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It's technical....It may be difficult.






Why, in the name of Sam Hill, does a Zamboni have headlights?




No, seriously....I wanna know!

Great question, looking forward to an answer.

For outdoor rinks

mulefarm wrote:Great question, looking forward to an answer.

Lots of Zambonis still are used on out door rinks up here. When you have to flood at 6:30 am in December it's nice to see where you are going.

allstatebenders wrote:For outdoor rinks

That's as good an answer as I could come up with...But I haven't seen the outdoor rink that could afford the Zamboni that didn't already have lights.

With headlights and taillights... you are basically legal enough to transport them on city streets, if needed in a pinch. Thats the real reason.

But I haven't seen a Zamboni with tail lights....Or turn signals either.

It's not as though the rink super is going to say "hey guys, great job tonight...Let's all hop on the 'boni, run it down to the drive-in and give everyone a thrill!"

It's not uncommon to run the last or first resurface with many or most of the rink lights off. Also, many Zambonis in older rinks are emptied outside on a dark winter's night out past the parking lot. You definitely want the lights on then. (Even a newer rink with a snow pit will dump outside if they're taking out the ice to repaint, for example.)

A better question would be: Why do some Zambonis have a BRAKE light??!!
Seriously, some do. And they are not street-legal in most states or provinces.

I guess at the X where they sometimes have THREE zambonis on the ice at once -- practically a Zamboni traffic jam.

Shinbone_News wrote:It's not uncommon to run the last or first resurface with many or most of the rink lights off. Also, many Zambonis in older rinks are emptied outside on a dark winter's night out past the parking lot. You definitely want the lights on then. (Even a newer rink with a snow pit will dump outside if they're taking out the ice to repaint, for example.)

A better question would be: Why do some Zambonis have a BRAKE light??!!
Seriously, some do. And they are not street-legal in most states or provinces.

I guess at the X where they sometimes have THREE zambonis on the ice at once -- practically a Zamboni traffic jam.

Well, that's a pretty darned good and likely answer...I knew I could get one.

Interesting and amusing to find that some have brake lights too.

Thanks.

It buuuuurns!!!

Ogie wrote:But I haven't seen a Zamboni with tail lights....Or turn signals either.

It's not as though the rink super is going to say "hey guys, great job tonight...Let's all hop on the 'boni, run it down to the drive-in and give everyone a thrill!"

On Olympias theres a manual light switch to turn on both the headlights and BRAKE/RUNING light.... NOT taillight. You dont need turn signals to be legal and they dont have VIN numbers so you cant license them. BASICALLY its just like driving a big damn lawn mower down the road. Which is probably not entirely legal either, but what Barney Fife is gonna bust a guy transporting a Zamboni?

fastncrash wrote:

Ogie wrote:But I haven't seen a Zamboni with tail lights....Or turn signals either.

It's not as though the rink super is going to say "hey guys, great job tonight...Let's all hop on the 'boni, run it down to the drive-in and give everyone a thrill!"

On Olympias theres a manual light switch to turn on both the headlights and BRAKE/RUNING light.... NOT taillight. You dont need turn signals to be legal and they dont have VIN numbers so you cant license them. BASICALLY its just like driving a big damn lawn mower down the road. Which is probably not entirely legal either, but what Barney Fife is gonna bust a guy transporting a Zamboni?

It's not a "VIN number". It's just a "VIN". Or a VI Number".

Only a $#@^&%!!! would notice.

There's no such thing as an "ATM Machine", either.

East Side Pioneer Guy wrote:

fastncrash wrote:

Ogie wrote:But I haven't seen a Zamboni with tail lights....Or turn signals either.

It's not as though the rink super is going to say "hey guys, great job tonight...Let's all hop on the 'boni, run it down to the drive-in and give everyone a thrill!"

On Olympias theres a manual light switch to turn on both the headlights and BRAKE/RUNING light.... NOT taillight. You dont need turn signals to be legal and they dont have VIN numbers so you cant license them. BASICALLY its just like driving a big damn lawn mower down the road. Which is probably not entirely legal either, but what Barney Fife is gonna bust a guy transporting a Zamboni?

It's not a "VIN number". It's just a "VIN". Or a VI Number".

Only a $#@^&%!!! would notice.

There's no such thing as an "ATM Machine", either.

Just for your FYI, guys.

As any Zamboni driver will tell you, they're pretty much a glorified forklift -- literally all the parts, the mechanics, etc.

The Zamboni operator's manual suggests that drivers should be at least 14 years old. Not sure why. I guess they should either have been confirmed or bar mitzvahed! (Do I win this thread yet, Ogie????)

Ogie wrote:It's technical....It may be difficult.






Why, in the name of Sam Hill, does a Zamboni have headlights?




No, seriously....I wanna know!

Also they are all convertibles. Never seen a hard top Zamboni. And who is this Sam Hill guy? Is he the Hill from Hill Murray?

Ogie wrote:It's technical....It may be difficult.






Why, in the name of Sam Hill, does a Zamboni have headlights?




No, seriously....I wanna know!

Its because most of us drunks are used to driving with the headlamps on..lol..Hahahaha..(Apple Valley)... I think...

Didn't you watch the Super Bowl..... it's in case the power goes out.

WarmUpTheBus wrote:

Ogie wrote:It's technical....It may be difficult.






Why, in the name of Sam Hill, does a Zamboni have headlights?




No, seriously....I wanna know!

Also they are all convertibles. Never seen a hard top Zamboni. And who is this Sam Hill guy? Is he the Hill from Hill Murray?

I saw a Zamboni with a cab in Bemidji a couple years ago!

And you cannot "ice" the puck when you are on the penalty kill

at the beginning of the yr makin ice to keep it as cold as possible therefore, need the lights & like I believe previously said at the beginning & end of the day flood with no lights on also in the rink

I have always wanted to know what arena was the first to use two zambonis at the same time.

ShootNScore88 wrote:I have always wanted to know what arena was the first to use two zambonis at the same time.

I remember an article about when the Ducks came into the NHL owned by Disney that they were the first to use to zambonis so there would be more time for intermission entertainment. It was considered "novel" then.

WarmUpTheBus wrote:
Also they are all convertibles. Never seen a hard top Zamboni. And who is this Sam Hill guy? Is he the Hill from Hill Murray?

Sam Hill was a real person, though nobody is quite sure which Sam Hill the euphemism refers to.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Hill_%28euphemism%29

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Hill

East Side Pioneer Guy wrote:

fastncrash wrote:

Ogie wrote:But I haven't seen a Zamboni with tail lights....Or turn signals either.

It's not as though the rink super is going to say "hey guys, great job tonight...Let's all hop on the 'boni, run it down to the drive-in and give everyone a thrill!"

On Olympias theres a manual light switch to turn on both the headlights and BRAKE/RUNING light.... NOT taillight. You dont need turn signals to be legal and they dont have VIN numbers so you cant license them. BASICALLY its just like driving a big damn lawn mower down the road. Which is probably not entirely legal either, but what Barney Fife is gonna bust a guy transporting a Zamboni?

It's not a "VIN number". It's just a "VIN". Or a VI Number".

Only a $#@^&%!!! would notice.

There's no such thing as an "ATM Machine", either.

There's no "HIV virus", "free gift" or "tuna fish" either.

The lights help when you are running with just a few of the rink lights on, but think about places like the X and other large arenas. They drive under the seating areas where it is darker than most ice surfaces. Maybe turning the lights on while running there might help for safety and to see ahead of you.
I have only used the lights twice in my 14 years driving and both times was when the power went out, but the frosted windows let in some light. Manager does not approve of running the machine in the dark. Safety issues. Try and explain to the manager that you ran into the boards because you were driving in the dark with just the headlights.

Well I went down to the local arena
Asked to see the manager man
He came from his office, said, "Son can I help you?"
I looked at him and said, "Yes you can..."

I want to Drive the Zamboni...hey
I want to Drive the Zamboni...Yes I do!

Now ever since I was young it's been my dream
That I might drive a Zamboni machine
I'd get the ice just as slick as could be
And all the kids would look up to me

I want to drive the Zamboni...hey
I want to drive the Zamboni...Yes I do!

Now the manager said, "Son, I know it looks keen
But that right there is one expensive machine
And I've got Smokey who's been driving for years."
About that time I broke down in tears.

Cause I want to drive the Zamboni...hey
I want to drive the Zamboni...Yes I do!