Newbie ForumBeginner/newbie/general DSM questions. first mods, how to run 10's when you haven't run 12's yet, any tech question that doesn't fit in another tech forum. New Members must limit their tech posts to this forum and sub-forums.
so like 30min ago i got off work an got pulled over by chp.... so he asked me the one question every cop asks.. "do you know why i pulled you over" an i really didnt have a clue so he started going on about my hid's an then stopped an looked at my gauge pod an said "you do now that its illegal to have and i could give you a ticket for it" i asked him why it was illegal an all he came up with was with: there a distraction just like having neon lights.. i was like i did not realize my gauges were that bright so my question i guess is, is it illegal 2 have a gauge pod??
yea i think hes just being a dick too, i've never heard of anybody getting a ticket for having bright gauges...so did he give you a ticket or anything?
lol keep a digital camera with you at all times and every time a cop pulls you over say sir hold on a sek put it out and start recording him no joke it will piss him off but if your car is legal there's nothing he can do freedom of the press and what not. if you have don't something illegal don't try this
so like 30min ago i got off work an got pulled over by chp.... so he asked me the one question every cop asks.. "do you know why i pulled you over" an i really didnt have a clue so he started going on about my hid's an then stopped an looked at my gauge pod an said "you do now that its illegal to have and i could give you a ticket for it" i asked him why it was illegal an all he came up with was with: there a distraction just like having neon lights.. i was like i did not realize my gauges were that bright so my question i guess is, is it illegal 2 have a gauge pod??
What K rating are your HID's? Yes, adding HID lights to a vehicle that doesn't have them stock in California is illegal. You can get away with a middle range K rating because the 2g's have a decent cut off to where it isn't that bad.
Yes, technically gauges are illegal. But I've never been given flak for them. When I went to the state referee, they asked about them and I told them the truth. They are there to monitor the well being of the engine while driving.
Did the officer give you a ticket for something?
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Project Workhorse: New Turbo in the Works
If the gusges are a distraction then all of the minivan and suv owners with the gps stuck to the windshield are in trouble. Round these parts we only get pulled over for, speeding, window tint, spinning tires, or simply looking suspecious. Sorry dude my state is pretty laid back.
Some people keep their stock gauge lights as bright as they go (I have them as dim as they go or I can't see anything), how are bright aftermarket gauges any different than that? So your speedometer is a distraction as well? (you should ask that dick of a cop)
In Tennessee we have a law about non-oem equipment obstructing view It's mainly a reason to give people a hard time for having radar detectors but I'm sure it could be used to mess with someone for gauges as well. Mostly cops wont mess with us for any mods around here tho. Hell, every redneck in town has a Mustang or Camaro with a big Tach on the dash I can guarantee you Cali has some deeply detailed equipment laws. However most cops won't give a shit unless you're doing something stupid. Or your car is riced out :P It's not suspicious but it is a 'red flag' to them. Or like this cop was apparently, being a dickhole
But unless it's actually between him and the windshield, it's not obstructing any view. How can he see through his a-post, gauges or not?
I'm just saying that's the law here. My state is notorious for making laws that apply so broadly they can be misused pretty easily. Common sense would tell you it doesn't effect your driving but technically they can get you for it. Who ever says all laws are logical or people don't get hassled by cops for semantic nonsense is DEAD WRONG. I once got an altered suspension ticket on my trans-am because I had pneumatic shocks on the rear and they were set soft. I've also gotten a ticket and had to PAY because of a rip in my window tint 'distorted visibility.' It's all crap but we don't make the laws or train the cops. We should all rejoice that we are even allowed to modify our cars in the least bit in most states. A lot of countries don't allow ANY mods to ANY vehicle without special permission from their respective governments. Just deal with the occasional harassment and be nice and respectful to the cop no matter what and as long as you don't do or say anything overtly stupid maybe harassment is all you will get...
Once again im glad i live in ohio besides weather cops just don't give a damn what kind of lights you have or what kind of mods you have done
but it is illegal to mod cars in cali so maybe he was talking about that.
yea i think hes just being a dick too, i've never heard of anybody getting a ticket for having bright gauges...so did he give you a ticket or anything?
no he just said "if we weren't out looking for dui's this late at night i would give you a ticket "
Quote:
Originally Posted by munk
lol keep a digital camera with you at all times and every time a cop pulls you over say sir hold on a sek put it out and start recording him no joke it will piss him off but if your car is legal there's nothing he can do freedom of the press and what not. if you have don't something illegal don't try this
ya ill keep that in mine
Quote:
Originally Posted by BoostFrenzy
What K rating are your HID's? Yes, adding HID lights to a vehicle that doesn't have them stock in California is illegal. You can get away with a middle range K rating because the 2g's have a decent cut off to where it isn't that bad.
Yes, technically gauges are illegal. But I've never been given flak for them. When I went to the state referee, they asked about them and I told them the truth. They are there to monitor the well being of the engine while driving.
Did the officer give you a ticket for something?
8k but the thing is that all he said was "the lights you have don't come stock on this car right" n i said no.. an that was all so that was the end of that until he poked hes head inside
no just a warning ^^^^
Quote:
Originally Posted by Killa_dsm
So did you get a ticket? You should be happy he didn't make you pop your hood, since thats probable cause to do so in most cases.
ya thats true
Quote:
Originally Posted by projecteclipse2
Once again im glad i live in ohio besides weather cops just don't give a damn what kind of lights you have or what kind of mods you have done
but it is illegal to mod cars in cali so maybe he was talking about that.
ya but how is having gauges really considered modding can some one explain?? i mean its like BoostFrenzy said "They are there to monitor the well being of the engine while driving."
ya but how is having gauges really considered modding can some one explain?? i mean its like BoostFrenzy said "They are there to monitor the well being of the engine while driving."
Its california man.. we live in the most up-tight state.. Fu*k california..
Thats just the way cops are in this state.. your very lucky he didn't pop your hood. its eco-friendly f**king california being hugh di*ks...
pfft, you wanna talk about harassment, I JUST went to court wednesday for being pulled out 2 months ago. When I went to pull out of the parking lot the cop pulled me over at the stoplight in front of the courthouse AGAIN. He ended up giving me a $60 ticket for not wearing a seatbelt, told me I knew what to do with it and said I was free to go. I pretty much blew up at him calling him a prick, asshole, and whatever else before he walked away.
I totally feel bad for you guys out in Cali. though. Can barely mod your cars without having to worry about being given a boot to your @$$. I always check Super Street and Modified when they have an article on how you guys cover up or hide your mods. Saw a really cool job where a honda guy kept an aftermarket pipe INSIDE of the stock airbox and the filter came out below so you'd never see he had anything like that.
Wouldn't be surprise if he got a ticket, California cops are so tightasses. California is so far in the budget hole and tickets are really serious money. And they WILL go after certain cars and let domestic sport cars fly by.
pfft, you wanna talk about harassment, I JUST went to court wednesday for being pulled out 2 months ago. When I went to pull out of the parking lot the cop pulled me over at the stoplight in front of the courthouse AGAIN. He ended up giving me a $60 ticket for not wearing a seatbelt, told me I knew what to do with it and said I was free to go. I pretty much blew up at him calling him a prick, asshole, and whatever else before he walked away.
I totally feel bad for you guys out in Cali. though. Can barely mod your cars without having to worry about being given a boot to your @$$. I always check Super Street and Modified when they have an article on how you guys cover up or hide your mods. Saw a really cool job where a honda guy kept an aftermarket pipe INSIDE of the stock airbox and the filter came out below so you'd never see he had anything like that.
wow 60 dollars you are lucky, a seatbelt ticket here is 250 and i am pretty sure they just bumped it up again.
8k but the thing is that all he said was "the lights you have don't come stock on this car right" n i said no.. an that was all so that was the end of that until he poked hes head inside
no just a warning ^^^^
ya but how is having gauges really considered modding can some one explain?? i mean its like BoostFrenzy said "They are there to monitor the well being of the engine while driving."
Your first mistake is telling him that the headlights weren't stock. The officer pulled you over for hid's but had to ask you if they came on the car. I would have told him they came with the car and you weren't sure if the previous owner put them on or not. As for the gauges it is probable cause if they see gauges. Since most people with stock cars wont need aftermarket gauges to monitor their stock motor. And police will assume if you have gauges your car is modded.
Crazy story the other night a cop tried to tell me he was going to give me a ticket for turning on my foglights, because he was in middle of the road with some other cops and I did not see them because it was foggy. I thought they were kids and did not want to run them over. "He said what the hell was I doing?" well I don't want to run you over I could not see you with all this fog. "He told me to turn off my foglights before I get a ticket and to get the hell out of his face".
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420a n/t full rebuild in progress.
Crazy story the other night a cop tried to tell me he was going to give me a ticket for turrning on my foglights because he was in middle of the road with some other cops and I did not see them because it was foggy thought they were kids and did not want to run them over. He said what the hell was I doing well I don't want to run you over I could not see you told me to turn my foglights off before I get a ticket and to get the hell out of his face.
On a lighter side. I'm 39 yrs oil and have a tuner car here in Canada. 99% of these cars here are driven by teens. cops pull up along side of me smile and leave me alone. yea I'm getting tint. lol
8k is too high, the blue in them is so noticeable im not surprised you got pulled over for them here in Ca.
6k at most IMO looks the most "oem stock"
as for gauges depending how you wired them up and what type you have.
The old school gauges that just uses a bulb back light, you can install along the dimmer, they werent that bright to begin with but putting them on the dimmer you can dim them down to be low key.
Now all the new gauges now are super bright and don't really work with the dimmer. Esp if you have tinted gauges where you cant see them in the day so they have to be on to see.
That is why i recommend a switch to be installed inline. i just turn them off at night, makes everything look more key.
Also I got rid of the pillar pod, everybody and their moms vans have it, its not as exclusive as it was a while back in the late 90s when only cars that really needed gauges got them.. (mostly turbo vehicles), now its the in thing, and usually means a car is modified when a cop sees it. Even though is the gauge is just a volt meter and a clock lol
Should have said that "as far as I know, they're stock lights" when he asked. Burden of proof is on the prosecution. Just have your stock lights at home in the garage to switch them out when they finally do give you a ticket.
Yes it is illegal to have aftermarket gauges. Even some State Ref will ask you to take it out. But it is okay to have stock factory gauges, like evo's come with boost gauges, volts, whatever. But you do realize the location of STOCK factory gauges. Many are no where close to the speedometer or driver side mirror like many of us have them.
That is crazy never heard of that. He just wanted to look at your ride and couldn't help but notice your gauges. He forgot to take his midal and he probably didnt get laid but hey dont sweat it if you didn't get a ticket
i did not realize my gauges were that bright so my question i guess is, is it illegal 2 have a gauge pod??
if you have don't something illegal don't try this 
It's mainly a reason to give people a hard time for having radar detectors but I'm sure it could be used to mess with someone for gauges as well. Mostly cops wont mess with us for any mods around here tho. Hell, every redneck in town has a Mustang or Camaro with a big Tach on the dash 
I can guarantee you Cali has some deeply detailed equipment laws. However most cops won't give a shit unless you're doing something stupid. Or your car is riced out :P It's not suspicious but it is a 'red flag' to them. Or like this cop was apparently, being a dickhole 
I would have told him they came with the car and you weren't sure if the previous owner put them on or not. As for the gauges it is probable cause if they see gauges. Since most people with stock cars wont need aftermarket gauges to monitor their stock motor. And police will assume if you have gauges your car is modded. 
