Opinions on "legalized" blackouts

[carldev96]

Well with all the talk about blackouts recently, I've decided I want some. However they are illegal, and I don't feel like getting harrased by the police [img]graemlins/crybaby.gif[/img] . Noticing that the vehicles with blackouts around here have cutouts in them so you can still see the taillight, I figured why can't I just do that?

So I put together some really horrible concept art :( to see what they might look like. Anyway, I'm just looking to see what the rest of you think about the idea. I'm not going to even bother wasting my money if I can't use them.

http://people.ne.mediaone.net/kayla475/blackouts.jpg

If anyone has better idea for a cutout pattern please let me know. To be honest I'm not sure if I like any of them...

Thanks for the advice
carldev

[Cam Massey]

If you could get a blackout that lights up the chevy bowtie/Firebird screamin' chicken...That would be awesome.
You could probably sell them here.

[97chevycamaro]

Hmmm, Ive had Rear blackouts on my car for a year and been stopped twice when I had them for speeding and the cops never said anything about them.

[sm2sweet]

Technically, they're only supposed to be illegal if "it restricts lighting emitted from the headlight or taillight" or "does not give off a red reflection on the rear lights" To get around that, I bought the regular headlight covers and the slotted taillight covers so that SOME lens is exposed in the back. Thing about it...how many times have you seen trucks (mostly full-size) with painted taillight covers the color of their truck?? If they can do it, so can we.

Later
Scott

[Domestic Violence]

check your laws. in TX, which uses the federal code regulating lights, there can be no covering whatsoever on any part of the light; that means no slotted covers, no altered covers, nothing.

[carldev96]

I am pretty sure they are legal provided they expose some of the tial light's red reflection as sm2sweet said. I see slotted covers on trucks here all the time. Mostly I just wanted to see if anyone has tried doing it themselves as I don't think anyone makes slotted blackouts for the firebird. thanks for the input though. I think I'm gonna wait till I feel like blowing 50 bucks and experimenting with a pair. I wonder if I could do as Cam Massey suggested and make screaming chicken cutouts. That would look fantastic...

carldev