CryoMax

I know the answer to this is different in just about every state, but does anyone have any online references/resources for vehicle law?

I'm trying to figure out what is and isn't legal. Not just for rice things, but searching on "illegal" brought up a couple of interesting things, like one thread about a ground effects kit that didn't use the "stock re-bar" and how that was illegal (not sure what it means, actually, but found it interesting).

I was just watching "Pimp My Ride" and they rigged a purple neon light inside the front grille of the car they were working on, and they're in California (as am I), but I've read elsewhere that it's illegal to run any lights facing forwards that are not white or amber...

In most cases, it's NOT illegal to have these things on your car, near as I can tell, but you can't run with them turned on. But I can't seem to find any good legal references to figure out, once and for all, what's legal and illegal. Anyone have any good websites for this kind of thing?

...Paul

robertdot

Alabama has the Code of Alabama 1975 that deals with our state specific auto stuff (lights and such), as well as sex crimes and whatever else they could think of to put in it. As progressive as CA is, you should be able to find the laws on an equivalent CA website (CA.Us?). Otherwise, check your local DOT. They might have the info you are looking for.

CryoMax

Thanks for the tip. I kept looking through the DMV websites, and the DOT websites, but I think I finally hit on something in the California Highway Patrol website...

I've requested a copy of the publication, I'll let you all know what I find out. I did see an online "pamphlet" that had some interesting data. Most was common sense, but one interesting thing -- taillights (brakelights) must have either a red lens or a red reflector, but simply having a red bulb is illegal. That, I hadn't known, and I think I've seen a number of people violating that one.

...Paul

ChuckRX8

CryoMax,

That's very interesting about the "taillights having either a red lens or a red reflector, but simply having a red bulb is illegal" as unless I missed the reflector, the new Lexus RX330 uses only a red bulb to light up it's brakelights.

CryoMax

Just a follow-up for everyone. I'd sent an email to publicaffairs@chp.ca.gov (California Highway Patrol) and they sent me a copy of the CA vehicle code (Publication CHP 885), which had some very interesting information.

"Unnecessary" lights are not only illegal to use on the street, but are, according to the letter of the law, illegal to even have mounted on a vehicle.

Most everything was pretty much common sense after that, but I did notice something that might be important to the "rear foglight" people -- according to California law, rear foglights must be mounted "as close to the left as possible". I've seen some people looking to mount one of these inside the rotary logo in the back, and theoretically, that's not legal (even if is a good idea).

For ground effects (and given the low profile of the 8's tires, this is probably not a big deal), it's illegal to have any part of the vehicle, other than the wheels, to have less clearance from the surface of the road as the distance to the lowermost portion of the rim of any wheel.

Some really interesting stuff in there. Nothing about paint, though.

...Paul