[Sangria7]

OK so heading back from work today from Galleria. I get pulled over by a LEO. He asks for license and then proceeded to tell me that my blue led lamps are illegal. And man he was not cool at all. He was like “Only white lights are permitted. Period!”

So I took my ticket calmly and researched at home. This is what I cam up with:

Section 547.305, restrictions on use of lights which states:
a motor vehicle lamp or illuminating device, other than a headlamp, stop lamp, auxiliary lamp, turn signal lamp, or emergency vehicle or school bus warning lamp, that projects a beam with an intensity brighter than 300 candlepower shall be directed so that no part of the high-intensity portion of the beam strikes the roadway at a distance of more than 75 feet from the vehicle.
except as expressly authorized by law, a person may not operate or move equipment or a vehicle, other than a police vehicle with a lamp or device that displays a red light visible from directly in front of the center of the equipment or vehicle.
a person may not operate a motor vehicle equipped with a red, white, or blue beacon, flashing, or alternating lights unless the equipment is:
used as specifically authorized by this chapter; or
a running lamp, tail lamp, backup lamp, or turn signal lamp that is used as authorized by law.
a vehicle may be equipped with alternately flashing lighting equipment described by Section 547.701 or 547.702 only if the vehicle is:
a school bus.
an authorized emergency vehicle;
a church bus that has the words “church bus” printed on the front and rear of the bus so as to be clearly discernable to other vehicle operators;
a tow truck while under the direction of a law enforcement officer at the scene of an accident or while hooking up to a disabled vehicle on a roadway; or
a tow truck with a mounted light bar, which has turn signals and stop lamps in addition to those required by Sections 547.322, 547.323, and 547.324, Transportation Code.
a person may not operate highway maintenance or service equipment, including show-removal equipment, that is not equipped with lamps or that does not display lighted lamps is required by the standards and specifications adapted by the Texas Department of Transportation.
in this section, “tow truck” means a motor vehicle or mechanical device that is adapted or used to tow, winch, or move a disabled vehicle.
Further information is available in Section 541.201 of the Transportation Code. In pertinent part, 541.201 states.

At first I thought they were illegal based off this law, but the more I read it the more it didn’t make sense. I was so focused on my blue lights that I failed to see that white lights were in wording as well. If white lights are not permitted (if according to the cop they don’t have to be alternating/flashing) then all vehicles are not compliant with this Texas legislation.

I think I may take this ticket to court…..what do you guys think.

[Munch]

I def. would…take a print out of that with you and if Houston (god I hate that place) is the same here, requiring the officer to be in court during his tickets reviews, get the DA to have him show you where your lights were in violation. If your LED’s are about the same as was on your 650 there is nothing in there that it violates. I highly doubt they project a 300 candlewatt power intensity 75 feet in front of you… and unless you have them in flash mode… they can’t touch you on that either.

[A]

More than likely the LEO pulled you over for something else, just mentioned the LED lights that he’s trying to cut your break for moving violation.
If your summon does not involve points on your license, I’d just pay for the fine and move on.

[Munch]

“If your summon does not involve points on your license, I’d just pay for the fine and move on. “

I see a big problem with this. In particular if the officer is not correct on the law, which is poorly worded, then they need to be informed as such. If he is correct then the clarification needs to be there for the general public anyway. Rolling over and taking it has become such a huge problem now days and the same ones doing it are usually the first ones sitting around asking “How did things get so screwed up?”

[eon]

It is generally considered a bad idea to have blue lights on the front of your bike as in some places it is explicitly illegal and in others will get you unwanted attention. I read over those TX laws and saw nothing that forbid it. I also found lots of others online asking the same question but no real answers. If you are considering fighting this first step is obviously a local lawyer. I would think they could quickly tell you if this is legal or not as I doubt you are the first person to have this problem.

Other thing to consider is I don’t think local court judges sit around debating the various merits and legal precedents of each case. If they are in a grumpy mood or don’t like the look of you or your lawyer then bend over. It all depends on how important this is to you. I see fighting it as a risk of time & money but I don’t know what the odds are. I am curious to know how this turns out so please keep us informed.

[Munch]

Ok….I keep mulling this over in my head… it’s bothering me , I don’t know why… I guess it’s all the ignorant laws that keep popping up for pointless reasons in the mean time we are paying these people to make the stupid laws all the while they cry and whine about not having enough money in the budget to support teachers……… sorry off topic….
OK are these blue “lamps” set up like you had on your 650? The LED’s under the tank to reflect off the chrome… or do you actually have forward facing bulbs (turn signals, “blue light” headlamps or just marker/parking bulbs mounted on the outside of the body)?

[eon]

This report of a guy fighting his own traffic ticket for an obscured license plate is worth reading. More specifically, the comment from R.S, an attorney, one time judge and a motorcyclist is a must read.
http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycles/traffic-court/

[Sangria7]

I actually faced these outward positioned at the bottom of my forks near the wheels so I could get more visibility on the road at night. So yes in essence I was using these as running lamps.

The 650 had them facing downward. These were outward. The ticket read “illegal use of emergency blue lights” lol….

I still go back that if I cant have facing blue lights forward so no one can have the white lights either then…

[Sangria7]

That is good reading. Shows how our legal system can be really pick on these minor infractions yet they let murders walk on technicalities….

[owlie]

If you decide to challenge the ticket, be sure to take several photos of your bike with you showing where the lights are placed. Wear a suit, show up on time, be brief and courteous.

There’s no telling why you got pulled over. My brother got pulled over once for no apparent reason while he was pulling his boat. The cop went through a whole laundry list of stuff trying to find something to cite him for, but in the end asked where the fire extinguisher was for the boat. My brother pulled it out and the cop let him go since he couldn’t find anything wrong.

[briderdt]

Often times, LEO’s will pull over a motorcyclist simply to make a check on the endorsement. They’re doing that more and more around this area. And… no endorsement = impound and you walk home. But if you HAVE the endorsement, then they’ll drag out all the little regulations that really don’t mean diddly (come on — how many sport bikes have a fender that reaches to the axle? even from the factory?) and see what they can pin on you.

[Sangria7]

So I finally got a the actual citation from the courts and it reads:

“Unauthorized use of FLASHING (Red)(Blue) Light”

Of course my LEDs do not flash. I do not think that a solid blue light is actually illegal based off this citation because they dont have a specific citation for just lights. I really think the only illegal lighting is red,blue,white flashing/alternating based off the text. All other colors that are flashing are fair game because a friend brought up a good point. Construction vehicles have yellow beacons that flash on top of them.

Here is the law:”a person may not operate a motor vehicle equipped with a red, white, or blue beacon, flashing, or alternating lights “

The cop will try to say that a vehicle may not have any of the three colors listed above, but remember cars all have white solid lights.

Lastly a beacon is defined as a source of light visible 360degrees.

Since my citation is having a flashing blue light – I am not guilty based off that charge.

Time to go to court.

[eon]

Good luck with your case. Seems like you have a good chance of being successful (so long as the cop does not say your light was flashing).

And while I agree beacon is a strange choice of word, I don’t see it defined as a source of light visibile 360 degrees. Merriam-Webster has this definition
1 : a signal fire commonly on a hill, tower, or pole
2 a : a lighthouse or other signal for guidance b : a radio transmitter emitting signals for guidance of aircraft
3 : a source of light or inspiration

[Author]

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