Did you ever get pull over byCop due to the stubid reason ?

[DIYMAN25]

today on the way to work... i usually drive my S7evn at weekend. so on the monday moring , i was on the way the work, at 40 mile zone. I was drive 5th gear 2000rpm.....

ahead of me. the police was doing a police report. so they block street.. so I was ready to turn left to side street. but one of officer told me to put offer...
when i was stop. and get out, he ask me... where are you windshield? and this is not a legal head light... I was very cofuse.. because most of time. when i pass police officer they just let me go.. they wont take a sec look. but this guy he just picky on my car at every thing. he even ask me is this street legal. I say ya. register and have insurance, he even put of vehicle code.... I was saying in my mind... what da. so finally i told him. if you try to put this vehicle code in the vintage car, no car will pass, but he keep his statment. saying if I dont have windshield and head light is not legal, he can impont it ....

but he let me go this time, and told me to park the car. so i saw him took off to north. so i head to south to another free way....

man, that really piss me off. dont know what is his point. i was wearing goggle and face mask... so wind shied or not dont matter....

BTW I live in san marino which is next to pasdena

[Elv15]

Sorry to hear about your run in with "the man". It can be a frustrating experience for sure!

I was pulled over for intermittent tail lights - which was a big help to me because I did not know they weren't working!!

Does anybody know what the law states regarding windscreens? I'm running brooklands and drive with a helmet if I'm on the freeway.

DIYMAN25, do you have any kind of windscreen at all?

[moosetestbestanden]

I asked the CHiPy who did my car the very question, specifically, twice. His unequivocally responded that there is no state law requiring windshields.

They are not required for motorcycles.

Ah, small town cops. When I first read this I figured for sure that DIYMAN was in Glendale, CA, as****e cop center of the universe.

[Sean-og]

I was pulled over for intermittent tail lights - which was a big help to me because I did not know they weren't working!!

When I was 18 and driving around Orange County in the Ferrari, this was a favorite excuse for the police to pull me over and hassle me. If yours were not working, great, but there was never anything wrong with my taillights!!!

Does anybody know what the law states regarding windscreens? I'm running brooklands and drive with a helmet if I'm on the freeway.

DIYMAN25, do you have any kind of windscreen at all?

I'm not an attorney, but the way I read the vehicle code, your Brooklands screens should be okay, Tom - would you agree? I often wonder whether an aeroscreen is truly legal in CA, based on the exact wording in the California Vehicle Code and its legal interpretation...

I have no idea what DIYMAN25 has on his car, and so I can offer no opinion of its legality.

The full text of the relevant part of the Vehicle Code for windshields is here: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/wa...ction=retrieve

The meat 'n' potatoes of that page:

26700. (a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), a passenger
vehicle, other than a motorcycle, and every bus, motortruck or truck
tractor, and every firetruck, fire engine or other fire apparatus,
whether publicly or privately owned, shall be equipped with an
adequate windshield.
(b) Subdivision (a) does not apply to any vehicle issued
identification plates pursuant to Section 5004 which was not required
to be equipped with a windshield at the time it was first sold or
registered under the laws of this state, another state, or foreign
jurisdiction.

Section 5004 is about Horseless Carriage and Historical Vehicle license plates (not really relevant to most Caterhams). Another one you may want/need to know:

26710. It is unlawful to operate any motor vehicle upon a highway
when the windshield or rear window is in such a defective condition
as to impair the driver's vision either to the front or rear.
In the event any windshield or rear window fails to comply with
this code the officer making the inspection shall direct the driver
to make the windshield and rear window conform to the requirements of
this code within 48 hours. The officer may also arrest the driver
and give him notice to appear and further require the driver or the
owner of the vehicle to produce in court satisfactory evidence that
the windshield or rear window has been made to conform to the
requirements of this code.

...and the headlamps part: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/wa...ction=retrieve

4400. (a) A motor vehicle, other than a motorcycle, shall be:
(1) Equipped with at least two 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.


I hope that helps! :confused:

edit: Chris, you got in just before me! (took a while to type all that) I believe Huntington Beach has Glendale beat all to hell. By the way, my record in the Ferrari was going from Westminster to Hollywood round-trip, and getting pulled over five times, and the car thoroughly searched two of those times. And no, I don't think a 1967 Ferrari had been used in the commission of a serious crime that particular evening.

[slomove]

Hey DIYMAN,

I live next to San Marino, I guess we may be only a few miles apart. You may have run into the local Donut Eater Cop who is feared among the high school students for giving jaywalking tickets. Otherwise, don't expect reason when talking with a cop about vehicle law. Reminds me....you don't have a CA license plate by chance ;-)

Any interest in a weekend drive with the locals?

Gert

[New2 7's]

Speaking as a former police officer, the way I read the vehicle code.... it depends on what the original equipment was when the car was constructed.... as far as windscreen verses aero screen.... I went to my local CHP station with my car which has an aero screen on it, they said everything was okay as is.... if you install the windscreen, you also will have to install the windshield wiper motor and other equipment.
Also remember, part of the reason for enforcement of the little things is so they dont have to scrape you off the pavement some day because of a freak accident.... example, a rock being skipped off the pavement and striking the drive of a car minus a windscreen or aero screen.... I've seen the results with motorcycles.... not a pretty sight.

One possible solutions, and so you know, I use to work with guys/gales in southeast Los Angeles that were similar to the officer described. You can contact the watch commander that was on the day of the incident, officers are required to keep an incident log of every traffic stop, call for assistance, report writing call or any other activity done in the line of duty during there shift, ask if you can come in with or without your car so to clear up any questions over knowledge of the CVC.... if it turns out the officer that made the traffic stop is out of line.... he/she will get called into the WC's office and told to back off or use a little more tact in the line of duty....

Most agency do there best to keep complaints to a minimum.

As far as the line in the CVC regarding impound, arrest.... that is usually the last resort and most of the time would only happen if there was an outstanding warrant by that same city (most locals dont want to arrest someone elses warrant, unless it was something serious).

[DIYMAN25]

Does anybody know what the law states regarding windscreens? I'm running brooklands and drive with a helmet if I'm on the freeway.

DIYMAN25, do you have any kind of windscreen at all?

He was saying some thing about this too, add a Some thought of aeroscreen like the one you see on other classic car. I do have windscreen before, but it just too plain ugly, so i take it off. make me to think I should in the market shape for aero screen

4400. (a) A motor vehicle, other than a motorcycle, shall be:
(1) Equipped with at least two 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.

thanks you for post the info, the code say not thing about DOT aprove ,cause that office point at my Head light and say that is not DoT aprove... I was saying in my mind( back in 60 there are no such thing is DOT) so that save some trouble to find a DOT head light will fit my car

live next to San Marino, I guess we may be only a few miles apart. You may have run into the local Donut Eater Cop who is feared among the high school students for giving jaywalking tickets. Otherwise, don't expect reason when talking with a cop about vehicle law. Reminds me....you don't have a CA license plate by chance ;-)

Any interest in a weekend drive with the locals?

yep yep is good to know i have se7ven Friend live in such close distance... Well I should not blame him too much, cause I think a lot of Officer here in Sam marino should already know me, Being a Track day racer and die heart car nut... I need to work the car at night park my trailer on street, some time testing the car. I Bet I get tons of complain form my lovely neighbor ;) I dont blame them. but the reason to stop me still not very logical... aleast they give me a warming only,

One possible solutions, and so you know, I use to work with guys/gales in southeast Los Angeles that were similar to the officer described. You can contact the watch commander that was on the day of the incident, officers are required to keep an incident log of every traffic stop, call for assistance, report writing call or any other activity done in the line of duty during there shift, ask if you can come in with or without your car so to clear up any questions over knowledge of the CVC.... if it turns out the officer that made the traffic stop is out of line.... he/she will get called into the WC's office and told to back off or use a little more tact in the line of duty....

Most agency do there best to keep complaints to a minimum.

As far as the line in the CVC regarding impound, arrest.... that is usually the last resort and most of the time would only happen if there was an outstanding warrant by that same city (most locals dont want to arrest someone elses warrant, unless it was something serious).

thank you for the useflu tip.


Botton line, I figure that moring I just runing into the office is not in good mode, cause I am 100% sure I was not speeding... althought my muffler is pretty loud, but i was in the quite zone of my power band..
I just figure, I hopely I dont have the same problem again, cause you will never win... you might win in the court ? but still a lot of trouble I might star wear full face helmet in my town ;) but I sure he will think some thing else

[magnusfeuer]

Regarding headlights:

This is my non lawyer take on it.

1. If you have CA license plates and you have a somewhat modern engine (not a Pinto), you have a smog exempt certificate. (SPCNS 100).

2. All cars with these certificats have a chassis registration date earlier than 1976 so that they do not have to comply with modern smog standards.

3. (This back-dating of a newly built kit car is the core of the entire SPCNS 100 program.)

4. Since your car is pre-1976, you will only need to comply with the rules active at the year your chassis is registered at.

5. The brake and light inspection that is a part of the registartion process of the SPCNS 100 kit car validates that the lights are up to the standards at the given time. I haven't heard of a single Caterham that has failed this check.

6. The receipt from the brake and light inspection, together with an explanation of how a kit car is registered in CA, should hopefully convince a judge that the lights are legal.

Again I cannot guarantee that what I stated above is correct.
----

Regarding windshields:

The keyword in 26700 is "adequate". My guess is that a judge may look at brooks shields and say "Okay, this is an adequate windshield for a car of this type."

But if I come up with my strip of carbon fibre that it is adequate, he will probably laugh me out of court. It would be wonderful if somebody got busted with an aeroscreen and later was aquitted, since I would cary a copy of that verdict with my registartion papers in the car.

/Magnus F.

[BattleVersion]

Yeah, we should have a meet. I've run with diyman before but havent met anyone else.

Anyway, he only has these little fog lights as headlights. If I was a cop, I would be asking him about it too.