Got a ticket for tint. How to get it off?

[AlPicone]

I was driving yesterday when some cop walked over to me at a red light. He was just sitting there pulling over cars. So he says he is gonna give me a ticket for blue lights that I had in my corner lights and my tint cause its too dark. I tried to talk to him but he was like, listen kid its cold out here just give me your lisence, registration and insurance card. Well my insurance card was expired so he gave me a ticket for that also.
So the insurance card ticket I get off cause I just send in a copy of my valid card, the blue lights I get off cause I changed the bulbs and got a letter prom the precinct, but how do I get off the ticket for the tint? It is 35% and it is really light. What is the legal limit? Any suggestions?

Oh, ya this is in NY.

TIA

[Hoosier Daddy]

Here ya go:

http://www.doityourselftint.com/tintlaws.html

[Paul T. Casey]

Your motor vehicle department will know how dark tint may be, and they should have a meter to tell you if it's within legal limits. Sounds to me the friendly LEO was having a PMS-y type day.

[RCSignals]

He just gave a ticket for tint without measuring ?

[Bigdogjim]

Not to "pick" on you but whats up with blue lights??

[CRUZTAKER]

I live in Ohio:o

Very strict tint laws. All the damn kids with that blackout tint blew it for us years ago,...ok, I was one of them. The governer put the word out several years ago to crack down on illegal tint statewide.

And some communities, including the OSP, have really cracked down. Even Cleveland of all places, where one cannot get a ticket if you asked for one.

KEY ISSUE IN OHIO, they MUST have a tint tester to legally issue a citation.
Don't get me wrong, some cities don't have them, or only have one or two, and yes, they will issue without testing. I had an OSP officer stop me for tint on the turnpike a few years back, he did not have a tester, and I brought that to his attention. Not only that, but the tint was the ONLY reason he stopped me. I was polite, and added, without a test, there were no grounds for any citation. He let me go, but added, "if I see you come past again, I will ticket you..."
Yeah, right:bs:
I did get stopped in a west cleveland suburb a short time later, same car, and this guy not only tested me at 25%, I was required to remove the tint, and bring my vehicle back to the station for inspection once I had done so, or a warrant would be issued for my arrest. Tint gone...as well as $100 to remove it.

Now in the present, I have 50% on the MM. Legal in Ohio, BUT measured over the factory tint on our cars, it ups to about 40%.
So far I have been lucky, for some reason, most LEO's overlook this car, as long as I am minding my own biz.

Blue lights of any nature are illegal in most of the U.S.
Get rid of them, it's not worth the trouble.

I have alot of luck in court, take the tint ticket to court and tell the judge the officer didn't test your windows, he just assumed. Feeling lucky?

I'd do it:cool4:

[captJ696]

Al, Welcome to the site. Sorry to about your ticket issue however you have two choices: 1) Fight the summons because the cop failed to use the proper apperatus measuring device. 2) Take the tint off and on your court date show a receipt verifing the tint was removed. As far as I know 35% tint is legal in New York State. Good Luck! :up:

[AlPicone]

Not to "pick" on you but whats up with blue lights??
I had them cause they look nice. They arent in the turn signal, its in the corner light that lights up when you put on your turn signal when your headlights are on.
Before I put them in I asked a cop and he told me that only if some real jerk stops you he can find some code that you are in violation of and ticket you. He said most cops have more inportant things do do then waste thier time writing tickets for dumb things like that. Guess it looks like I found one of those. Actually two of them cause this is the second time I got a ticket for them. So I finally took them out. Oh well, back to white for me.

[AlPicone]

Actually the guy did use a tint meter. It measured the tint as only letting by 30% of light. He said 70% is the legal limit. My windows looked much darker than they usually do because they were very dirty from all the salt and snow.

Any legal ground for claiming that the meter was inaccurate if I produce a reciept showing that my tint is 35%, or no chance cause 35 is still illegal.

[CRUZTAKER]

ok, now that you clarify it WAS tested....your options depend on how your ticket is handled.

Sometimes, you just plead guilty, pay the fine, and it's all done.

Sometimes, they want to inspect the vehicle. Then you gotta go back to a tinter and have it removed. Ironically enough, the place that put it on, likely takes it off as well. They make good money doing both!

BTW: The link above is good, your tint is technically illegal in N.Y.

Do it at 50% next time, cross your fingers, and live with it.:depress:

[Alan]

You had to ask a police officer before you installed the blue lights? This shows you knew the answer beforehand and knew it was illegal. I would have written you, too.

The window tint was measured with a device and was shown to be illegal in NY? Pay the fine and be done with it.

[TheDealer]

Window tint is legal for PA state inspection, but Phila. has a law where no tint whatsoever is legal unless you have a permit for it. The only people that can get a permit are people that need it for their business such as Limos and Undertakers!!! Now what about all the SUV with factory black winows, that's OK!!!! :confused: :confused:

[LincMercLover]

70%?!?! What the hell would be the point?!?! That's just retarded in my opinion... Mine's 15% all around and limit's 35% and cops just look at my car cause of what it is I guess... not to pull me over for it! Hell, my buddy put 35% on his windsheild, and 5% on everything else on his Mustang. He hasn't gotten anything! Some cops... :mad2:

As for the blue light thing, that shouldn't have even mattered, seeing how it's not a full-time functioning light. As long as you have running, brake, turn, and head lights within legal limits, then what would a courteousy lamp or vanity lamp matter? That'd be like me getting a ticket for having neon in my grille... Dumb... :shake:

[Alan]

LML,

These things vary by state to state. As long as you stay in compliance with your state laws, you will be okay.

In Texas, legal window tint is clearly stated in the Transportation Code. It also states that lights on/at the front of the vehicle will be white/amber/yellow only. Never seen where it shows that "blue" is okay.

Edited to add:
I'll look to see what the Texas Transportation code says about the side signal markers.

[Bigdogjim]

As for the blue light thing, that shouldn't have even mattered, seeing how it's not a full-time functioning light. As long as you have running, brake, turn, and head lights within legal limits, then what would a courteousy lamp or vanity lamp matter? That'd be like me getting a ticket for having neon in my grille... Dumb... :shake:


OK! Blue light in cornering light I agree it not a full time light only a "conveniece" light.

Now neon in your grill? :confused: :shake:

[Alan]

Found what I was looking for:

Texas Transportation Code:

547.324. Turn Signal Lamps Required
(1) a white or amber light, or a color between white and
amber, if the lamp is mounted on the front of the vehicle

AND

547.332. Other Lamps Permitted
A motor vehicle may be equipped with:
(1) not more than two side cowl or fender lamps that emit an
amber or white light without glare;

Be sure to check your state laws. YMMV

[Marauder57]

I guess things are just slow in Brooklyn NY...... :sleepy:

[Krytin]

I had problems with blue lights on my '68 Cougar XR-7 back in '76. In NYS lights on the front of the vehicle have to be white or amber and rear are white or red. I had the front turn signal/parking lights, cornering lights, back-up lights and rear license light bulbs dyed blue. The car was painted metalic Fire Mist Blue and the combination was pretty cool (at least when I was 17!). The officer that pulled me over first asked if I was a volunteer fireman or emergency personel, when I told him I wasn't he filled me in on the above regulations and told me to get in compliance - no ticket!

[LincMercLover]

It also states that lights on/at the front of the vehicle will be white/amber/yellow only. Never seen where it shows that "blue" is okay.
It's not at the front, it's at the side. ;)

[Alan]

Per my post above:

547.332. Other Lamps Permitted
A motor vehicle may be equipped with:
(1) not more than two side cowl or fender lamps that emit an
amber or white light without glare;


It's not at the front, it's at the side. ;)

[SergntMac]

My MM.net says the next post up is "How old are ya?"

I'm paging forward, thanks for the entertainment.

[bigslim]

I got a ticket this summer for my windows because they profile MM's. Here in the Motor City MM's are one of the cars of choice for drug dealers. Also tint is illegal on the front two windows no matter how light it may be. I went to court but cop did not show. Now I have a letter form my doctor for my tint.

[vegasmarauder]

Tint out here in Vegas is technically illegal too, but it's almost mandatory if you want to survive a summer driving a black car. That's not to say you won't get stopped and cited if you act/drive like a bu!#head though. As for the light issue, it's an offshoot of the federal standard which is means that only white/amber to the front and red to the rear, except for amber rear turn signals (that also includes those little lights on the wiper pivots and license plate bolts too). This is only when the car is operated on a road. Parked on private property you could have as many as you can stand.

[Petrograde]

I live in Ohio:o

Very strict tint laws. All the damn kids with that blackout tint blew it for us years ago,...ok, I was one of them.

:lol: me too Barry. I had 5% on my Trans Am when I lived in Lakewood. I never got a ticket but the cops followed me all the time. :rolleyes:

Alan,... thanks for the clarification on the Transportation code here in the Republic. :up:

Tom

[evillally]

To remove your tint, wait for a warm and sunny day. Then, your're supposed to saturate the area with ammonia. Let it dry for a couple of hours, then razor off both layers of film.

I've seen this done a few times. Here's a link with a similar instruction:
http://www.tintdude.com/remove.html

Good Luck...

[Dr Caleb]

It's not at the front, it's at the side. ;)

Codes vary. Around here, a blue light *anywhere* on your vehicle is illegal. A red light on the front is illegal. Any tint on the windshield or front doors is illegal.

Of course, I see lots of blue lights on vehicles and usually they have the front windows (not windshield) tinted. The police have better things to do, but every spring they have roving safety checks - looking for stuff just like that. :) If they catch tint on the front windows, they make you remove it, then and there. Get out the pocket knife, or call a tow truck :)