Matching Painted Tail Lights

[blktiger60]

I tinted mine in May of `08 - I left a non-tinted stripe that followed the body contour.

Yesterday I got pulled over on the freeway by a state trooper and was given a warning for having "black" tail lights. I told him they were red when the lights were on. He said that didn't matter. He told me that OEM tail lights have built in reflectors that reflect other cars headlights even when your lights are not on and that because mine are tinted the reflectors did not reflect.
He went on to tell me that this is A FEDERAL law - it does not matter what your state specifies. He had the option to impound my car and make me walk. He didn't, instead he gave me two days to correct them. I removed the Nite Shades today, and boy was it a bitch.

Here's how they used to look.

[blktiger60]

OK so after removing the Nite Shades tinting the OEM lens are kinda "foggy", I think the tint ate into the surface a bit. I'll need to replace them eventually but can't afford it right now.

I was looking at some after market tails and was wondering if they are legal.

Anyone know if these are ?
http://www.xtralights.com/06-08toyot...smokepair.aspx

[dg4rez]

Originally Posted by blktiger60

I tinted mine in May of `08 - I left a non-tinted stripe that followed the body contour.

Yesterday I got pulled over on the freeway by a state trooper and was given a warning for having "black" tail lights. I told him they were red when the lights were on. He said that didn't matter. He told me that OEM tail lights have built in reflectors that reflect other cars headlights even when your lights are not on and that because mine are tinted the reflectors did not reflect.
He went on to tell me that this is A FEDERAL law - it does not matter what your state specifies. He had the option to impound my car and make me walk. He didn't, instead he gave me two days to correct them. I removed the Nite Shades today, and boy was it a bitch.

Here's how they used to look.

Basicly, you got a cop thats mad at life, cause everyone in highschool made fun of him, and he has no friends, and is 45, and still a virgin. Which sadly, is common place in the world of police work. So they take their aggression out on you.
But on the road it isn't a place to argue, if hes going to give you a fix it ticket, let him give it to you, and argue it later.

but heres some legal info for you:

"lamps facing rearward must emit red light, lamps facing sideward and all turn signals must emit amber light (though in North America rear turn signals may emit either amber or red light), lamps facing frontward must emit white or selective yellow light, and no other colours are permitted except on emergency vehicles."

"Night time vehicle conspicuity to the rear is provided by rear position lamps (also called taillamps or tail lamps, taillights or tail lights). These are required to produce only red light, and to be wired such that they are lit whenever the front position lamps are illuminated—including when the headlamps are on. Rear position lamps may be combined with the vehicle's brake lamps, or separate from them. In combined-function installations, the lamps produce brighter red light for the brake lamp function, and dimmer red light for the rear position lamp function. The tail and brake light functions may be produced separately and/or by a dual-intensity lamp.

Regulations worldwide stipulate minimum intensity ratios between the bright (brake) and dim (tail) modes, so that a vehicle displaying rear position lamps will not be mistakenly interpreted as showing brake lamps, and vice versa.[5][15]"



But the most important:

"requires a tail lamp to emit a red light plainly visible for at least 500 feet to the rear of the vehicle. "

" stop lamps to emit a red or amber light and be capable of being seen and distinguished from other lamps for a distance of 100 feet, including during normal daylight.
If the cover you apply prohibits the lamp from meeting these requirements then it is unlawful. "


So basicly saying, during the day time, drive with your lights off. and if they can see you braking from 100 feet, its legal. during hours of operation, which is up to the state, usually an hour before dusk, and an hour after dawn, the lights must be able to "EMIT" a red light plainly visiable from 500 feet.

So if I went by federal law, my lights would be legal

[blktiger60]

Originally Posted by dg4rez

Basicly, you got a cop thats mad at life, cause everyone in highschool made fun of him, and he has no friends, and is 45, and still a virgin. Which sadly, is common place in the world of police work. So they take their aggression out on you.
But on the road it isn't a place to argue, if hes going to give you a fix it ticket, let him give it to you, and argue it later.

Yeah. I didn't argue. There's really no point to it. He was a short dude. Ever notice how many short males have a seriously crappy attitude?

Anyway, my stock tails are kinda messed up now and I've been wanting some after market ones for a while now. So I take it that the ones I linked previosly - http://www.xtralights.com/06-08toyot...smokepair.aspx are legal?

[dg4rez]

Originally Posted by blktiger60

Yeah. I didn't argue. There's really no point to it. He was a short dude. Ever notice how many short males have a seriously crappy attitude?

Anyway, my stock tails are kinda messed up now and I've been wanting some after market ones for a while now. So I take it that the ones I linked previosly - http://www.xtralights.com/06-08toyot...smokepair.aspx are legal?

yeah, I got mine off ebay (I got the same pair)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/06-08...item2eaa0cb81f

127+28shipping