Good thing we have daytime running lights


Subject: New Law in California (Pass on to your family and friends)
There is a new law effective January 1, 2005. During daylight hours, if the windshield wipers of your vehicle are in use while you're driving the vehicle, the headlamps of the vehicle must be on. A co-worker was stopped by the highway patrol Wednesday morning, January 5, 2005 because he violated the new law. The first ticket is $45. The second is $150.

According to my co-worker, the Officer who gave him the ticket said he and his fellow Officers do not like the new law. He personally felt the new law should've been advertised before subjecting unsuspecting California motorists to it. He also told him that California State Legislators dreamed up this law to help close the budget gap or something like that.

 

driving without your headlights on when raining = stupid

i was thinking about it today on my way to work. its so hard to see cars when its raining if they don't have their lights on. dangerous.

i hope that this new law is in fact true. those people deserve tickets

 

ish: I concur.

This protects my safety as well as yours. If it means some fools have to pay fines, then I'm OK with it.

One of my favorite things about the WRX is that I leave my headlights on all the time -- even when the car is off. The car only turns them on when the key is in. I always drive with my lights on.

 

Indeed, the CHP lists this on their website as a new law. Pretty silly if you ask me, and I doubt many officers will enforce it.

 

edit: read the actual law

 

I think it's a good law. When its raining and you include all the dirty water spraying off the roadway..it can be very difficult to see a car coming with no lights on.

Personally I think it's a good law. They really should have a first time offense warning or $10 fine or something though...since not to many people check the DMV site every january for new laws.

but all in all....for money reasons or not..I like the law.

 

might want to visit this site to see more new laws taking effect.

http://www.chp.ca.gov/pdf/04-37.pdf

 

I try not to use my wipers when its raining and I am driving on the freeway.

does that mean I can't get ticketed for it since my wipers aren't on?

I always have my headlights on when its raining though anyways

 

Although I've removed the DRL, I always turn the headlights on when it rains...just like today.

 

what if you're just cleaning your windshields? and you're driving? and it's not raining? hehe

 

i think you are trying to make an excuse for it to be wrong to enforce this law.

 

Yeah!, Or this. I use rain-x on my windshield so I often drive in the rain with my wipers off.
I guess I might get to keep my lights off then.

I do agree that you should turn your lights on when it's raining and I always leave mine on anyway.

 

If the copy thought the lack of advertisement was stupid, why didn't he left them off with a warning?

I do though, appreciate the law, but echo the cops sentiments.

jason

 

We've had that law in Ohio for awhile now. It makes sense, but it sounds like the cops are being shady about it.

 

i have driven without my lights on while raining before, and no problem there, i can see just fine. guess have to turn on my lights all the time now to avoid the ticket...haha