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Highway Patrol issues ticket for window tint

drmanny3

drmanny3

Experienced Member
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Location
Santa Barbara, CA, USA
:mad:My wife was driving our Prius which is white and was stopped at a stop sign when the Highway Patrol on her left going perpendicular to her pulled her over and wrote her up for window tint. So she did not do anything to attract his attention but he saw the window tint. So now we have a choice take it off or pay $190 to let them look the other way. What a bummer. I think this is a stupid ticket. The law states you cannot have anything on your driver/passenger window that is not part of the glass. Even if it is clear, it is a violation. I wish I could go to court and then ask the Judge to order that everyone in the employee lot (including the Judge's car be written up if they violated the regulation. That would be a lot of tickets. I generally respect the law but when they do give these types of tickets It really pisses me off. Can you imagine if at Cars and Coffee they went around and gave tickets for window tint. I mean this is really a double standard and a worthless violation. Anyone out there know how I can get through this without taking the tint off or paying the courtesy fine????

Manny:mad:
 
manny
if you ask around maybe you can find a friend that knows a cop that will sign off on the ticket. ..
 
Not sure how to fight it. I would be thankful it's just a fix it ticket. Usually the officers issue that in conjunction with other stuff. Most people I know just remove the tint to clear the ticket and put the tint back on later on. At least she doesn't have to go to traffic school.
 
Sorry to hear, that is BS. I've had 2 of those back in my old days (tint violation only, nothing else, Irvine cops!). Both times, I worked out a deal with the tint shop to include tint removal as part of the overall tinting cost (some place will do it for free). The job will be split in two where I will get the car signed off after removal, then come back for fresh tint. Few hundred $ and half a day of work. It's complete waste of time and money, but thankfully it didn't happen that many times.

What ticked me off is after the tint shop find out the reason I am doing this, they usually tell me how many cops would come in for car tints, along with their family and friends. Of course, they do all 5 windows, against the law.

I'd try to find a cop "friend" to sign off the ticket. It's probably the most economical and time efficient way.
 
Same thing happened to my wife in her stock Passat years back and to me in my car. Pulled over for tint only. Just consider yourself lucky that the cop wasn't a total jerk and check marked the box next to the violation that makes it non-dismissable.

That happened to me once. Instead of a simple fix-it ticket, you actually have to go into court just to show the judge that you had it fixed and signed off at the police station. Total waste of time.

Your best choices are to have a cop friend sign it off for you, or just remove it and get the fix-it ticket signed off. It's easy to remove yourself. Just peel the tint off in one big piece from each window. Then spray soapy water on the glass and use a razor blade to scrape the adhesive off. It'll take you 20-30min. You can then take it back to a tint shop after you have the fix-it ticket signed off and re-tint it. The two front side windows shouldn't cost you more than $50-$100 bucks total.
 
drmanny3 said:
:mad:My wife was driving our Prius which is white and was stopped at a stop sign when the Highway Patrol on her left going perpendicular to her pulled her over and wrote her up for window tint. So she did not do anything to attract his attention but he saw the window tint. So now we have a choice take it off or pay $190 to let them look the other way. What a bummer. I think this is a stupid ticket. The law states you cannot have anything on your driver/passenger window that is not part of the glass. Even if it is clear, it is a violation. I wish I could go to court and then ask the Judge to order that everyone in the employee lot (including the Judge's car be written up if they violated the regulation. That would be a lot of tickets. I generally respect the law but when they do give these types of tickets It really pisses me off. Can you imagine if at Cars and Coffee they went around and gave tickets for window tint. I mean this is really a double standard and a worthless violation. Anyone out there know how I can get through this without taking the tint off or paying the courtesy fine????

Manny:mad:
Click to expand...

My sister got a tint tix on her Prius recently for no other reason. I'd just remove the front window tint and call it a day. I think it was an inspection plus fine.
 
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Go to your dermatologist he/she can write you a prescription for your skin condition and the window tint is legal even if you have a clear UV film on the front. You would have to present this to the Judge at the court that sited the ticket.
 
Manny, the ticket sucks, for sure. I see nothing wrong with some tint on front side windows but I really hate it when someone has the super dark tint and you can't see the driver. It's not good when you get to a four-way stop and you can't see the other driver to tell if they are going to go or not, you know what I mean? Just had that happen on Friday. I'm flagging the other driver to go ahead and they're just sitting there. I can't see the driver to know what's going on. :confused:
 
ss_md said:
Go to your dermatologist he/she can write you a prescription for your skin condition and the window tint is legal even if you have a clear UV film on the front. You would have to present this to the Judge at the court that sited the ticket.
Click to expand...

NOPE !!!!! that will NOT work.... the prescriptions are ONLY good if you use the TEMPORARY shades... you the kind that sticks on the window with suction cups and can be pulled down like a window shade....

and BTW... the reason cops write those tickets is because of NOT being able to see inside the car when conducting traffic stops.... cant see the driver... or their actions.... nver know whose behind the tint....
 
ONEADAM12 said:
NOPE !!!!! that will NOT work.... the prescriptions are ONLY good if you use the TEMPORARY shades... you the kind that sticks on the window with suction cups and can be pulled down like a window shade....
Click to expand...
That's not what I was told but now you have given contradicting info. Thanks
 
trust me !!!!!!!!!! a prescription does NOT allow you to have permanent window tint.....
 
I hate those dark tinted windows and so do the cops. They can't see who is behind the glass or what they are doing.

A long time ago, I thought about tinting my windows when someone remarked "why would you tint the windows- I want evryone to see its me driving the NSX".
 
The last 2 tint tickets I got I just paid it off and didn't remove it.

The problem isn't removing the tint, it's the amount of time you waste taking it off, going the court then getting it signed off then paying the fine. It's cheaper to just pay the big fine and not waste your time.

I understand the cops point of view but I can't stand the glare.
 
Removal is the easy out.
You were fortunate that is all the cop asked for.
Here, tint shops can be fined for applying the tint.
The law is very black and white. After market tinting front side windows isn't allowed. You will not win the fight in court. Just because every one has or does it, doesn't make it right.
Factory tint isn't always dark enough. Is there a spray on product that looks more like the factory tint and cannot be peeled?
 
When I came to this country (now 32 years ago) I was warned about two things to watch for: too much relish in your hot dog and people who say : "Trust me" and "I can guarantee".
 
bboxer said:
When I came to this country (now 32 years ago) I was warned about two things to watch for: too much relish in your hot dog and people who say : "Trust me" and "I can guarantee".
Click to expand...

OK... put tint on your windows... get a doctors note.... get a ticket.... then go to court and try to get it dismissed.... if you do, i will buy you a lunch :smile:
 
Pay the $190 and move on. The tint alone costs more than that typically.
 
NSXinNC said:
Pay the $190 and move on. The tint alone costs more than that typically.
Click to expand...

You can usually get a decent tint for about $60 or less for both front windows. The expensive stuff is ceramic tint.

But the expensive part is the amount of time you waste doing it. Removing tint from each window is about 5-10 mins per side, then you have go to a tint shop and wait for them to tint the windows. Then you go to the courthouse to sign it off and pay the fine.

Huge waste of time...
 
Speaking of tickets, I'm off to court this morning. My last written declaration for speeding didn't work, and I was "guilty". :frown: I'm going in this morning to ask the judge to let me go to traffic school.
 
Malibu Rapper said:
You can usually get a decent tint for about $60 or less for both front windows. The expensive stuff is ceramic tint.

But the expensive part is the amount of time you waste doing it. Removing tint from each window is about 5-10 mins per side, then you have go to a tint shop and wait for them to tint the windows. Then you go to the courthouse to sign it off and pay the fine.

Huge waste of time...
Click to expand...

Cost a lot more here then, cause for $60 bucks you get a pat on the back and told sorry you need to look elsewhere.
 
ss_md said:
Go to your dermatologist he/she can write you a prescription for your skin condition and the window tint is legal even if you have a clear UV film on the front. You would have to present this to the Judge at the court that sited the ticket.
Click to expand...

ONEADAM12 said:
NOPE !!!!! that will NOT work.... the prescriptions are ONLY good if you use the TEMPORARY shades... you the kind that sticks on the window with suction cups and can be pulled down like a window shade....

and BTW... the reason cops write those tickets is because of NOT being able to see inside the car when conducting traffic stops.... cant see the driver... or their actions.... nver know whose behind the tint....
Click to expand...

You both are correct to an extent. . . You can't have any dark tint in the front, but you can have "clear" or 70% light transmittance film. You'll need a note for the temporary shades from a Doctor, but not for the clear UV tint. .

CA Vehicle Code 26708
http://dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d12/vc26708.htm

For Window Film attached to the side windows or "tint".
CA Vehicle Code 26708(d) said:
Notwithstanding subdivision (a), 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 the certificate 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 ( )3 meet the requirements of this subdivision and the certificate 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.
Click to expand...

Thus the front side windows may have a window film in CA if allows more than 70% of light in. The film cannot be reflective in any way.

As for notes from doctors and sunshades:
CA Vehicle Code 26708(b) said:
(10) Sun screening devices meeting the requirements of Section 26708.2 installed on the side windows on either side of the vehicle's front seat, if the driver or a passenger in the front seat has in his or her possession a letter or other document signed by a licensed physician and surgeon certifying that the person must be shaded from the sun due to a medical condition, or has in his or her possession a letter or other document signed by a licensed optometrist certifying that the person must be shaded from the sun due to a visual condition. The devices authorized by this paragraph shall not be used during darkness.
Click to expand...


Here's a simplified table that just reads out the basics to the Vehicle Code:
http://www.tintcenter.com/laws/CA/
 
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