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PJ
Dodge Dakota
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8/03/2002
18:05:51
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 Subject: Help w/ Texas Laws?
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I must admit my brother is an import driver. 99 Honda Civic in white. He got pulled over for having blue windshield washer lights. The cop told him he could not have blue lights on the outside of his car. He said that he would have to switch them to white. No ticket given, just a verbal warning. The very next day I switched them to white for him and everything is fine, right?
Two months later...Last night, 8/02/02 my brother gets pulled over again. This time the cop tells him that the lights are illegal and he is getting a ticket (different cop). He told him that he can not have any lights on his hood what so ever. He gives my brother a ticket and tells him he has to take the lights off completely. $116 fine and he has to go to court on August 16th.
How do I check this law? I have tried checking the web but all my searches come up empty. Any help would be appreciated.
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WallyR
Dodge Dakota
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8/03/2002
19:18:18
|  RE: Help w/ Texas Laws?
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You asked for, you got it:
http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/statutes/tr/tr0054700toc.html
It's a long one, use your find function (ctrl+f) to search for lights or lighting.
Texas has pretty strict standards, but not any worse that I've seen. Case in point, you can't have yellow lights unless you're a service vehicle (tow truck, construction).
Good luck,
Wally
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PJ
Dodge Dakota
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8/03/2002
21:13:55
| RE: Help w/ Texas Laws?
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Thanks Wally!!!!
I talked to my brother to see exactly what the cop told him. He said the they are additional head lights.
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Dak318
Dodge Dakota
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8/03/2002
23:43:54
| RE: Help w/ Texas Laws?
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If those are illegal in Texas why do they sell them at Autozone down the street???
Just Curious
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Bill Smith
Dodge Dakota
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8/03/2002
23:57:00
| RE: Help w/ Texas Laws?
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DAK318, I work at an AUTOZONE in Ohio... and the package states - designed for off road use, check local laws. the officers in my area are only giving the kids sh!t about the blue and red COBRA EYES. ( emergency vehicles) hope this helps. BILL
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WallyR
Dodge Dakota
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8/04/2002
08:51:35
| RE: Help w/ Texas Laws?
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Hey Dak,
Good chance they're selling guns next door-is it legal to use those in city limits just because they sell them? No. Same thing with lights. They'll sell you all the KC spots that you want but you can't have more than two lit unless you're offroad. Retailers don't care about legality as long as they made their buck. Read the "fine print".
Wally
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PJ
Dodge Dakota
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8/04/2002
09:45:37
| RE: Help w/ Texas Laws?
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Well I read the whole thing on lights. It basically says that you must have at LEAST TWO headlamps. I also says that as long as they werent on while he had his brights he could claim that they are driving lights. No where that found did it state that they can not be placed on the hood.
The ticket says that its code 40L and he wrote:
IMPROPER ADDITIONAL VEHICLE LAMPS (HOOD)
I told him to have his money ready just encase. I could understand if he had the blue ones but these are white.
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IntenseDak39
*GenIII*
8/04/2002
12:35:38
| RE: Help w/ Texas Laws?
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from what i was told by a few texas police officers is that you can have lights on the outside of your ride, its just that they have to be clear or orange if its in the front/side of the vehicle or clear, orange, or red if its in the back of the vehicle.
intensedak3.9
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J.D Leddon
Dodge Dakota
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8/05/2002
05:00:49
| RE: Help w/ Texas Laws?
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If your buddy will take the lights off when he goes to court & shows them to the judge will,the judge will probaly drop the ticket.
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J.D Leddon
Dodge Dakota
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8/05/2002
05:00:53
| RE: Help w/ Texas Laws?
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If your buddy will take the lights off when he goes to court & shows them to the judge will,the judge will probaly drop the ticket.
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Dakota39M
Dodge Dakota
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8/05/2002
09:10:14
| RE: Help w/ Texas Laws?
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I went and looked at the code too. Did you see Section 547.305, Restriction on use of lights? It says, in part, A motor vehicle lamp or illuminating device, other than a headlamp, spotlamp, auxiliary lamp, turn signal lamp, or emergency vehicle or school bus warning lamp, that projects a beam with an intensity brighter than 300 candlepower shall be directed so that no part of the high-intensity portion of the beam strikes the roadway at a distance of more than 75 feet from the vehicle.
A person may not operate a motor vehicle equipped with a red, white, or blue beacon, flashing, or alternating light unless the equipment is:
(1) used as specifically authorized by this chapter; or
(2) a running lamp, headlamp, taillamp, backup lamp, or turn signal lamp that is used as authorized by law.
There is also Sec. 547.332, Other Lamps Permitted, and I think this is where they got you:
A motor vehicle may be equipped with:
not more than two side cowl or fender lamps that emit an amber or white light without glare;
not more than two running board courtesy lamps, one on each side of the vehicle, that emit an amber or white light without glare; and
one or more backup lamps that:
emit an amber or white light only when the vehicle is not moving forward; and
may be displayed separately or in combination with another lamp
Kinda sucks, but I think they got ya by the short curly's. :(
Ray Irons
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bbarnes
Dodge Dakota
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8/05/2002
12:43:09
| RE: Help w/ Texas Laws?
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Hmm, be sure and let me know how everything turns out...
What part of TX you in?
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PJ
Dodge Dakota
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8/05/2002
18:26:22
| RE: Help w/ Texas Laws?
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Yep I'm sure they will say that these lights arent side, fender, running board, or back up lights. If the do say that then cop just knows that they are illegal and not the reason why. The cop told him that they were illegal headlights.
I'm in San Antonio....I'll let you know how it turns out.
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WallyR
Dodge Dakota
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8/05/2002
19:49:22
| RE: Help w/ Texas Laws?
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Illegal headlights? And they're how big? That's funny. Good luck, I can't stand it when those "in charge" abuse their authority.
Wally
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pimpdaddy don
Mechanic
8/06/2002
08:17:09
|  RE: Help w/ Texas Laws?
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I KNOW THIS ONE MAN! i already got this ticket, and beat it. All you have to do is have them turned off and have the marshal at the courthouse verify that they arent in operation with any other lights on your car, and they will drop it. the city of killeen did for me anyways, and its not because im military, because they hate military here! GOOD LUCK
Don
http://www.dodgetruckworld.com/mygallery.asp?id=3361
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PJ
Dodge Dakota
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8/06/2002
17:41:40
| RE: Help w/ Texas Laws?
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Cool Thanks Don!!!!!
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PJ
Dodge Dakota
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8/17/2002
22:06:55
| RE: Help w/ Texas Laws?
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Well my brother got jacked. We took the lights, the box, and the pictures of the light while on. There were three other guys in there for the same lights.
The judge told him that if he wants to dispute the ticket he has to go to an actual trial; court cost. SAPD will not let a judge decide it must be done by jury. I asked if they could tell me what law or light regulation he broke. The judge said would you like to dispute it?
So the Judge gave him the option of having probation. No tickets for the same thing for 3 months. He had to pay $90 probation fee when its normally $180. They waived half.
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yates-in-DE
GenIII
8/18/2002
04:49:14
| RE: Help w/ Texas Laws?
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It's called DEFFERED TO JUDIFICATION. Thats cool, it will not go on his license. In Texas allways ask the JP or Judge to do this with any ticket. Oh and the price of this is determined by the Judge or JP.
My VW Killer
Lynn
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