Teen Girl Faces Jail Time For Blue Lights On Car (1 Viewer)

[Glenn Overholt]

The legality is her biggest problem. If she was told they were legal and that is wrong, shouldn't someone be coming down on this school cop?

Has anyone there actually checked? I don't think that this is one of those gray areas. I am sure that if the govt. wanted blue lights to be for official use only, they'd make a law up about it. The newspaper didn't even check into if it was legal or not, what kind of a crazy paper doesn't research that stuff? That's insane.

If blue lights are legal there, then she should come down on them.

Lee, I don't believe that they actually passed that. If I see a flashing blue light I have to assume that it is a cop? I'm not going to try and purchase one of those over the net, but I'm sure I could have it at my front door in 2 days.

Glenn

 

[Lew Crippen]

I’d love to read the court proceedings. On the surface it seems totally outrageous. It is pretty easy to see that a cop issued a ticket for equipment that does not meet the letter of the law. Things like this happen and a lot of getting a ticket or not depends on how the cop feels on the day and how the person pulled over interacts with the cop. It may not be the case, but as a general rule 18-years olds are not as skilled at dealing with authority figures as 45-year olds.

What I find interesting, is that Devon chose to represent herself (which is her right) in court rather than just paying the fine (which would likely be minimal). The judge may have gone over the top, but I’d like to have been present to see and hear Devon’s defense. If she got a bit aggressive with her defense (and I am not saying she did), it may have weighed in on the decision of the judge.

I do find it curious that she both got a ticket (in apparently an area where these devices are common) and a seemingly stiff sentence. And why she chose to go to court instead of just paying the fine.

At least I can understand why she appealed.

 

[Henry Carmona]

Thank you Ryan!

These things although illegal in some cities/counties are so tiny all you actually see are small specks of light on the hood. In no way will any normal person confuse these for revolving RED & BLUE lights like those on an Ambulance or Police vehicle.

Im not saying she didnt deserve a ticket, if she broke the law then she broke the law, but a warning or order to remove them would have been fine i think.

 

[Holadem]

I suspect some members here are coming down hard on this girl simply because they don't like the latest craze these kids have with decorating their cars. Get over it! Sure, a lot of it is silly, but if the kids aren't doing anything illegal, leave them the hell alone. Or did you forget what it was like to be a kid?

Are you really that surprised? It's just part of the senseless contempt very often expressed against teenagers on this board, be it about their "stupid" movie choices, their fashion, music, speech, anything. It's gotten quite nauseating .

--
Holadem

 

[MarkHastings]

Haven't you heard the phrase: "You know you're getting old when you hate teenagers"??

It happens to everyone.

 

[Ricardo C]

"You know you're getting old when you hate teenagers"

I've been old all my life and didn't know it

 

[Mark Shannon]

I suspect some members here are coming down hard on this girl simply because they don't like the latest craze these kids have with decorating their cars. Get over it! Sure, a lot of it is silly, but if the kids aren't doing anything illegal, leave them the hell alone. Or did you forget what it was like to be a kid?

 

[Ryan Wright]

Mark, religious comments aren't tolerated here.

Sorry, couldn't resist!

EDIT: Mark, I was just giving you a hard time. Didn't mean to make you change your post.

 

[LanceJ]

Ryan Wright said

If the law doesn't mention it, then one should assume he is free to do it.

Oh my.

I have a BIG problem with that statement.

LJ

 

[Shayne Lebrun]

I agree fully that the punishment was way out of line with any possible crime in this case; I can only assume the judge was punishing her for having the gall to stand up and defend herself, rather than take the ticket and get back in line.

 

[Scott Bourden]

I suspect some members here are coming down hard on this girl simply because they don't like the latest craze these kids have with decorating their cars. Get over it! Sure, a lot of it is silly, but if the kids aren't doing anything illegal, leave them the hell alone. Or did you forget what it was like to be a kid?

I am only 20, yet I think those lights are pathetic, tacky, and a potential hazard.

I have never met a person in my own experiences, of any class or intelligence that slapped the local "Wal-Mart Special" mods and / or decorations onto their car.

Keep in mind this is solely my experience and opinions.

 

[Ryan Wright]

I am only 20, yet I think those lights are pathetic, tacky, and a potential hazard.

Pathetic and tacky I'll give you. That doesn't mean one should be harassing people who don't share his aesthetic views.

Potential hazard? Have you actually witnessed these lights in traffic? If so, you would quickly realize the error of your ways. They don't shine a beam out in front of the car like a headlight. We're talking low-power LEDs here; they simply appear as a couple of lighted specs on the hood. Where's the hazard?

 

[Holadem]

I have never met a person in my own experiences, of any class or intelligence that slapped the local "Wal-Mart Special" mods and / or decorations onto their car.

You need to get out more often. Preferably out of St John, friggin Newfoundland.

What in gods name does intelligence have to do with anything?

--
Holadem

 

[Mark Shannon]

Mark, I was just giving you a hard time. Didn't mean to make you change your post.

I know, I know, Ryan...I was just 'going along' with you...

gave me a chance to use the spoiler anyways (haven't used it for a while:b)

 

[Scott Bourden]

You need to get out more often. Preferably out of St John, friggin Newfoundland.

What in gods name does intelligence have to do with anything?

Once again:

"I have never met a person in my own experiences..."

and

"Keep in mind this is solely my experience and opinions"

And again, in my own experiences, I've never met an intelligent person who slaps those cheesy "mods" onto their vehicle, let alone an intelligent teenager who does so (usually a potential goldmine for bad taste and ugly fads).

While I'm sure intelligent people meeting the above criteria exist somewhere, I have yet to meet them.

 

[Henry Carmona]

Well in the defense of dumb people, ive never meat a dumb person who slapped these lights on their car either.

In fact, ive seen a couple but i have no idea what type of cat does that, yo

 

[LanceJ]

Ryan: I'm seeing too many people (teenagers & adults alike) do all kinds of things that we/they KNOW are wrong, things that are stupid/dangerous/disrepectful/unethical, that end up hurting others--either physically, mentally or financially--just because the law DIDN'T say it was stupid/dangerous/disrespectful/unethical.

In other words, many people these days are taking advantage of loopholes in the law just so they can do whatever the heck they feel like doing.

And I thought it was the Seventies that was supposed to be the "Me Decade" :frowning:

And in my city, I see these dopey blue lights (and TVs, lighted tire valves, and other things) on cars every night.

LJ

 

[Holadem]

nm

 

[MarkHastings]

I just read some information about the Cobra Eyes that is quite interesting. Maybe this will clear up why some are saying they're legal and others say they're illegal.

From what I read, it seems that it is Legal to sell them, and it is Legal to install and use them. The only illegal part is to use them when you are driving on the road. The Cobra Eyes are used in show rooms and for displaying cars at car shows. This is why they are considered legal, but once you take the car on the road, that's another story.

Most of these car accessories have warnings on the box that say something like - Check your local laws before using.

 

[JamieD]

Hey Holadem, how about not swearing on Newfoundland? Not necessary, and pretty childish.

Oh, and it's St. John's. St. John is in New Brunswick.