Re: Why Are Cruisin Lights Illegal?!?!?!?!

[Brian M Kennedy <kennedy@xxxxxx>]

VeeDubJeff@domain.elided wrote:
> 
> This question pertains to California laws but I believe most, if not all other
> states don't allow the use of "Cruisin Lights".
> 
> Cruisin Lights are little tinny bulbs that you usually drill stick in your
> headlights so they light them up with a color (green, blue, purple, etc).
> They don't "shine" off a beam of colored light, they just make your headlights
> "glow" if you look at them.  Definately not dangerous or annoying to anybody.
...
> So can anybody give me a suggestion on why they are illegal? 

So that the people around you know what they are looking at.  If you see lights,
then if they are white, it is the front of a moving vehicle; if they are colored
then they are NOT the front of a moving vehicle.  This is also why it is illegal
to drive with just your _parking_ lights on.  Parking lights are for parking.
If they are colored other than red, then they are a stationary obstacle or a
road marker.

Something to consider:
Studies have shown that intoxicated people try to drive their cars directly
between pairs of colored lights (even if too close together -- their depth
perception is off so they just look far away).  I suppose it looks like 
reflectors on the two edges of the road up ahead to them.  Cars are now 
required to have a third center brake light to make a braking car look more
distinctive than a pair of colored lights.

Do you really want to have a target shining on the nose of your car?


Brian

------------------------------