Lights on trucks grills (not headlights)

There are many truckers, and I suppose guys in general, who if given the opportunity would put lights on a wheelbarrow. It is the nature of the beast.

Us, in the trucking industry (drivers in particular), would refer to any extra, non-factory lighting as "Chicken Lights", referring to the chicken haulers who have a strong tendency to light a truck up like a Christmas tree. That's as close to an "official" name for what you've seen as you're gonna' get.

Coming Soon To A Chicken Packing Plant Near You...

 

There ain't no feeling like chicken mobiling.

 

I had to put my sunglasses on to view that photo!

 

Oh, My Goodness! 2xR, where is that truck from? And how big is the jackpot payout on it? It looks like a rolling slot machine. Or maybe it transforms and hooks up with Voltron?

Me and my hubby got a good laugh out of that, thank you.

 

Whoa! That thing would need a generator just to power all those lights!

 

I call them STUPID

Absolutely useless waste of time and money that overloads the electrical system and gives you more opportunity to get a ticket for having a light out.

Any light that is on the truck has to work. If an extra light is burned out that's another ticket.

Not to mention, more times than not, When the driver puts them on the truck, he or she hacks up the wiring harness so bad that many times it is easier to just replace the whole harness to make the truck right again.

Mostly practiced by "Trucker Lifestyle" types, who drive for nothing.

 

Well, everybody is entitled to thier opinion but I would guarantee everyone of us waste money on something... Some cigarettes others alcohol and other with hobbies like off roading ext.. The point here is its the drivers way of enjoying himself so whats your point????

Overload the electrical system? again this is not 100% true.. most of them have lager alternators who can run the lights easily

Well not 100% sure on this but I do believe this is a myth.. A way for DOT to write a ticket that they know you will not spend the extra effort to fight it becuase the ticket being much more cheaply to pay then fight...
DOT has a specific number of lights that must be on the truck and anymore then that is just a bonus working or not...

This part is probably more true then not.. most are very lazy or lack the knowledge to do it right... Trucks that come with lights already installed from the dealer would not have this issue...
(or drivers who took the time to do it right..)

This comment is just out there and has no truth to it at all....

 

Well as a licensed Pennsylvania State Inspection Mechanic, I can 100% guarantee you that every light that is on a motor vehicle must work. And any of that funny stuff like blue markers is illegal.

Not only that, But in Pa chicken lights are illegal.


(h) Ornamental Lamps - A lamp not enumerated
in this section, and not located as described in
Tables III-V of this chapter, is prohibited
unless it is available as original equipment. An
illuminated sign is prohibited except on
taxicabs, ambulances and trucks. Flashing or
revolving lights are not ornamental lamps.
Provisions relating to flashing or revolving
lights are in Chapters 15 and 173 (relating to
authorized vehicles and special operating
privileges; and flashing or revolving lights on
emergency and authorized vehicles).

Table III
http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/pdotforms/pub_45/tables.pdf

 

Seems to me I recently read that either the FMCSA or DOT or NHTSA had made a ruling that the only lights to be ticketed when out were the original equipment "must have" lighting.

Accessory lighting such as certain chicken lights were not to be ticketed for unless they posed a safety hazard due to placement or installation quality.

Tickets were not to be given for "dead" accessory lighting.

I'm not going to chase that ruling down.
Affected parties can look it up.

All I'm doing is making folks aware of the possibility that there was recent legislation regarding "chicken lighting" & ticketing for dead bulbs.