Maybe this is kinda off topic, but it's driving me crazy and I have to vent a little.

I see so many lighting-related threads here that degrade to people arguing as to whether a particular lighting mod is legal. Especially things regarding colors and locations (blue, green, clear, underbody neons, windshield washer nozzles, corners). Someone will come on and say it's illegal to have any light on that part of the car. Then someone else will say the location is fine, but you can't have that color. Then yet another says that the light is perfectly legal.

Well guess what, you are all right! Sort of. Most of these laws are set by individual states, and thus vary from location to location. For example, in some states, you could get a ticket for having clear corners even with amber bulbs, but here in Washington, as long as the bulbs are amber, the law permits them. A few states even allow you to have blue lights, merely requiring that certain key elements be of a specified color.

It gets so monotonous seeing people arguing back and forth saying something is or isn't legal, just because they assume that the laws in their state are the same as the laws everywhere else. If you know that light X is illegal in state Y, just say so, but please don't go talking like light X is illegal everywhere else too unless you know for a fact that the laws everywhere else are identical with regard to the subject in question.

I apologize for the mini novel, and I hope I did not offend anyone, but it was bugging me so much! Feel free to flame me or whatever now...

 

is there some kind of law that lists the laws per state? Thanks

 

Laugh.

You are wrong my friend! Amber bulbs with clear housing are legal if the car came that way. (Some Hondas, Accords, 97-99 I30's)

In Washington State, ANY Aftermarket Modification to ANY cars body is illegal. Law passed Jan 1st! The Legislature slipped it by us!

This state is SOOO Fascists....2nd Highest taxes in the country, and the 45th worst paid teachers.....Figure that out. (Sorry, OT)

Anyway. I've talked to some cop friends about it, and they aren't about to waste their time or paperwork enforcing it. (At least the cops I know, who are good guys).

Only if you're being a jackazz to them and you make them mad kind of thing. Or you pass them at 140 or something

It'll end up being like the "trash bag is required inside your car" law. No cop enforces it unless he's in a really bad mood, or you litter.

But thought you should be aware.

IanS

 

Well normally I see people saying stuff like "well in so-and-so state (usually wherever they live), such and such is legal/illegal, I don't know about 'your' state though". So I don't know what you mean when you say just because something is legal/illegal in their state they think it's like that EVERYWHERE.

 

Well crap on that. Do you know what RCW title they put this in? Not that I don't believe you, but I would like to see the wording, so I have a better idea of what I'm up against in court when I fight the ticket I got for my wildshield washer LEDs.

 

My bad, I didn't mean to imply that everyone does it. I too have seen people be good and specific, and I have nothing but respect for them. I was just *itching about those who don't.

 

If you read my entire post you would know I was responding to someone from Washington State about Washington State.

I wouldn't post it if I wasn't replying to someone who lives in the same state.

I couldn't care less about other states.

 

I'm not sure what RCW this is, since I was told by my cop friends about this, who themselves own modded cars.

I can ask them next time I see them.

IanS

 

Thanks, I would appreciate that!