A NY State Trooper decided to extend his condolences to the Jewish community in Monsey after the heinous anti-semitic attack, by issuing a ticket to a driver for “unauthorized lights”.
The unauthorized lights that the trooper is referring to was a Menorah on top of a vehicle.
As most people are aware, thousands of Lubavitchers (Chabad) all across the United States have Menorah’s on their vehicles over Chanukah.
Never before has anyone heard of a ticket being issued for this. Let alone just a few blocks away and just two days after the hate attack at a Chanukah celebration.
The traffic stop was done on Merrick Drive in Spring Valley, NY.
On a positive note, a NY State Trooper was seen helping an elderly Jewish man walk on the streets of Boro Park on Tuesday. There is a strong NYSP presence in Boro park and other areas.
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22 Responses
A NY State Trooper decided to extend his condolences to the Jewish community in Monsey after the heinous anti-semitic attack, by issuing a ticket to a driver for “unauthorized lights”
Would you be as outraged if it was for running a red light, not coming to a full stop at a stop sign, or failing to stop for a school bus with red lights flashing? Maybe you should ask how many hatzolah and shomrim volunteers receive these types of tickets each year? Or since there was a “domestic terrorism” incident we are exempt from following the law?
You’ve got to be kidding. NYS law no unauthorized lights. Shulchan Oruch no chiyum not even a midas chassidus (in the true meaning of the word chassidus) to put an electric menorah atop one’s vehicle.
The driver should have been issued a ticket. This is dangerous. How are people exempt from obeying the law near a crime scene.
Nothing disgusting about it. If it’s illegal then it’s illegal. Stop playing the race card or your no better than al sharpton
Probably because chanukah was over as it was written 9:29 pm after mariv …yentz gelechter but there are some insensitive law enforcement out there .
The Law says it is illegal to attach a lamp brighter than 32 candlepower to your vehicle except when permitted by the commissioner. I am guessing the commissioner permits it during Chanukah but not before or after hence the ticket. Why is this outrageous in any way?
If this was truly a problem, people would have gotten tickets before. It’s fishy that this is the first we’re hearing of this.
The lights are NOT illegal. The cop is a moron.
The vtl section mentioned in the ticket (3752c) applies only to lights OVER 32 candlepower. The average 4W night light bulb is around 14 lumens, which is just slightly more than ONE candlepower. You would need over 30 such bulbs to exceed the legal requirement.
For everyone out there Please do not hate chabad
We have more than enough haters around us
Because someone’s faith is different than yours is not enough reason to hate each other
I think the ticket will be dismissed at the end
There is no such law Every truck & bus has lights on their top
The Evel attack we had this week brought those troopers rolling in our town & since they don’t have what to do they’re looking out for real crimes like this one
In NY law which I just looked up there’s an exception in the unauthorized lights law for white lights. If these lights are white (which from the picture it appears that they are) than the driver is doing nothing illegal. Police in NY are often looking to give tickets. I try to take pictures of my car every time I park in case I get a parking ticket while I’m gone. (since I park legally I can use pictures to dispute any ticket I get)
Just to clarify, the menorah on the car was NOT illegal.
As quoted from the lawyer:
the law is: (c) No lamp shall be used on a motor vehicle having a light source greater than thirty-two candle power, unless such lamp is approved by the commissioner as provided by this section. The provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to any light which is permitted to be displayed only on an authorized emergency vehicle, a hazard vehicle or a vehicle which is permitted to display a blue or green light pursuant to paragraphs four and five of subdivision forty-one of this section.
In the supporting deposition, the officer needs to tell us how he knows it’s more than 32 candle power.
Each bulb is about 4 watts of incandescent light. So 6 bulbs which we had is only 24 watts. Which is about 360 lumens. That is 28 candlepower. And it’s from 6 lights. So there’s no way in the world this could hold.
VTL 375-2(c):
(c) No lamp shall be used on a motor vehicle having a light source
greater than thirty-two candle power, unless such lamp is approved by
the commissioner as provided by this section.
“A NY State Trooper decided to extend his condolences to the Jewish community” – why do you think this was directed to the Jewish Community at large? It was more likely an anti-Chabad act. Maybe the State Trooper was a snag. Maybe he was against public menoras and roof top menoras. Now let’s see if the State Trooper will stop a car decorated with x-mass lights! NEVER!
There’s not mitzvah to drive around with a menorah on any car.
For all the people who posted before me without bothering to look up the law here it is.
(c) No lamp shall be used on a motor vehicle having a light source greater than thirty-two candle power, unless such lamp is approved by the commissioner as provided by this section. The provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to any light which is permitted to be displayed only on an authorized emergency vehicle, a hazard vehicle or a vehicle that is permitted to display a blue or green light pursuant to paragraphs four and five of subdivision forty-one of this section.
First, it says about having a light source of more the thirty two candle power.I know the jokes it was only eight bulbs, but seiosly how does the cop decide its 32 candle power
I don’t know about candle power. Also the picture is very dark. However the limited view that I was able to see.
It doesn’t look like a regular chabad car menorah. Those usually have a short stubby base not to tower too high up.
This looks like a full fledged menorah with a regular long dtem & base intended to stand on the floor.
Now I don’t know the brightness but it certainly looks too tall to be stable while driving.
Oops correction:
menorah with a regular long STEM & base
(Moderators: you need to add an “edit” function)
“Creative ticketing”… That’s what’s really wrong with this situation.
Zie A Manch
“For everyone out there Please do not hate chabad” “We have more than enough haters around us”
umm..who mentioned anything about chabad or hating? I havent seen any of those 2 words together here. Nice try though.
I am sure that if the menorahs on auto roofs are illegal, a single phone call to 770 would solve the problem in less than an hour. I have no idea whether the menorahs on car roofs are illegal, but I am sure of the solution.
Wow. Kiddush Lubavitch.
my son, the chabadnik, builds a sukka on the property outside his apartment in USA. Each year the goyish neighbors call the police. They give him a ticket and he has 8 days to take it down or face a fine.