Posted on 12/15/2012 4:53:44 AM PST by JoeProBono
WICHITA, Kan.,- A Kansas man given a $274 citation for decking his pickup truck out in Christmas lights said his illuminated vehicle has been spreading holiday cheer.
David Hill of Wichita, founder of the group OneSpark, which aims to feed and clothe the homeless, said he spent 16 hours covering his truck in Christmas lights and hooking them to a generator in the bed of the vehicle, KAKE-TV, Wichita, reported Thursday.
Hill said he was surprised when he was pulled over two weeks ago on the highway and fined $274 for his light display.
"I'm not saying he was right or wrong," Hill said of the ticketing officer. "The bottom line is there's so many people in this town right now that are hurting. And literally, there's been thousands of people that have taken pictures with that truck and it's brought a smile to their face."
Hill said he will leave the lights on his truck to spread Christmas cheer and bring attention to his organization's charitable efforts.
Police Lt. Joe Schroeder said the lights could prove a dangerous distraction for other drivers.
"When you take a vehicle and you cover it with that many lights, it's an issue of safety," Schroeder said. "You're going to get the rubberneckers who are going to be staring at the vehicle. They're going to have a collision or rear end somebody because they're too busy looking at this car that's driving down the road."
I saw the oddest thing last night while driving. It appeared to be a big delivery truck whose both sides looked like a giant television screen flashing an advertisement. THAT was a distractment......
This particular truck certainly does not look like it would be misleading to drivers at night, but some lighting schemes could be, and so for simplicity’s sake the state bans external lights that are not officially blessed on vehicles moving on its public roads. (I hate it when a huge trailer’s only tail lights make it look like a car until I get close.)
If I’d been a traffic cop I’d have issued the truck a warning and told them to light up the interior any way they pleased and/or use the external holiday lights only when parked. And whatever non-lighted decorations, even reflective, on the outside would be okay when on the road.
I’m with the cop on this one. Not only is the truck a distraction, but the lights could start coming off on the road and create a hazard.
I’ll have to ask my daughter and SIL if they’ve seen that truck since they live there.
I would agree, nice car!
There are probably regulations for lit advertising signs (like that seen atop taxis and pizza delivery vehicles) But a full TV screen that emanates light sounds questionable. (One that uses ambient light for its illumination would not be a problem.)
That wouldn’t be a lighting violation though, but a loose-cargo violation.
-HO HO HO-
Does this mean it is now ILlegal to Have Flashing red and blue lights on POLICE CARS, because it is a distraction, and EVERYONE slows down and rubbernecks upon seeing them, we need to BAN these Lights in the name of Public Safety, the Police can always use their whistle to signal drivers to pull over.
"When you take a vehicle and you cover it with that many lights, it's an issue of safety," Schroeder said. "You're going to get the rubberneckers who are going to be staring at the vehicle. They're going to have a collision or rear end somebody because they're too busy looking at this car that's driving down the road."
Gee. Thanks for protecting us all from ourselves, Joe.....you sniveling little p***y.
Ooohhhh...my favorite movie moment of all time! Pant, pant, pant...
Anyone who needs a silver alert wouldn’t understand what one is. Only in Floriduh!
And yet those blue headlights that blind oncoming drivers are legal?
Joe doesn’t author the laws.
If I’d been a traffic cop I’d have issued the truck a warning
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That is the common sense way of handling things.
OTOH, maybe this isn’t the first warning or encounter.
In today’s litigious society the people have taken ‘breaks’ away from the Police/Courts as if they don’t follow the ‘law’ to the ‘T’ they stand a chance of being sued.
Of course, there are far too many laws on the books BECAUSE the Police or Courts tried to bend a standing law to fit the situation at hand.
Lawyers won’t let you get away with that.
Interesting line or aside in the ‘article’ about how times are bad and people feel better seeing the truck decked out.
Don’t know if I was hungry that ‘seeing the truck’ would make me feel any less hungry - if really hungry or cynical may say the cost, time & effort etc may be put to better use.
I don’t disagree but one safety violation doesn’t excuse another.
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