Illegal off road roof lights...

[EMSJEEP]

So...I was stopped by a South Whitehall Township Cop (while sitting in the Applebees parking lot waiting for the pager to go off because there was no room to stand inside and it was 25 degrees out). He shoots into the two free parking spots in front of me and after a minute of staring at me and my girlfriend sitting in the warm and running Jeep, gets out and walks up to my window. License and proof of insurance please...oh you're from New York...what are you doing here...do you have a Pennsylvania drivers license?( Besides the NYS License I just gave him my Jeep has New York State Volunteer Ambulance Service tags, New York reg., Insurance and a NYS EMT patch on my front window and an NYPD PBA card) Hand it all over with my New PBA card which he nearly throws back at me through the window of my parked car. "I saw those lights up there on your roof when I drove past you before, I saw a reflection" he says. (this was at least 15 minutes ago down the road) That’s illegal in PA he informs me, to have the lights uncovered while on a public road (apparently opaque covers are required not just brush guards?). Anyway after threatening me with a $107 ticket and reciting some PA VTL codes that I should obviously have brushed up on before I came to visit the state (yeah for some reason he not only knows the code but the fine...go figure) he orders me to install opaque covers before he catches me again. Anyone know anything about this law in PA, any other states? Opinions?
atriot:

 

[frankenstang57]

From my understanding any "non street leagl" lights need to be covered while the vehicle is operated on a public street. Was that way in Mi. when I was growing up. I've never had a problem with it here in Co., but I'm sure it's on the books somewhere. Pa. cops suck in general, especially if you are from out of state. I've got friends from there and have seen them in action myself, so I feel your pain. Good thing though, I live in Co. and I'm sure if I lived in Pa. 5-0 could find a lot more to violate my XJ on than lights! Throw a set of covers on 'em and make 'em happy. Just be sure to take the covers off before use or you'll wind up with one melty mess. I too have experiance with this...

 

[EMSJEEP]

does that mean I have to cover my 190watt low beams too...oops...did I spill that?:angel:

 

[Ramsey]

just cover em and be happy he didnt give you the ticket

 

[89Daytona]

..."I saw those lights up there on your roof when I drove past you before, I saw a reflection" he says. (this was at least 15 minutes ago down the road) That’s illegal in PA he informs me, to have the lights uncovered while on a public road. Anyway after threatening me with a $107 ticket and reciting some PA VTL codes that I should obviously have brushed up on before I came to visit the state (yeah for some reason he not only knows the code but the fine...go figure) he orders me to install opaque covers before he catches me again. Anyone know anything about this law in PA, any other states? Opinions?

He must not have much to do if it took him 15 minutes to decide to give you a ticket.

Its a $100 fine... he must of included tax.
"(f) Off-road lighting.--Off-road lighting lamps may be mounted on the roof or roll bar of a vehicle and shall be covered with an opaque covering that prohibits any light from being emitted when the vehicle is being operated on a highway or trafficway. Any person who illuminates an off-road lighting lamp while the vehicle is being operated on a highway or a trafficway commits a summary offense and shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to pay a fine of $100."
http://public.findlaw.com/traffic-ticket-violation-law/state-traffic-law/pennsylvania-traffic-law.html
http://www.dot10.state.pa.us/pdotforms/vehicle_code/chapter43.pdf

 

[Ray H]

The way that law reads, the $100 fine is only for illuminating the lights. It doesnt actually state a fine for just having them uncovered. Is it possible he was blowing smoke and threatening you because he could??? Or maybe he has a reading impairment and doesnt understand the laws very well himself.
At least you can have them in PA. In WV you cant even have a set of lights up on the roof, although Ive never heard of anyone ticketed for it. They had to actually make a special provision in the law so certain new vehicles that came from the factory with roof lights could be sold in WV and pass inspection.

 

[XJ Eric]

Well since you are NY registered the judge probly wouldn't even make you pay since you are out of state. But if NY has the same law then he may stick you with it anyway.

But yeah you gotta have those to run em in PA

 

[spcustoms]

had the same prob here in jersey, cop was goin the other way, saw me, pulled a dukes of hazard in front of traffic just to pull me over and give me warning.. he also said my lower fogs were the wrong color, they looked a little blue...

 

[UNCC_99XJ]

I know it's a law in several states that if you have off road lights, whether they be on the roof, front bumper, brush guard....etc, they must be covered when the vehicle is in operation, and cannot be illuminated on any public streets. The part about them being covered when on a public street is a little bogus IMO.

Sounds like the cop was just lookin for somethin to do, and you happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

 

[Bent]

Gotta cover them here too in mexico.

:twak:

 

[DrMoab]

Sounds like the cop was just lookin for somethin to do, and you happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Im suprised no one has brought up the point that he was parked...not driving in a private parking lot.

The cop should be fired.

I am not against cops but I feel they should have more to lose then the public by breaking the law themselfs.

 

[Ray H]

The part about them being covered when on a public street is a little bogus IMO.

.

I agree 100%. Laws like that irk me. Thats the same as ticketing you for speeding because you have a speedometer that reads higher then 55MPH. or ticketing you for violating noise laws just because you have an aftermarket audio system.
There are states (I think PA is one of them) where its illegal to carry a spot light in your vehicle because you "may" spot light deer with it.

Just for the record, I dont agree with open container laws either. You are either drinking or your not. Theres no public threat in driving around with an open can of beer in your car.

 

[UNCC_99XJ]

Im suprised no one has brought up the point that he was parked...not driving in a private parking lot.

The cop should be fired.

I am not against cops but I feel they should have more to lose then the public by breaking the law themselfs.

I agree. Just about every day I see cops doing things....little minor things, that I know damn well had I done it, they'd have my ass in a heart beat. Little things such as SPEEDING, failure to signal....hell i've even seen cops tailgating before.

I also have the most respect for them and the line of work they do. There's just a handful of them who have nothing else better to do than to boast about "hey i'm a cop and I can pull you for what ever the hell i feel like" attitude.

Speaking of which I had a state trooper pull me for "tailgating" back in november. When in reality I was going to change lanes, doing the speed limit and had a guy come up in the left lane that I was trying to get into, SPEEDING. I waited for him to go by, turned around and looked for more traffic one last time, and while I was doing that, the a**hole jumped on the brakes (because there was apparently a trooper sitting in the median). I almost ran into the back of the guy....had I hit the brakes any harder I would have slid into the back of him. Well right as we passed the trooper was when I was beginning to finally slow down and get away from the guy. Trooper pulled me THREE MILES down the highway (and again, I wasn't speeding). Didn't care about my side of the story...hell didn't even let me finish my story. Practicaly threw my license and registration back through the window after snatching it out of my hand, and promptly wrote me a $145 ticket. This was while I was on my way home from school for the weekend, on a highway I travel every weekend.

$350 and a good attorney later, and It was reduced to "improper equipment" last week....LOL. All I care is it's no points on my license or my insurance.

Sorry to get OT, but thats just my experience with some of the "rotten" cops that make them all look bad.

 

[ADVNTURR]

Not so sure about PA, but I know that when I used to live in VA it was any lights above the centerline of your factory lights had to have an opaque cover over them on the street. It was also illegal to have them operate with anything but the low beams. The legislators obviously had never learned about the appropriate function of lights, Fog w/ Low, Driving w/ High.

In NY when I was going to school there I believe they had a 100w limit or something but I was there for school and I had VA plates so i wasn't too concerned.

Now that I'm in CT, I have no idea what the laws are and don't really care, I have opaque covers for both sets of my lights in the vehicle at all times if some cop wants to raise a fuss. I typically find that unless you're doing something else wrong or the cop is a complete jerk (which in your case it sounds like he was) that if you're smart you'll be left alone.

 

[Ray H]

I grew up in a law enforcement family, I was a deputy for a period of time years ago. I can say that MOST of them break the law on a regular basis. Usually nothing big, but they do it. Then they turn around two minutes later and ticket someone for the very same thing.
Ive been out drinking with cops, we pretty much did whatever we wanted didnt worry about it. I got in a discussion with my cousin (MD state trooper) one time about the carry laws in MD. He basically told me he thought no one should be able to carry a firearm except cops, and then, when I asked him about it, he went on to tell me that his wife carries one, but thats ok. I knew to ask him about it because just about every cop wife I knew when I grew up carried one, including my own mom.
I dont agree with many laws we have today. That was my downfall when I was a cop. I couldnt, in good conscience, enforce laws I didnt agree with. I guess some people dont have a problem with that.

 

[HaleYes]

Be done with it and get some covers.
I'd go with these:

 

[Ray H]

I want those. Where can they be had???

 

[RichP]

I want those. Where can they be had???

Second that, where'd those come from...I love em...

 

[HaleYes]

I want those. Where can they be had???

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=355895&highlight=light+covers

 

[UNCC_99XJ]

LOL that's cool as hell!