alright *cracks knucles* here is the law concerning wig-wags, and emergency lighting:
1 - You DO need a permit for any lights that alternate or flash (wig wags), and in Red, Blue, and in CT Green.
2 - If you get caught with them on PUBLIC ROADS or PUBLIC SPACES, such as parking lots, roads, highways, and you get caught, you will be arrested for imersonating a police officer, your car impounded, and your license suspended, thrown in jail, and most likely fined. If you use them in your driveway, or on private land, they cannot do anything to you...but be careful anyway.
3 - Eric is right, if you are SHOWING the car they are legal to have. Some states require that the car have SHOW CAR insurance, AND OR Show car registration...this status is not hard to get, if you are concerned about this, I believe the DMV (department of motor vehicles) has the information you need for that.
BUT THERE IS A SNAG. You can run the wig wags in public if the vehicle has no chance of being moved while they are on. I.E the car is off, and they keys are not in the car, or where someone can access them besides the owner of the car. THIS IS A GREY AREA WHERETHE LAW IS CONCERNED...
I have Wig-Wags on my car, and i have researched this topic before I installed them, much like you are doing. Don't take any of this as concrete fact, different states have different statutes. If you do use them, be careful and make sure that there are no cops near you!!!
They are fun to have, and come in use every once in a while..just be careful..
Sorry for the long reply....
[This message has been edited by whelen1 (edited 01-17-2002).]