Mechanics in N.Y.C. and Westchester County Area

[adames729]

Hey all!

I''m a new member in this forum. I've looked around and have gotten so many great ideas and advise from many in these forums. Since I purchased my first Toyota Corolla (1993 standard with NO AC) back in 2004 I've been in love with these cars. Low maintenance, great prices on OE parts, and GREAT gas mileage, I've been hooked. I bought myself a 2000 Honda Civic SI and after a year went and bought myself a 1997 Toyota Corolla, this time automatic and with great AC... About a year after that I bought myself a 2001 Toyota Corolla LE.
Well anyways, let me get down to the reason for this post. My 2001 Corolla has DRL's on it and as we know, once the car turns on, the lights automatically turns on. My girlfriend was driving in a 'village' in NY and she gets stopped by the police. It was a bogus stop and they are trying to charge her for all sorts of things and they are saying that the reason for the stop is because she was driving with no lights on whatsoever. We hired a lawyer and the lawyer tells us that if we can prove to the courts that there was no valid reason for the police to stop her, then all the charges will be dropped. I explained to the lawyer how the car works with the DRL's and even went to a Toyota Service Center and had the car inspected and verified that the DRL's in fact do work properly and that it has never been tampered with. I also provided the lawyer with a video to show how the lights turn on when the vehicle is turned on. In the video I show that there is no way to turn the lights off once the car is turned on. I explain that the only way the lights would turn off is if the car is turned off. Now we all know if the car is turned off, you can't be driving the vehicle.
After explaining this to the lawyer, he understands how the car works but wants an "Toyota expert" to explain to the courts how the car works so that no one has any doubts about how the car works. He explained to me that since I am the car owner and the boyfriend that they may not believe my explanation 100%.
The reason for my post is to see if there is a mechanic in the NYC area that would be willing to go to court in Westchester County to act as our Toyota expert and explain how DRL's work and that it is not possible with that this Year Make and Model car for the lights to be turned off and be driving. The lawyer told us it wouldn't be a long day in court, and from our experience so far, it has not been long at all.
I would be extremely thankful to anyone that would do us the favor of acting as our expert and help us get this matter resolved.

Thanks for taking the time to read this post!!!

 

[carlile92]

Honestly bring in the manufactures build sheet and then the proof that your car has DRL lights and show them that I know how cops are they like to pick on younger ppl what else are they trying to charge her with

 

[fishycomics]

So lets see if I understand why you were stopped.

You were driving in the City, down at village city. that will be the Worlds Trade Center, Ground Zero.

You got pulled over because at night time you did not have your lights on. but the DRL's were on, or in the day and it was raining? You do not just get pulled over unless there is an excuse to b, especially if it isjust a clear day at that.

and you got a ticket.

DRLS are a safety feature. for keeping the lights on during the day time with a lower voltage.

They do not act as lights in the rain. and that is one reason why you were pulled over, because you must turn on your lights, your tail lights must be lit, your headlights and park lights as well.

Many just drive, and without thinking to do so.

Wish you the best of luck. NYC is cracking down on people who are down outright not going Obey the laws.

FISHYCOMICS.

How much was this ticket for? and what time of day was it. and the weather?

Please do not take offense, just hardtop understand why exactly you were pulled over.

Inspections takes care of things like that, and keeps cars to par. So if your State has inspections and it is checked out in good standards, the sticker is proof. and is again due I go in for a check up, and get the car evaluated, at a dealership, it passes, then bring that as your proof.

 

[Scott O'Kashan]

Welcome to the Corolla Forum! :clap::thumbup::thumbup1:arty::rockon:

These days a mechanic is referred to as an Automotive Technician and you'll need to find one that is professionally employed by a Toyota dealership and knows the Day Time Running Lights inside and out. Anything less than that and it will have all sorts of legal holes punched in it, meaning the testimony of the expert witness will be nullified.

I recommend stopping in at Toyota dealership's Service Departments and seeing if you can find an Automotive Technician who is willing to help you.

Good luck with it and please keep us posted.

 

[fishycomics]

Pay your ticket, move on, everything else will cost more than the ticket, there will be worry bout points, and insurance......

 

[Donabed Kopoian]

If it was at night and you were driving only with the DRLs, you are going to be stuck paying the ticket.

As fishycomics said, DRLs run your headlights on a low-power mode while all of your other lights (including your taillights) are off. DRLs are not meant as a replacement for activating your headlights at night. I almost dislike DRLs because I see at least one person a week driving around at night with only their DRLs and nothing else, and flashing my headlights doesn't send the message because they see the DRLs and asssume that they are on.

 

[fishycomics]

We have DRls as well an Auto. and on the newer models it is no longer standard.

When you hit in High noon a overpass and under, the auto lights come on ALL lights. when you head back in the opening the DRL kick on. So switching back in fourth can only do a few things wear a bulb down.

Love the old way, but gotten lazy with the new way.

Rains and DRL are on, it is looking for a ticket.

 

[Donabed Kopoian]

He has a 2001. Think Auto-on showed up in 2003. They got rid of auto for 2014 in the states but honestly, it annoyed me anyway

 

[fishycomics]

true.

Something just does not seem right to the story, as the member is 1st time poster and say he has been here before posted his early on corolla?

this time automatic and with great AC... About a year after that I bought myself a 2001 Toyota Corolla LE in which I posted pictures of it in this forum.

Maybe another forum?

 

[adames729]

Honestly bring in the manufactures build sheet and then the proof that your car has DRL lights and show them that I know how cops are they like to pick on younger ppl what else are they trying to charge her with

I took this to the lawyer http://www.toyota.com/t3Portal/document/om/OM12720U/pdf/01omsour/2001/01coroll/14.pdf
and he told me that it would be better to have an Expert Witness that could testify to how the DRL's work so that there is no doubt in the courts.

So lets see if I understand why you were stopped.

You were driving in the City, down at village city. that will be the Worlds Trade Center, Ground Zero.

You got pulled over because at night time you did not have your lights on. but the DRL's were on, or in the day and it was raining? You do not just get pulled over unless there is an excuse to b, especially if it isjust a clear day at that.

and you got a ticket.

DRLS are a safety feature. for keeping the lights on during the day time with a lower voltage.

They do not act as lights in the rain. and that is one reason why you were pulled over, because you must turn on your lights, your tail lights must be lit, your headlights and park lights as well.

Many just drive, and without thinking to do so.

Wish you the best of luck. NYC is cracking down on people who are down outright not going Obey the laws.

FISHYCOMICS.

How much was this ticket for? and what time of day was it. and the weather?

Please do not take offense, just hardtop understand why exactly you were pulled over.

Inspections takes care of things like that, and keeps cars to par. So if your State has inspections and it is checked out in good standards, the sticker is proof. and is again due I go in for a check up, and get the car evaluated, at a dealership, it passes, then bring that as your proof.

I apologize, I was not clear enough with my explanation on what happened with the stop. She was not driving in NYC, she was driving in the Village of Tuckahoe, New York. We came out of watching a movie, Frozen, back in December 2013. We saw a 10:00 pm showing of the movie and stood in the theatre for another hour talking to a friend that works in the theatre. From there we left and she got lost. She parked the car and was looking at her GPS to find the best route back home. By this time it was about 1:00 am. Then the cops come up from behind her and ask her if everything is alright. Then they proceed to ask where she was coming from and when she stated the name of the theatre, everything changed. The officer assumed that she was drunk, made her wait an hour and a half for a female office to arrive at the scene to do some sobriety test, and then placed her under arrest. They gave her tickets for refusing to take a breathalyzer test (which they did not explain to her), driving while intoxicated (which never comes off of your driving record) and driving with faulty equipment (the headlights supposedly were not working, AT ALL). So it was, as the office states, the stop occurred at 2:00 am in December.

Welcome to the Corolla Forum! :clap::thumbup::thumbup1:arty::rockon:

These days a mechanic is referred to as an Automotive Technician and you'll need to find one that is professionally employed by a Toyota dealership and knows the Day Time Running Lights inside and out. Anything less than that and it will have all sorts of legal holes punched in it, meaning the testimony of the expert witness will be nullified.

I recommend stopping in at Toyota dealership's Service Departments and seeing if you can find an Automotive Technician who is willing to help you.

Good luck with it and please keep us posted.

Thanks for the welcome!

Oh and thanks I was unaware they are called Automotive Technician. Thanks for that information. I am trying to get a Toyota Automotive Technician and it is proving to be difficult.

If it was at night and you were driving only with the DRLs, you are going to be stuck paying the ticket.

As fishycomics said, DRLs run your headlights on a low-power mode while all of your other lights (including your taillights) are off. DRLs are not meant as a replacement for activating your headlights at night. I almost dislike DRLs because I see at least one person a week driving around at night with only their DRLs and nothing else, and flashing my headlights doesn't send the message because they see the DRLs and assume that they are on.

I understand that the DRL's do run at a lower power level, but I have a '01 Corolla LE, and it came equipped with DRL's as well as automatic turn on. This is quoted from the owner's manual, "Vehicles for the U.S.A.: The headlights automatically turn to full intensity in the twilight even with the light switch in the “OFF” position." So what this means is that once it gets dark, or if I'm in a tunnel long enough, all the lights turn on, as if I have the lights in the 'On' position.

true.

Something just does not seem right to the story, as the member is 1st time poster and say he has been here before posted his early on corolla?

this time automatic and with great AC... About a year after that I bought myself a 2001 Toyota Corolla LE in which I posted pictures of it in this forum.

Maybe another forum?

Yes, you are right, I also posted on another forum, and I forgot to edit that out... consider that gone.


The "stopping officer" is stating that the reason for the stop was because my girlfriend was driving with no headlights turned on. Mind you, the "stoping officer" is not the office that came up and asked my girlfriend if everything is alright. Also keep in mind that my girlfriend was already parked searching on her GPS the quickest route to get back home. And since it was around the holidays (right after Thanksgiving and during the month of Christmas), they automatically assume that if you are out after midnight driving, that you are drunk.

 

[Scott O'Kashan]

I hope you have a good lawyer. If your lady was pulled over to the side of the road and stopped, I don't know if it's even necessary that the headlights must be on.

You may have to pay for an expert witness, which in this case will be a Toyota Automotive Technician who is an expert in daytime running lights.

Justice in, "the land of the free", costs money and how much justice you get depends on how much you spend.

The legal system in the U.S. is totally broken. :thumbdown:

 

[fishycomics]

Thank you. never punning. Just something to the point is clear enough, hope all works out best. I am sure things will be straightened out. keep us posted.

 

[Donabed Kopoian]

Alright, that really clears things up better.

Sounds like that cop was a prick. I hope you nail their asses to the wall. Any Toyota Technician should be able to explain the DRL and Auto Headlight feature (even the manual should be good enough).

Scott, not sure either, but I always keep my hazards on so that I don't get plowed into. Cop said they were driving with the lights off so it's a moot point anyway.

 

[carlile92]

Well if you go in with expert witness and they prove that you had DRL lights on all you did is prove that you didn't have your headlights on keyword is daytime

 

[Donabed Kopoian]

He has auto headlights as well.

 

[Scott O'Kashan]

He has auto headlights as well.

Sure sounds like a classic case of police abuse. :thumbdown: