Aftermarket Lights (Rally Inspired - Hella FF1000) - Official laws found on Post 3

[R22B]

Yesterday when I was adjusting my HELLA lights, a police officer came and talked to me telling me I was on school property and that I shouldn’t be there. After talking a bit, he asked me about my lights and asked if they should be covered. From what I was told here at work, if they are below the headlights, they don’t HAVE to be covered. Anything above, however, should be covered. I cover them when they aren’t in use to protect them regardless. He didn’t seem to really know because he asked me what the law was and he then said “Oh, is that what the law is?”. He ended up being a rather cool police officer and he told me I could go around the side of the school if I wanted to bounce light off back there.

I was wondering what the laws are surrounding this. I like to drive around at night in the woods where you hardly see a car and I love the extra light – but I don’t want to receive a ticket for it because it ends up being illegal. I don’t run with them on in high populated areas and I turn them off when a car is approaching the other way or I am behind a car. Here’s a picture of the said lights:

[Bane]

if your driving in a place where no one see you who's going to pull you over?

yes off road lights mounted high have to be covered

and yes don't use them on regular roads

other than that you should be good

[R22B]

Originally Posted by Bane

if your driving in a place where no one see you who's going to pull you over?

yes off road lights mounted high have to be covered

and yes don't use them on regular roads

other than that you should be good

A motorcycle Bethlehem Police Officer stopped me today next to Lehigh University around 9:30am -- was it you? Lol. I was stopped because of the lights. The officer was stern at first but ended up being pretty rad minus giving me a tough time because of the lights.

However, I've aimed them so they are low beam lights. They light up about 10 feet infront of me on the ground. What I'm saying is they point where the low beams point so I don't blind anyone. I made sure of this by aiming them and then looking at the car at different angles. Plus I haven't been flashed by any cars for the two weeks I've had them on at night. I drove past 4 or 5 police officers in the Allentown area with them on at night and they have not so much as given me a hard time or even pulled me over.

Anyways, he said that the lights had to be 26" apart and covered at all times since they are offroad lights. My understanding is that they don't have to be covered at all if they are below the headlights.

175.66. LIGHTING AND ELECTRICAL
SYSTEMS.
(a) Condition of Lamps and Switches - Every
required lamp or switch shall be in safe
operating condition as described in §175.80
(relating to inspection procedure) .
(b) Lighting Standards - A lamp shall comply
with vehicle lighting equipment requirements
of this title. See Tables II-IV Chapter 153 and
75 Pa. C.S. §4301.
(c) Headlamp System - A vehicle specified under
this subchapter which is driven on highway
shall have two- or four-headlamp system. See
75 Pa. C.S. §4303 (a) (relating to general
lighting requirements) .
(1) Both lamps in the two-headlamp system
shall be of Type II construction consisting
of high beam and low beam. One lamp
shall be located on each side of front of
motor vehicle.
(2) In the four-headlamp system, two lamps
shall be of Type II construction and two
lamps shall be of Type I construction.
Type I lamps consist of a high beam only.
One of each type shall be located on
each side of front of the motor vehicle.
(3) The headlamp low beam minimum
candlepower shall not be less than
7,500.
(4) The headlamp high beam minimum
candlepower shall not be less than
10,000.
(5) A headlamp shall be aimed to comply
with inspection procedure of this subchapter.
(6) A vehicle specified under this subchapter
shall be equipped with manual dimmer
switch conveniently located for use by
the driver while in normal operating
position. An automatic dimming device
may be used in addition to the manual
switch.
(7) A vehicle specified under this subchapter
shall be equipped with a beam indicator,
which shall be lighted whenever high
beam of light from the headlamp is in
use and shall not otherwise be lighted.
An indicator shall be located so that
when lighted it is readily visible without
glare to operator of vehicle.
(d) Total Candlepower - The total candlepower
for headlamps and auxiliary lamps shall not
exceed 150,000.
(e) Other Required Lamps - A vehicle specified
under this subchapter shall have at least one
red stop lamp on each side of rear of vehicle,
which shall be illuminated immediately upon
application of the service brake.
(f) Illumination, Except Headlamps, Fog Lamps,
and Auxiliary Driving Lamps - A vehicle specified
under this subchapter shall be equipped
with parking lamps, stop lamps, tail lamps, turn
signal lamps and hazard warning lamps
designed for that specific function, which under
normal atmospheric conditions shall be capable
of being seen and distinguished during
nighttime operation at a distance of 500 feet.
See 75 Pa. C.S. §4303(b)—(d).
(1) Stop lamps, turn signals and hazard
warning lamps shall be visible at distance
of 100 feet during normal sunlight.
(2) Rear lamps shall be lighted whenever
headlamps, fog lamps or auxiliary driving
lamps are in operation.
(3) A vehicle specified under this subchapter
shall be equipped with hazard warning
lamps unless the lamps were not included
as original equipment.
E-3 Vehicle Equipment and Inspection Regulations
Subchapter E - Passenger Cars And Light Trucks
(4) The turn signals shall have a frequency
of flash between 60-120 flashes per
minute.
(g) Condition and Position of Lamps - Lamps
shall be properly fastened; direct light
properly; be of a color not contrary to Tables
II-IV and not be so obstructed by a screen,
bar, auxiliary equipment or a device as to
obscure, change the color of or obstruct
beam.
(h) Ornamental Lamps - A lamp not enumerated
in this section and not located as described in
Tables III, IV and V of this chapter, is prohibited
unless it is available as original
equipment. An illuminated sign is prohibited
except on taxicabs, ambulances and trucks.
Flashing or revolving lights are not ornamental
lamps. Provisions relating to flashing or
revolving lights are in Chapters 15 and 173
(relating to authorized vehicles and special
operating privileges; and flashing or revolving
lights on emergency and authorized vehicles) .
(i) [Reserved]
(j) Back-Up Lamps - Back-up lamps are not
permitted to be lighted when the vehicle is in
forward motion. Back-up lamps shall turn off
automatically when the vehicle goes forward.
If the lamps do not turn off automatically, a
dash indicator that lights or creates audible
warning is required.
(k) Registration Plate Lamp - If the vehicle was
originally so equipped, the registration plate
lamp shall emit white light and make the registration
plate visible from distance of 50 feet to
the rear of vehicle.
(l) Auxiliary Driving Lamps and Fog Lamps -
Auxiliary driving lamps and fog lamps may be
installed on a passenger vehicle or light truck
if the lamps comply with the following:
(1) Auxiliary driving lamps shall not be substituted
for headlamps. Auxiliary driving
lamps may only be used with high headlamp
beams.
(2) Fog lamps may not be substituted for
headlamps.
(3) Auxiliary driving lamps and fog lamps
shall be mounted on the front, spaced at
least 20 inches apart from center to
center and at height not more than 42
inches above level surface upon which
the vehicle stands nor lower than the
lowest chassis part. Rear fog lamps, if
originally installed or offered as optional
equipment, are acceptable.
(4) Auxiliary driving lamps and fog lamps
shall be aimed when the vehicle and
lamp assembly are in straight ahead
position with the beam not above
horizontal centerline of lamp at 25 feet.
(5) A vehicle specified under this subchapter
may have only one pair of approved
auxiliary driving lamps and fog lamps.
(6) Auxiliary driving lamps and fog lamps
shall not be placed in front of a required
lamp.
(7) Auxiliary driving lamps shall not be used
on snow plows as a substitute for headlamps
obscured by blade. A substitute for
headlamps used on the vehicle shall be
complete, approved headlamps having
both high and low beams.(8) Snow plow lamps shall be installed as
follows:
(i) These lamps shall be wired through a
double throw switch so that both sets
of lights will not operate at same time.
(ii) Snow plow lamps shall be aimed so
that the high intensity beam does not
project to the left of the extreme left
side of the vehicle nor higher than the
center of the lamp at a distance of 25
feet in front of the vehicle. In no case
shall the high intensity portion of a
beam be higher than 42 inches above
the level upon which the vehicle
stands at distance of 75 feet ahead.
Lamps shall be spaced at a distance
of not less than 20 inches apart and
shall be symmetrically located on
each side of the vehicle centerline.
(9) In accordance with 75 Pa. C.S. §4303 (f)
(relating to general lighting requirements),
roof or roll bar mounted off-road
lights may be installed if they are not
used on a highway or trafficway and are
covered with an opaque covering at all
times while operating on the highway or
trafficway. Vehicles equipped with roof or
roll bar mounted off-road lights shall
have a switch that indicates to the driver,
through the use of a pilot light, that the
lights are on when so switched.
(10) White or clear cargo lamps are permitted
if available as original equipment or
installed in a manner which expressly
illuminates the cargo area of a multipurpose
passenger vehicle, truck or bus.

After reading this, it appears I am only breaking:
I have four driving lights. You are only allowed two auxilary driving lights and two auxilary fog lamps. I'll be fixing this asap.

The must be at least 20 inches apart. This is something I never knew. I'll be going back the drawing board to fix this.

Also, I found this:
(f) Off-road lighting.--Off-road lighting lamps may be mounted on the roof or roll bar of a vehicle and shall be covered with an opaque covering that prohibits any light from being emitted when the vehicle is being operated on a highway or trafficway. Any person who illuminates an off-road lighting lamp while the vehicle is being operated on a highway or a trafficway commits a summary offense and shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to pay a fine of $100.

So it appears that if I get DOT legal auxilary lighting, I can run the lights without covers. Since I have "off-road" only lighting, they are technically illegal where they are at. Hmm.

Resources:
http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/pdotforms.../chapter43.pdf
http://www.dot3.state.pa.us/pdotform.../section_e.pdf