat). Thinking it might be easier to comb through a list if there's not as many (unnecessary) options - not going to send the town cops out on a county patrol. Just a thought I had

  • Road accident

    Quote from Jason

    Not all. If damage only, wouldn't likely go.

    Not sure where you're at so very likely it is done different, but PD goes to all crashes if dispatch is notified of them in Iowa... Especially for property damage only calls. They have to do their report and if on public road they would need to figure out who is at fault.


    Also... I work at the DOT in traffic management and know that Claims gets upset if they don't get their case number if someone hits state property ;)


    EDIT: I'd also like to add that not requiring it for the game would be nice, typically one of my town's officers is on a call when I have to trip fire somewhere else and my deputy is much further out... lol. Also helpful for newer players or those who don't want to build up PD (similar to me... not interested in building up my FD, just have 4 stations and don't plan to add any more)

  • Naming Units

    I just use Iowa's system... The county numbering. Each county has a number (sorted alphabetically ie. Adair is 1 and Wright is 99). I don't really know who has what in reference to fire units except from what I can do with pictures so I'm only planning to run Boone County's fire/EMS setup and progress on the PD side... Boone's county number is 8, and I'll either expand to Story County (85) or Dallas County (25).


    Each unit number starts with their county number, then their department badge number. My Ogden PD car is 8-48, my Madrid car is 8-502. The lower numbers like 8-8, 8-12, 8-19 etc are held for the SO :) bigger counties will have more deputies, ie Dallas County goes to at least 25-24, and I'm pretty sure I saw 25-30 once.


    EDIT Idk why the picture shows up so big I thought it would resize itself so heres the link instead https://i.imgur.com/tC52lT5.jpg