The ticket in question is for a Pontiac G8, but our HHR taillights have limited reflectivity as well....

http://jalopnik.com/5589270/

 

Read further down in the comments section. It appears he was outed by people that frequent the G8 forum. A picture is supposedly posted showing what he did to the tail lights. The picture at the top of the article is the stock version.

ie. He modified the tail lights, therefore he got what he deserved if in fact he did modify them to where it no longer meets code.

 

Tinted tail are illegial in all states as far as I know.

Stock G8


His

 

And we have secondary reflectors in the bumper.
Up here in ontario the brake lights have to be visible from 250m, which allows for some tint.

 

I had the stock tails on my SHO sprayed. Could still see the reflectors when shined on...looked almost as dark as the g8 pic'd above but lights were fine at night. Mix was 93% clear, 7% Dupont (might have been PPG) Onyx Black. 3 coats. Looked awesome. Will see if I can find a pic.

 

See we have been pulled over for speeding, and plate issues with tails like this on the GTO and have not once at night or day with no problems. We were asked once to pop it in reverse and turns to make sure they lit up but the cop was satified with that. No tickets given and no fix it or tickets/warnings either. And that was with getting pulled over 3 times since then, and we have been followed down roads around us by cops without being pulled over either. (used nite shade spray tint for them)

 

Just for the record tinting your lights can get you a ticket in Maryland or most other states, due to reduced light output. Heck read the front of a can of Niteshades tint, it says for off road use only. A light coat you will most likely get away with.....black the lights out and your asking for a ticket.

 

If there is a law saying it has to shine so far away, just replace them with LED lights and then tint them. The added light output should make up the difference. As for reverse lights, at least here in Colorado, I don't think there is any sort of requirement stating that you have to have them. I know of plenty of street rod guys around here that don't have reverse lights, and some who don't even have brake lights or turn signals (they use hand signals out the window), although they are all in 1967 or older cars, so maybe there is some sort of grandfather law.

 

But MD sucks... have to lock up my guns to enter, guess my lights are illegal too. What's next?

Seriously, I have family that are LEO and I have a good deal of respect for them. However, when a cop is an a-hole and bothering me about something so stupid, I call it as I see it. Especially while as he has me on the side of the road there will probably be a dozen people drive by with bumpers hanging off, broken tail lights, no blinkers, no brake lights, burnt out headlights, etc. So they should stop bothering us with nice accurately running cars.