Blacked Out Tail Lights

saw one on the streets the other day but couldn't get a pic...

there are a few that smoked their tail lights, painted the sides, and/or side garnish

 

Please don't.

The rest of us like to see your tail lights and brake lights and smoking, tinting or blacking them *will* reduce their effectiveness.

This is a fact.

 

I almost rear ended a car on the freeway going 60 MPH. In a Prius C that is asking for trouble.

Just think of all those older folks with reduced reflexes etc

 

Why not just remove the bulbs? Same effect for surrounding drivers.

 

And reduced vision too. With age comes reduced ability to see low contrast, at least until that is refreshed by cataract surgery. I will need this surgery earlier than normal, and already have more difficulty seeing some of the darker tinted brakelights when heading into bright sun, either direct or reflected off the back window.

If I'm ever involved in a rear-ender, any tint that dims the taillights below normal standards will be very prominently called out in the accident report. Dim lights are no better than burnt-out lights, which are an equipment violation that can contribute to an accident.

 

All this hate... he still has the 3rd light people... and if your vision is that bad that you can't see the absurdly bright PC's taillights, then mayhaps you shouldn't be driving.

OP: Do a search, there is a giant thread filled with hate about this very subject.

 

I stand by post #3. No hate, just fact.

 

Have you seen them done on the C? Blacking them out actually reduces glare from all of the chrome, increasing visibility in low light and extreme bright conditions.

 

let see if this ones came to US.

 

The folks I'm complaining about are blacking that out too.

Older drivers shouldn't have to quit driving just to allow others to continue with rampant equipment violations.

Blacking out chrome trim is not the issue here. Knock yourself out on that. Excessive dimming of the indicator light flux is the problem.

 

Smoking isn't excessive dimming... if you are going to throw out generics, we need to clear things up.

Toyota makes a black lens for the Aqua in Japan that will fit over the current lens and is that dark. You can buy them here in the states.

 

Where?

 

You have to order them from Japan and have them shipped... I don't remember the site. When I get home I'll look for it.

 

DOT/FMVSS approved, right? Yeah...

 

As far as I know, they are legal in 49 states... I'll give you 1 guess as to which state they aren't allowed in.

 

Here in cal you CAN NOT legally tint tail lights!

Cal V C Section 24600 Taillamps
Taillamps

24600. During darkness every motor vehicle which is not in combination with any other vehicle and every vehicle at the end of a combination of vehicles shall be equipped with lighted taillamps mounted on the rear as follows:
(a) Every vehicle shall be equipped with one or more taillamps.
(b) Every vehicle, other than a motorcycle, manufactured and first registered on or after January 1, 1958, shall be equipped with not less than two taillamps, except that trailers and semitrailers manufactured after July 23, 1973, which are less than 30 inches wide, may be equipped with one taillamp which shall be mounted at or near the vertical centerline of the vehicles. If a vehicle is equipped with two taillamps, they shall be mounted as specified in subdivision (d).
(c) Every vehicle or vehicle at the end of a combination of vehicles, subject to subdivision (a) of Section 22406 shall be equipped with not less than two taillamps.
(d) When two taillamps are required, at least one shall be mounted at the left and one at the right side respectively at the same level.
(e) Taillamps shall be red in color and shall be plainly visible from all distances within 500 feet to the rear except that taillamps on vehicles manufactured after January 1, 1969, shall be plainly visible from all distances within 1,000 feet to the rear.
(f) Taillamps on vehicles manufactured on or after January 1, 1969, shall be mounted not lower than 15 inches nor higher than 72 inches, except that a tow truck, in addition to being equipped with the required taillamps, may also be equipped with two taillamps which may be mounted not lower than 15 inches nor higher than the maximum allowable vehicle height and as far forward as the rearmost portion of the driver's seat in the rearmost position. The additional taillamps on a tow truck shall be lighted whenever the headlamps are lighted.
Amended Ch. 924, Stats. 1988. Effective January 1, 1989.

And guess what, it's not legal in Texas either....

Texas Motor Vehicle code...
§ 547.322. TAILLAMPS REQUIRED. (a) Except as provided
by Subsection (b), a motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, pole
trailer, or vehicle that is towed at the end of a combination of
vehicles shall be equipped with at least two taillamps.
(b) A passenger car or truck that was manufactured or
assembled before the model year 1960 shall be equipped with at least
one taillamp.
(c) Taillamps shall be mounted on the rear of the vehicle:
(1) at a height from 15 to 72 inches; and
(2) at the same level and spaced as widely apart as
practicable if a vehicle is equipped with more than one lamp.
(d) A taillamp shall emit a red light plainly visible at a
distance of 1,000 feet from the rear of the vehicle. Can also be used against tinted tails(e) If vehicles are traveling in combination, only the
taillamps on the rearmost vehicle are required to emit a light for
the distance specified in Subsection (d).
(f) A taillamp or a separate lamp shall be constructed and
mounted to emit a white light that:
(1) illuminates the rear license plate; and
(2) makes the plate clearly legible at a distance of 50
feet from the rear.
(g) A taillamp, including a separate lamp used to illuminate
a rear license plate, must emit a light when a headlamp or auxiliary
driving lamp is lighted. Meaning dont change the color of the lic. plate bulb must be whiteActs 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Important parts there are the lic plate bulb must be white.



Quote:
§ 547.323. STOPLAMPS REQUIRED. (a) Except as provided
by Subsection (b), a motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, or pole
trailer shall be equipped with at least two stoplamps.
(b) A passenger car manufactured or assembled before the
model year 1960 shall be equipped with at least one stoplamp.
(c) A stoplamp shall be mounted on the rear of the vehicle.
(d) A stoplamp shall emit a red or amber light, or a color
between red and amber, that is:
(1) visible in normal sunlight at a distance of at
least 300 feet from the rear of the vehicle; and
(2) displayed when the vehicle service brake is
applied. Oops another possible tinted tail light loop hole
(e) If vehicles are traveling in combination, only the
stoplamps on the rearmost vehicle are required to emit a light for
the distance specified in Subsection (d).
(f) A stoplamp may be included as a part of another rear
lamp.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

damn more Tinted tail crap


Quote:
§ 547.324. TURN SIGNAL LAMPS REQUIRED. (a) Except as
provided by Subsection (b), a motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer,
or pole trailer shall be equipped with electric turn signal lamps
that indicate the operator's intent to turn by displaying flashing
lights to the front and rear of a vehicle or combination of vehicles
and on that side of the vehicle or combination toward which the turn
is to be made.
(b) Subsection (a) does not apply to a passenger car or
truck less than 80 inches wide manufactured or assembled before the
model year 1960.
(c) Turn signal lamps:
(1) shall be mounted at the same level and spaced as
widely apart as practicable on the front and on the rear of the
vehicle; and
(2) may be included as a part of another lamp on the
vehicle.
(d) A turn signal lamp shall emit:
(1) a white or amber light, or a color between white
and amber, if the lamp is mounted on the front of the vehicle; or
(2) a red or amber light, or a color between red and
amber, if the lamp is mounted on the rear of the vehicle.
(e) A turn signal lamp must be visible in normal sunlight at
a distance of:
(1) at least 500 feet from the front and rear of the
vehicle if the vehicle is at least 80 inches wide; and
(2) at least 300 feet from the front and rear of the
vehicle if the vehicle is less than 80 inches wide.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Did you ever stop to think why EVERY car pretty much has the same color and intensity of tail lights... DOT has a national standard, tinting violates that standard.
You are now a target for a fix-it ticket minimum!
If I rear eneded you in an accident, I would sue, and win.... those tail light tints are cool, but illegal!

 

Blacked out tail lights look very '90s to me.

That said, I sorta want to lightly smoke mine but one of the shops I called about it said that he heard if someone rear-ends you and you have any mods like tinted tail lights, they can make the claim that you had illegal tail lights and not be held responsible for the accident. Usually, a rear ender is automatically the person who rear ends you fault. But with tinted tail lights, there is more of a grey area.

 

Ding ding ding... he found out which state doesn't allow anything... California. The rest are all subjective. I've seen dark black lights that can be seen at 500 feet up to 1000 ft with no problem and then I've seen manufacturer lighting that can barely be seen at 10 feet.