Blue Dot In Tail Lights

[jbisme]

Does the blue dot in some hot rod tail lights have a meaning behind them? I'm giving some thought to using the round 1950 Pontiac tail lights with the blue dot in the center, but I won't if they have any particular meaning. For instance some biker patches can get you into trouble in the wrong neighborhoods, so I don't have any of that stuff.

It never hurts to ask.

 

[Track-T]

think they started to be different, they turn the light purple is all

 

[GT63]

Does the blue dot in some hot rod tail lights have a meaning behind them? I'm giving some thought to using the round 1950 Pontiac tail lights with the blue dot in the center, but I won't if they have any particular meaning. For instance some biker patches can get you into trouble in the wrong neighborhoods, so I don't have any of that stuff.

It never hurts to ask.

Not really, but they are outlawed in some states so check your Vehicle code first.

 

[jbisme]

Not really, but they are outlawed in some states so check your Vehicle code first.

I didn't even think of that. I'll ask the police dept. to look that one up.

 

[jbisme]

I checked with the local police. He said as far as he knew there was no Kansas law about the blue dot. He did caution that the law says tail lights do need to be red except the turn signals can be yellow and it must have a clear light for the tag. He also said the blue dot could become outlawed just like the neon lights under a car was once outlawed. Currently neon lights are allowed in certain colors, but can't flash. He went on to say there is about 300 laws that change every year and it is hard for police officers to keep up with the changes. For what it is worth, he said he personally wouldn't pull anyone over for having the blue dot even if it was a law.

I don't think I'll bother, I do too much driving at night working second shift. I'd rather "Barney Fife" stays comfortable in his car than visit with me.

 

[Leon renaud]

I checked with the local police. He said as far as he knew there was no Kansas law about the blue dot. He did caution that the law says tail lights do need to be red except the turn signals can be yellow and it must have a clear light for the tag. He also said the blue dot could become outlawed just like the neon lights under a car was once outlawed. Currently neon lights are allowed in certain colors, but can't flash. He went on to say there is about 300 laws that change every year and it is hard for police officers to keep up with the changes. For what it is worth, he said he personally wouldn't pull anyone over for having the blue dot even if it was a law.

I don't think I'll bother, I do too much driving at night working second shift. I'd rather "Barney Fife" stays comfortable in his car than visit with me.

OK if the only law in your state says a tail light must be red only and does not state outright that "blue dots"are illegal grab yourself a color chart and have it with you because the blue dot combined with the red lens shines a purple light and purple falls under RED in the color spectrum Purple=red=legal.Now unless it has changed here in Ct. the motor vehicle ruling here specifically names "blue dots"as an illegal modification,I haven't heard of anyone getting ticketed for it in a long time but they could.Ct.has relaxed a lot of it's "Composite Vehicles laws in the last several years though.I think the Purple lights get spotted faster because they are not that common so could be an added safety feature!Like when we first started running "daytime driving lights "

 

[mikesplumbing]

I think blue dots in the tail lights started with cop cars but were on the side of the light first, then moved to the center. It wasn't long and before ambulances started using them followed by companies like Packard. With a small blue dot in the middle of a red light it becomes purple and that was by design because purple can be seen a lot further than red.

I have heard that back in the day rodders started putting them in the tail lights so, at night, other cops would see a car speeding and if they saw the purple they would think it's another cop and not pull it over.

Aother theory that's floating about is the biker crowd was the first to bring it to the rodder scene. The used it to identify them as a gang and it wasn't long before cops started to outlaw them in certain states.

All the above is stories that i have heard at one point or another and can't verify it for sure. I think they are cool and bring a type of mystique to a car. My dad has them on his 46 Chevy truck and they look great!

I plan on putting them on my T Bucket and really don't care what the law says. Drive normal and be smart and most police officers are pretty cool if they know your not a baggy pant wearing gang banger driving a rusted Honda civic with a tuned pipe.

Mike

 

[Telman2]

I don't know what the law in Illinois is about blue dots but I've been running them on my bucket for 40+ years and never had a problem.

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