[Cillyone]

They are wired to turn on with the reverse lights (via the optional 7-pin harness) but I also will be doing a switch inside so I can turn them on for tailgaters / high beamers.

I was wondering, are these DOT legal? The local LEOs have been dinging a lot of people for non-DOT tail lights, mainly the euro type/clear ones, but if they are looking that close they will most likely notice these also. FYI, I know for sure the act of turning them while going down the road is illegal and if caught you will collect a ticket and if it can be proved that these contributed to causing a wreck/bodily injury you could be held liable.

 

[Cillyone]

FYI, this is copied and pasted directlly out of Ca. State DMV lighting regulations:

Rear-facing Auxiliary Lamps

24616. (a) A motor vehicle may be equipped with one or two rear-facing auxiliary lamps. For the purposes of this section, a rear-facing auxiliary lamp is a lamp that is mounted on the vehicle facing rearward. That lamp shall meet the photometric and performance requirements of the Society of Automotive Engineers Standard J1424 for cargo lamps.

(b) A rear-facing auxiliary lamp may project only a white light, with the main cone of light projecting both rearward and downward. The main cone of light shall illuminate the road surface or ground immediately rearward of a line parallel to the rear of the vehicle for a distance not greater than 50 feet. The main cone of light may not project to the front or sides of the vehicle.

(c) A rear-facing auxiliary lamp may be activated only when the vehicle is stopped. A vehicle equipped with a rear-facing auxiliary lamp shall also be equipped with a system that allows activation of the lamp only when the vehicle is in the “park” setting, if the vehicle is equipped with an automatic transmission, or in the “neutral” setting with the parking brake engaged, if the vehicle is equipped with a manual transmission.

(d) A vehicle equipped with a rear-facing auxiliary lamp may have an activation switch accessible to the operator from the rear of the vehicle.

Added Sec. 20, Ch. 739, Stats. 2001. Effective January 1, 2002

 

[Cillyone]

What about the cargo lamp on a pickup truck? I see guys driving down the highway with those things on all the time. I don't think you need to be in park to turn them on.

Keith

Good question and I have no idea. I just copied that from CA DMV website. I think there is a federal limit on reverse lamp candlepower but I can't find it. Personally I don't care to give LEOs ANY kind of reason to turn on their lights on me if I don't have to. My riding style on my motorcycle is reason enough to preserve my licence.

In the last few months I have Ebayed 2 sets of OEM tail light assemblies for co-workers; their kids cars (both Hondas) that had "Euro" non-DOT lights when they bought them used and have since got a "fix it" ticket from local LEOs. Got lucky once though and snagged a nice set for $0.25(seller was PO'd!), the other was $47 though.