Pulled over 3 times in 4 months by DPS...

[Nicklongino]

Just throwing this in here. I have the vinyl overlays for mine and they are supposedly transparent. I actually asked 2 cops today if they were illegal I hit the brake and they said no.

Check out Bigwormgraphics.com They installed them and they supply them. Very good work!

[KeepItShut]

Originally Posted by Nicklongino

Just throwing this in here. I have the vinyl overlays for mine and they are supposedly transparent. I actually asked 2 cops today if they were illegal I hit the brake and they said no.

Check out Bigwormgraphics.com They installed them and they supply them. Very good work!

I got my stuff from them, awesome product! You talking to the cops makes me wonder if I could head to the local police station and have them look at it (maybe get in writing they are ok???)

Wooden Heart - thanks for the LEO input! The trooper that pulled me over recently told me they have to reflect 100-600 ft and the brakes have to shine red light up to 1000 ft. Seems correct from what I read last year before I made the purchase... I never thought about what to do when my vehicle comes up for inspection though...

[mp51998]

I got picked up just outside SA for this same issue. Trooper said I could have them blacked out but must have a red reflector attached to trunk lid at the height of the tail lights. My wife does DOT compliance for her company and looked up the code.
Sub Section 547.327 states (a) with at least one lamp that emits a white light visible at a distance of at least 1000 ft from the front end and: (1) two lamps that emit a red light visible at a distance of at least 1000 ft from the rear; or (2) one lamp that emits a red light visible at a distance of at least 1000ft from the rear and two red reflectors visible when illuminated by the lawful lower beams of headlamps at all distances from 100 to 600ft to the rear.
This is the part that got me. Not reflective. I got mine from Bigworm but got the darkest he had. I took mine off and will pay the twelve bucks. When I get my LED's I will get new ones but probably not as dark.
After rereading this it looks like I may have been able to get away with it since it states two lamps visible from 1000ft or one lamp and two reflectors. Wife says since lights are not on during the day that 'technically' it is a violation. She states the LEO can cite you for anything he wants and it will be up to you to prove him wrong and go through all that hassle. She deals with that on a daily basis with all of her drivers. FWIW

[TAPSHIFT]

Easy answer to your issue......
Either take them off , or, don't bitch about being stopped.

[skuttduck]

Originally Posted by mp51998

I got picked up just outside SA for this same issue. Trooper said I could have them blacked out but must have a red reflector attached to trunk lid at the height of the tail lights. My wife does DOT compliance for her company and looked up the code.
Sub Section 547.327 states (a) with at least one lamp that emits a white light visible at a distance of at least 1000 ft from the front end and: (1) two lamps that emit a red light visible at a distance of at least 1000 ft from the rear; or (2) one lamp that emits a red light visible at a distance of at least 1000ft from the rear and two red reflectors visible when illuminated by the lawful lower beams of headlamps at all distances from 100 to 600ft to the rear.
This is the part that got me. Not reflective. I got mine from Bigworm but got the darkest he had. I took mine off and will pay the twelve bucks. When I get my LED's I will get new ones but probably not as dark.
After rereading this it looks like I may have been able to get away with it since it states two lamps visible from 1000ft or one lamp and two reflectors. Wife says since lights are not on during the day that 'technically' it is a violation. She states the LEO can cite you for anything he wants and it will be up to you to prove him wrong and go through all that hassle. She deals with that on a daily basis with all of her drivers. FWIW

Can't you just trim the vinyl so that the top part is not covered thereby meeting compliance with the reflector?

[Wooden Heart]

Originally Posted by KeepItShut

I got my stuff from them, awesome product! You talking to the cops makes me wonder if I could head to the local police station and have them look at it (maybe get in writing they are ok???)

Wooden Heart - thanks for the LEO input! The trooper that pulled me over recently told me they have to reflect 100-600 ft and the brakes have to shine red light up to 1000 ft. Seems correct from what I read last year before I made the purchase... I never thought about what to do when my vehicle comes up for inspection though...

You're welcome.

[Shuffler]

Originally Posted by Wooden Heart

Austinjames is correct to an extent, as long as red is showing you're good. By Texas law, the lens should be red and emitting a red light visible by no less than 500-1,000 feet (i can't remember which number it is). I'm a law enforcement officer and I had blacked out tails on my old personal vehicle. I didn't get pulled over a whole lot for them, but when it came time to get it inspected, the shops around town wouldn't let it pass because they were being cracked down on. Whether if you know it or not, most of your larger counties (Dallas, Tarrant, Bexar, Williamson, Travis, etc...) actually have a department devoted to going undercover trying to catch shops passing vehicles when they shouldn't be. And trust me, the agent/officer doesn't even have to be there. He can monitor it all from a remote link since all inspections stations (except for really small counties with no emissions regulations) typically use the computer diagnostic systems to inspect the vehicles.

I believe the law says they must be reflective too.

OOPs I see someone already posted that..............

[mastertypodemon]

Originally Posted by KeepItShut

I got my stuff from them, awesome product! You talking to the cops makes me wonder if I could head to the local police station and have them look at it (maybe get in writing they are ok???)

Big Worm does do awesome work.
As far as asking one Officer about this, I'm sure there's an actual check on it, but it seems more an interpretation type. What one officer may see as ok, another may think is too dark type of thing.

I do agree with a lot of the posters though, if you keep getting pulled over for it, just take them off.

[Bradl1982]

Blacked out tail lights were played out after the 2nd fast and furious movie. What are they on now, #5?

[Bradl1982]

Originally Posted by CooG

Spray paint the vinyl red.

Brilliant!

[jkchambless]

Don't move; just understand that the law enforement agencies in that area use stuff like shaded windows, blacked out lights, and no-license plates to fish .... it's just an excuse to pull you over and check you out.

[45thAnniversary2SS]

So the big bright ass brake light in the rear window isn't visible? Maybe people should just pay attention. At the end of the day though "law enforcement" is a big business and they have to make some money.

[mastertypodemon]

Originally Posted by 45thAnniversary2SS

So the big bright ass brake light in the rear window isn't visible? Maybe people should just pay attention. At the end of the day though "law enforcement" is a big business and they have to make some money.

The third brake light isn't reflective.
Also, it's not counted apparently. I had my truck inspected with the third out one time. When I asked about replacing the light, I was told that it didn't matter as long as the two main brake lights were good.

[Shuffler]

Originally Posted by 45thAnniversary2SS

So the big bright ass brake light in the rear window isn't visible? Maybe people should just pay attention. At the end of the day though "law enforcement" is a big business and they have to make some money.

Safety is big business to most folks on the road.