GIMMESOME

Has anybody here in Ca. ever gotten a ticket or got pulled over for driving in the rain with no headlights on? Don't get me wrong. I think it would be only common sense to do so. But if you did get stopped, and ticketed, what was the fine? IMO I feel that there is nothing uglier (well I guess there may be other things come to think about it) than a C4 with it's headlights up. So what I do is pull on my parking lights and switch on the driving lamps, which are pretty bright. That way I have tail and forward illumination. But I know it's just a matter of time before I get pulled over and the cop will find my pot and open bottle of beer.
I know, I know, you should never drive your Vette in the rain. How much of a fine/revenue does a ticket generate? or have you found that this is just another RTS law. Just asking.

Oh, by the way, yes, at night I do have the headlights up.

2012 coupe

Another reason why I moved from No Ca to Az.

RollaMo-LT4

Don't look now, but more and more states are putting in place a "Headlights on when Wipers Required" law.
We have it here in Missouri now.
And to be honest, it doesn't matter if the car is ugly or not with the headlights up. I don't mind having the lights on if it's raining that hard.

VetteMed

crumpled fiberglass, plastic, and sheetmetal is much uglier than any perceived ugliness of having the headlights up. Visibility is a good thing.

GIMMESOME

Well, that's another thing that you brought up."headlights on when wipers required". I'm not sure if Ca's law is worded that way.Are wipers "required" to be used when it rains? Can you get a ticket for not using your wipers too? Of course it would be common sense. But often laws have nothing to do with that. What if I used something like Rain-x and didn't have to use my wipers? And yes it works incredibly well. I feel my driving lamps are more than enough for someone to see me coming.If I do a upgrade to the higher wattage lamps, they would maybe even be brighter than my headlights.

kenv

good point!

GIMMESOME

Do you mean visibility for me, or to somebody else? If someone can't see my drivers, I doubt that their gonna see me. Headlights or not. If for me, remember, it's daytime.I can see fine.Besides the daytime driving lights required on my new cars are no brighter then mine.

Sweet 90

Daytime running lights are high beam at reduced power, at least that's the way they're set here.

Jim

kimmer

Dah

RetiredSFC 97

yep they passed that law here in Mo, didn't they!

I personally feel you should use your headlights when it's raining.

I believe the law here states that if your wipers are on, your lamps are also required to be on.

GIMMESOME

I think some here missunderstood my op. I just wanted to know what the fine is.
I absolutely agree that there should be some forward illumination as I stated in my post.I just feel that my drivers would qualify as such. If somebody can't see these, or daytime running lights, in the rain.Then they probably shouldn't have a drivers license in the first place. Don't you have to take an eye test? And farthermore these laws don't get passed for no reason. In Ca, this law was passed for only two reasons. One, to increase revenue. Or two because some idiot pulled out in front of a car that didn't have it's headlights on and it was raining and they were killed.Probably a senator, congressman,or their close friend or relative.

c4cruiser

I would think that a sharp-eyed LEO will know that you are using driving or fog lamps ionstead of headlights. Chances are that the specific text of a law requiring the use of headlamps in a given instance will not allow the use of fog or driving lights as an alternative. Many states have a minimum height requirement for headlamps and the C4 fogs will be below that.

It's hard to say whether or not a material like Rain-X would be acceptable to an LEO if it was raining hard enough that even wipers would have a hard time keeping a windshield clear.

So far there is no law in WA that would require lights on when it is raining. Given the amount of rainy days we see in WA, it' surprising that some idiot legislator hasn't introduced such a bill.

RetiredSFC 97

I don't know what the fine is thankfully. But I will admit, I use my fogs probably more than I should. I would think that would be sufficient for forward allumination.

But I don't know what they set the fine at here. And I'm sure it is for revenue generation, most laws are.

DougSilver

Funny when I saw the title of your post and the word "ticket" I figured you must be in California. What I generally have done since they passed the wiper/headlight law a year ago or so has been to at least switch on the driving lights. I would argue that this meets the intent of the law. Also with the Vette I noticed that rain (unless it was God-awful heavy) would generally run off the windshield pretty well without needing to use the wipers. My recollection is that at 38mph or greater, whatever rain was on the windshield would immediately flow right off so that you were not really any better by running the wipers.

Getting back to tickets, with the State going broke and also going down the toilet posthaste, there has been a greater tendency to give out ticky-tack tickets for anything and everything. By my office there is frequently a motorcycle cop hiding on the corner (and ON THE SIDEWALK) to catch pedestrians who start to cross the street while the "Don't Walk" light comes on--even though they make it to the other side in time. I and others I know have also gotten tickets for no front plate (a co-worker got this while his car was parked overnight in front of his house). So in California, you better plan on getting a ticket these days for even the most minor infraction.

Doug

RedVette84

I'd rather be able to see and be seen then to worry about the way it looks.

GIMMESOME

My statement about ugliy was tonge in cheek. But you have to admit...those flipped up headlights are not flattering.
Like I said previously, I can see fine.If the other person can't see my drivers, they probably can't see my headlights either.

tankman

I think the law requires lights on when wipers are on in South Carolina. I agree with RedVette. I'd rather be seen also than worry about looks,and if you would drive in most of these areas here,you'd wish you had a tank. 99% of the people here must be relatives of "fireball' Roberts as they drive as if there's no tomorrow!


tankman

F22

That's the truth! Soon, dirty looks will get you a ticket (or at least pulled over!). Doug was kind enough to send me the front license plate filler for the beautiful Corvette I purchased from him and I am now an Outlaw! That abominable ugly front California license plate is now a wall decoration. Take that Copper!

mike100

my thoughts as a California resident:

No cop in his right mind would pull you over solely and without other primary reasons for using your fog lights instead of the headlights. For what? A chance to walk in the rain all the while getting soaked at your doorside?

If they do pull you over it would be due to speeding, driving while not being white enough or any number of other profile reasons (application for a warrant).

the fine may be minimal just like the $25 cell phone violation, but cities have learned that they can tack on a $100 admin fee to that $25 so it might be something to be cautious of.

In my experience in this region, SDPD can barely staff a shift with the wage freeze and the SD Sheriff enforcement varies from area to area. usually they are concerned about banging heads in the bad parts of vista and oceanside to really want to bother with anything else that doesn't net the man $400 or more dollars.

GIMMESOME

That's kinda what my thinking was.This part of the state the CHP or any cop won't get out of their car if it's raining unless there's an accident or you did something really stupid.Even expired tags might get you a pass in the rain.I have been just using my drivers for sometime now without issue.I personally know of nobody that was either stopped or cited for this, but figured it was only a matter of time.That's why I was asking if anybody got nailed for it and how much it cost.