Ticket for Yellow Headlights
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Goodnbuzzd;297258 wrote:
I'm a little late to this thread, but.... bullshit, Dot doesnt keep track of all the lighting equipment anymore (This directly from a States attorney). I got a 2 tickets ages ago, one for Non colored marker light, and one for Non colored clearance light, these tickets were given because a highway patrolman didn't like the fact that i had lighted <u>hood</u> sprayers (white in color). Took the patrolman to court after reading the lighting section of the laws, and the state attorney sided with me, and the patrolman argued his case, in the end the judge called a 10 minute recess and returned to settle the case in my favor. his exact words to the officer were "I don't care if his hood lights are pink, blue, green, red, or any other color of the rainbow, <u>the laws don't cover this issue</u>".Now mine was obviously for hood lights, not headlights but i see nothing in the laws posted stating anything about yellow headlights being illegal, unless they are flashing (witch would be illegal). Fight it, a reasonable judge would toss that, if in-fact that is the complete lighting section for Minn. If you win be prepared for a cop with a hardon for you.
I do not frequent Moorhead, and when I do, I'm usually driving off the interstate south to my parents, and back to the interstate. Not too worried about this 25 year old cop having a vendetta against me. I just hope I geta good judge.
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Well just an fyi when I got my yellow bulbs years ago at tintmasters (don't know where you bought yours) on the case/packaging of the bulbs its says not DOT approved and for off road use only so...May not say you can't have them, but also I think having equipment that is 'up to code' is a requirement. Don't get me wrong, i rock the yellow bulbs and when I got my ticket before they decided they weren't going to give them out anymore all I did was put normal ones in, and get it wrote off. Then pop'ed em back in. lol
So basically...99.9% of those yellow bulbs are not DOT (Which sounds like you don't know what the Department of Transportation is?) approved. Much like lets say you have a scooter, modded, so it can go like 60ish MPH. You could drive on the highways and keep up with flow of traffic, but if you take a look on your tires you will see that they are not highway approved by the DOT...so illegal.
Nutshell: Fight it.
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yea in all honestly all the judge has to do is revert back to the fact that they are not "factory equipment" annnnd that makes them illegal.
you can get a ticket for altezzas because they are not factory equip.
you cannot get a ticket for a napa brand pvc pipe.
know and understand the difference. the police and judges can make things sound however they want.
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Fight it, I have yellow bulbs too and don't want to take them out.
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DelSlow;297266 wrote:
Well just an fyi when I got my yellow bulbs years ago at tintmasters (don't know where you bought yours) on the case/packaging of the bulbs its says not DOT approved and for off road use only so...May not say you can't have them, but also I think having equipment that is 'up to code' is a requirement. Don't get me wrong, i rock the yellow bulbs and when I got my ticket before they decided they weren't going to give them out anymore all I did was put normal ones in, and get it wrote off. Then pop'ed em back in. lolSo basically...99.9% of those yellow bulbs are not DOT (Which sounds like you don't know what the Department of Transportation is?) approved. Much like lets say you have a scooter, modded, so it can go like 60ish MPH. You could drive on the highways and keep up with flow of traffic, but if you take a look on your tires you will see that they are not highway approved by the DOT...so illegal.
Nutshell: Fight it.
I know what DOT is. What asked "What is DOT approved" I meant Which light is DOT Approved? Minnesota doesnt give out fix it tickets. they are just Tickets... Expensive ones. -
Then what about the cars with factory hids? its almost like a double negative hids are illegal, but if there factory equipped that makes it ok??
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smtomps1955;297275 wrote:
Then what about the cars with factory hids? its almost like a double negative hids are illegal, but if there factory equipped that makes it ok??
If the Vehicle has properly designed housings, then HID's are not blinding to oncoming traffic. Throwing a set of Drop in HID kits into stock headlight housings made for halogens doesnt give you a cut off, and is super annoying. Even Projector housing headlights that are designed for Halogens kill your eyes when driving(Shanes G5). Plus, Most laws don't apply to any OEM equiptment, its somewher eon the MN site, I just can't find it again. -
Joel, check out this section. 169.55 requires that your headlights project a white light. Now the argument is what one considers to be white light.
169.55 LIGHTS ON ALL VEHICLES.
Subdivision 1. Lights or reflectors required. At the times when lighted lamps on vehicles
are required each vehicle including an animal-drawn vehicle and any vehicle specifically
excepted in sections 169.47 to 169.79, with respect to equipment and not hereinbefore specifically
required to be equipped with lamps, shall be equipped with one or more lighted lamps or lanterns
projecting a white light visible from a distance of 500 feet to the front of the vehicle and with a
lamp or lantern exhibiting a red light visible from a distance of 500 feet to the rear, except that
reflectors meeting the maximum requirements of this chapter may be used in lieu of the lights
required in this subdivision. It shall be unlawful except as otherwise provided in this subdivision,
to project a white light to the rear of any such vehicle while traveling on any street or highway,
unless such vehicle is moving in reverse. A lighting device mounted on top of a vehicle engaged
in deliveries to residences may project a white light to the rear if the sign projects one or more
additional colors to the rear. An authorized emergency vehicle may display an oscillating,
alternating, or rotating white light used in connection with an oscillating, alternating, or rotating
red light when responding to emergency calls.
Subd. 2. Implement of husbandry. (a) At the times when lighted lamps on vehicles are
required:
(1) every self-propelled implement of husbandry must be equipped with at least one lamp
displaying a white light to the front, and at least one lamp displaying a red light to the rear;
(2) every self-propelled implement of husbandry must also display two red reflectors visible
to the rear;
(3) every combination of a self-propelled and towed implement of husbandry must be
equipped with at least one lamp mounted to indicate as nearly as practicable the extreme left
projection of the combination and displaying a white or amber light to the front and a red or amber
light to the rear of the self-propelled implement of husbandry; and
(4) the last unit of every combination of implements of husbandry must display two red
reflectors visible to the rear.
(b) The reflectors must be of the type approved for use upon commercial vehicles. The
reflectors must be mounted as close as practicable to the extreme edges of the implement of
husbandry. The reflectors must be reflex reflectors that are visible at night from all distances
within 600 feet to 100 feet when directly in front of lawful lower beams of headlamps.
Subd. 3. Implement of husbandry; hazard warning lights. No person may operate a
self-propelled implement of husbandry manufactured after January 1, 1970, on a highway
unless the implement of husbandry displays vehicular hazard warning lights visible to the front
and rear in normal sunlight.
History: (2720-241) 1937 c 464 s 91; 1947 c 428 s 27; 1949 c 574; 1959 c 410 s 1; 1979 c
185 s 2; 1981 c 44 s 1; 1993 c 187 s 7,8; 1999 c 238 art 2 s 21,93; 2000 c 479 art 1 s 12169.56 AUXILIARY LIGHTS.
Subdivision 1. Spotlight. Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not to exceed two spot
lamps and every lighted spot lamp shall be so aimed and used upon approaching another vehicle
that no part of the high-intensity portion of the beam will be directed on the road surface to the
left of the center of the vehicle, nor more than 100 feet ahead of the vehicle upon which such
lamps are mounted.
Subd. 2. Fog light. Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not to exceed two fog lamps
mounted on the front at a height not less than 12 inches nor more than 30 inches above the level
surface upon which the vehicle stands and so aimed that when the vehicle is not loaded none of
the high-intensity portion of the light to the left of the center of the vehicle shall at a distance of
25 feet ahead project higher than a level of four inches below the level of the center of the lamp
from which it comes. Lighted fog lamps meeting the above requirements may be used with lower
headlamp beams as specified in section 169.60.
Subd. 3. Auxiliary low-beam light. Except as provided in subdivision 5, any motor vehicle
may be equipped with not to exceed two auxiliary low-beam lamps mounted on the front at a
height of not less than 24 inches nor more than 42 inches above the level surface upon which the
vehicle stands. The provisions of section 169.60 shall apply to any combination of headlamps and
auxiliary low-beam lamps.
Subd. 4. Auxiliary driving light. Except as provided in subdivision 5, any motor vehicle
may be equipped with not to exceed two auxiliary driving lamps mounted on the front at a
height not less than 16 inches nor more than 42 inches above the level surface upon which the
vehicle stands. The provisions of section 169.60 shall apply to any combination of headlamps
and auxiliary driving lamps.
Subd. 5. Exception for light obstructed by snowplow blade. (a) The auxiliary lamps
permitted in subdivision 3 may be mounted more than 42 inches high on any truck equipped with
a snowplow blade that obstructs the required headlights. The lights may not be illuminated when
a snowplow blade is not mounted on the vehicle.
(b) No other vehicle may be operated on a public highway unless the auxiliary lamps
permitted in subdivisions 3 and 4 comply with the height requirements or are completely covered
with an opaque material.
History: (2720-242) 1937 c 464 s 92; 1945 c 207 s 2; 1959 c 521 s 5; 1993 c 26 s 5-7;
1994 c 600 s 4 -
After reading what Chris just posted, I think you are screwed Joel....I'd still fight it though.
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Joel;297274 wrote:
I know what DOT is. What asked "What is DOT approved" I meant Which light is DOT Approved? Minnesota doesnt give out fix it tickets. they are just Tickets... Expensive ones.So when I did one of my ride a longs and the cop gave a girl a fix it ticket for her tail light...what was it? It wasn't from the same ticket book that he gave other violators tickets...
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StangerBanger96;297293 wrote:
So when I did one of my ride a longs and the cop gave a girl a fix it ticket for her tail light...what was it? It wasn't from the same ticket book that he gave other violators tickets...Minnesota certainly does give out fix-it-tickets. My brother got one for the tint on his 98 Camaro. He had to go back once the tint was removed and have an officer take a look.
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MisterCMK;297285 wrote:
Joel, check out this section. 169.55 requires that your headlights project a white light. Now the argument is what one considers to be white light.Welp, that certainly makes the argument a lot tougher. I know as of about 5 years ago ND didn't have anything that specific in there laws for lighting like that. CMK is right, now it is all in what is perceived as "White light" by the judge...... hopefully you get a judge like i did. Good luck
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MisterCMK;297353 wrote:
Minnesota certainly does give out fix-it-tickets. My brother got one for the tint on his 98 Camaro. He had to go back once the tint was removed and have an officer take a look.This, my best friend also got one for having "loud exhaust." Had to fix it and go back and have it looked over to see if it was acceptable according to them.
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Goodnbuzzd;297355 wrote:
Welp, that certainly makes the argument a lot tougher. I know as of about 5 years ago ND didn't have anything that specific in there laws for lighting like that. CMK is right, now it is all in what is perceived as "White light" by the judge...... hopefully you get a judge like i did. Good luckJoel got his ticket in MN. ND does not apply here.
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I had the same thing happen to me about 2 years ago, went to court fought it and beat the ticket. Joel I think your best bet is to argue that the law is too vague and does not clearly state which lights are legal or illegal. Good luck man hope it works out for ya.
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Plead color blind......
Understeer is when you hit the wall with the front of the car
Oversteer is when you hit the wall with the rear of the car.
Horsepower is how fast you hit the wall
Torque is how far you take the wall with you -
MisterCMK;297395 wrote:
Joel got his ticket in MN. ND does not apply here.I understand that, that would be the reason i worded it the way i did. I think he's gonna have a tough one.
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