So I am driving home from my parents who are over visiting from Arizona, when I decided to pull into a gas station and get my fix (soda). Behind me is a cop car and as I get out he said "sir could you come here for a second". I said yes sir, and walked over to his cruiser. The thoughts that were going through my head, was I speeding, OMG I am carrying (legally), etc... He proceeded to tell me that I needed to turn off all the interior lights inside the car when driving, now I am talking about the factory lights that come installed with the car (mood lights), I almost felt like, are you kidding me!!! He said that he saw a blue light by the pillar of the car and he just wanted to let me know what the Florida Law is, I said thank you sir and he told me to have a good night....Has anyone ever actually been pulled over for this??? I mean I almost wish he would have given me a small ticket and would have liked to bring that to BMW and see what they had to say.....hhhmmm

 

I think you're right MINI39, that is a "feature" built into these cars...it is not something that is going to go away, just because one LEO says it is??!! Apparently he has not looked at Todays newer cars, alot of them are being marketed with the "Mood Lighting" though other manufacture's are calling it something else. Our 2010 Kia Soul has this feature, it does however have an Off, in some Souls this feature has started fires we do not use ours, but the manufaturer stepped up and fixed them. Even before we purchased out Soul we looked at the Nissan Cube...it is pure YUPPYVILLE and has that feature as well...plus a wripple effect on the interior roof!!

So I guess the local LEO need a new lesson in "modern" conviences!!

 

He didn't give you a ticket so don't worry about it. I have never heard that before about interior lights but, I have heard them of exterior lights. Maybe think about lowering the intensity. I have mine as low as possible because the dash is way to bright for me in the middle of the night.

 

Not to go off on a tangent but I've found that most cops know very little about the laws they are supposed to be enforcing.

 

I've heard of this before. It seams the cops have a problem with blue lights. Someone told me it has to do with impersonating an officer. I bet if you had a different color selected he would have left you alone. But if you like blue I wouldn't change it, I bet you would win that case in court every time.

 

I would just ignore it. Don't worry about you didn't get a ticket so its not worth stressing.

 

It's a factory setting, they would never sell a car that has something illegal. You won't have a ticket, and if you get one, just contest it. Probably the cop didn't know about this setting, and told you some bla bla not to look like an idiot...

 

Cop was bored. Was hoping you were some hot chick and pulled you over.

Forget about it!

 

Wishing the cop gave you a small ticket just so you can bring it to BMW isn't worth the time of day, just walk away and laugh.

 

I think what it was,is that they are thinking you are using the NEON that alot of street rods and rockets are using in there cars and underneath them. Alot of times I see them and there really lighting up the interior. That's my guess or he was jealous of your ride.

 

Jesus. Glad my cops have real problems and not enough time to pester law abiding citizens.

 

well this has happened to me, here in Maryland. I have an after market rear view mirror with a blue LED inside it. one evening I turned the light on and a cop did a U turn and pulled me over about this. by the time he got to the car i had already turned the light off. He said the same thing, he had pulled me over because he noticed a blue light in the car and told me that it was illegal. but in the end he let me go
no ticket.

 

Florida law states that other than Law Enforcement, no vehicle can have blue lights. The law was written many years ago prior to the interior technology that is around today. I can see some cop that just wants to hassle you or make a point giving you a ticket but I think you would beat it in court. But, as someone else pointed out...who needs the hassle and time to go fight it.

 

Thanks for all the input and you are right no ticket, wouldnt hold up in court, cop was bored therefore will not stress and will just keep motoring with my new MINI !!!!!!!

 

I feel like the officer did you a favor by making you aware of the law. Remember just because MINI put it in the car does not make legal. What are your thoughts as to why the citation would not hold up in court, just because you were unaware of the law does not make it ok. just my 2 cents.

 

Here's the applicable part of the Florida Vehicle Code:

316.2397 Certain lights prohibited; exceptions.—

(1) No person shall drive or move or cause to be moved any vehicle or equipment upon any highway within this state with any lamp or device thereon showing or displaying a red or blue light visible from directly in front thereof except for certain vehicles hereinafter provided.
(2) It is expressly prohibited for any vehicle or equipment, except police vehicles, to show or display blue lights. However, vehicles owned, operated, or leased by the Department of Corrections or any county correctional agency may show or display blue lights when responding to emergencies.


For starters, I think a judge would realize that the faint glow from factory-installed ambient lighting doesn't violate the spirit of the Florida Vehicle Statue, which is to keep someone from impersonating (or being mistaken for) an official/emergency vehicle.

Secondly, paragraph (1) isn't applicable unless you can see the lights from directly in front of the car. The applicability of paragraph (2) depends on how the judge interprets "show or display". That's usually interpreted as meaning external lights (or lights mounted on the dash or rear package tray so that they show through the windshield or rear window), and not things like mood lighting or gauge lighting.

But you're right - if the judge has a bug up his butt about mood lighting, all he has to do is interpret "show or display" as "any light visible from outside the car, no matter how faint", and the ticket would be valid.