O/T HID headlight citation
#13
Moderator
Gold Member
I have gotten pulled over in my brothers IS300.. he has the HID headlights as well. I didnt get a ticket though after I opened the hood and showed him the headlight assembly that had the HID box on the back....
#14
Registered
Originally posted by robyw1
But how many cars have HID headlights? A lot!
Pretty soon all new cars will have HID headlights and what are they goin to do then? Write all of us tickets.
Roby
But how many cars have HID headlights? A lot!
Pretty soon all new cars will have HID headlights and what are they goin to do then? Write all of us tickets.
Roby
While we are on the topic, I went to replace a 9007 bulb the other day in a standard halogen headlight system. When I was in Auto Zone I realized the new bulbs come in all different color temperatures. One set was rated @ 4000 degrees (a more pure white), I believe HID's are @ 5000. A standard halogen bulb is somewhere around 3000 degrees (more orange). I seem to recall natural sunlight is around 5200 degrees. Has anyone ever tried these new bulbs? They are expensive (around $37 for the pair compared to $12 for std.) and the package claims they are legal. I'm sure they are because they are still standard wattage (55w/65w) and still below the 5000+ degrees of the HID's. Since the color rating is so close to the HID's I was wondering if any of you know if they perform similarly??? I didnt bite because I assumed if they work equally as well everybody would have them...
Last edited by SS930; 10-18-2003 at 08:58 PM.
#15
Registered
Thread Starter
You are referring to the colored bulbs. You will lose light power in the distance however they tend to illuminate reflective objects better, (stop signs, lane markers bicycles) but mostly they are used for the cheap looks of HID though. Any experienced eye can tell the difference. The surprise I got though is that I do use the aftermarket HID bulbs in my Supra & Intrepid. These are not the colored bulbs; they are the true HID 6000K that uses the ballast. They are not DOT approved but I never got pulled oven in those cars. We got pulled over in our new 2004 Infinity FX-45 that did have the DOT approval and came from the factory equipped.
Roby
Roby
#16
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Good Luck! That's all I have to say. You are going to spend more time and money trying to beat a senseless ticket. Cop was probably clueless on the laws or just trying to rack up some revenue. MY buddy is a cop and I can't tell you how many tickets he writes that get blown out. Yet he still get's MUCHO $$ in Overtime n court time. I think at times he writes these tix just to head back to court to make more money
#17
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
I notice that the BMW xenons only have a tinge of blue offcenter. The Benz xenons are similar.
The HIDs I see on Honda Accords run the full spectrum of colors as you go offcenter.
All of the aftermarket colored "pure white" "xenon look" or "HID style" bulbs I've seen run the color wheel offcenter too. PLUS most of the jokers that go for the $25 imitation bulb don't have enough sense to realize that you gotta re-aim your lamps every time you change out a bulb. This means that most of the lowrider trucks with blue headlights have them aimed all over creation and mostly in other people's eyes.
The only distraction I've encountered with premium HID ballasted headlamps in CARS (not SUVs) is that when the roads are hilly, you can get one right in the eyeball if an HID car is topping the hill in front of you and coming towards you (ouch). SUV's on the other hand, have the headlights mounted too high in my opinion for HID bulbs. Puts them where they burn out your retinas if they pull up behind you or are in front of you (and pointed at you) in the turning lane at a stoplight.
The HIDs I see on Honda Accords run the full spectrum of colors as you go offcenter.
All of the aftermarket colored "pure white" "xenon look" or "HID style" bulbs I've seen run the color wheel offcenter too. PLUS most of the jokers that go for the $25 imitation bulb don't have enough sense to realize that you gotta re-aim your lamps every time you change out a bulb. This means that most of the lowrider trucks with blue headlights have them aimed all over creation and mostly in other people's eyes.
The only distraction I've encountered with premium HID ballasted headlamps in CARS (not SUVs) is that when the roads are hilly, you can get one right in the eyeball if an HID car is topping the hill in front of you and coming towards you (ouch). SUV's on the other hand, have the headlights mounted too high in my opinion for HID bulbs. Puts them where they burn out your retinas if they pull up behind you or are in front of you (and pointed at you) in the turning lane at a stoplight.
#18
Precinct 4 Constable did the exact same thing to me off 1960 one night...I went to cypresswood courthouse and it was dismissed. The Deputy was so pissed that he was arguing with the DA over the charge. When he gave me the ticket I told him"Just give me the ticket because it will never stand in court". Then I proceeded to tell him that he is a peace officer and not an atty so don's try and act like one. After his smart ass remarks I made a suggestion to start going to North Harris if he wanted to be a lawyer so bad.
They have "goals" that they are "asked" to try and obtain. I have had several tickets that just disappeared because they were never turned in...Don't worry about it it will be dismissed then you can send the county a bill for your time.
They have "goals" that they are "asked" to try and obtain. I have had several tickets that just disappeared because they were never turned in...Don't worry about it it will be dismissed then you can send the county a bill for your time.
#19
And by "goals" I mean quotas...I have several Sheriff Deputy buddys and they all say that at the beginning of their shift they nail everything they can in case it gets slow later in the shift. And if the get several legit tickets then they won't turn in the bogus ones like you got...Remember this is revenue to them so don't take it personal
#20
Registered
Thread Starter
Yes this was precinct 4 Constable that gave me the ticket. It was on Cypresswood Dr approx a mile east of the courthouse. It was late and he was blazing back for shift change. He must have been off the quota pace because he damn near couldn't slow down fast enough to catch the turn around.
Roby
Roby