Where's a cop when you need one?

[Schmo]

I'm sure we've all asked ourselves this question before . . . you see a drunk driver swerving all over the road and you ask yourself "where's a cop when you need one?" . . . you see the guys in their tricked out Honda Civic's doing 110mph on a surface street and you ask yourself "where's a cop when you need one?" . . . you see the prick in his convertable Mercedes use the median to cut in front of everyone else waiting at the light or the teenager driving like a maniac and you ask yourself "where's a cop when you need one?".

Apparently the answer to your question is . . . the cop is busy pulling me over and writing me a ticket for not having covers on my off-road lights. So tuck your babies into bed tonight and sleep well knowing that those that are paid to protect you are doing everything in their power to clear the streets of uncovered off-road lights.

Sleep tight America!

[Dukes69]

and burnt out license plate light bulbs . . .

[Roger]

How did he know the wattage? Did he look? Maybe you could temporarily replace them with street legal driving lights and tell the judge the cop doesn't know what he's doing... Just a thought

[sarah]

Oh that sucks. Cops in your area probably get more points to meet their monthly quotas for that kinda junk I bet. It's a damn shame.

[Schmo]

I gotta share this too . . . So the cop pulls me over for the lights (he told me, and only saw my Jeep from the front at first), but noticed that my windows are tinted up front and mentioned that was also a violation when he was gathering my license/etc. I've been thinking about this for a while . . . being about two shakes away from being albino, and never liking to go down without a fight when getting a ticket . . . I explained that I needed the tinted windows because I'm extremely fare and blister in the sun (I do wish this was a lie) and stared him down with my albinoesque blue eyes . . . it musta worked cuz I got off with just a warning for the windows. I thought for sure that he'd get me for the tint and just warn me for the lights as I explained that I was unaware of this law (this was a lie) and had the covers at home and would put them on right away. I threw the covers on but will probably remove the lights anyway as I plan to get a winch for winter.

How did he know the wattage? Did he look? Maybe you could temporarily replace them with street legal driving lights and tell the judge the cop doesn't know what he's doing... Just a thought

I like the way you think, Roger!!! I was thinking I'd just take the whole light bar off the bumper . . . 4 bolts and one wire . . . 10 mins tops . . . leave the factory lights on and try to fight it that way. "I don't know why the officer was hassling me, your honor, it came this way from the factory"!!! Not sure if the motorcycles have camaras:dunno: So does it have to do with wattage or do all auxilery lights need to be covered?

[Roger]

I like the way you think, Roger!!! I was thinking I'd just take the whole light bar off the bumper . . . 4 bolts and one wire . . . 10 mins tops . . . leave the factory lights on and try to fight it that way. "I don't know why the officer was hassling me, your honor, it came this way from the factory"!!!

Hey Schmo, I just thought of something else.

A few months ago I had one of my airport sweepers equipped with a bunch of off-road lights. They were 150 watts each and the mechanic changed the bulbs in the lamps on sides of the sweeper to 55 watts because it was too bright.

Maybe your bulbs are inter-changable to 55 watts, long enough to go to court.

[womb raider 940]

you know I thought about this. I agree half the cops suck. and the other half are cool

I can think about all the times I have been pulled over and gotten tickets. Then I can think about all the times I should have gone to jail. The 130 in a 65 ticket at 4 in the morning for example. Umm the running away from a police officer and getting a block to my house before getting stopped.

So I dont think all cops are bad. But I do think we could use them for more useful things. Like having roadblocks and getting rid of the illegals, umm child molestors, jeez I could sit here all day.

[dadasjp]

You need to get some sheriff, fire or police foundation or "11-99" foundation stickers for the back window, that'll help keep the small infractions from being noticed. An NRA sticker never hurts either.

[womb raider 940]

I think his are 55's. they are my old lights I had on mine.

[Schmo]

I think his are 55's. they are my old lights I had on mine.

They are 130 watt . . . The bulbs in them now are 100 watt though.

Here's what I was cited for . . . doesn't mention anything about wattage:

Auxiliary Lamps: Off-Highway Use
24411. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a vehicle may be equipped with not more than eight lamps for use as headlamps while the vehicle is operated or driven off the highway. The lamps shall be mounted at a height of not less than 16 inches from the ground, or more than 12 inches above the top of the passenger compartment, at any place between the front of the vehicle and a line lying on a point 40 inches to the rear of the seat occupied by the driver, shall be wired independently of all other lighting circuits, and, whenever the vehicle is operated or driven upon a highway, shall be covered or hooded with an opaque hood or cover, and turned off.


Amended Ch. 149, Stats. 1986. Effective January 1, 1987.



It's kinda funny . . . in the past, I had a fast bike and fast car and always worried about the police . . . but now with my Jeep and Harley, I haven't really worried about the police much as I'm pretty safe usually cruising close to speed limits, etc. But this experience brought back to light my healthy disdain for those in positions of power . . . take a look around, people . . . how many of our Police are really out there Protecting and Serving or how many of your Elected Officials or CEOs are really looking out for what's best for their constituants or employees?

[womb raider 940]

Well maybe if you didn't drive around without covers on your headlights they'd have more time to take care of the other things you mentioned?

[Schmo]

Well maybe if you didn't drive around without covers on your headlights they'd have more time to take care of the other things you mentioned?

Or perhaps if they were out there catching criminals, they wouldn't have the time to notice my lights.

[Materdaddy]

Oh that sucks. Cops in your area probably get more points to meet their monthly quotas for that kinda junk I bet. It's a damn shame.

It's illegal for cops to have quotas... They have "performance goals"... duh!!!?!!

[Matt2001TJ]

Apparently the answer to your question is . . . the cop is busy pulling me over and writing me a ticket for not having covers on my off-road lights. So tuck your babies into bed tonight and sleep well knowing that those that are paid to protect you are doing everything in their power to clear the streets of uncovered off-road lights.

That sucks, that is one thing nice about the high desert. The cops here dont mess with us for window tint or off road lights lacking a cover. However, I do keep my covers in my jeep just in case or when I go down the hill I have them just in case. If I go into Orange County they go back on period. Another idea, like someone said take off the off road lights and claim the cop gave you a ticket for the factory lights. Most newer cameras have the "time date stamp" option. set it for the same day after the ticket was issued and take the pic to court to argue your point....Just an idea....MATT

[The-Hurricane]

the ones i usually put on jeeps are just like el'cheapo ones from a wholesaler...black rubber..no covers. havent been hassled yet