Driving at night with map lights on?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Aug 15, 2008
Messages
4,962
Is this legal or illegal to do? When I was a kid, I was always told to not turn on the overhead map lights when in the car at night because the cops would pull you over for it.
 
Ya know, I kinda remember my Dad saying something similar. Cops must have had more time in the old days.
 
I can deal with passengers on their phones at night (better than talking to them
smile.gif
) but any extra lights on are grounds for me to yell at someone.
 
Originally Posted By: Reddy45
Is this legal or illegal to do? When I was a kid, I was always told to not turn on the overhead map lights when in the car at night because the cops would pull you over for it.


Same here,our parents always told us that same thing.
 
More "dad lore" than law. I've been cover to cover in my state's rules and see nothing about white interior lights. Blue over a certain level is verboten.
 
Originally Posted By: eljefino
More "dad lore" than law. I've been cover to cover in my state's rules and see nothing about white interior lights.


I seem to remember the same lore, can't remember if dad said it or if it was everyone else.

When I was a kid the in thing was to put in red side marker lights into our vehicles, in the interior. I rigged mine up, and when dad asked what they were for, I was a bit embarrassed to call 'em what they were called--called them hall lights instead. Ah, those were the days...
 
I had never heard of it being illegal, rather that it is not best practice because it affects your eyes and night vision.
 
My Jeep has some that are very directional. My Wife can use the one on her side and it doesn't bother me at all.
My work truck (Freightliner) has both map lights and red black out lights that work nice. Typically though map lights drive me nuts.
 
It annoys me as well and I don't stand for it. My wife will occasionally use the lighted visor mirror and that also bothers me. Imo, it illuminates the whole interior and reflects off the inside windshield, which of course, creates vision driving problems.

I have never heard about it being illegal either.
 
Originally Posted By: eyeofthetiger
I usually change my map lights out for red bulbs. I don't know why that isn't standard equipment.
This is what I do. Replace with red LED lights.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top