Illegal car modifications for your 1:1 scale car

[FujimiLover]

Read this on AOL, thought it be interesting to share.

http://autos.aol.com/gallery/street-modifi...cations-illegal

[charlie8575]

Idiotic....one more reason to reduce government interference in the public.

Charlie Larkin

[FujimiLover]

Two years ago I got a warning for having a tinted licensee plate cover on the front of my Insight. To this day I still don't see the need for a frontal plate. After all, aren't they chasing you from behind? LOL!

Edited September 26, 2009 by FujimiLover

[FujimiLover]

Only thing I liked about those wiper lights were that they were chromed and made a nice accent. I didn't care for the lighted part.

The police should take note on your license plate and know where your coming from before siting you a ticket for something that violates "their" law. Since these laws are state by state, why should I be penalized while visiting your location when it's perfectly legal where I'm from?

Anyway, I've gotten rid of those plate covers a long time ago and my car is perfectly legal everywhere. Only aftermarket goodies I've got is a GPS and Momo gear knob. Other than that, Insight is pretty much stock.

[Lownslow]

cops here got better things to worry about they let a few things slide, my truck easily violates noise pollution laws but both times i was stopped they backed off because i could easily lure them into court for stereotyping. one cop in my town got fired for constantly pulling over kids giving tickets for factory tinted windows i had 2 from him because my interior makes them look darker than they are.

also a famous bad cop just made the news in Chicago recently he was the worst offender with tickets if your car had something other than stock rims he would nail you if you had a bald tire hed accuse you of drag racing and give you a spectator ticket, he has a bad rep with cyclists for giving them no helmet or reflector tickets.. im glad hes fired too hopefully hell get stuck in a subway or trimming lawns.

[Scott H.]

the officer asks where is your front plate? well in N.C. we don't have to run a front plate. well son in Virginia you do and you are in Virginia not in North Carolina. while in Virginia you have to abide by our laws even if you arent a resident. so it's quite possible that not only will you get ticketed for the lights, but the plate too. two days later your back home in N.C. having to pay fines from your trip to visit granny for something that vary's from state to state law wise.

Dave

They can't write you a ticket for not having a front license plate if you live in a state that doesn't require it.

If the above is a real incident, the officer needs reported because he is over stepping his boundaries and going against federal law.

As for the other, unless it's a major safety issue the state has to follow the laws and regulations of the state the owner / vehicle is from.

This comes from both a local police officer and a lawyer I talked to a while back over a similar issue I had (in Virginia no less) over the window tint on my truck that I let go because it wasn't worth the money & hassle of going to court over.

-Scott H.

[old-hermit]

We are very lucky that we can modify our cars at all. I have a friend in Norway trying to build up a 70's buick. He told me he had to get approval from the government just to repaint the car. Also if he wanted to alter the drive train to ANYTHING but stock he needed approval. The powers that be in the US are getting ridiculous in some of these laws. In SC we fought for over ten years to get the motorcycle helmet law changed to under 21 only. We also have some laws against window tint, modifing exhaust, lifting suspension, etc, but the hillbillys around here have trucks tall enough to clear a Volkswagen.

[Chuck Most]

I really think that most lawmakers and cops really need to focus on what their jobs are supposed to be- serving the public, not harassing them. I used to drive a '75 El Camino with glasspacks, and I got stopped a few times for it being too loud. Yeah, it was loud, but not as loud as, say... a stock Harley. I've never heard of a motorcycle rider being stopped in my area for being too loud. Then again, maybe that has to do with the fact that most of the cops in and around where I live OWN Harleys. One local cop (who will remain nameless here) was a big muscle car guy, and while it was pretty common to see him stopping a car, he was quite a bit more tolerant of the 'noise polllution' thing.

As far as lights and light covers, for the most part I think they look stupid. (LED washer nozzles, licence plate screws, and valve stem caps? What are you, six years old?) But I don't think they should be outlawed outright, as long as 1- they comply with existing laws (you know, amber on front, red on back, etc. etc.)or, 2. if they are left off while the vehicle is public roads. Underbody neon is okay, but let's not have it on the streets! I think foglights should be outlawed. Seems like every a-hole coming at you at night has them on, fog or not, and they've actually been proven to REDUCE visibility in non-foggy conditions, yet most people still believe they can see better. Well, right up until they miss the curve and plow straight into a tree! But hey, people believe stuff even more stupid than that, so it can't surprise me much.

As far as suspension height and wheels, that's never been a problem around my turf. Lifted trucks are the norm, and practiallly none of the muscle cars wear their stock wheels. Again, possibly due to the fact that every cop around here owns a lifted 4x4 with 20" wheels, or an old muscle car rolling on M/T Sportsmans!

I loved it when I was in the auto repair biz, and we'd get calls from people asking 'How much will it cost to remove the catalytic converter?' Our response "$50,000." When we heard the inevitable dumbfounded 'why' on the other end, we'd say "Because that's the amount of the fine we'll get if we do that." Most people don't realize it's a federal offense to tamper with the vehicle's emissions system, even though 50% of it is completely and utterly useless.

I don't really see why the government is so flippin' obsessed over what we can and cannot do to our vehicles. I mean, Jeez, the presedential limosene is what you might call 'heavily modified'! And, hey... are all those military vehicles legal for use on public roads. Seems there'd be some 'too tall' issues there, not counting the rockets (dummy or not) strapped to the flatbed ! I say they let us do what we do best- spending our money an stimulating the economy to modify our cars. And they can go right on doing what they do best- spending our money on wars, NASA, $30,000 wrenches and toilet seats, and whatever other junk they spend it on.

Edited September 26, 2009 by Chuck Most

[Harry P.]

Here in Illinois you're supposed to have a front plate, but for some reason the cops all give Corvettes a pass. I swear, 95%+ of the Corvettes I see have no front plate.

[FujimiLover]

Cars in general look ugly with the front plate. The front end was really never designed to have a license plate. I wish that we had the option of the European style plate as they look much better both front and rear.

Why should they care how we modify our cars as long as safety isn't an issue? It's all about expressing our personality and what's wrong with that?

That thing about repainting is ridiculous. Why should they care what color it is? Isn't that better than having rust spots all over it?

[Harry P.]

This doesn't relate exactly to illegal car mods, but since we're talking rules and regulations...

Here in the Chicago area the red light camera thing is all the rage. They're popping up like weeds. Chicago has several hundred already in place, more to come. Soon just about every major intersection in the city will have "big brother" watching you.

And the suburbs love them, too. They're being installed by a lot of suburbs. They are generating tons of money for these towns... cameras at some intersections are generating hundreds of thousands of $$$ for the town each year. Most of the "violations" aren't people running red lights, though... they're people making a right turn on red without coming to a complete stop. Not exactly a major "crime," but technically illegal, and a great way for these suburban towns to generate cash.

But one suburb has actually taken their red light cameras down! The Village of Schaumburg recently took down their cameras. At one intersection near Woodfield Mall (kind of a big tourist destination), they were getting tons of complaints from people, and the stores in and around Woodfield Mall were starting to worry that all the tickets being issued were going to be a turn-off to people who shop there. They were afraid of losing business. Schaumburg agreed and actually took down the cameras!

[FujimiLover]

I just read somewhere about those light cameras. There was a guy who wore a monkey mask to cover his face in hopes to avoid getting ticketed as he sped past those cameras. If I'm not mistaking I think it was Chicago?

[Harry P.]

It's not the face, it's the license plate that they want a shot of. The ticket is sent to the registered owner of the car, not whoever was driving it.

If your friend is driving your car and runs a red light, the ticket gets issued in your name and you're on the hook to pay it (unless you can convince the friend to pay it!)

The laws says that every "photo-enforced" intersection has to be clearly marked by signs, which they are. So I guess the red light cameras are more fair than the old trick of the cop hiding behind the bushes pointing his radar gun at oncoming traffic...

[Lownslow]

I just read somewhere about those light cameras. There was a guy who wore a monkey mask to cover his face in hopes to avoid getting ticketed as he sped past those cameras. If I'm not mistaking I think it was Chicago?

we dont have speed cameras on the e-way we have a van that does that but the guy in question was from somewhere out west. its easy to fight camera tickets a co worker beat his when the picture showed a car was too close and if he were to brake a bad accident would happen. a few towns got in trouble for shorting yellows Maywood,ill was the biggest culprit

[Harry P.]

a few towns got in trouble for shorting yellows Maywood,ill was the biggest culprit

That's the story in Chicago too... drivers are complaining that the yellows are much shorter than they used to be. Shorter yellows=more people caught=more $$$ for Chicago. Makes me want to move to Montana...

[Lownslow]

That's the story in Chicago too... drivers are complaining that the yellows are much shorter than they used to be. Shorter yellows=more people caught=more $$$ for Chicago. Makes me want to move to Montana...

they dismissed all the tickets when word got out. the rule now is if the car is 3/4 over the line its running the light you get a ticket

[lordairgtar]

When I drive in Illinois/Chicago suburbs, I drive extra careful. We can pretty much drive like hoons here in Wisconsin and the Illinois drivers that come up think the same way. I don't know how many times I've been passed by a black BMW (and it's always a black BMW) with Illinois plates, and I'm already driving at 80 MPH.

[Harry P.]

When I drive in Illinois/Chicago suburbs, I drive extra careful. We can pretty much drive like hoons here in Wisconsin and the Illinois drivers that come up think the same way. I don't know how many times I've been passed by a black BMW (and it's always a black BMW) with Illinois plates, and I'm already driving at 80 MPH.

That's because they're trying to get out of Wisconsin and back to Illinois ASAP!

[Abell82]

One of the biggest problems I have is when police choose which laws to enforce. When I lived in Illinois the tow truck drivers NEVER used lights on the cars they were towing. In Illinois the law is that they are supposed to have aux. lights on ALL vehicles they are towing. It's not only stupid and LAZY, on the tow truck drivers side, it's also dangerous, as sometimes the angle and vehicle they tow blocks the lights on the truck at night.

[Dingo]

Well here in Australia they have just introduced a law where you can no longer lift your 4x4 body 2 inches and also do a 2 inch lift on the suspension, it's either one or the other and I tend to agree some of the lifts are getting beyond the joke. There is a Lancruiser around the corner from where I live in my home town and I recond the guy uses a ladder to get into the thing, it must be at least 8 inches above standard I mean it so high of the ground that the rock slider rails are lavel with the bottom of the sill panels or maybe even above them plus I was walking past it the other day and I could easily see the exhaust coming out of the engine bay to the cat box and travel down to it 2 sports mufllers it was all chromed. Some mod on cars are absolutely stupid dangerous and crazy and should be outlawed other mods that are outlawed well it makes you wonder what the law makers are thinking or even smoking when they outlaw them.

Dingo

[ericmaxman]

Sorry for butting in like this, but the thread title just grabbed my attention..

I've seen in various magazines where some people sell some form of reflective spray coating for their numbers plate, claiming that it reflects the traffic camera's flash, thus making your car unrecognizable. Isn't that illegal as well?

Come to think of it, my country (Malaysia) ain't that great either. Mods like fixed bucket seats are illegal, underglow, aftermarket HIDs/Xenons.. But since most policemen here has the habit of closing one eye, most mods pass through without any problems. Well, until they reach a police roadblock, that is.

[SSNJim]

I really think that most lawmakers and cops really need to focus on what their jobs are supposed to be- serving the public, not harassing them. I used to drive a '75 El Camino with glasspacks, and I got stopped a few times for it being too loud. Yeah, it was loud, but not as loud as, say... a stock Harley. I've never heard of a motorcycle rider being stopped in my area for being too loud. Then again, maybe that has to do with the fact that most of the cops in and around where I live OWN Harleys. One local cop (who will remain nameless here) was a big muscle car guy, and while it was pretty common to see him stopping a car, he was quite a bit more tolerant of the 'noise polllution' thing.

Ticketing loud pipes (car or bike) IS serving the public. I hate loud pipes; trying to sleep or hold a conversation while a bike is passing by is nearly impossible. Many areas are now closed to motorcycles because of the noise issue. Harleys do not come stock with loud pipes; they are quiet bikes from the factory. Most people have the dealer install pipes prior to delivery. There is a thought process among inexperienced bikers that loud pipes save lives. Experienced motorcyclists know that loud pipes lose rights. Interestingly enough, loud pipes usually cut the power the Harleys produce because the pipes tend to be tuned for high RPMs. You're right about the LEO's - I know of police agency bikes in the DC area that have loud pipes. How can laws be enforced when the police ignore them?

I am a motorcyclist; I own a (very quiet) 2007 Honda Goldwing. I have put 15-20,000 miles a year on my motorcycles for years. I quit going to most motorcycle events because of loud pipes.

I think foglights should be outlawed. Seems like every a-hole coming at you at night has them on, fog or not, and they've actually been proven to REDUCE visibility in non-foggy conditions,

I don't know about the reducing visibility thing, but I do like foglights, or as I refer to them, a-hole lights. If I see a car with the a-hole lights on when they're not needed, I know the driver is a jerk. They'll weave in and out of traffic, speed excessively, tailgate, run redlights and the like. Rarely are the lights wrong.

[beefheart22]

So basically an over-the-top rice wagon or mud bogger is gonna get you a ticket across the states. Makes sense. Here in Ontario, Canada, we got the front plates and because I drive a truck, my registration stickers go on the front (apparently). I don't know the laws for mods too well, but I think there is something about off-road lamps being covered and there is some sort of restriction on tint, particularly the windshield.

True about the fog lamps aka a-hole lamps . I have never use mine, but driving on the highways, I usually got some jerk in a lifted truck blaring them right directly into my face, or my mirror. I guess the idea is if there is a deer on the road, I plow into it first because I can't see where the F I'm going, while the guy in the jacked up truck plows into me instead because he was tailgating. I could rant all day about them, and those luxury performance sedans with the high-powered headlamps that burn with the intensity of a thousand angry suns.

[Harry P.]

I never could understand why those high-intensity headlights that literally blind other drivers are considered "safer" than normal lights. To any driver on the road who has them coming at you or in your rear-view mirror, they're a giant PITA.

[jbwelda]

typically it is how they are aimed more than the lights themselves that bother people on the road.