Pulled over a week ago during the night for my blacked out tail lights. The cop wouldn't let me just snap off the covers then and there and wrote me a fix it ticket. My friend sent me this,

Taillamps

24600. During darkness every motor vehicle which is not in combination with any other vehicle and every vehicle at the end of a combination of vehicles shall be equipped with lighted taillamps mounted on the rear as follows:

(a) Every vehicle shall be equipped with one or more taillamps.

(b) Every vehicle, other than a motorcycle, manufactured and first registered on or after January 1, 1958, shall be equipped with not less than two taillamps, except that trailers and semitrailers manufactured after July 23, 1973, which are less than 30 inches wide, may be equipped with one taillamp which shall be mounted at or near the vertical centerline of the vehicles. If a vehicle is equipped with two taillamps, they shall be mounted as specified in subdivision (d).

(c) Every vehicle or vehicle at the end of a combination of vehicles, subject to subdivision (a) of Section 22406 shall be equipped with not less than two taillamps.

(d) When two taillamps are required, at least one shall be mounted at the left and one at the right side respectively at the same level.

(e) Taillamps shall be red in color and shall be plainly visible from all distances within 500 feet to the rear except that taillamps on vehicles manufactured after January 1, 1969, shall be plainly visible from all distances within 1,000 feet to the rear.

(f) Taillamps on vehicles manufactured on or after January 1, 1969, shall be mounted not lower than 15 inches nor higher than 72 inches, except that a tow truck, in addition to being equipped with the required taillamps, may also be equipped with two taillamps which may be mounted not lower than 15 inches nor higher than the maximum allowable vehicle height and as far forward as the rearmost portion of the driver's seat in the rearmost position. The additional taillamps on a tow truck shall be lighted whenever the headlamps are lighted.
Amended Ch. 924, Stats. 1988. Effective January 1, 1989.

Now I know for a fact that even though I have the black covers, my lights meet all these requirements, even e.

If I take a picture of the back of my car 1000 feet away at night, would that be enough to dismiss the ticket?

I'm most likely going to pay the fine and get new tail lights (don't want extra attention) but just wanted to know what would happen if I brought in a picture to the court.

 

I doubt a picture will do anything. You have a cover over your (safety) lights that is not from the factory.

 

What was the violation cited on the ticket? Because 24607 states vehicles have to be equiped with reflectors on the back. (24607. Every vehicle subject to registration under this code shall at all times be equipped with red reflectors mounted on the rear as follows)

Unfortunately, I don't think a picture is going to help.

Either way I think your going to have to take off the covers and pay the fine, even though your car looks great with them. I was going to get some for my car but thought twice. I figured I was pushing my luck with no front plate on the car.

 

Well, I got curious and dug a little deeper and found this. If you decide to fight it this may help. 25950c. Its a bit of a stretch, but it might be enough for the judge to either throw it out or reduce the fine. Let us know how it goes.

While searching I also found that the cutout I wanted is illegal as hell!!



Color of Lamps and Reflectors 25950.
This section applies to the color of lamps and to any reflector exhibiting or reflecting perceptible light of 0.05 candela or more per foot-candle of incident illumination. Unless provided otherwise, the color of lamps and reflectors upon a vehicle shall be as follows:

(a) The emitted light from all lamps and the reflected light from all reflectors, visible from in front of a vehicle, shall be white or yellow, except as follows:

(1) Rear side marker lamps required by Section 25100 may show red to the front.

(2) The color of foglamps described in Section 24403 may be in the color spectrum from white to yellow.

(3) An illuminating device, as permitted under Section 24255, shall emit radiation predominantly in the infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Any incidental visible light projecting to the front of the vehicle shall be predominantly yellow to white. Any incidental visible light projecting to the rear of the vehicle shall be predominantly red. Any incidental visible light from an illuminating device, as permitted under Section 24255, shall not resemble any other required or permitted lighting device or official traffic control device.

(b) The emitted light from all lamps and the reflected light from all reflectors, visible from the rear of a vehicle, shall be red except as follows:

(1) Stoplamps on vehicles manufactured before January 1, 1979, may show yellow to the rear.

(2) Turn signal lamps may show yellow to the rear.

(3) Front side marker lamps required by Section 25100 may show yellow to the rear.

(4) Backup lamps shall show white to the rear.

(5) The rearward facing portion of a front-mounted double-faced turn signal lamp may show amber to the rear while the headlamps or parking lamps are lighted, if the intensity of the light emitted is not greater than the parking lamps and the turn signal function is not impaired.

(6) A reflector meeting the requirements of and installed in accordance with Section 24611 shall be red or white, or both.

(c) All lamps and reflectors visible from the front, sides, or rear of a vehicle, except headlamps, may have any unlighted color, provided the emitted light from all lamps or reflected light from all reflectors complies with the required color. Except for backup lamps, the entire effective projected luminous area of lamps visible from the rear or mounted on the sides near the rear of a vehicle shall be covered by an inner lens of the required color when the unlighted color differs from the required emitted light color. Taillamps, stoplamps, and turn signal lamps that are visible to the rear may be white when unlighted on vehicles manufactured before January 1, 1974.

 

if its just a fixit ticket id be happy my buddie just got a ref ticket for a muffler and he's screwed now cause he's got a full custom turbo and nitrous setup which isgoing to be a bitch to put back to stocl

 

Cop didnt have to let you take the cover off since you had already comitted the violation while driving. Just remove the cover show them at the station and get it signed off.

 

I painted mine, everything but the reverse light... Never had an issue

 

I also got pulled over for having tail light covers.
I got a fix it ticket. I went paid for the CHP inspection which is 15 bucks,
and then you get a signed paper stating you passed, and then you go back to court and pay another fine, I believe another 15 bucks or so.
I pop them up again and nothing happens. It depends where your driving. Each city has a different jurisdiction. Around where I stay at, the cops compliment my car although she may not be all that but Im happy.
Just pay the fine, and mount em back on again and be careful where your driving.

 

It has to be red in color also when your lights are not lit. If your covers are on then they are black in color and not red. I dont get it...just take the covers off, pay the $10 and get em signed off and put them right back on...most of us have done it.

 

you have to pay to have a cop sign off? when i got a fix it for my front plate i just went to a random cop i saw at a gas station and he signed off for no charge.

 

I had to pay a 15 dollar fine for my broken tail light.

 

No, you just go to a police station and they do it. The ticket is like $10 if you get it fixed and signed off and its like $150 or so if you dont fix it. I dont remember its been a while since I got one.

 

Sounds like a hassle to me, jeez I love Arizona lol

 

Just pay the fine and get over it. MrElectric03 is right.

That helps a ton!

 

Cali FTL. At least in that respect.

 

Really! Damn...
Lucky you.
well around where I stay at, about 15 minutes theres a court house. Next to the courthouse is a CHP Inspection.
You pay for the inspection, and then you pay the fine.