Pulled over for impersonatring a Police officer

5speedMX · Post by **5speedMX** » August 3rd, 2007, 10:24 pm

My dad took my car to Ga. today and he just got stopped by State troopers for impersonating a police officer because I got those side mirrors on ebay with the blue lights on 'em.They came to the car guns drawn ,patted him down ,and surround him with 6-7 squad cars all for 2 blue lights on my side mirrors.

I've had those lights on there for months and I've been to Ga. and NC. with the lights on there. I live near Nashville,TN and have never had a problem. All I could find in Tn law was that flashing lights were prohibited.
This is crazy!! Anybody else ever have this problem? To the best of my knowledge thr lights are legal here!

5speedMX · Post by **5speedMX** » August 3rd, 2007, 10:52 pm

Here's some pics of the car with the lights on.
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2593302/2

atlantamx3 · Post by **atlantamx3** » August 3rd, 2007, 11:05 pm

yeah thats pretty silly to put blue lights on your car. I am surprised you did not get pulled over sooner.

You can pretty much have any other color except blue and red (except tail lights)

mr1in6billion · Post by **mr1in6billion** » August 3rd, 2007, 11:09 pm

There are laws dictating what color lights you are allowed on your car. Blue is for emergency vehicles only.

ScooterBovine · Post by **ScooterBovine** » August 4th, 2007, 1:18 am

Okay, so no blue lights. But 6 cops surrounding him with guns drawn? C'mon, nothing is going to convince me that they were right in doing that. Maybe one trooper pulling him over and writing a simple ticket explaining the problem. But not guns drawn.

5speedMX · Post by **5speedMX** » August 4th, 2007, 11:33 am

That's understandable from you since you live in ga but in Tn it's legal. My dad asked if they could just give him a warning but they said that after having dispatched all those cops they couldn't get away with just a warning. So i think they realize that they over reacted just a little. BTW are blute neons under the car illegal.

atlantamx3 wrote:yeah thats pretty silly to put blue lights on your car. I am surprised you did not get pulled over sooner.

You can pretty much have any other color except blue and red (except tail lights)

Nd4SpdSe · Post by **Nd4SpdSe** » August 4th, 2007, 12:30 pm

Actually, some undercover units we work on have blue LED strobe lights on the mirrors, so it does make sence to me

Ona similar note,I got a ticket last night for my blue underbody neons. Ticketed for "unauthorized equipement", which I dont think applies to me since i'm from Canada, so the Virginian police have any right to say what's authorized or not on my car, so I got a court summons on Sept 12th, but I guess if they would of of charged me with something like impersonating a police officer, that would be more difficult to right, but we'll see.

I've had never had any problems with them back at home in Ontario for the 5 years I've had them, but they aren't not illegal, and the only law about it it flashing blue is for snow removal only, so as long as they don't flash, or any blue light is projected directly forward, they're not illegal...

mr1in6billion · Post by **mr1in6billion** » August 4th, 2007, 1:36 pm

5speedMX wrote:BTW are blute neons under the car illegal?

Out here all underglow is illegal if the car is moving.

Dali · Post by **Dali** » August 4th, 2007, 2:28 pm

just about every state and province has different laws and you have to follow them regardless if youre from some where else. so i dont understand why people drive around the country with tint and lights flashing away etc, im from a small town and i get harassed more here than in the city, just depends on if the cop is being a a-- or even if his job is motor vehicle infractions ie illegal light set ups.

mitmaks · Post by **mitmaks** » August 4th, 2007, 11:17 pm

dont put any color lights on your hood/mirrors/underside and you wont have problem. I do not see why you should put them on, if you want to park your car and turn them on for show its fine then but not while driving.

steckino · Post by **steckino** » August 5th, 2007, 9:55 am

haha, up here in Maine.... it's illegal to have lights on your pressure release valves on your wheels... haha, what? is it a tumbling cop car? Yeah... if anyone gets confused they should not be allowed to drive... Under lights are illegal, interior lights are illegal... just about anything to make your vehicle stand out is illegal... I love Maine... EVEN THOUGH THEY SELL IT ALL AT WALLY WORLD!

Nd4SpdSe · Post by **Nd4SpdSe** » August 5th, 2007, 5:10 pm

steckino wrote:haha, up here in Maine.... it's illegal to have lights on your pressure release valves on your wheels... haha, what? is it a tumbling cop car? Yeah... if anyone gets confused they should not be allowed to drive... Under lights are illegal, interior lights are illegal... just about anything to make your vehicle stand out is illegal... I love Maine... EVEN THOUGH THEY SELL IT ALL AT WALLY WORLD!

Probably doesn't look like it's tumbling from a bit away, wouldn't be surprised if it looked like it was flashing. Even tho they sell them, they are not illegal to be sold, reason why there's usually a note saying "offroad use only"

Personally, I really like how my car looks with the neons on and I've always driven with them on, have for the last 5 years. I just put a partial piece of pipe insulation to my front tube doesn't project light forward (down only) to make it legal for use in Ontario.

I'm reading about the inspection system they have in Virginia, which is required after the vehicle is registered in VA. Apparently neon lights must not only be unlite, but actually covered as well, but so far this is to pass the inspection for Virginian vehicle registration, and since my car is not registered in VA, they can't tell me to cover my lights, the same goes with tint (which I don't have), bumper has to be at least 14 inches from the groun, which isn't, exhausts aren't allowed to be other than stock for what I've been told. I need to look into it further, but I don't think I can get charged with vehicle equipment at all, they don't have any right on that. I should be only be able to get ticketed for offences that fall under felony's, misdemeanors and under the criminal codes and such. As would impersonating a police officer is a Class 6 felony in VA.

Post by **Custommx3** » August 6th, 2007, 10:41 am

in TN you cannot have red or blue lights on your car. Nashville probably doesnt enforce it as much as GA may.

Post by **Mooneggs** » August 6th, 2007, 10:59 am

Awhile back I went to the main library in Memphis and looked up the TN state code for all the things that I thought were illegal on my car. It turns out the laws in TN (and I'm guessing many other states) are very vague and could easily be turned into whatever a police officer or judge wanted them to be based on your prior driving record and your attitude. I made photocopies of all of the code about tint, exhaust sound level, front and rear lights, sound system levels, even the lowering of the vehicle and I keep the pages in my car at all times.

I might scan them in if you are interested...

When it comes to customizing your vehicle be aware that most things that you will want to do will probably be "illegal" in one sense or another. You will be stereotyped and you WILL be pulled over at some time.

Just for the sake of things don't put any blue or red LEDs or lights facing oncoming traffic on your car. Even when you are sitting still if you are near a road with them on there is a possibility you will get a ticket. Because basically you CANNOT argue with a police officer if they want to write you a ticket for something...It will get to a point where they can say you were resisting. Maybe you have a good lawyer and you are willing to take the chance (not me

)You MAY be able to present your case more delicately to a judge.

Most of the time my advice is to cooperate fully and only argue if you can do it in as respectful manner as possible (remember you have already been stereotyped so an opinion is already against you) even if it is about as something as simple as a single blue LED.

You've got to know the type of cop you are dealing with also (city, rural town, county, state) and approach each situation differently. I'm a professional speeder... let me know if you need any tips!

I have been pulled over 100 + times with at least 35 + tickets in my driving career. It's all about how well you know the laws and your attitude. You can get thrown in jail for your attitude toward an officer!

I have never been to jail or had my license suspended

All of the stops were made in one of my 3 mx-3's.

I have to go to court in 2 weeks for a sterotype ticket. The ticket was made for "excessive speed on a turn". I was turning left at a green light. I had STOPPED to let traffic past and then I made the turn and wound it out in first gear until I hit about 38 mph (I like the sound of my exhaust

) and I passed a cop who was in the other turning lane so he busted a Uturn and came after me... I wasn't even speeding or display speed. But my car sounded ferocious so I got a ticket... that's life and I don't mind because I love my mx-3!

Steve_SK · Post by **Steve_SK** » August 8th, 2007, 5:33 pm

Unbelievable!

In my country, when you have something installed on your car, which doesn't meet specifications and doesn't have a cerificate and you're stopped by police, they will only take you car papers and you cannot continue in driving. Or you will pay some money as well. But, for example, when you install illegal bulbs in headlights and you're stopped and you're able to install legal bulbs at that moment, you can continue driving after exchange.

Worse case is when you drive without valid emission or technical control, police will take you car papers and licence plates and you can do nothing, except for go to the emission/technical control station and pay around $2000 for complete control of the car, which is something like controlling imported car of a brand which doesn't have official importer in the country. Normal control (each 2 years) costs around $40.

BTW, each aftermarket part installed on your car in my country must have a certificate of conformity, or something like that and part itself must have E-mark in circle on it.

About LED's.... my friend has about 60 LED's (blue, white) on his black MX3 and hasn't experienced any problems so far.

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