OMG I WANT RED NEONS ARE THEY GOING TO BE ILLEGAL!!??

... seriously tho, my brother is looking into it and he wants to get blue underbodies.. i told him it was illegal to have red white or blue on the exterior of the car

can anyone point me to the florida statues or some other definite proof of this?

thanks

http://www.policeworld.net/vb/archive/index.php?t-6887.html

maxer6 wrote:I live down in Ft. Lauderdale (Florida) and was considering getting a LED underkit, but the Dept of HSMV is not specific enough about what is allowed:

Equipment Not Permitted
You may not have on or in your vehicle:
Red or blue emergency lights. These are for emergency and law enforcement vehicles only.
More than two spotlights, cowl or fender lights, fog lights (in front), or other extra lights (in front).

I cant find the actual statute but i've had a couple of friends pulled over for blue neons so to answer ur question, ur right.

Check out Florida Statute 843.081, namely section 4.

Quote:

843.081 Prohibited use of certain lights; penalty.--

(1) The Legislature finds and declares that Florida's citizens are vulnerable to becoming the victims of criminal acts through the illegal use of blue lights by the criminal elements. It is the intent of the Legislature to reduce this vulnerability to injury and loss of life and property by prohibiting the use of certain blue lights by any person other than an authorized law enforcement officer.

(2) It is unlawful for a person to use in or on any nongovernmentally owned vehicle or vessel any flashing or rotating blue light unless such person is a law enforcement officer employed by a federal, state, county, or city law enforcement agency or is a person appointed by the Governor pursuant to chapter 354.

(3) The provisions of this section shall not apply to salespersons, service representatives, or other employees of businesses licensed to sell or repair law enforcement equipment.

(4) For the purposes of this section, the term "flashing or rotating blue light" includes all forms of lights which display a blue light source or which were designed with the intent of displaying a blue light source whether or not such light is actually in use.

(5) Any person who violates any of the provisions of this section commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

All forms of lights which display a blue light source. Seems it's illegal. And the way most Florida Statutes regarding motor vehicle operation are written. It comes down to the officer's judgement. While this CAN work in your favor if you take the ticket to court. It also can provide more of a hassle by letting the LEO judge right from wrong in the mean time.


-Scott
2003 VW Passat Turbo (20 psi Daily Driver)
1988 BMW 325i (Spec E30 Race Car Project)

Long Gone: 1997 Cavalier RS, 1966 Ford Mustang, 2002 Honda S2000, and so on...

I got pulled over in a crappy cop-run town and was ticketed for having yellow neons running ... ticket was exessive lighting and $88.
Just make sure your bro is not in a shi**y town like that.
If you drive with them (red and blue) I'm sure your more likely to get pulled over and get a ticket.
If he's just using them for chillin in a parking lot they can't do anything to you until you drive away with them on.

Here's a few things I found. I'm not sure if it's just local Orange County or Statewide, but this is direct from a cop in Orange County, FL from another forum. If he ends up wanting more lights the rest may help answer his questions! Good luck!

Quote:

BLUE OR RED LIGHTS PROHIBITED
316.2397(1) - No person shall drive or move or cause to be moved any vehicle or equipment upon any highway within this state with any lamp or device thereon showing or displaying a red or blue light visible from directly in front thereof except for certain vehicles hereinafter provided.

COLOR OF FRONT TURN SIGNAL
316.234(2) - Any vehicle may be equipped and, when required under s. 316.222(2), shall be equipped with electric turn signals which shall indicate an intention to turn by flashing lights showing to the front and rear of a vehicle or on a combination of vehicles on the side of the vehicle or combination toward which the turn is to be made. The lamps showing to the front shall be mounted on the same level and as widely spaced laterally as practicable and, when signaling, shall emit white or amber light. The lamps showing to the rear shall be mounted on the same level and as widely spaced laterally as practicable, and, when signaling, shall emit a red or amber light.

FRONT FENDER LIGHTS
316.235(1) – Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not more than two side cowl or fender lamps which shall emit an amber or white light without glare.

SIDE IDENTIFICATION LIGHTS
316.224(1) – SIDE MARKER LIGHT COLOR AT FRONT - Front clearance lamps, identification lamps, and those marker lamps and reflectors mounted on the front or on the side near the front of a vehicle shall display or reflect an amber color.
316.224(2) – SIDE MARKER LIGHT COLOR AT REAR - Rear clearance lamps, identification lamps, and those marker lamps and reflectors mounted on the rear or on the sides near the rear of a vehicle shall display or reflect a red color.

BACK UP LIGHTS
316.235(3) - LAMPS SHALL NOT BE LIGHTED WHEN THE MOTOR VEHICLE IS IN FORWARD MOTION - Any motor vehicle may be equipped with one or more backup lamps either separately or in combination with other lamps, but any such backup lamp or lamps shall not be lighted when the motor vehicle is in forward motion.

BACK UP LIGHT COLOR
316.224(3) - All lighting devices and reflectors mounted on the rear of any vehicle shall display or reflect a red color, except the stop light or other signal device, which may be red, amber, or yellow, and except that the light illuminating the license plate shall be white and the light emitted by a backup lamp shall be white or amber. Deceleration lights as authorized by s. 316.235(5) shall display an amber color.

RIP JessE -- You are not forgotten! | FaceBook | G+

JHand wrote:
If he's just using them for chillin in a parking lot they can't do anything to you until you drive away with them on.

Here's a few things I found. I'm not sure if it's just local Orange County or Statewide, but this is direct from a cop in Orange County, FL from another forum. If he ends up wanting more lights the rest may help answer his questions! Good luck!

not really the case, my girls best friend got ticketed for having his yellow lights on in a parking lot. He was in the store and as he was walking out the cop was giving him a ticket, he took it to court and lost...all underbody lights are illegal they are for off road use only just like fart cans it all depends on the cop. Even though he was off road he still got the ticket and lost in court, go figure.

If he was sitting still and in the store he shouldn't of been bothered. He was off the road.
I was at a car show in a Denny's parking lot and cops came up to bother everyone cuz the entries all had their blue and red and green lights on and they couldn't do anything bcuz they were just chillin, nobody's car was even on. They hung around and waited all night for someone to drive off with their lights on.... a**holes.

And your right, it all depends on the cop. And that cop was a total dick for ticketing him for that.




RIP JessE -- You are not forgotten! | FaceBook | G+

Yes he was and so was that stupid judge.

yea thats what i needed, thanks guys...

ill tell him to spend money on performance ]:->

Good choice lol
Tell him to just get interior lighting instead!




RIP JessE -- You are not forgotten! | FaceBook | G+

anyone who has underbody neons should be publicly flogged. one of the corniest mods done IMO, serves no purpose other than attracting attention.


just my $0.02


_______________________________________________________
J-body.org Join date: Monday, January 21, 2002

AIM & Y!: COGcaviZ24

my brother in law is a pasco county deputy he said you can have any color you want but may not drive with them lit . but you may have them an any color lit in a "parking lot" .


if you arent spraying your just playing !!!

back in '02, I had blue neons inside my car (the black Z24 in my profile).. I had a tube on each side of my ceiling, and a blue bulb in my dome light.. I had no blue lights outside, but they still gave me sh*t, and all I had on at the time was the dome while looking for a cd, sitting still in a parking lot

and as far as fart cans go, it depends on what kind. I had an OBX Bomb on my old CR-X (shut up all of you), and stamped right on the can itself was SAE DOT approved.. so when a hick cop in The Villages pulls me over for my exhaust and a laundry list of other crap, I snapped at him and told him to, and I quote, "get his Buddy Lee-ass on the ground and read the stamp for himself".. he took my word for it, but you could tell he was pissed... he had a total of 4 violations that stop, and walked away with no tickets 'cause I knew my sh*t and didnt let the cop bully me around.. this wont work everytime, but its amazing what being mad will do for you



R.I.P. JessE Gerard 7.11.87 - 1.25.08
The Radiation Nation Facebook Twitter Twisted Metal Alliance

Pillow Pants (Team CFJ) wrote:
and as far as fart cans go, it depends on what kind. I had an OBX Bomb on my old CR-X (shut up all of you), and stamped right on the can itself was SAE DOT approved.. so when a hick cop in The Villages pulls me over for my exhaust and a laundry list of other crap, I snapped at him and told him to, and I quote, "get his Buddy Lee-ass on the ground and read the stamp for himself".. he took my word for it, but you could tell he was pissed... he had a total of 4 violations that stop, and walked away with no tickets 'cause I knew my sh*t and didnt let the cop bully me around.. this wont work everytime, but its amazing what being mad will do for you

Actually, you should consider yourself lucky. Just because an exhaust is DOT approved, does not mean that you can not be ticketed for it. In fact, in the state of Florida, ANY exhaust modifications that make the car louder than it is from the factory is technically not legal for use on public roadways.

Here is an excerpt from Florida statute 316.293...

Quote:

(5) NOISE ABATEMENT EQUIPMENT MODIFICATIONS.--

(a) No person shall modify the exhaust system of a motor vehicle or any other noise-abatement device of a motor vehicle operated or to be operated upon the highways of this state in such a manner that the noise emitted by the motor vehicle is above that emitted by the vehicle as originally manufactured.

(b) No person shall operate a motor vehicle upon the highways of the state with an exhaust system or noise-abatement device so modified.

In fact, if you read into what "DOT Approval" is, you'll see it's not what you think it to be. Here is another quote from Frank Seales, who is the Chief Counsel for the NHTSA...

Quote:

This term [DOT approved] has no basis in either fact or law. We have no authority to approve or disapprove items of motor vehicle equipment...

...NHTSA does not approve, disapprove, endorse, test, or grant clearances for products prior to their introduction into the retail market.

-Scott
2003 VW Passat Turbo (20 psi Daily Driver)
1988 BMW 325i (Spec E30 Race Car Project)

Long Gone: 1997 Cavalier RS, 1966 Ford Mustang, 2002 Honda S2000, and so on...

I called the police station and asked since they'd be giving out the ticket. They were nice enough about it.


Buy My Crap.
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i asked i cop to get his rule book out when he pulled me over n he read.. any light on the front of the vehicle must be white but there may not be more than 4 forward facing white lights(so if u have fog lights ur already at max), so the front neon would have2 be white with no fogs on.. any light on the side of the vehicle must be yellow, so the side neons would heve2 be yellow or "amber", and any light on the rear of the vehicle must be red, so the back neon would have2 be red.. also i had a 2nd set of fogs in the grille so i had 4 fogs n 2 headlights n i got a warning for too many forward facing lights since i had 6.. it looked good but i had to take off 2 so i took out the factory ones and used one of the holes for my "ram-air" tube to my intake (big gains for 10 bucks but thats a diff. topic). n e way, i ride with green l.e.d. underglow on 24/7 n havent been pulled over in almost a yr.......


http://www.j-body.org/members/image/fknbasser/mp.jpg

yea, but back in '02, "DOT approved" held more sway.. they've modified the statutes since then.. I think Mad Jack said it was about 2 yrs ago, to include your quote, Scott... back in August, I got a ticket while driving down West Colonial for my exhaust being too loud, and sure enough, I got stuck paying the ticket. but I had a conversation with Jack (for those of you who dont know him, he's a corrections officer), and he said that if you have receipts from before 2 yrs ago when you had your exhaust done, you would be grandfathered in and legal, even with your aftermarket exhaust as long as it's legal by those standards (emissions, dBs, etc.)



R.I.P. JessE Gerard 7.11.87 - 1.25.08
The Radiation Nation Facebook Twitter Twisted Metal Alliance

That may be the case (I'm not sure, so I'll just assume you're right on this), but a lot of traffic law falls into the definition of "officer judgment". Which is a pretty silly concept, but one that will likely never be changed. In reality though, most officers are decent, hard-working people. They aren't all out to get us, or ruin our day, or drum up tickets (quotas have long since vanished in nearly every department in the state).

Let's face it, we all break the law. Whether it being an exhaust you know to be illegal, or just doing 10mph over the limit because you're late to work. Most officers I know or have met are much more likely to let things slide if you act like a civil adult. Give them the respect their due, while showing that you know your own rights as a citizen. Besides, they are people too. Plenty of cops have modified cars, and have respect for folks out there that modify their cars, but still drive safe on the roadways.


-Scott
2003 VW Passat Turbo (20 psi Daily Driver)
1988 BMW 325i (Spec E30 Race Car Project)

Long Gone: 1997 Cavalier RS, 1966 Ford Mustang, 2002 Honda S2000, and so on...

couldnt have said it better myself

Just don't use blue lights or red w/ white and you'll be safe. Driving with 'em on.. eh, officer's discretion, may pull you over.. probably give you a warning if the neon tubes are visible or if the light is 'too bright'. Usually they will only ticket for lights resembling an emergency vehicle, or if the lights distract other drivers on the road. They can't say @!#$ if the car's not in motion (off the street, idling at a light doesn't count) though, no matter what color you get.

Idling at a light DOES count, as you are on a public roadway, and in the flow of traffic.


-Scott
2003 VW Passat Turbo (20 psi Daily Driver)
1988 BMW 325i (Spec E30 Race Car Project)

Long Gone: 1997 Cavalier RS, 1966 Ford Mustang, 2002 Honda S2000, and so on...

thats what he was saying he said idling at a light does not count

They can't say @!#$ if the car's not in motion (off the street, idling at a light doesn't count)

unfortunately, there are those fun pigs out there that just wanna pick on what they think is a "dumb kid"..

last yr, I got pulled over by FHP in Ocala. honestly, I was doing nothing wrong.. wasnt speeding, letting my exhaust get excessively loud, or anything. an Escort went FLYING past me going at least 10mph faster than I was.. which was about 10 over the limit. I saw the officer get into the turning lane coming toward us, and I'm thinkin to myself, "that guy is f*cked".. well, that asswipe gets in behind ME and pulls me over, telling me I was doing 15 over the limit. I tried explaining to him that he must've clocked the guy next to me, but he just gave me one of those "shut your mouth" looks and went back to his car.. and came back with 2 tickets: one for speeding and one for my rear tires being too bald...
or the cop that pulled over a guy I knew who had a '63 VW Beetle. this was around the time they started that Click It or Ticket bullsh*t a few yrs back. he was pulled over for not wearing his seat belt (obviously), to which he told the officer that his car didnt come with them (a true statement). the cop replies with, "you're responsible for having them installed"... so my friend pulls out the statutes printed from the gov'ment website that states his car is grandfathered in and the law does NOT apply to his car. the cop proceeded to crumble up the paper and leave the scene pissed off. victory...



R.I.P. JessE Gerard 7.11.87 - 1.25.08
The Radiation Nation Facebook Twitter Twisted Metal Alliance

Torres wrote:thats what he was saying he said idling at a light does not count

They can't say @!#$ if the car's not in motion (off the street, idling at a light doesn't count)

Haha, sorry. My fault. I mis-read it.


-Scott
2003 VW Passat Turbo (20 psi Daily Driver)
1988 BMW 325i (Spec E30 Race Car Project)

Long Gone: 1997 Cavalier RS, 1966 Ford Mustang, 2002 Honda S2000, and so on...

Listerfiend (Team CFJ) wrote:unfortunately, there are those fun pigs out there that just wanna pick on what they think is a "dumb kid"..

last yr, I got pulled over by FHP in Ocala. honestly, I was doing nothing wrong.. wasnt speeding, letting my exhaust get excessively loud, or anything. an Escort went FLYING past me going at least 10mph faster than I was.. which was about 10 over the limit. I saw the officer get into the turning lane coming toward us, and I'm thinkin to myself, "that guy is f*cked".. well, that asswipe gets in behind ME and pulls me over, telling me I was doing 15 over the limit. I tried explaining to him that he must've clocked the guy next to me, but he just gave me one of those "shut your mouth" looks and went back to his car.. and came back with 2 tickets: one for speeding and one for my rear tires being too bald...
or the cop that pulled over a guy I knew who had a '63 VW Beetle. this was around the time they started that Click It or Ticket bullsh*t a few yrs back. he was pulled over for not wearing his seat belt (obviously), to which he told the officer that his car didnt come with them (a true statement). the cop replies with, "you're responsible for having them installed"... so my friend pulls out the statutes printed from the gov'ment website that states his car is grandfathered in and the law does NOT apply to his car. the cop proceeded to crumble up the paper and leave the scene pissed off. victory...

i see underbodies and i think "dumb kid" and when someone calls the Click It or Ticket policy "bullsh!t", i again think "dumb kid". why would you not wear a seatbelt in '63 Beetle, those things crumple like beer cans


if you dont attract attention to yourself, you wont get a ticket. dare i quote Tokyo Drift: "the nail that stands out, gets hammered". i'm not saying sale you car and get a SUV, hell, i drive a fiero. i am talking from experience. i couldn't drive past a cop in my cavalier without him looking in my direction, and i didn't have neons.


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AIM & Y!: COGcaviZ24

COGcaviZ24 wrote:if you dont attract attention to yourself, you wont get a ticket. dare i quote Tokyo Drift: "the nail that stands out, gets hammered". i'm not saying sale you car and get a SUV, hell, i drive a fiero. i am talking from experience. i couldn't drive past a cop in my cavalier without him looking in my direction, and i didn't have neons.

Bingo. If your car is glowing you're begging for the attention. You might as well have a neon sign on the side of your car that says "I can has tickets?". LOL