bobatimez

...on the 10 west near arlington ave. he drove past me and then slowed down, came in back of me and pulled me over for front tinted windows. is there anything to say about this... is it really so wrong to tint my front windows?

SimTypeS

How much is it tinted? What percentage is legal where you live?
In the future, you may want to open as many windows as you can next time a cop pulls you over, or you can see him checking you out. Especially the sunroof. If it's night time, turn on your dome and map lights. It will give the impression that it's not tinted.
As for an argument, if it's illegal, it's illegal. :-( That as a "fix-it" ticket, not sure I would want to take the tint off, unless you are worried about getting another ticket.

WiLz

cant tint the front in CA...i don't c why, and i reallie wanna do it...but thats wut the law says...

tdoh

Actually, you can...but the tint film can't be less than 70% light transmission. But for practical purposes (e.g., want the dark-tint look on the front windows), you might as well not bother since 70% is more or less clear film to the untrained eye.

16975

Wilz is right...you cant tint you front side windows in CA....no tint means no tint...not even a little.... sucks

edgalang

Guys...Tdoh is right. His family owns a tint shop for gods sake so he should know. Anyways...look it up, 70% is the legal limit for front windows unless they changed it from last year.

Hey...if it's cheap, I'll retint it 70% if I had to. You won't be getting the dark look, but you'll still be getting the UV protection and the heat rejection properties (which is my main objective in tints).

I went with 35% in the back 3 and 55% in the front 2 to look conservative.

AggieTL

Sorry....not legal to tint front window in Texas either......

SilverBulletCLS

All side and rear windows its legal to tint. Sides are down to 35% max, and rear unlimited.

Front you are allowed to tint the upper 5" of your windshield with whatever grade of tint. No more than 5" down.

SLVR TL

L. That sucks. No, you can't really do much about it. It is simply illegal to tint the front sides (darker than 70%? I didn't know this one). But look on the bright side, it's just a $10 fix it ticket unless you have had the same type of ticket b4.

I've once gotten pulled over driving on the fwy (at the speed limit, mind you) for having tints on the front sides in my previous car. I had to take it off and have the cops sign it. It's a hassle... and I did also have that "DON"T THEY HAVE ANYTHING BETTER TO DO?" question as well. Well, apparently not.

Rite now in my TL, I have tints all around (except the windshield)... but it's real light. I still roll down my windows when cops are around. Ya know... just in case.

TLover8888

boy, am i glad that my car is registered in FL

16975

hey guys..really..no tint allowed on the front side windows...trust me..i give out tickets for tint all the time.

edgalang

:flamer: 16975

aepiua

Let me get this straight since I recently moved to CA. I can't have my front driver and passenger side windows tinted? I know that tintint the windshield is illegal and pointless, but the front sides? Glad I am keeping my AZ plates.

shodawg124

california vehicle code section 26708 (d) sez...:

clear, colorless, and transparent material may be installed, affixed, or applied to the front side windows, located to the immediate left and right of the front seat if the following conditions are met:

(1) The material has a minimum visible light transmittance of 88 percent.

(2) The window glazing with the material applied meets all requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 205 (49 C.F.R. 571.205), including the specified minimum light transmittance of 70 percent and the abrasion resistance of AS-14 glazing, as specified in that federal standard.

(3) The material is designed and manufactured to enhance the ability of the existing window glass to block the sun's harmful ultraviolet A rays.

(4) The driver has in his or her possession, or within the vehicle, a certificate signed by the installing company certifying that the windows with the material installed meet the requirements of this subdivision and identifies the installing company and the material's manufacturer by full name and street address, or, if the material was installed by the vehicle owner, a certificate signed by the material's manufacturer certifying that the windows with the material installed according to manufacturer's instructions meets the requirements of this subdivision and identifies the material's manufacturer by full name and street address.

(5) If the material described in this subdivision tears or bubbles, or is otherwise worn to prohibit clear vision, it shall be removed or replaced.


...according to (1), the minimum is 88% lite transmittance, but (2) sez 70%... i guess it's always better to follow the more restrictive one. sux man, i used to have 55% on my front and 35% everywhere else and i got a ticket so now my fronts are bare... i feel so naked!

o btw if you want the rest of the california vehicle code, it's at:
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/pubs.htm

under "California Law"

bobatimez

the irritating thing is that the law is supposed to protect me because they say that it is dangerous to have your windows dark at night so you can see your side mirrors. but when the cop came up to me, he said "i can't even see in the car." well, the point is so that i can see out of the car and i can easily. it simply is showing the legal corruption occurring and there is not a damn thing that only i can do about it.

SimTypeS

pointless??

tdoh

No flame intended, but...you may be able to see easily out of the car even with dark tinted front windows--although I can't really see how one can claim to see just as easily out of a dark (e.g., 15% or less) tinted window compared to a non-tinted window, especially at night--but that doesn't mean that someone on the outside can easily see through said window, especially at night. This is what cops are concerned about--if they pull a traffic stop at night and can't see inside the car because it has dark tint around, they would be concerned because they can't readily tell what the occupant(s) of the vehicle might be doing.

Put yourself in the cop's shoes--are you gonna tell me that you can easily see anything and everything behind a limo-shade tinted window at night without having to walk right up to the window and shine a bright light into the vehicle? If you can, you must have nightscope vision for eyes...

Tony

vperkins2

Well, I almost agreed with ya. Except I can attest to the fact that the (Cali) police use THE BRIGHTEST SPOTLIGHTS I've ever seen when they pull you over at night. I can't speak for daylight stops, though.

Now, the smart people in the room will roll their windows down so that the police don't get antsy while approaching their car...

Later,

V.

16975

tdoh is absolutley right. cant see what the driver or the passengers are doing with their hands inside of the car. spotlights or not...limo tint is dark like heck...BTW aepiua..if youre going to be a resident in cali...you need to get rid of your AZ plates...you dont want to get citations for your tint..your plates..and a fine

SilverBulletCLS

As long as he keeps a place of residents in AZ he can keep the plates. Like parents, brother, etc. Say you live there...

SwampGas

Here in PA, a friend of mine got cited for illegal tint...the rationale was:

1) You cannot see the driver
2) You cannot see through the car

They said it's important that you can communicate with other drivers...you may not realize it, but you actually do communicate with other drivers...even if it's just eye contact.

Also, they said you may not realize it, but you look through other cars windows for traffic. A good example are those idiots who HAVE to get where they're going NOW, so they drive along the shoulder to make a right when you're going straight or making a left...thus blocking your view of oncoming traffic from that direction. Usually, you'd just look through their front windows to see.

Osofastferu

I tottally Agree!

:yack: 16975

my99tl

you are kiddin right?




(pencil D)

jmai

Here's the tint laws of all 50 states...updated since April 2002

http://www.iwfa.com/iwfa/Law_Chart/S...aw%20Chart.htm

jimster716

What's crappy is that it's so arbitrary in Cali. It's sh!tty luck if you get a cop who decides that pulling you over just for tint is worth his time.

One time i got pulled over by CA Hwy Patrol once just for tint. After he did the flashlight check inside the car he just gave me a warning and said to get the tint removed. I was like WTF?

If they really want to make front tint illegal they should go after the retailers along with the drivers. This half-arse way of doing it now just creates a double-standard (bone-stock volvo with tint won't get pulled over) and fills governmental coffers.

And the cops argument that they can't see inside is true but what makes it more unlikely that the rear seat passenger behind legal tint is going to start blasting? I have to say that it is dangerous for cops to pull over cars with tint...if i was a cop i'd approach the car with gun drawn any and all cars.

peiqinglong

If memory serves me right...the originally intent of this CA law was due to drive by shootings. With the window tinted dark...the driver can vent the windows enough to fit a gun or weapon outside and shoot at someone without anyone being able to identify the driver. I always figured the cops would go after more "gangsta like" cars (no mean to stereotype of anything here) rather than a luxury car, but I can understand how a routine traffic stop can be something unnerving for a cop especially if they can't see into the car. My previous car was a 92 Maxima and I only had the back three windows tinted...really regreted not getting the front sides tinted. It feels so much more cooler now that my side windows are tinted on the CL! I don't know...I can understand a 5% front window tint to be illegal, but couldn't they just lower the tinting restriction slightly. I have a 28% tint on the side windows and the moment any light hits in...you can see at the very least shapes...with bright lights...it doesn't even look like the car is tinted. I don't know...

Richard

aepiua

I am out in CA as a student and I have no intention of becoming a CA resident. I still own a house in AZ and use that as my permanent residence. I would never want to give up my Univeristy of Arizona license plates and my drivers license that doesn't expire until 2044.

tdoh

Why should they go after the retailers? It's not like the retailers (e.g., tint shops) forced these people to tint their front windows really dark; as a matter of fact, I believe many tint places have a disclaimer basically saying that you acknowledge that it is illegal to put x% tint on the front windows (in those states where there are rules regarding front window tint) before they will go ahead and do so. I've heard of lots of people who got ticketed for illegal front tints and then b!tch and complain at the tint shop for not telling them about it and/or having to pay to have it removed.

Sure--it sucks getting pulled over and ticketed just for illegal tints and nothing else, but the fact remains--you broke a law, you need to own up and accept the consequences no matter how trivial the violation may be. You don't like the tint laws--go write your local congressman; b!tching about cops having nothing better to do ain't gonna change anything. And no--I'm not trying to be pro-cop or anything (although at the same time I do respect them for doing their jobs); just that it's just so lame for people to whine about getting busted for some trivial infraction.

Tony

16975

then youre all good my man... where ya going to school at?

16975

--- ditto! :p

aepiua

Law School, getting my LLM at Southwestern in downtown LA.

Alexxx

I would not go by that site. If the NY tint laws are wrong who knows if the site is wrong about other states. According to them front side windows are 70%. The legal is 35%

As far as the case, I see no way out. Unless you go to court and catch the cop when he is on vacation, that way he won't show up.

As they say, "If you play, you will pay"

jimster716

So you're saying that it's okay if the customer wants something illegal cuz you're all too willing to aid and abet for money? Disclaimer? Yeah those are about as useful as the fine print on accepting rights & limitations on internet websites...its there to make a gesture to say "hey we know its illegal and you should too but if you want it we can do it." Your family business would be ruined if you were the only shop in town that wouldn't apply illegal tint so that's why you do it. i sell import performance parts and half that stuff is questionable. it's not like i'm not on your side...i'm just saying it's kind of ridiculous this whole thing...if you want an analogy here's one...cops spend as much if not more time going after drug dealers as they do the junkies. The government goes after retailers that sell alcohol to minors because they know it's illegal for minors to possess alcohol.

does this mean i would vote for the gov't to go after tint shops..hell no cuz i like my tint! but in this arbitrariness about pulling over some but not all cars with tint if it's so important to these cops why don't they turn the heat up on the retailers or lawmakers to go after retailers?

and i wasn't *****ing about cops having nothing better to do...but the fact remains that being pulled over for tint is the most arbitrary citation dependent upon a cop's mood...i haven't been pulled over for my tint in the TL...but i did for my integra and supra and I've had my TL as long as those cars. Profiling? maybe...that's fine with me...a necessary evil to protect citizens. Do i b!tch about it? no...i sign the ticket and go on my way.

16975

why do people always think that when cops pull them over...the cop has nothing else better to do??? when you order a burger at mcdonalds..does the guy behind the counter take your order because he has nothing else better to do? no..he takes your order because thats his job...same thing with cops...thats their job..cops uphold the law as well as the vehicle code...you think cops like standing next to a freeway with cars going by 3 feet away at 70 mph risking their lives just to give you a ticket for your tint?!? heck no... but they do it...they do it because thats their job.

vperkins2

You gotta admit there are many vehicle codes to enforce and that window tinting can't be anywhere near the top. Hey, if you're pulling over Mercedes', BMW's, and Lexus' too, then there wouldn't be any room to complain. But I'm pretty sure the top-end cars aren't getting pulled over. Probably 'cause more powerful people drive 'em. More likely to know the Chief or the Mayor.

Anyway, if our lame Congressmen would pick a tint % that actually BLOCKED some sun -- they'd have more compliance. Hello -- It's hot in California! Tint (in moderation) is a good thing! Wonder if I took a stroll through the police/CHP parking lot how many tinting tickets I could give out!

V.

tdoh

I don't understand where you're coming from with this argument--you're saying that if they wanted to crack down on illegal sales such as front window tints they should go after the sellers as well as the buyers (sorta like going after the drug pushers as well as the users), yet you admit to performing a technically illegal activity (selling questionable import parts) which in itself would put you in the same boat as the tint shops. Are you implying that the police should come after you as well as the person who was caught using an illegal performance part in his car? By your reasoning earlier, the answer should be yes--correct?

Why should it be limited to tint retailers? IOW--would you feel the same way if people started getting pulled over for illegal bulbs or performance equipment (e.g., lowered springs)?

Well, some may argue that getting pulled over for no front license plate may be more nitpicky than front tints. And you think getting pulled over just for tints is bad? Try getting pulled over for having a clear cover over your rear license plate...

Tony

16975

tdoh made some good points. clear cover on
license plate = lame :yack:

jimster716

tdoh:
I'm trying to say that the whole tint thing is kind of ridiculous the way it's played out now...by the arbitrary decision of the police officer.

I was reminded of this thread today when 3 cop cars (2 torrance PD, 1 LAPD) were next to me at different times of the day...didn't get pulled over once...not for my dual 5" tips with stainless canisters, not for my front tint, not for my white turn signal, not for my coilover lowering, nor for the lack of a front license plate. My original post on this thread was to point this out. I'm in a unique location where depending on which block i'm on, the cops there are either Anaheim PD, Orange County Sheriffs, Stanton PD, Westminster PD, Garden Grove PD, and or CHP on the 22 fwy all within a mile of each other. But when I had my integra and supra i started to know Torrance PD and CHP by name.

Would I want them to bust down my door...no, not at all but the DOT has on the manufacturers such as those that made Altezza lamps. And the disclaimers that my company or anyone else in the industry offers are minimal attempts to protect oneself...let's face it...out of all the parts deemed for off-road use only, how many are actually only driven at the track? and how many companies can expect to be protected legally by a placard or posting? It's just about passing the buck and ultimate responsibility just like when i smoke a cigarette i shouldnt blame the tobacco companies for my decision (although perhaps they willingly deceive on the addictive properties and cancer potential).

Either way, would it be reasonable to go after retailers?...only if the governmental officials and police officers find it important enough to go after each and every offending motorist...they're not and to me thats what makes this whole thing kind of ridiculous. Find out how many cops along with their families have tint.

tdoh

I agree with you that it's somewhat of a waste of time to pull someone over just for something "relatively" trivial like front tints or no front license plate. But--for someone to imply that the guvmint should go after the retailers as well because he didn't like getting ticketed just for front tints is IMHO crying over sour grapes. Remember--it was the driver's/vehicle owner's choice to get the fronts tinted; no reputable tint shop would unsolicitely sell something like front tints. IOW--it's not like the tint shop is gonna say something like, "Hey, would you like to get your front windows tinted as well as your rears?" Just because he might have done something illegal (performing the illegal tint job) doesn't exonerate you of your illegal actions (asking to have your fronts tinted), which were done of your own free will.

Tony

pianoman41

Tony, IIRC you (or your family) is in this business and I don't want you to think this is directed at you specifically. I'm just passing along info about the law. Here in MA, a tint installer *can* be fined for installing tint in violation of the law. $250 fine. Personally, I think that's BS. If I want you to put 5% tint all the way around my car and I've got the $$$ to pay for it, you shouldn't have to police my behavior. I've never heard of it being enforced in my part of MA, but it is the law and could be. Excerpt from the law:

So in MA, even a dealer could get spanked for selling a car with illegal tint.