Question for LEOs

[frankd]

I've got a couple of driving pet peeves----I'd like any LEOs reading to tell me exactly how the law about burned out headlight, tailight and brake light reads. You see a lot of cars driving around with burned out brake lights. Usually it's only one, but the other day I was behind a car that had both side brake lights out and one of the lamps in the center brake light also out. Only 1 bulb in the center light was on. How come they never get pulled over?? Heck, a loooooooong time ago when I was a young driver, I got stopped for a burned out license plate light. What happened??

[Hummingbird]

in watching 'cops' on Fox Saturday nights, I notice that leo's only seem to target burned out bulbs as a precursor to searching a car that been in a drug area.

 

Stay outta drug places and you'll be OK

[LilBeaver]

I've got a couple of driving pet peeves----I'd like any LEOs reading to tell me exactly how the law about burned out headlight, tailight and brake light reads. You see a lot of cars driving around with burned out brake lights. Usually it's only one, but the other day I was behind a car that had both side brake lights out and one of the lamps in the center brake light also out. Only 1 bulb in the center light was on. How come they never get pulled over?? Heck, a loooooooong time ago when I was a young driver, I got stopped for a burned out license plate light. What happened??

 

I won't quote the law since you want it exact, and I do not have my IVC in front of me and you are just as capable of doing a search on google for the Illinois vehicle code on properly functioning lighting and signaling equipment. Granted if I was at home I would simply reach over and grab my handy-dandy code book, since this is one of those that is bookmarked for convenient use (that is before it got memorized).

As for the second part or your statement/question/frustration, I know that in the few years that I worked the job I pulled a lot of folks over, wrote a lot of warnings, searched plenty of vehicles, seized plenty of drugs, illegal IDs, arrested several drunks, caught a handful of illegals, (my list could go on, but I won't) thanks to people not maintaining their vehicles. While the probable cause for a stop is for the 'busted tail lamp' or whatever, since it is a major safety issue, if I wasn't busy on calls and saw one of those (and it was safe for me to do so) I would initiate a traffic stop just for that reason.

 

Just because you see a lot of people with broken lamps driving around doesn't mean that they aren't getting stopped for it. Think about the 'Law enforcement that is available to work traffic enforcement' vs 'general number of people on the road at any given time' - that ratio, my friend, is AWFULLY small.

 

I also share the frustration that you have about folks that do not maintain their vehicles and endanger the public with careless driving, etc. I am glad that I was able to do a small part to help get some of them off the road. In a few years I will likely be back at it.

 

I wish everyone would take care of their vehicles and respect each other. But if that were the case we wouldn't need laws or LEOs to begin with...

Edited July 25, 2010 by LilBeaver
Reworded a few items.

[Flyinfool]

Some people are just luckier than others.

 

I once burned out a headlight on my bike and got stopped within 1 mile.

 

Burned out a brake light and was stopped within 2 miles.

I check the brake and tail lights every time I back into my parking space, so I know it was good when I left the house.

 

I guess I need to live in an area with more real crime so that the LEOs are too busy to mess with my lights.

 

And I'll bet that every one tells them it just burned out.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

I guess we could carry a couple of 1157 bulbs and couple 1156 bulbs...and a screwdriver. Most older cars use these, although not all.

 

Roll up to them at a stoplight and ask them if they want a new bulb for that burned out tailight.

 

Certain people I would not want to make the offer to, but those who apprear freindly, especially pretty gals, might be the ones to help 'get them legal'

 

Hey, its not so far fetched as it might seem. I have stopped to help women and families change flat tires, get gas, and make phone calls when they are stranded.

 

Guys with flats or the hood up are on their own for the most part, unless its really remote, really cold, or it seems to be a father with young kids or an elderly man. If it seems to warrant a phone call, but I dont want to approach, I roll down the road and make the call.

 

I HAVE stopped to help bikers on the side of the road...and a couple of times those bikers were wearing colors and/or patches. Those are always interesting conversations. Not recommended for the faint of heart.

 

[Trader]

I...and a couple of times those bikers were wearing colors and/or patches. Those are always interesting conversations. Not recommended for the faint of heart.

 

 

 

When I was younger I knew a lot of "1%" riders...in clubs, gangs ...whatever.

MOST of them were really good guys on their own. Rough around the edges...but I was always treated well....until they got around other members!

 

THEN the fireworks started and you never knew just how it would turn out! Often...not well!