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Neon light (underglow) LEGAL question -=Need Help=-

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Old Sep 9, 2006 | 05:09 PM
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Default Neon light (underglow) LEGAL question -=Need Help=-

OK...

I was wondering id it was legal in Michigan to have a white or amber underbody kit and have it be legal... so I did some searching... and I found this snippet:

"The Michigan Vehicle Code provides that a vehicle driven on Michigan highways may not have a lamp or a reflector unless it is:
1) expressly required by Chapter VI of the Michigan Vehicle Code;
2) expressly permitted by Chapter VI of the Michigan Vehicle Code; or
3) meets the standards prescribed in 49 C.F.R. 571.108. Other lamps or reflectors can only be on a moving vehicle if they are both covered and unlit.

Therefore, it is unlawful for a vehicle to have neon ground effects lighting unless the neon tubes are both covered and unlit while the vehicle is driven on the highways of this state."

So 1: it's not required
But 2 and 3 might help me out, but I can't seem to find them anywhere... anybody help?

The last thing that caught my eye is that on HIGHWAYS it's illegal... so does that mean on streets, avenues & roads are legal? I knew parking lots were fine, but doesn't anybody have any more info?

LINK:
Michigan Legislature - Section 257.698

_______
Old Sep 9, 2006 | 06:43 PM
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My buddy got an illegal usage of auxilary lighting ticket in Illinois. He had his led kit on while driving. IF he would have had the kit going to the music, the cop told him he could possibly get and impersonating an officer ticket since the lights are blue.
Old Sep 10, 2006 | 08:31 AM
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underbody lighting is illegal i think everywhere no matter what the color is. You can have it on ONLY WHEN THE CAR IS NOT IN MOTION !!!

you can still have it on while your driving just be cautious when doing it. lol
Old Sep 13, 2006 | 05:51 AM
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Yeah, it's illegal while in motion.
Old Sep 13, 2006 | 03:19 PM
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Originally Posted by need4speed
Yeah, it's illegal while in motion.
how do u know? huh? what makes u such an expert!?!?
Old Sep 13, 2006 | 04:40 PM
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I know some things about some things...
Old Sep 14, 2006 | 12:54 PM
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My girlfriend's dad is a Lieutenant for a county which will remain unnamed, but it is indeed ILLEGAL to operate a motor vehicle while you have any sort of auxillary lighting turned on. It doesn't matter what color it is.

--Dennis
Old Sep 14, 2006 | 04:31 PM
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even interior lights?
Old Sep 15, 2006 | 12:14 PM
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Correct. Any lighting that is not provided whent he car is purchased from the factory (dome light, map light), is considering auxillary and illegal while in motion.

--Dennis
Old Sep 15, 2006 | 12:33 PM
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Ha Here in South Carolina, I Recently had a Cop pull up next to me while I had white lights on underneath and red inside and tell me I had a nice looking car....lol The Power of The Scion!!!
Old Sep 15, 2006 | 02:52 PM
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nice!
im rewiring my dome light w/ my cathodes.
but occifer, look! :D
Old Sep 15, 2006 | 04:32 PM
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Now Its even worse, I have the gold series white underneath, and BLUE inside lol....that ought to be interesting....I also bought a wheel well kit, but kinda nervous about rubbing issues, im running on 18x8 Axis Decades with Tein H-techs being installed Tuesday....maybe I should just wait and see....
Old Oct 23, 2006 | 08:53 PM
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I asked a cop a while back during my drivers test and he said its legal to have them on as long as you are not driving. So if you are parked anywhere you can have them on, just not while in motion.
Old Nov 6, 2006 | 08:41 PM
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Default rant coming

Why is it that a few underbody lights are illegal, while you see semis festooned with amber lights all the time? FESTOONED, I tell ya!

Okay, rant over. Anyway, "my buddy the cop" and I were talking about amber light kits. He said that even if you obeyed the letter of the law regarding light colors & locations (only red in back, amber up front), you're still running the risk of a ticked. He said that cops could issue a ticket on the basis of being a distraction to other motorists. That seems like kinda the point, isn't it? :D

He also said that the big problem with kits like that is that they can affect the apparent size of the vehicle and throw off an oncoming motorist's sense of distance. Kinda the way the close-set headlights of Saturns & CJ body Jeeps do. Dunno if I buy that one, though...
Old Nov 9, 2006 | 08:37 PM
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Originally Posted by SkeeTownBox
Correct. Any lighting that is not provided whent he car is purchased from the factory (dome light, map light), is considering auxillary and illegal while in motion.

--Dennis
lol you say this w/ pics of your car w/ neons on underneath.
Old Nov 9, 2006 | 08:46 PM
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Originally Posted by hotboxn
Originally Posted by SkeeTownBox
Correct. Any lighting that is not provided whent he car is purchased from the factory (dome light, map light), is considering auxillary and illegal while in motion.

--Dennis
lol you say this w/ pics of your car w/ neons on underneath.
WHILE IN MOTION !!

if he took that pic while he drove with the hood opened thats one talented guy there.
Old Nov 10, 2006 | 03:49 AM
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a slight exaggeration, simmer down there killer. i realize that you cant have them while in motion as do most people that have been on the forum more than a month because it gets brought up about every week
Old Jun 27, 2019 | 09:46 AM
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