Mad Katharine

Greetings all! My apologies for the newbie question, but I've just read through section 25100-25110 of the California Vehicle Code regarding side clearance markers, and now I have a five-star headache. Yup, this is why I became a geographer instead of a lawyer. I understand that according to the code, vehicles over 80" in overall width must have amber and red side markers (5th gen Maximas are 70.3") but then it gets really confusing. I want to make sure there isn't some oddball provision that prohibits clear side markers before I slap some on. Can anyone offer some clarification or experiences dealing with the legal issues of them?

Thanks!

Mad Katharine
Disturbed in NorCal

MaximaZero

Well I've been stopped once for the clear side markers by police. It was a $50 violation. The officer said that every vehicle, regardless of size, has to have amber/ red in the front/ rear respectively. Usually cops won't hassle you for them- especially if your Maxima looks otherwise stock. Where in NorCal are you located? I got stopped in Fremont, by 2 very bored motorcycle cops sniping in a residential area. Depending on your area, your risk of being stopped for clears will vary. Also in Santa Clara County, they would only be a fix-it ticket- in other words you show them that you reverted back to stock, get it written off and pay like a $15 fine. In Newark County, they're not quite as leniant.

KiLLeR2002se

iTrader: (4)

i got pulled for front tint and front license plate no being on
on sunset blvd and they didnt mention anything..
They were very much standing out too..
White LEDs..

Been pulled over several times........didnt really care...

Mad Katharine

I'm in Stanislaus County. My car is still painfully stock (well...except for the window tint), but I'd still expect to get the same degree of nit-pickiness from likewise bored officers. Yet if I could get tickets written off because there was a clear definition of what is legal and what isn't in the code, well then that's more money for me to put under the hood. The problem is that the code is so darned vague about it in regards to passenger vehicles.

Mad Katharine
Disturbed in NorCal

fhaze_max

iTrader: (1)

Its a federal law.

Check this whole page out.

http://fmvss108.tripod.com/

Quicksilver

iTrader: (1)

You can have clear side markers "IF" the bulbs are red/amber. Hold on a second and I'll find the debate we hade in the SE forum with all the links.

jttaylor155

that is not true! they have to be red/amber even during the day when the bulbs would not be on.

fhaze_max

iTrader: (1)

There is a catch.

1. There are SAE approved amber bulbs yes, however there are no DOT approved lenses.

2. There are no SAE approved Red Bulbs. (as well as no DOT lenses)

3. The lenses MUST reflect orange or amber during the day with the lights off.


I got ticket for $70 for them. They were the ONLY thing on my car externally modified. I got pulled over doing 65 in the middle lane on the way to work. No warning, nothing.

Quicksilver

iTrader: (1)

Read the NHTSA (I think that's who it is...) legal database I'm about to provide a link for. It does not say that the reflective material has to be amber/red, merely that it is reflective in nature with amber/red color for night purposes. I got a legal explanation from a probate judge here in GA on this very issue, and I trust his word better than my legal interpretation (since I'm not an attorney...yet). Here's the link to the thread I'm talking about,

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread....ot+pulled+over

Within that thread is the legal database I'm talking about...

TZapper

My friend here in San Francisco drives an all around 5% tinted, clear corners and custom black-painted taillights '00 Maxima. He's never been stopped in 4 month for anything of that, until recently when we were driving together in Serramonte Center he got pulled over, apparently he was lectured on custom painted taillights, no tickets, the cop didnt say anything about clear corners nor tint.

spauldingsmails

Sides: In daytime, rear clears are far more noticable than front clears. The front clears "look correct" on our car, I think. At night as long as the bulbs are the required color...