Is it safe to paint your front a rear side markers to match your color car even with the lights behind them?

My car isn't black so tinting wont work.

 

no u will lose the light

 

I know I will loose the light but is it needed? I have seen them paint stock reflectors on bmw's and it looks good.

 

ttt?

 

better check you local LEO for guidance - some areas / states require them and specify colors. painting them will kill what ever light you have now.

 

Check your state codes.

 

Ok I will check with my state. What I don't get tho is that a lot of cars don't have side markers...

 

not really

most are included in the head and tail lights

The vette just looks better with them and its a sports car thing but most importantly its really small and hard to see

 

Side marker lights (including the colors) are required by both Federal and state law.

 

If I wanted my side markers color coded to the car I'd just do it. I had mine along with the rear lights sprayed black. Was concerned prior that rear lights might not let enough red light through but turned out to be unfounded, they are OK.. Could care less about the side markers letting light through. If LEO is gonna bust you for 'em he wants you for something else and would just find another reason for the stop.

 

The side markers also act as safety reflectors and are there for a reason. Painting them to make your car look better (your opinion) is infantile and shows a gross lack of respect for everyone else on the highway.
I can't believe how stupid some people are

 

I can't believe what a douche bag some people can be

 

You are an A**, its not like your removing the blinkers and brakelights...

 

You said it Snake! I can't believe that dude is serious.

 

I'm sure the idea behind legislating mandatory use of side marker lights and reflectors were well intended, but one could question if they have had any significant accident avoidence value in the real world. Has their ever been one scientific study that ever showed them to be effective?
I certainly understand why airplanes, boats, ships, planes and trains have colored lights to differentiate left (port) from right (starboard), and front (bow) from rear (stern), but I don't see the value of these differentiations on automobiles, other than the use of the long existing red tail lamps to signal an intention to stop or turm, and more recent yellow (when lit) front turn signals to signal an intention to turn, plus obvious white head lamps that also identify the front of motor vehicles.
I have never quite understood the logic that requires hideous amber lenses and reflectors on the front side fenders, and slightly less hideous red lenses and reflectors on the rear side fenders (unless one happens to own a Crystal Red Metallic or similiar colored vehicle in which the rear markers blend-in) that are an affront to good taste and seriously detract from the design and visual appearance of such beautiful vehicles as C5 and C6 Corvettes. Why shouldn't, as an alternative, clear lenses with appropriate colored bulbs when lit (such as red or yellow), for night use be more than adequate to identify that one is approaching the side of a parked motor vehicle? As far as refector color is concerned, is it really important when approaching a parked vehicle from it's side at night to know it's front and rear orientation? I don't think so, since the vehicle by definition isn't moving. Why isn't a brillent white reflections from clear lens a more effective warnings than those from the reflections from hideous amber or red reflectors in such static situations? These are questions that average legislators with law degrees (90% plus) have seemingly proven incompetent or disinterested in considering.
However, attempts to "blacken" out headlamps, tail lamps, back-up lamps, and side markers are extreme in that such modifications would reduce the functional safety of your vehicles.

 

I have thought about it a lot and the thing is that almost everything we do to our cars is illegal. Tint(almost all), lowering, no cats, smoked tail lights, smoked side markers, nitrous, and clear corners are all illegal. Not to mention speeding...

I have no idea how how a cop would ever know what cars have side markers where. some cars have just a little amber in the headlight and no reflectors at all.

I also don't believe they ever have or will prevent an accident.

 

I'll bet that tag on your mattress that says "do not remove under penalty of law " is still present". Don't know your age but I remember countless vehicles I've driven that did not have sidemarker lamps or reflectors. Heck, I even remember how to stick my arm out the window to signal for a turn, slow or to stop! Can't belive that they are no longer required to get a DL. Can not think of a single incident when the presence of side maker lights prevented someone from hitting another vehicle. Nor can I recall the absence of same causing a collision. If it were up to some folks, the ABA ,AMA and the NHTSA, we wouldn't even have private vehicles but be forced to rely on public transportation. See, I put my position out and never once resorted to phrases as "infantile", "stupid" or any other such derogitory catch words. But where I come from and in the words of former Justice Oliver Holmes, "those sir are fighting words". Advise you to refrain from using same in face to face discorse. Some may not be as charitable as myself. BTW: Careful as there are vendors here that make things that afix over existing lights and do signiicantly reduce the transmission of light to the outside enviroment. Wouldn't want you to break a vendo's rice bowl and run afoul of the MODs.

 

You asked wehther or not it was safe. It won't affect the operation of your car - -so no.

But you know it impacts your ability to be seen or you wouldn't have asked the question. Accordingly, as a conservative former LEO I would suggest it's unwise to diminish the safety features built into your car - regardless of the law..

Emotion aside - your car . . .your call.

 

You are showing your age...the feds changed that tag a long time ago to read "This tag may not be removed except by the consumer.".

If you don't like the side markers and want to change the law, then lobby your reps to change the law. Just because you don't like a law or agree with a law doesn't mean you have the right to disobey the law (that will get the libertarians stewing). I'm sure every drunk that's been arrested thought the law didn't pertain to him/her.

I couldn't care less about your side markers, but to disregard the reason for them being there is a bit childish, no matter how you look at it. The next guy may think those idiotic brake lights are a bit much on his car.

 

There is spray paint for stained glass I think, do a search