Stopped for having "blue" lights
10-12-2012, 12:12 AM
#21
Any non halogen bulb in a non-projector housing is illegal, been that way since introduction. Your county or city may not enforce it, but it doesn't make it legal. Manufacturers like Audi, BMW, Mercedes, etc. that make cars with FACTORY hid headlights are legal because they in a projector housing so the lights don't glare everywhere, and they go through stringent testing to become DOT approved. Just because cops do it, doesn't make it legal. I don't think a cop would take kindly to someone typing on a computer driving down the highway like they do either.
10-12-2012, 04:41 PM
#22
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I got pulled over in my single cab at 11:30pm one night by a Highway Patrol.
His excuse for pulling me over was because my license plate lights were "almost" burned out... then he preceded to pop the hood and check my headlights which were 6000k HID's. He told me they were illegal all of the sudden and they're starting to crack down.
So after all that BS he asked me to sit in his car while he ran my info. Shined his penlight in both my eyes and checked my tongue. Then he asked if I had anything in the truck that was illegal and questioned me to search my vehicle.
I told him no. I have no criminal record besides a few speeding tickets. He was mad and called for backup but backup was busy. He then preceded to tell me I show symptoms of being high on marijuana because of my bloodshot eyes and the back of my tongue was green... whatever the f%^k that means. I explained to him that I had been at Texas Motor Speedway for an event and I was tired and dehydrated because I refused to spend $4.50 on a 16oz bottle of water!! I told him I had been pulled over earlier that same exact day and received a window tint ticket, and I didn't appreciate being harassed by the DPS and treated like a druggie criminal especially since I have no record such. He was furious and gave me a warning, then followed me to my house... I don't care if there are good/bad police. I hate them all. Just because I have a lowered truck doesn't mean im a fu#@ing criminal. I feel like they just need something to do and I don't appreciate being their subject for entertainment!
Needless to say, I stripped the tint and put stock silverstar bulbs back in my truck. Things have been much better since. (knock on wood) It's not worth the BS in my opinion to have tint/H.I.D.'s. Guess im getting old
His excuse for pulling me over was because my license plate lights were "almost" burned out... then he preceded to pop the hood and check my headlights which were 6000k HID's. He told me they were illegal all of the sudden and they're starting to crack down.
So after all that BS he asked me to sit in his car while he ran my info. Shined his penlight in both my eyes and checked my tongue. Then he asked if I had anything in the truck that was illegal and questioned me to search my vehicle.
I told him no. I have no criminal record besides a few speeding tickets. He was mad and called for backup but backup was busy. He then preceded to tell me I show symptoms of being high on marijuana because of my bloodshot eyes and the back of my tongue was green... whatever the f%^k that means. I explained to him that I had been at Texas Motor Speedway for an event and I was tired and dehydrated because I refused to spend $4.50 on a 16oz bottle of water!! I told him I had been pulled over earlier that same exact day and received a window tint ticket, and I didn't appreciate being harassed by the DPS and treated like a druggie criminal especially since I have no record such. He was furious and gave me a warning, then followed me to my house... I don't care if there are good/bad police. I hate them all. Just because I have a lowered truck doesn't mean im a fu#@ing criminal. I feel like they just need something to do and I don't appreciate being their subject for entertainment!
Needless to say, I stripped the tint and put stock silverstar bulbs back in my truck. Things have been much better since. (knock on wood) It's not worth the BS in my opinion to have tint/H.I.D.'s. Guess im getting old
10-12-2012, 09:26 PM
#24
TECH Apprentice
Any excuse from the man to get into your personal space to see what they can find. Bother in Law is a Texas Trooper and cousin is a Texas Ranger. In law is a by far the biggest DICK. (Hope your reading this Greggie) Will make a nice Thanks Giving subject! LOL..
I found this from another Super Trooper from a year or so ago....
I am a peace officer in Texas and have been trying to get some information together for the state laws concerning HID retrofits and their legallity. The topic has come up with others before and I did not know the specifics so I did my best to educate myself. So far this is what I have come up with. If there is anything you can add or correct please let me know.
HID Kits are illegal to SELL as DOT approved for steet use due to FEDERAL regualtion and none of the kits that use HID bulbs to replace standard halogen bulbs in a halogen housing should have a DOT seal or marking. DOT does not approve or disapprove headlight components. It is strictly up to the manufacturer to certify that they meet the federal DOT specs, which none of them do since the HID light source is a different position, size, and shape than the halogen filament the housing was designed for. The fact it plugs into a standard housing for H1 or H3 halogen bulbs is not relevant.
That said, there are no longer any headlight aiming requirements for inspection since the 90s in Texas. There are only laws for headlight height and distance they must illuminate (150 ft). They cannot be red in color and they must be functional and condensation free. This makes it perfectly legal to use HIDs that are blinding other motorists on high beam since all HID set ups in halogen reflector housings do this when adjusted to give the driver a good view of the road ahead. They can be as bright as you want, any color temerature as you want, and as blinding as you want ON HIGH BEAM. There are no TEXAS LAWS preventing use if adjusted correctly and only federal laws preventing sale for street use. The only statute that covers aiming states your low beams must illuminate at 150 feet minimum and not project the high intensity portion of the beam into oncoming driver's eyes. This only applies to the low beams.
Driving lights and fog light have no aiming requirements for inspection and are not tested as part of the Texas inspetion process. They have no color or disance requirements but cannot be red in color. This makes HID driving and fog light retrofits also completely legal for inspection purpposes.
Instead of putting HIDs in a halogen reflector housoing, it is much more responsible to do an HID projector retrofit that uses the entire projector assebly and D2S bulbs from an OEM manufacturered HID projector set up so that you do not blind other drivers and have a sharp cut off line at the top of your low beams; however, such kits are 3-4X more expensive than a plug and play kit and require custom installation. The up side is that the D2S bulbs and improved distribution of light can put over twice the usabale light on the road an HID kit that replacs the halogen bulb in a factory housing will project.
Likewise, using propper color temperature bulbs such as 4100-5000K will produce the maximum lumen output. For example, a 6000K bulb only puts out about 2/3 the lumens of a 4300K bulb, all else being equal. The higher the color temperature above 6000K, the lower the lumen output and the more glare the driver will see in foggy/rainy conditions. All OEM factory HID systems will range between 4-5K temperature for this reason.
I found this from another Super Trooper from a year or so ago....
I am a peace officer in Texas and have been trying to get some information together for the state laws concerning HID retrofits and their legallity. The topic has come up with others before and I did not know the specifics so I did my best to educate myself. So far this is what I have come up with. If there is anything you can add or correct please let me know.
HID Kits are illegal to SELL as DOT approved for steet use due to FEDERAL regualtion and none of the kits that use HID bulbs to replace standard halogen bulbs in a halogen housing should have a DOT seal or marking. DOT does not approve or disapprove headlight components. It is strictly up to the manufacturer to certify that they meet the federal DOT specs, which none of them do since the HID light source is a different position, size, and shape than the halogen filament the housing was designed for. The fact it plugs into a standard housing for H1 or H3 halogen bulbs is not relevant.
That said, there are no longer any headlight aiming requirements for inspection since the 90s in Texas. There are only laws for headlight height and distance they must illuminate (150 ft). They cannot be red in color and they must be functional and condensation free. This makes it perfectly legal to use HIDs that are blinding other motorists on high beam since all HID set ups in halogen reflector housings do this when adjusted to give the driver a good view of the road ahead. They can be as bright as you want, any color temerature as you want, and as blinding as you want ON HIGH BEAM. There are no TEXAS LAWS preventing use if adjusted correctly and only federal laws preventing sale for street use. The only statute that covers aiming states your low beams must illuminate at 150 feet minimum and not project the high intensity portion of the beam into oncoming driver's eyes. This only applies to the low beams.
Driving lights and fog light have no aiming requirements for inspection and are not tested as part of the Texas inspetion process. They have no color or disance requirements but cannot be red in color. This makes HID driving and fog light retrofits also completely legal for inspection purpposes.
Instead of putting HIDs in a halogen reflector housoing, it is much more responsible to do an HID projector retrofit that uses the entire projector assebly and D2S bulbs from an OEM manufacturered HID projector set up so that you do not blind other drivers and have a sharp cut off line at the top of your low beams; however, such kits are 3-4X more expensive than a plug and play kit and require custom installation. The up side is that the D2S bulbs and improved distribution of light can put over twice the usabale light on the road an HID kit that replacs the halogen bulb in a factory housing will project.
Likewise, using propper color temperature bulbs such as 4100-5000K will produce the maximum lumen output. For example, a 6000K bulb only puts out about 2/3 the lumens of a 4300K bulb, all else being equal. The higher the color temperature above 6000K, the lower the lumen output and the more glare the driver will see in foggy/rainy conditions. All OEM factory HID systems will range between 4-5K temperature for this reason.
11-12-2012, 09:43 PM
#26
I've got the silverstar ZXE's in my TBSS, and they very closely resemble HID's in color. I used to have 4300k and 6000k in my past cars and am happy with them. TONS of light.
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