Engine Accent lighting Laws (AZ)

3662 Views 21 Replies 8 Participants Last post by rick, Mar 10, 2015

niteowl

Discussion Starter · Feb 3, 2015

Ok, I tried searching and found a lot of head and tail light postings. Maybe Im using the wrong key words in my search.

Im not big in flash and showing off. But the other day I saw a bike going down the road with them LED Accent lights glowing around his Harley. And with April coming up soon. I was thinking how much id enjoy a Blue glow on my bike for the month of April. And then I thought about just light in general. Im in Arizona and not sure what the laws are with lighting.

Does anyone know? Or does anyone know what Key words I can use to search for it? Having a Autistic daughter it would mean a lot to me to do it. It would almost be worth a ticket. Just so I can tell the Judge why. But the wife dont like that idea. In what reading I have found, It says stuff like...

"As long as its a glow and not a direct visible bulb. Its ok"

"Not when you are moving on a city road or highway"

"NEVER red or blue"

"Never flashing"

"Every state is different"

"Cops have no clue because there are too many laws"

"Just do it"

haha So you can see how messed up the internet could be with mixed information.

1 - 20 of 22 Posts

Dean

· #2 · Feb 3, 2015

Contact your local PD, speak to the desk sgt or an officer. Give them your name and number and a couple of days to research it and call you back. Then call them back in 3 days. Contact your local municipal court, same song as above^^^^.

I can only tell you about Texas.
Just an idea.

GFISH

· #3 · Feb 4, 2015

Call the main office of the Department of Motor vehicles in you state. I tried the local departments. All I got was, I don't know. Here in Texas as long as they are not flashing you good. Also red can not be seen from the front. He said being more visible is good.

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niteowl

Discussion Starter · #4 · Feb 4, 2015

GFISH said:
Call the main office of the Department of Motor vehicles in you state. I tried the local departments. All I got was, I don't know. Here in Texas as long as they are not flashing you good. Also red can not be seen from the front. He said being more visible is good.

The glow can be seen... But the red light bulb itself cant. Correct?

And thanks everyone. That was going to be my last resort and ask a cop, sheriff, or courthouse if I could not find any info.

niteowl

Discussion Starter · #5 · Feb 4, 2015 (Edited)

GFISH,

LOVE THAT BLUE. By the way April 5th is Autism Awareness day/month.
Mind if I ask how many LED bulbs you have or where they were installed?

Ive seen some that are in bad spots that are almost zeroed in to a small location. VS your wide glow. LOOKS NICE

waldowales

· #6 · Feb 4, 2015

No blue allowed in Utah, period. I have blue accent underlights on my Vulcan, and I am very careful about when and where I run them. At least one local jurisdiction is cracking down on them.

niteowl

Discussion Starter · #7 · Feb 4, 2015

waldowales said:
No blue allowed in Utah, period. I have blue accent underlights on my Vulcan, and I am very careful about when and where I run them. At least one local jurisdiction is cracking down on them.

That just sounds crazy to me. I guess I can understand other things ive read about "As long as the bulb cant be seen" hence people modifying their headlights or impersonating ca cops bike. But a GLOW? Really? Its not a Cellphone on our laps. Its not taking pictures while driving. Or eating a burger. And when people see the glow from a bike.... HEY! THEY NOTICE AND SEE YOU. and I think that covers over half mice accidents. The only 2 safest drivers on the road could be a Trucker and or a biker. Who ells is as observant?

Ill call places tomorrow and ask around. But it may just mean every April 5th. I can plan for a ticket. And I will even let the cop know a head of time. hahaha They can just bill me a month in advance. All this research for a Glow.

niteowl

Discussion Starter · #8 · Feb 4, 2015

I just called the Public Safety Dept. And that guy told me unless at a Show or parked they are Illegal. What a bunch of B.S.

skorepeo

· #9 · Feb 5, 2015

niteowl said:
I just called the Public Safety Dept. And that guy told me unless at a Show or parked they are Illegal. What a bunch of B.S.

Wait a minute. Who did you talk to a receptionist? Or someone that can quote you the actual law with a reference? I'm in AZ also and can't find any actual LAW. Here in Phoenix it is dangerous enough and Since I got hit by a truck I have been thinking about just this same thing. More visible is better in my opinion.

waldowales

· #10 · Feb 5, 2015

In Utah, blue lights are reserved for law enforcement only.

skorepeo

· #11 · Feb 5, 2015 (Edited)

Title 28 Article 16 Equipment Section 921-966

Here is the link http://www.azleg.state.az.us/ArizonaRevisedStatutes.asp?Title=28

See what you can make of it. Especially Section 947.

28-947. Special restrictions on lamps

A. A person shall direct a lighted lamp or illuminating device on a motor vehicle, other than a head lamp, spot lamp, auxiliary lamp or flashing front direction signal, that projects a beam of light of an intensity greater than three hundred candlepower so that no part of the beam strikes the level of the roadway on which the vehicle stands at a distance of more than seventy-five feet from the vehicle.

B. A person shall not drive or move a vehicle or equipment on a highway with a lamp or device on the vehicle that is capable of displaying a red or red and blue light or lens visible from directly in front of the center of the vehicle. Lights visible from the front of a vehicle shall be amber or white. This section does not apply to either of the following:

1. An authorized emergency vehicle or a vehicle on which a red or red and blue light or lens visible from the front is expressly authorized or required by this chapter.

2. A fire engine that is solely used for hobby or display purposes and that has been issued a historic vehicle license plate pursuant to section 28-2484 if either of the following applies:

(a) The lights are covered and are not activated while a person is transporting or driving the vehicle to or from a parade, authorized assemblage of historic vehicles or test.

(b) The lights are activated only in a parade, for an authorized assemblage of historic vehicles or for testing purposes.

C. Except as provided in subsection D or E of this section, flashing lights on motor vehicles are prohibited except either:

1. On authorized emergency vehicles, school buses or snow removal equipment.

2. As warning lights on disabled or parked vehicles.

3. On a vehicle as a means for indicating a right or left turn.

D. A vehicle may have lamps that may be used to warn the operators of other vehicles of the presence of a vehicular traffic hazard requiring the exercise of unusual care in approaching, overtaking or passing. The vehicle may display these lamps as a warning in addition to any other warning signals required by this article. The lamps used to display the warning to the front shall be mounted at the same level and as widely spaced laterally as practicable and shall display simultaneously flashing white or amber lights or any shade of color between white and amber. The lamps used to display the warning to the rear shall be mounted at the same level and as widely spaced laterally as practicable and shall show simultaneously flashing amber or red lights or any shade of color between amber and red. These warning lights shall be visible from a distance of at least one thousand five hundred feet under normal atmospheric conditions at night.

E. A person may equip a motorcycle with a means of modulating the intensity of a head lamp beam between the higher and lower brightness at a rate of two hundred to two hundred eighty cycles per minute. A person shall not modulate the head lamp beam during the hours of darkness as prescribed in section 28-922.

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skorepeo

· #12 · Feb 5, 2015

Ok so what I get from this is that as long as the light is not affixed to the front it can be any color and as long as it is under 300 candle power and not shining a beam greater than 75 feet.

mark edward marchiafava

· #13 · Feb 5, 2015

never, ever, ever call a cop or DPS for their opinion on anything. Do your own research.

niteowl

Discussion Starter · #14 · Feb 5, 2015

skorepeo said:
Wait a minute. Who did you talk to a receptionist? Or someone that can quote you the actual law with a reference? I'm in AZ also and can't find any actual LAW. Here in Phoenix it is dangerous enough and Since I got hit by a truck I have been thinking about just this same thing. More visible is better in my opinion.

No. The receptionist transferred my to a guy in another department and he told me. I did not think to ask him for anything or any section where it is printed. But ya... That was his words.

niteowl

Discussion Starter · #15 · Feb 5, 2015

mark edward marchiafava said:
never, ever, ever call a cop or DPS for their opinion on anything. Do your own research.

I was browsing for 2 days before I asked the question. WOW! I was searching for "under body lighting, under carnage lighting" "accent lighting" anything I could think of. hahaha It takes too much time to learn proper laws and then to get a generic reply from a guy on the phone. This is crazy.

skorepeo said:
Ok so what I get from this is that as long as the light is not affixed to the front it can be any color and as long as it is under 300 candle power and not shining a beam greater than 75 feet.

PERFECT. WOW. What did you have to search for to find it? LED lights are like 1 or 3 watt lights and maybe 1 amp. And as long as the red bulb cant been seen in front, or as long as I dont use a RED and BLUE combo. I guess others I spoke with about a BLUE light were right. And I can ride with "just" a blue. THANK YOU THANKS YOU!

GFISH

· #16 · Feb 5, 2015

Yes in Texas blue lights are fine. Like I said I even had a cop tell me "nice" when he saw mine.

niteowl

Discussion Starter · #17 · Feb 6, 2015

Saw a guy today ridding down the road with White glow on his motor and axles. Looked good. I dont see how they can say its a destraction. It did not impare my driving. And I noticed him faster then if it were just a different tone motor I was hearing from someplace I could not tell at the stop light.

What kind of ticket fine would something like this be?

Im guessing it may be like a Fix-It ticket, as in they want them turned off or taken off. I think if I were pulled over at that time. Id just play the "Dumb card". and say "Well officer, they said it was for bikes. So I bought it." hahaha

niteowl

Discussion Starter · #18 · Feb 19, 2015

To this date. Every COP/sheriff I speak with between AZ to CA says its a NO NO NO to ridding with lights. Funny and odd. Need to print out what skorepeo shared and see then... What they say or think. ODD very ODD

mark edward marchiafava

· #19 · Feb 19, 2015

NO, what you NEED to do is quit talking to and taking advice from cops. Ever

niteowl

Discussion Starter · #20 · Feb 19, 2015

mark edward marchiafava said:
NO, what you NEED to do is quit talking to and taking advice from cops. Ever

talking with cops ain't a issue. Learning how little they know. Can be a issue. I already ordered my blue lights. Told the ol lady. I won't mind a fix-it ticket once a year. But if me asking and pointing out to cops that they can be wrong. It can only help all other riders. At least in my state.

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