Got pulled for my lights. Question of Legality?

Last night coming off work, I was driving into Lexington, SC. I had two 15" green CCs on under the front bumper and the rear. A sheriff in the opposite lane does an illegal U-turn and flips his lights on and pulls me. I pull over and turn my car and lights off. He asks me for the usual documentation, and tells me he pulled me for the green lights. I politely explained to him that from what i had read only external red or blues are illegal. He then tells me he'll be right back. 25 minutes later after a debate with his parter, he tells me i have an improper side cowl lights and my after market taillights are also illegal, because there not approved by the head of the dept. My question is: are green lights illegal in the state of south carolina, and should i fight my 232 dollar ticket?

I'd also like to mention i did a good job with the install and you in no way can see the tubes.

In this section there is a sticky with a link to website. Go to it and look up the specific state statues on accessory lighting in your state. Then print and highlight everything in it to take if you decide to fight it. I have never heard of taillights being illegal might want to find out if they are DOT legal and then fight it. Also what is meant by side cowl lights.

You are going to have to look it up in the stickie posted above.
As for the other stuff. That is why it just isn't worth driving with glow on to me. Cops tend to not like glow for what ever reason. So even if your glow is officially legal they will just find things to ticket you on. No cop would ever bother you about tails unless they didn't light up for crap or something.

Thats the thing. I cannot understand how a side cowl violation relates to my front bumper. The Taillights are DOT legal their DEPO's. The only thing my ticket says is improper side cowl. That is the only violation, and it seems really high. I really just want to stay legal. The section violation is very vague and I was wondering if anyone had any first hand knowledge.

If the ticket says improper side cowl then lighting is not what you should be fighting with this ticket. If it doesn't say anything about the lights on your bumper then that's not what the ticket's for.

I've driven past many cops with my kit set on green with no problems. I'm in SC as well. I've seen a few cars around with blue and red, but I don't know if they have ever been pulled. I've also driven past a cop in a neighborhood with my Inferno on demo (thought for sure I would get pulled), but I was fine. What is side cowl lighting? I'm lost.

Green is legal. You can't have red or blue displayed in SC.

PwrRngr wrote:

If the ticket says improper side cowl then lighting is not what you should be fighting with this ticket. If it doesn't say anything about the lights on your bumper then that's not what the ticket's for.

I understand that but the officer said he pulled me for the green lights specifically, not for whatever a side cowl violation is. So i think he was trying to link the light s under my bumper with the side of the car, by using some voodoo cop magic.

Roguemarine56 wrote:

PwrRngr wrote: If the ticket says improper side cowl then lighting is not what you should be fighting with this ticket. If it doesn't say anything about the lights on your bumper then that's not what the ticket's for. I understand that but the officer said he pulled me for the green lights specifically, not for whatever a side cowl violation is. So i think he was trying to link the light s under my bumper with the side of the car, by using some voodoo cop magic.

The lights attract attention. Even though the lights themselves might not be illegal, the cop might not like them and will give you a ticket for something else (like what happened). Drive more carefully when you have them on. That's what I have to do whenever I drive my truck.

If your taillights are DOT approved then you cannot be fined for them..

if you were running green and the RCW code for that city states it is ok then you cannot be fined in court.

You need to find out whether or not your "side cowls" are legal..picture would really help here and I could probably help you out...

Best thing I could think of you for fighting the ticket would be to challenge probable cause to be stopped. As the officer stated you were originally stopped for a lighting infraction which according to the municipal code you were not in violation of. Because you were not in violation of the lighting ordinance he had no probable cause to stop the vehicle. And therefore would never have noticed the other infractions on the vehicle.

Ive driven past many cops in my town with my..."rainbow" mode thingy going. And they didnt pull me over. But they always pull my buddy over with his set on green. Idk, I guess the cops just like me.

I uploaded a few picks for you guys to see. I don't see what this officer saw. I dont have any pic's at night with the glow yet. For reference the ticket says i was in violation of sect code 56-5-4750, which are the laws on side cowls, running boards, and back-up lamps. I cant figure out how i went wrong.

wow, your tail lights are rather flashy

I hate when cops make illegal U-turns, they other day I robbed a bank and we were driving off, and the cop was coming the other way, took one of those illegal U-turns. We would have gotten away if he had to go around the block to reverse direction.

Moss wrote:

I hate when cops make illegal U-turns, they other day I robbed a bank and we were driving off, and the cop was coming the other way, took one of those illegal U-turns. We would have gotten away if he had to go around the block to reverse direction.

haha, thats the best thing ive heard all day

Moss wrote:

I hate when cops make illegal U-turns, they other day I robbed a bank and we were driving off, and the cop was coming the other way, took one of those illegal U-turns. We would have gotten away if he had to go around the block to reverse direction.

I knew you would post that Moss

*UPDATE* I went to court in my suit and tie with my files and quoted documentation in hand. I wait for like an hour all of Lexington county seemed to be there. Any way the officer called my name I went up explained to him that I had removed the lights and he dropped the ticket. I then went home and lit up my floorboards with em. But apparently in SC a side cowl violation is an underglow violation. Thanks guys for the help.

I thought underbody neons were legal in SC?

Ryan88 wrote:

I thought underbody neons were legal in SC?

They are.

Losing quickly wrote:

Ryan88 wrote: I thought underbody neons were legal in SC? They are.

Nice! I'm in SC right now in Hilton Head. My moms civic doesnt have any neons on it thought

Nice place...

wow cops out there are pricks. it seems like the west coast is very relaxed in comparison to everywhere else. I roll blacked out, illegal as hell, smoked license plate cover, occasionall odd pink HID's and have never been cited for them. I have been pulled over plenty of times and no one has said a word.

in every state if there is no red visible from your tailights its illegal. Move out west, the five-O goes after real criminals, instead of people with aftermarket lights on their cars

RRSport wrote:

Move out west, the five-O goes after real criminals, instead of people with aftermarket lights on their cars

Amen! I dislike bored cops with nothing to do