Thread: Texas Display Law

I got pulled over this weekend with a blast of instant on Ka right over a hill doing barely over the limit. It's the end of the month, go figure.

But anyways, while I was pulled over the cop said that my screen was illegal because it was in view of the driver. I told him it was used for navigation and it was legal, so he let me off but apparently he didn't know the specific Texas traffic code. Here is the actual law for those who care:

§ 547.611. USE OF CERTAIN VIDEO EQUIPMENT AND TELEVISION
RECEIVERS.

(a) A motor vehicle may be equipped with video
receiving equipment, including a television, a digital video disc
player, a videocassette player, or similar equipment, only if the
equipment is located so that the video display is not visible from
the operator's seat.

(b) A motor vehicle specially designed as a mobile unit used
by a licensed television station may have video receiving equipment
located so that the video display is visible from the operator's
side, but the receiver may be used only when the vehicle is stopped.

(c) This section does not prohibit the use of:
(1) equipment used:
(A) exclusively for receiving digital
information for commercial purposes;

(B) exclusively for a safety or law enforcement
purpose, if each installation is approved by the
department;

(C) in a remote television transmission truck;

(D) exclusively for monitoring the performance
of equipment installed on a vehicle used for safety purposes in
connection with the operations of a natural gas, water, or electric
utility;

(2) a monitoring device that:
(A) produces an electronic display; and

(B) is used exclusively in conjunction with a
mobile navigation system installed in the vehicle.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995. Amended
by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 165, § 30.117(a), eff. Sept. 1,
1997; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 20, § 1, 2, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.

I think my solution is going to be a retractable screen with a slim DVD-RW under it so I can retract when being bothered and it will just look like a CD player at a glance. It is really officer discretion but I'm sure the Texas Highway Patrol won't be friendly about it.