Legal drive lights?

Two fools blinding one another makes for tomorrows tragety when you both are killed by each other's stupidity.

In my day we had a proper million candle power lamp. Takes a moment to gather sufficient power before firing. Brings the old rig down from 14.5 volts all the way down to around 7 causing everything aboard except engine to quit. (*Engine natural air compressing and the fuel pump usually has a surplus on it not very long but long enough)

Any time you shoot those you aim to miss the parasite car. It is plenty bright enough to destroy vision if not boil off the eyeballs too. Only don't hurt him.

 

That should be contained in Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 108, aka: 49 CFR 571.108 - Standard No. 108; Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.

 

Here is some info:

LIMITATIONS ON HEADLIGHT BRIGHTNESS

The federal lighting standard is very complex and is difficult to interpret even for some manufacturers and lighting specialists. The actual performance standards are based principally on the standards developed by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). FMVSS No. 108 and the SAE standards apply to all vehicles registered in the United States, regardless of the headlamp filament or light source. Stated simply, the maximum light output of headlamp systems, whether two-or four-light systems, is limited as follows:

1. Type 2 or 2A Lights—Upper beam limited to 20,000 to 75,000 candela per lamp. Lower beam limited to 15,000 to 20,000 candela per lamp.

2. Type 1 or 1A Lights—Upper beam limited to 18,000 to 60,000 candela per lamp.

A candela is the basic unit of measure of luminous intensity in the International System of Units. Although the candela has a specific technical definition expressed in terms of a specific frequency and power, in layman's terms it approximates the light output of a common candle. A 100-watt light bulb emits about 120 candela.

https://www.cga.ct.gov/2006/rpt/2006-R-0198.htm​

 

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Candela is the unit of measure for a light bean that is projected within a small angle in a specific direction. It is one of a few measurements used.

Candela for a 40 or 45 watt CF, focusing the light beam at 15/25 degrees produces about 16000 candela.

I think many of the aftermarket lights, beside not being actually legal, is a lot higher than 75,000 candela in many cases.

Those who stick HID lights in their truck to replace halogens don't understand that unless it is a projection unit like on some Volvo's, the cut off and light patterns pretty much blind people.

 

All those light bars are illegal. Not one is rated for DOT.

All HID kits for halogen replacement are illegal and should be enforced but never are.

Other then specific requirements in the FMVSS, all other use of lighting is regulated by states. Most do not allow more then one set of additional lights. And none of those allowed lights are LED or HID. Some states like OR do not allow any additional lights.

 

Not true.

Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS)
816.230 Fog lights
816.060 Auxiliary Lights
811.515 (7) When a vehicle is upon a highway a person shall light not more than a total of four lights at any one time that are mounted on the front of a vehicle and that each projects a beam of intensity greater than 300 candlepower.
- https://www.oregonlaws.org/ors/811.515​

I don't know of any jurisdiction that doesn't allow auxiliary lights.

 

There was a clown here for about a week with one of those light bars.

He needed it put in his A, then illuminated so he could see his tonsils.

I've not seen him in awhile, Me thinking DPS got him. We don't have many running around here with those lite blue F's either.

Me thinks DPS is pretty on top of that.

It's 100% unnecessary. Especially here in town. I mean I could drive with no lights if I had to from one side to the other ( 75 miles ). We have these street light thingies.

They need to make that a part of a recurring certification just like the physical. If you're too gimp to drive at night with normal low beams.......REJECTED!!!!!

Have a Daylight Danny restriction on your license.

 

^^^ Yes this appears to be another one of those stupid issues. OR allows you to have auxiliary lights but you are supposed to turn them off whenever approaching traffic much like you would your high beams:
https://www.odot.state.or.us/forms/dmv/37.pdf

So basically if an officer sees your fog lights (or auxiliary lights) on he will issue you a ticket for not using your light properly since you should have turned them off if he can see them, much like dimming your high beams.

It is stupid and I never found the exact clause stating that in the code, but since it is in the OR manual it is enforced like that: You can have them, just don't let them catch you with the lamp glowing.

 

Well read my above post.

Just the OR BS thing comes to mind. Your pretty good on US legalities so I cannot argue there.

I think a couple only allow fogs lights on during low beam operation?