YACopT

[NaOH]

He got pulled over (and ticketed) for having his car too low to the ground. According to the cop, his headlights were supposed to be 28" from the ground, but they were 22" when the cop measured it. That's one hell of a drop my friend did on his car :roll: (he actually had a 1.5" drop in the front and 1.8" in the rear)

Those of you with NSXs better watch out...


edit: friend had an integra not nsx. I was just saying because NSX definitely aren't 28" high from ground to headlights.

 

[suicidalpigeon]

And I thought NSX's were low enough at stock heights...

 

[pontifex]

cop haters in 3...2...1....

 

[NaOH]

Originally posted by: suicidalpigeon
And I thought NSX's were low enough at stock heights...

sorry my friend didnt have an nsx....he had an integra... I was just saying because NSX are pretty damn low already stock...

 

[MercenaryForHire]

What state requires that?

Also, two words - "fog lights"

- M4H

 

[NaOH]

Originally posted by: pontifex
cop haters in 3...2...1....

U don't think it's a tad bit silly? I'm not trying to instigate "hate" against cops.

 

[slag]

if its dropped about 2 inches, and the distance where it had to be legal was 6 inches, does that mean he's supposed to jack the car up when he gets it to make it legal?

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: NaOH

Originally posted by: pontifex
cop haters in 3...2...1....

U don't think it's a tad bit silly? I'm not trying to instigate "hate" against cops.

i'm not saying you are, i'm just anticipating the usual hate against the police on this forum

if they are 22" when they should be 28", i don't see a problem.

 

[NaOH]

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
What state requires that?

Also, two words - "fog lights"

- M4H

California apparently. I was never aware of this requirement until now. I don't get it since cars do come lower than 28".

 

[MrWizzard]

There is more to this story, what the cop did was right, NSX would not get a ticket.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Originally posted by: pontifex

Originally posted by: NaOH

Originally posted by: pontifex
cop haters in 3...2...1....

U don't think it's a tad bit silly? I'm not trying to instigate "hate" against cops.

i'm not saying you are, i'm just anticipating the usual hate against the police on this forum

if they are 22" when they should be 28", i don't see a problem.

It is very possible that the headlights could not be sieen in the mirrors when the vehicle is to low.

Or that low will not shine enough distance infornt of the driver to be considered safe.

Both options are safety issues

 

[NaOH]

Originally posted by: MrWizzard
There is more to this story, what the cop did was right, NSX would not get a ticket.

??? Discuss

 

[NaOH]

Originally posted by: EagleKeeper

Originally posted by: pontifex

Originally posted by: NaOH

Originally posted by: pontifex
cop haters in 3...2...1....

U don't think it's a tad bit silly? I'm not trying to instigate "hate" against cops.

i'm not saying you are, i'm just anticipating the usual hate against the police on this forum

if they are 22" when they should be 28", i don't see a problem.

It is very possible that the headlights could not be sieen in the mirrors when the vehicle is to low.

Or that low will not shine enough distance infornt of the driver to be considered safe.

Both options are safety issues

But he did not lower his car 6" he lowered it at most 1.5", and that is all. His car came stock below 28". Of course he adjusted his headlights so that he could see at night though (aimed them higher). haha

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Did a quick search, seems like the rule is 22" to 54" for acceptable headlight heights.

Someone with better Googling skill/more time find the CA laws.

- M4H

 

[nageov3t]

Originally posted by: NaOH

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
What state requires that?

Also, two words - "fog lights"

- M4H

California apparently. I was never aware of this requirement until now. I don't get it since cars do come lower than 28".

NJ too... license plates are required to be a minimum distance above the ground (not sure what the minimum height is, but I remember learning about it in driver's ed). it's a rarely enforced law, but a law nonetheless. I always assumed it was so that cops wouldn't have to struggle to read/see your plates. the headlight thing could be justified for safety. /shrug

 

[EKKC]

omg what should i do with my Lamborghini Diablo

 

[ch33zw1z]

I'll be more impressed when city/state cops start enforcing sound ordinances...

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: slag
if its dropped about 2 inches, and the distance where it had to be legal was 6 inches, does that mean he's supposed to jack the car up when he gets it to make it legal?

yes.

"came that way from the factory" is not a defense.

 

[NaOH]

Originally posted by: EKKC
omg what should i do with my Lamborghini Diablo

I'll trade u my legal civic for ur blatantly illegal lambo

 

[TheGizmo]

i once saw a car so low to the ground it went over a speed bump really slow and got stuck teetering on it.. pretty funny to watch them tow it off while scraping the whole kit they put on the car

 

[radioouman]

24008. It is unlawful to operate any passenger vehicle, or commercial vehicle under 6,000 pounds, which has been modified from the original design so that any portion of the vehicle, other than the wheels, has less clearance from the surface of a level roadway than the clearance between the roadway and the lowermost portion of any rim of any wheel in contact with the roadway.

Amended Ch. 462, Stats. 1984. Effective January 1, 1985.

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d12/vc24008.htm

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: NaOH

Originally posted by: EagleKeeper

Originally posted by: pontifex

Originally posted by: NaOH

Originally posted by: pontifex
cop haters in 3...2...1....

U don't think it's a tad bit silly? I'm not trying to instigate "hate" against cops.

i'm not saying you are, i'm just anticipating the usual hate against the police on this forum

if they are 22" when they should be 28", i don't see a problem.

It is very possible that the headlights could not be sieen in the mirrors when the vehicle is to low.

Or that low will not shine enough distance infornt of the driver to be considered safe.

Both options are safety issues

But he did not lower his car 6" he lowered it at most 1.5", and that is all. His car came stock below 28". Of course he adjusted his headlights so that he could see at night though (aimed them higher). haha

if it came stock below the minimum, fine, but if eh lowered it even more, its not longer stock, now is it?

 

[radioouman]

More info:



A. Sections 24402 and 24403 of the California Vehicle Code cover three categories of auxiliary front lights: driving lamps, passing lamps and fog lamps.

Driving lamps, which must be mounted 16 to 42 inches off the ground, are designed to supplement headlights when on upper beam, but can't be used when headlights are on low beam.

Passing lamps, which must be mounted 24 to 42 inches off the ground, are designed to supplement headlights that are on lower or upper beam.

Fog lamps must be mounted 12 to 30 inches off the ground. They are designed to generate a yellow light and increase visibility of the roadway in foggy conditions by supplementing the illumination provided by headlights, according to Tom Joy, a retired California Highway Patrol sergeant.

The code states that fog lamps should be aimed so the brightest portion of the light that's directed into the area to the left of the vehicle's centerline does not project higher than a level of four inches from an imaginary straight line representing the center of the fog lamp.

Fog lamps also must be aimed so the illumination shines a maximum of 25 feet in front of the vehicle.

Headlights must be mounted 22 to 54 inches off the ground.

 

[NaOH]

Originally posted by: pontifex
if it came stock below the minimum, fine, but if eh lowered it even more, its not longer stock, now is it?

That makes it vague if some cars come stock and others not. It's really up to the cops opinion if your car is "too low" then. Can't they just have a specific height that is reasonable?

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Also:

Headlamps on Motor Vehicles
24400. (a) A motor vehicle, other than a motorcycle, shall be:

(1) ( )1 Equipped with at least two ( )2 headlamps, with at least one on each side of the front of the vehicle, and, except as to vehicles registered prior to January 1, 1930, they shall be located directly above or in advance of the front axle of the vehicle. The headlamps and every light source in any headlamp unit shall be located at a height of not more than 54 inches nor less than 22 inches.

(2) Operated during darkness, or inclement weather, or both, with at least two lighted headlamps that comply with paragraph (1).

(b) As used in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a), ?inclement weather? is a weather condition that is either of the following:

(1) A condition that prevents a driver of a motor vehicle from clearly discerning a person or another motor vehicle on the highway from a distance of 1,000 feet.

(2) A condition requiring the windshield wipers to be in continuous use due to rain, mist, snow, fog, or other precipitation or atmospheric moisture.( )3

Added Sec. 2, Ch. 415, Stats. 2004. Effectve January 1, 2005. Operative July 1, 2005.
Amended Sec. 9, Ch. 311, Stats. 2006. Effective January 1, 2007.
The 2006 amendment added the italicized material, and at the point(s) indicated, deleted the following:

1. ?During darkness and inclement weather, a motor vehicle, other than a motorcycle, shall be equipped?
2. ?lighted?
3. ?(c) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2005.



If he measured 22", your friend is in the clear headlight wise.