[Berzerker]

Is an officer allowed to cut the wires on a LED light bar on a vehicle that he pulls over? An employee of mine was pulled over for having an uncovered "offroad" light bar. Conversation ensued Employee - "I will get covers for it" Officer - "We can't have you shining that thing in people eyes, lets fix that right here" The officer then cut the wires on the bar, as well wrote a ticket for uncovered offroad light.

Is this allowed or would this be considered vandalism?

Berz out.

[Traum]

Seems completely out of line to me. If your employee doesn't even have the offroad lights turned on, how does he know your employee will use them?

An equivalent situation to me is -- the cop knows your car can do 100km/h, but he only catches you doing 60km/h in a 30km/h zone. So he punctures your tires and proceeds to tell you -- "We can't have you driving this thing @100km/h in the 30km/h zone. Let's fix that right there."

I would pay the ticket for the uncovered light, but sue the PD for vandalism / property damage on the car.

[Traum]

Actually, I just thought of a better example.

Let's say Berz is caught exposing himself in public. The cop catches Berz and charges him with indecent exposure. But then he goes on and tells Berz, "We can't have you shining that "thing" in people's eyes. Let's fix that right here", and proceeds to cut off the weiner / bratwurst / whatever.

Don't think the cop would be able to get away with this one, right? :troll:

[SumAznGuy]

Don't know if it is legal, but we have all heard of stories where people were pulled over for illegal tint on the front windows.
Car owner is issued a ticket for the tint and the officer scratches the tint with a key.

So is that not legal then?

[Berzerker]

He has a meeting with Staff Sgt. and the officer on Friday. Will update with results.

Berz out.

[Berzerker]

Actually, I just thought of a better example.

Let's say Berz is caught exposing himself in public. The cop catches Berz and charges him with indecent exposure. But then he goes on and tells Berz, "We can't have you shining that "thing" in people's eyes. Let's fix that right here", and proceeds to cut off the weiner / bratwurst / whatever.

Don't think the cop would be able to get away with this one, right? :troll:

He would need bolt cutters...:awwyeah:

Berz out.

[underscore]

If your employee doesn't even have the offroad lights turned on, how does he know your employee will use them?

The law is that the lights have to be covered when on road.

[Soundy]

Don't know if it is legal, but we have all heard of stories where people were pulled over for illegal tint on the front windows.
Car owner is issued a ticket for the tint and the officer scratches the tint with a key.

So is that not legal then?
Scratching the tint doesn't really damage anything (unless he gouges the glass itself). Plus, it's illegal for the tint to be there at all.

Having the light bar installed is legal, and using it off-road is permitted....snipping the wire affects the LEGAL use of it.

[Berzerker]

Scratching the tint doesn't really damage anything .

It damages the tint. :yuno: On someones car that paid to have it installed, legal or not. Where do you draw the line?

Berz out.

[Eff-1]

The argument I remember reading in this forum to justify the peeling of the tint is some JPs ask for a sample to be presented as evidence in the case of a dispute.

I can't see how that would apply in OPs situation though.

[TypeRNammer]

Don't know if it is legal, but we have all heard of stories where people were pulled over for illegal tint on the front windows.
Car owner is issued a ticket for the tint and the officer scratches the tint with a key.

So is that not legal then?

I got lucky, few years ago when I got pulled over for tinted front windows, the officer told me he was not gonna write up a ticket if I ripped off the front tint on the spot, which I did.

Definitely a good trade off.

[zulutango]

I have asked drivers to disable the illegal equipment at roadside. If that cannot be done then a #1 inspection order issued and the vehicle removed from the road....or you permit the driver to continue to break the law. I heard a JP dismiss a ticket in court and ream the Member for taking this option.

[Berzerker]

I have asked drivers to disable the illegal equipment at roadside. If that cannot be done then a #1 inspection order issued and the vehicle removed from the road....or you permit the driver to continue to break the law. I heard a JP dismiss a ticket in court and ream the Member for taking this option.

So my original question stands. From an unbiased stand point, was the officer out of line cutting the wires to the light bar on his own accord?

Berz out.

[Gucci Mane]

interested to see where this goes because i have been considering a small light bar that goes where my license plate currently is. i would obviously re-locate the license plate to the side like on the eco-boost f150's.

[Gerbs]

I got lucky, few years ago when I got pulled over for tinted front windows, the officer told me he was not gonna write up a ticket if I ripped off the front tint on the spot, which I did.

Definitely a good trade off.

How do u rip it off on the spot? I thought u need a blow gun.

[Berzerker]

Well the legalities are simple. They are not DOT approved and therefore illegal to use ON public highways and roads. So if your really worried about tickets, don't get one.

That being said, I live up north. It's dark for 14 hours a day for months. There is a high probability of animal collisions as well as shitty winter conditions for 6 months sometimes.

I personally know of at least 10 people with collisions with animals in the few years I've been up here. Me personally driving home from Prince George with my entire family in the car was saved a horrific accident by using my light bar. There were 3 horses that escaped and were on the highway. My light bar gave me enough distance to react that I was able to slow down, swerve and avoid a major collision. (I lost my drivers side mirror on one of the horses noses) Had I not had my light bar on I will say without a shadow of a doubt that I would have had a major collision with at least 1 of the horses.

I looked up the stats for collisions with animals and ICBC has approx 9000 RECORDED animal collisions for the southern and northern interior regions PER YEAR. Light bars without a doubt offer more time to react, better visibility, and improved reaction times at night. But they are "illegal"

This is where officer morality comes into effect in my opinion. Will I stop using my light bar? Fuck no. It's already saved me from a huge accident that could have been life altering. Why would officers choose to punish people for trying to be safer at night. Obviously idiots who have them just as a fashion statement don't count but those who live in rural areas..... I would say we have a pretty fucking solid reason to be using them.

Berz out.

[Gucci Mane]

^ this is the thing though, i understand they're illegal to use ON road because they are strictly meant for OFF road but is illegal to even have them mounted up?

[XplicitLuder]

it almost sounds like they're legal if mounted and covered, and not legal if mounted and uncovered

[Berzerker]

Legal if mounted and covered yes. Legal to use on logging roads and FSR.

Berz out.

[TypeRNammer]

How do u rip it off on the spot? I thought u need a blow gun.

I believe it was old tint, take a finer nail to one corner and just tear out the rest.

Only thing you're left with is the sticky residue :heckno: which was time consuming to clean

[zulutango]

it almost sounds like they're legal if mounted and covered, and not legal if mounted and uncovered


Bingo! Uncovered, they are considered "unauthorized lights", covered they are "off road lights" and permitted on a "highway".

Would I cut the wiring...personally no...I would offer the options I outlined. In the cases I enountered the driver was always able to disconnect the wires...sometimes using my leatherman.

[zulutango]

Legal if mounted and covered yes. Legal to use on logging roads and FSR.

Berz out.


Legal for use on anything that is not a "highway"....some logging roads can be considered "highways"
"highway" includes

(a) every highway within the meaning of the Transportation Act,
(b) every road, street, lane or right of way designed or intended for or used by the general public for the passage of vehicles, and
(c) every private place or passageway to which the public, for the purpose of the parking or servicing of vehicles, has access or is invited,
but does not include an industrial road;

Off-road lamps
4.25 Despite section 4.04 (2) (c), a vehicle equipped with off-road lamps when on a highway must have the off-road lamps concealed with opaque covers.

[underscore]

If you're going to run a light bar at least keep the tools you need to remove or reaim it in the vehicle. I have one on my Cherokee and I have the allen wrenches in the glove box to either remove it or aim it down/backwards. That way I can keep it legal when I don't need it with about 30 seconds of effort.

It damages the tint. :yuno: On someones car that paid to have it installed, legal or not. Where do you draw the line?

Berz out.

Tint that has to come off one way or another, personally I'd be taking it off roadside rather than deal with a VI.

[Soundy]

If you're going to run a light bar at least keep the tools you need to remove or reaim it in the vehicle. I have one on my Cherokee and I have the allen wrenches in the glove box to either remove it or aim it down/backwards. That way I can keep it legal when I don't need it with about 30 seconds of effort.

Friend of mine did that when stopped last summer - his light bar is mounted between the sides of the bull bar on his Samurai, so when a cop mentioned it to him, he just gave it a twist so it was pointing at the grill. Said the cop chuckled and sent him on his way (after a little more admiration of his wicked little Sammi/Sidekick hybrid).

[meme405]

There was a very simple fix to this, turn the light around. That's how I have them on my truck when I am not using it. As soon as I hit an FSR or mine road, I loosen the wingnut on the end and turn it the other way round.

I used to have the cover for mine, but someone stole it, or I otherwise lost it at some point.

Officer sounds like he was having a bad day to cut the wire.

[zulutango]

[QUOTE=meme405;8721595]There was a very simple fix to this, turn the light around. That's how I have them on my truck when I am not using it. As soon as I hit an FSR or mine road, I loosen the wingnut on the end and turn it the other way round.

must have the off-road lamps concealed with opaque covers.
"

Technically you are still in violation of the law...driver behind also deserve to not be exposed to the light. :drunk:

[Berzerker]

Behind? Most bars are in front of the grill. I don't think many people are hiding behind your grill. lol.

Berz out.

[underscore]

I'm guessing Zulu is thinking of the typical headache bar mounted lights many trucks used to have. Mines mounted just below the front plate, so if I aim it backwards and turn it on I have a really easy to read plate, or if I aim it down I can find the tools I dropped under it when I'm inevitably trying to fix it.

[highres604]

I sincerely hope you bring up this complaint with the proper people and don't let it drop. To me this is unacceptable and yet another example of overstepping boundaries.

[zulutango]

I sincerely hope you bring up this complaint with the proper people and don't let it drop. To me this is unacceptable and yet another example of overstepping boundaries.


You sound like an entitled American university student...."boundaries"???....that statement is a "micro aggression"....I'm tellin Mom!!!!:yuno:

[Ludepower]

this minor cop rage will be a waste of everyone's time if u take it any further.
suck it up and move on.

[meme405]

There was a very simple fix to this, turn the light around. That's how I have them on my truck when I am not using it. As soon as I hit an FSR or mine road, I loosen the wingnut on the end and turn it the other way round.

must have the off-road lamps concealed with opaque covers.
"

Technically you are still in violation of the law...driver behind also deserve to not be exposed to the light. :drunk:

#1 - Berz is absolutely right my bar is on my bumper, so turning it around results in it facing into the front of my car.

#2 - it's the thought that counts, the reason this law exists is to prevent drivers from blinding each other accidentally or on purpose. Flipping the bar around shows any reasonable officer who isn't a dickhead that you atleast made an attempt to be a law abiding citizen.

this minor cop rage will be a waste of everyone's time if u take it any further.
suck it up and move on.

Normally I'm with letting things go, but in this instance I'd say follow it up. If someone in my work environment pulled something like this and we were made aware of it, for sure there would be consequences. At the end of the day there is a procedure set out for the officer to follow, that procedure is the VI process, if he really wanted the car off the road, he could have given the car a box 1 and then it would have been up to an authorized inspector to make the call. An officer on the side of the road has no authority to start removing parts off a car or damaging someones property.

[RRxtar]

Can we get confirmation that aux lights also need to be covered if they are below headlight height? It's always been my understanding they only need to be covered if they are above headlight height.

[Soundy]

Can we get confirmation that aux lights also need to be covered if they are below headlight height? It's always been my understanding they only need to be covered if they are above headlight height.
No, you can't get confirmation, because your understanding is incorrect.

(2) The headlamps must be mounted at a height of not less than 56 cm and not more than 1.37

--------

Auxiliary driving lamps
4.09 (1) A motor vehicle may be equipped with 2 auxiliary driving lamps, mounted on the front of the vehicle at a height of not less than 40 cm and not more than 1.06 m, that are capable of displaying onlywhite light.

[underscore]

^ It was my understanding that they also have to be tied into the high/low circuit correctly so you still have a max of 4 forward facing lights on at a time, but I could be wrong.

[Berzerker]

Update: After the meeting with the Staff Sgt with the officer also present the officer has been instructed to purchase my employee a new light bar. I feel this is a pretty clear indication that what the officer did was clearly a wrong doing. The officer will now have to wait to have another officer present as well in any future dealings with my employee as per the conversation.

Justice. Is. Served.

Edit. Also this was the "easy way out" for the officer and from what I understand my employee agreed to the new lightbar in lieu of other possible punishment for the officer.

Berz out.

[Flatsix]

Nothing a few wire connectors can't fix.....

[Inaii]

Update: After the meeting with the Staff Sgt with the officer also present the officer has been instructed to purchase my employee a new light bar. I feel this is a pretty clear indication that what the officer did was clearly a wrong doing. The officer will now have to wait to have another officer present as well in any future dealings with my employee as per the conversation.

Justice. Is. Served.

Edit. Also this was the "easy way out" for the officer and from what I understand my employee agreed to the new lightbar in lieu of other possible punishment for the officer.

Berz out.

Can I point out you spelled boundaries wrong now? :D

[highres604]

That is awesome OP! Good for you!
Just a personal opinion from an entitled universtity student! Please don't taze me zultango.
:)

[zulutango]

That is awesome OP! Good for you!
Just a personal opinion from an entitled universtity student! Please don't taze me zultango.
:)


I don't Taze anyone anymore...have to rely on my S&W Model 29 .44 these days. :) :chairdance:

[Soundy]

I don't Taze anyone anymore...have to rely on my S&W Model 29 .44 these days. :) :chairdance:

Good thing - tazers kill!

[zulutango]

I prefer the terror experienced when I say.....starts 55 second mark..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7Nci-GVuHE

[sebberry]

Glad it worked out for the OP.

I understand the law, but you have to laugh at the irony. High brightness lights controlled by the driver, activated when conditions warrant it are illegal to have uncovered. Unless they're the OE high-beams.

I don't think I've ever been blinded by someone's "off-road" light bar. I've been blinded countless times by granny in her Camry with high-beams on, however.

[underscore]

Glad it worked out for the OP.

I understand the law, but you have to laugh at the irony. High brightness lights controlled by the driver, activated when conditions warrant it are illegal to have uncovered. Unless they're the OE high-beams.

I don't think I've ever been blinded by someone's "off-road" light bar. I've been blinded countless times by granny in her Camry with high-beams on, however.

Clearly you haven't driven in Kelowna (aka Alberta west), where people run light bars like a DRL. The key difference is also that high beams can be used legally on the road at correct times, but light bars can't.

[sebberry]

I suppose it's better to collide with a bear, or some horses then.

[zulutango]

Remember...when you hit a bear....you don't have to be able to run faster than an injured bear...just be able to run faster than at least 1 of your passengers. :)

[Soundy]

People drove their vehicles at night for a hundred years without the need to project pure daylight ahead of them. I have a 20" light bar on my Jeep, I actually do go off-road at night, and it's more than sufficient.

80% of the guys who deck their rigs out like small suns never even leave the pavement. If you hit a bear or a horse in the Wal-Mart parking lot, a) you're going too fast, b) there are bigger things to be concerned about.

[Berzerker]

Easy to say until you almost get killed because 3 horses are on the highway like what happened to me. Just because people "got by" with out LED bars doesn't mean they don't help. There are 10000 REPORTED collisions with animals in BC per year, if even 10% of those could be avoided by better lighting and more time to react, I would say that's a pretty significant statistic. For the record My lightbar indeed saved my vehicle and perhaps my life as well as my family by giving me enough time to slow down and avoid 3 stray horses on the highway. This is why I find the "law" so frustrating. They help. I'm proof of that. One of my good friends just wrote off his Subaru because he swerved and avoided a moose and hit a tree. Had he had an LED light bar, which he now has on his new vehicle, He swears he could have slowed down and avoided a crash with the increased reaction time.

http://www.icbc.com/about-icbc/newsroom/Documents/crashes-involving.pdf
Stats by region.

Berz out.

[underscore]

Have you got yours wired all on its own or tied into the highbeam circuit?

[Berzerker]

On it's own. Switch is located right beside the steering wheel. I go off roading and camping so I have it so I can use it without having the ignition on if needed. I also have two square lights mounted on each corner of the rear of my Dodge so I can see better backing up my trailer. (Also a great high beam in the rear view deterrent lol)

I'm also very aware of just how bright my lights are and I even went to a long stretch of road to see how far the light was reaching and how bright. My basic rule is, if I can see any approaching light from a vehicle I switch the bar off. Even if it's kilometers away.

Berz out.

[Soundy]

Easy to say until you almost get killed because 3 horses are on the highway like what happened to me. Just because people "got by" with out LED bars doesn't mean they don't help. There are 10000 REPORTED collisions with animals in BC per year, if even 10% of those could be avoided by better lighting and more time to react, I would say that's a pretty significant statistic. For the record My lightbar indeed saved my vehicle and perhaps my life as well as my family by giving me enough time to slow down and avoid 3 stray horses on the highway. This is why I find the "law" so frustrating. They help. I'm proof of that. One of my good friends just wrote off his Subaru because he swerved and avoided a moose and hit a tree. Had he had an LED light bar, which he now has on his new vehicle, He swears he could have slowed down and avoided a crash with the increased reaction time.

http://www.icbc.com/about-icbc/newsroom/Documents/crashes-involving.pdf
Stats by region.

Berz out.
Sorry, my post didn't apply to your situation - I was saved from hitting a deer just south of Cache Creek a couple years ago, thanks to my light bar.

I was responding to sebbery's typical stupidity a couple posts above mine.

[ziegs2020]

Update: After the meeting with the Staff Sgt with the officer also present the officer has been instructed to purchase my employee a new light bar. I feel this is a pretty clear indication that what the officer did was clearly a wrong doing. The officer will now have to wait to have another officer present as well in any future dealings with my employee as per the conversation.

Justice. Is. Served.

Edit. Also this was the "easy way out" for the officer and from what I understand my employee agreed to the new lightbar in lieu of other possible punishment for the officer.

Berz out.

How short was the wire cut that they agreed to buy a new light bar?

[Soundy]

How short was the wire cut that they agreed to buy a new light bar?

I doubt it had anything to do with WHERE it was cut... it was meant to get the message across that cutting it at all was not acceptable.

[sebberry]

Sorry, my post didn't apply to your situation - I was saved from hitting a deer just south of Cache Creek a couple years ago, thanks to my light bar.

I was responding to sebbery's typical stupidity a couple posts above mine.

How was my comment stupid? I'm merely saying that if someone can't be trusted to operate an uncovered lightbar safely, then they shouldn't be trusted to use high-beams safely. Ergo, all high-beams should be kept covered in the event some dolt decides to use them on the road :)