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156 
BLACKSMITH'S GREEN LIGHT
Page 27
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After being a long-distance truck driver for over 35 years, I have now had to give up the job and life that I loved after being diagnosed as having a brain tumour. Before I depart from this earth I just wanted my small claim to fame.
Twenty-six years ago I made moulds to make green lights for my wagon (at the time the only coloured lights you could get were red, amber or white). After I feted these green lights to the wagon I kept getting stopped by the police. They would say: "Turn those green lights out; our boss does not like them." I used to say to them: "It does not say anywhere in the lighting regulations that I cannot have green lights, so book me."
Headboards (with name plates) showing red lights at the front were illegal, but the police did not stop them for contravening lighting regulations, and they are still illegal. Also there are seven legal users of blue lights: the police, fire, ambulance, coastguard, bomb disposal, blood service and Forestry Commission. The police said that there were only three legal users of blue lights, namely the police, fire and ambulance services, but they obviously did not know the regulations of the other four.
was told to go to Almondsbury police station and check with them as there was so much controversy over the matter. Eventually they gave me the green light on my green lights as there was nothing they could do about it.
This is the 26th anniversary of green lights and I was the one who started it all, as a lot of the old JE Clark drivers would know. You could not get green lights before then. Some years afterwards Rubberlight started making green lights for ABS.
I have spent the past 35 years up and down the roads of Britain, and the past 10 years back and forth to the Continent. I am well known art over the country as many people recognised the anvil on the front of my truck, and the handle "Blacksmith". I miss the life on the roads but am sure I will be remembered.
So when someone says to you that green lights have been out for years you will now know who invented them and made the first ones—Blacksmitte Vic Baker, Bristol.