Too Many Tail Lights??

I have never heard of one. Only thing I can think of, is that the feds have mandates for the manufacturers. I've looked at the regs, even pulling the book out twice and going through everything I use on a day to day basis and have not found anything dealing with "too many" lights. Just the minimum needed. Maybe someone else can find it but this may go back to truck stop lawyering.

 

Very good point--never considered it is a mfg. reg--this would explain why the only time I heard it (other than T/S)was from a service manager @Great Dane Dealership!--But I do feel much better about not being able to find it--if you can't either--because even if I am old--I'm sure you know these regs much better than I do! Thanx for the info!
Just my $.02

 

I know I'm a little late to this party, but when I picked up my 1st tractor as an O/O and was driving home, I got pulled in for an inspection and one of the infractions listed was no reflectors or DOT reflective tape across the top of the mudflaps so I'd say "Yep...you need that". Pickup a couple bolt-on reflector plates for your flaps because in this day and age, you're as responsible for the truck as the company.

 

As i said in my other post its a law they tried to pass but got so much bad attention from ooida,o/o's and other trucking groups it got put on hold or put off alltogether ,i can not remember which.

 

Retro Reflective tape was first adopted for new trailers, then extended to all trailers. Around that time it was added to new tractors built in 1997. Supposed to have the silver top reflective and a strip of red/ white retro reflective tape across the back -or- on the top of the mud flaps.

The truck builders took the cheapest way out adding the stripes to the top of the mud flap supports. Often these are long lost by resale time.

 

I hope he/she did not pay that ticket without contesting it. The manufacturers for equipment in my particular trucking niche have used the practice of cutting various size holes out of the steel beams to save weight where CAD design says it can be done without sacrificing structural integrity. Seen flatbeds do it too in the aluminum supports. Heaven help the cow trucks pulling the wagons that have round/oval ventilation holes in them. Many times 2" round sections are removed on portable parking lots - but we have always been the red-headed step-kids of the truckin' biz anyway. Amber to the front/sides...red to the rear...lots of 'em.

Dad helped me buy my first truck in 1976 back when Kentucky gave me a "chauffeur's license" handwritten on about a 4" x 4" piece of paper that cost me, IIRC, $4.00. Never use "colored" lights but always had amber & red "chicken lights"...still do...lots of 'em.

Never had a ticket for lighting in all my years and miles of trucking. I try to stay on top of problems and carry spares and basic repair items. I can see an ambulance chaser going wild with this after a driver has been ticketed and required to remove lighting from the rear of his equipment then is rammed in the gashole in a foggy or other weather-related scenario. Maybe the feds might have some BS protection from lawsuit there (?) but in a lower court aimed at a local individual and/or state DOT/enforcement entity...it'd be pay-up time and while your at it...just go ahead and name this highway after me. Just write the check and send the Benjamins my way...lots of 'em.

And...yep...latest wagon is an '07 which is this side of the referenced regs that haven't been found yet. But with new regs coming every day and more in the works, who can know? So many regs...lots of 'em.

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It was passed I know that for fact and was law back in 07. I do think it was eventually over turned or whatever they call it.

Big difference between chicken light holes and structural holes.

It was a catch 22 in IN with this ordeal. They seemed to be the only ones enforcing it.

 

I know the difference. You know the difference. Even the enforcement knows the difference. But the statement that the DOT wrote your bud a ticket after he removed the lights from the holes tells me that :

1. Your bud got confused when telling that story.

2. The Indiana law reads something to the effect: "Any hole determined to be capable of having a clearance light stuffed into it, whether containing a light device or not, will be deemed an infraction to Indiana law and, at the officer's discretion, the operator will be ticketed and charged, warned and kicked in the seat of the pants, shot on sight or all 3."

We may need to call on a U.S. Marshall to figure this one out.

P.S. I run Indiana every week going and coming. Never had a problem and I got holes everywhere...some got lights, some don't. Maybe they'll enlighten me this next week? No pun intended.

 

I think your alittle confused as to where these light were...lol They were on the ICC bumper of a reitnour. So that makes it pretty simple to figure out the holes aren't supposed to be there, unlike with your carhauler, which from the picture doesn't have more than 9 lights across.

 

OK. Across. I have been enlightened. Horizontally...vertically is not addressed in this law.

Thanks.