VA Drivers -- Side Marker Question
 

Hey guys, I picked up some JDM Clear Side Markers for my new BRZ. I got them with the OLM white LEDS bulbs, because I just can't stand orange, but I am having second thoughts about running the whites instead of amber.

Question is -- has anyone had any issues running white bulbs in their sidemarkers in Virginia, or do you really recommend having amber LEDs in there?

In most cases, I don't pay much attention to these types of things, but given the giant carbon wing on my tS, I feel like I may get a bit more attention than normal.

Thanks!

I know a few people who have ran them w/o issue. Never pulled over or anything. I think people rarely notice TBH :)


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Rare to be pulled over, if any instance, for white over amber markers. I had whites for a while and now i have no side markers at all, no issues.


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Thanks guys!

No issues with VA inspections also??

No definitely not, biggest thing if if it looks like it should be a light then it better illuminate, so i passed inspection with no side markers. But if there’s something that looks like it should be a functional light but doesn’t illuminate then depending on the inspector they may or may not fail you..


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Thanks for the info!

Just wanted to chime in on this. So i actually failed inspection because the bulbs weren't Orange. The side marker housing can be smoked or clear but the light/bulb has to be Orange. The inspector even showed me where it was stated in the VA Inspection handbook. I should also add that i passed inspection last year with the same exact setup so this might be a new rule or dependent on how strict the inspector is.

it really depends on who the inspector is, the inspectors are "blessed" by the police department to do inspections. on my '15 fr-s, i had "illegal" fog lights (wired on their own circuit, independent of the low-beam/hi-beam function), IAW local/federal laws/regs. my wife works for a car dealer, and passing inspection is dependent on the inspector and their mood. on the same car, i also had clear side markers with amber leds, no issues with inspection.
on my '18 86, i have smoked side markers with amber leds. the leds that were included with my purchase (from 86speed) aren't as bright as i would like them to be for the smoked lenses. i've got a bunch of OLM bulbs in my cart in the 86speedfactory shop waiting for purchase.
what i want to know is how other people with demon eyes/different colored forward lights pass inspection/don't get pulled over in VA.

Some inspectors that you’re cool with will pass you as long as there’s no evident or obvious inspection failures like dead lights or fully cracked windshields. If you have a good relationship with some inspectors, they’ll pass you as long as there’s nothing visually wrong with the car, and different areas, cops are different with what they will and will not catch you for. When I was in Prince William County, I could have a straight pipe and sit next to a cop with no issues, in Fairfax County I got pulled over for a stock headers and fp but a N1 without revving it, while Mustangs and challengers were speeding by loud af. VA is so crooked, esp ffx county.


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the cops in the more rural areas (franklin, suffolk, emporia, etc.) are ****s. i also don't like to go to the beach because the VA beach cops there are ****s, too. i try my best to not give them any reason at all to hassle me.

It seems to be really hit or miss in VA. I lived in Arlington for 3 years without a front plate on my 07 Mustang GT and 05 Corvette and never had an issue, but I was never really dealing with VA State Police or Fairfax. DC doesn’t care about anything, unless you are downtown in the middle of the day and a meter maid is in a bad mood. The cops have way more important things to deal with than inspection violations, or honestly, traffic violations. I’m now in Alexandria City, and my wife and I both drive regularly on 66 into Fairfax. She got slammed the other day on 66 for no front plate on her 18 WRX (literally got the plate in the mail 2 days before and was waiting for a Perrin relocator to come in the mail) by a VA Trooper who just didn’t care. Seems like VA State Police and Fairfax County are more sticklers. I remember a few years ago that Fairfax was running a UC 350Z to catch street racers. So that should pretty much sum up their MO.

There's a Mustang and lifted 250 in Chesapeake, both UC. Pretty sneaky.

Back in the late 2000’s Maryland State Troopers on 95 used to have 98-02 UC Camaros. Most recently I’ve seen Windeval Blue and Red S197 Mustangs. Not going to lie, what an awesome job those guys must have!