[Sutt]

Ok, I probably need to appoligize for posting this here. So, if this gets bumped some where else then sorry. I post here all the time and thought it would get more viewings.
While my finace and I are driving home from Atlanta to North GA we get pulled over after filling up for gas. To my surprise I get a %#*^ing ticket for tint.

My finace and I are totally surprised!! Her car is really not that dark. The cop or %#$#^hole, as we like to call him, used a device that supposedly measured the tint. My first question is: are these things accurate. Plus the dumby pulled us over when it was dark, he didn't even have his headlights on. So, her car is atlantic blue, and at night it looks black. This makes the tint look darker. I think I have a case here so I need some help. Do I have a case or is my steam that is coming from my ears just going no where? ARGH ARGH

I can take a speeding ticket but for crying out loud. TINT!

I mean I pay for this guys pay check and he pulls me over for tint. How can this guy sleep at night knowing that he pulled me over for tint and some haneous crime was comitted during this crappy stop he made.

 

[Mr_gimble]

Re: I am PISSED!!! please help (Sutt)

If he used a measuring device your most likely out of luck. IS the tint too dark? Come on just admit it... Its too dark isn't it? You know it is.

 

[Roy1.8T]

Re: I am PISSED!!! please help (Mr_gimble)

quote:[HR][/HR] If he used a measuring device your most likely out of luck. IS the tint too dark? Come on just admit it... Its too dark isn't it? You know it is.[HR][/HR]​

LMAO...
Well, yes they're supposed to be pretty accurate. Keep in mind that your car most likely already has a stock tint so your tint job is really adding to it. You may be over the legal limit and not even know...

Roy

 

[flipp]

Re: I am PISSED!!! please help (Mr_gimble)

1. what are the legal limits of tint in georgia?
2. what are the limits you had put on the car?
3. the guy is doing his job, yes that means even giving out tickets for dark tint.
4. he could use a light device, i've heard of cops just using a card with different shades of black that helps determine the % of tint.
5. if you went darker than legal, the installer probably had you sign a waiver. did you?

 

[chodite]

Re: I am PISSED!!! please help (Sutt)

Your "finance" must be back luck.... or did you mean - fiancé ??
Sorry... had to.

 

[agarc]

Re: I am PISSED!!! please help (Sutt)

Tint is one of those things (at least in my state) where you can't get pulled over just for the tint alone, you have to be speeding or doing some other moving violation - then they can slap on all the extra tickets for things like tint, neons, etc.
Sorry this happened to you. But, the cop was just doing his job... And because he/she used a measuring device, you don't really have much of a case... The evidence is against you. It would be different if they didn't use a measuring device.
Hope you find some sort of resolution/closure.

 

[CWaters]

Re: I am PISSED!!! please help (Sutt)

I can see your frustration at a ticket but I get a little tired of cops getting flamed all the time. Most of them are good honest folk doing a dangerous and often thankless job. Part of that job is enforcing traffic laws. And, believe me, many henious crimes happen in and around cars. But if you have some magic ability to predict where and when future henious crimes will happen, please, contact the police and I will fully support them preventing those crimes instead of doing traffic stops. Every time a cop approaches a car it crosses his mind that he might get shot. And heavy tint just increases that risk cause they cant see inside as well. Also, everyone knows that when you tint your car close to the limit you increase your "getting pulled" profile; that's just a fact of life.
Sorry, I know a lot of you (mee included) have probably had a bad experience with a cop at sometime, but they've got a job to do and you can't get mad at somebody for doing their job.

 

[rbenjami]

Re: I am PISSED!!! please help (agarc)

1) You broke the law
2) You got caught
3) Stop crying
sorry to sound insensitive, but rather than trying to blame someone else, how about taking responsibility and just dealing with it?

 

[billy-vr6]

Re: I am PISSED!!! please help (CWaters)

Tinted front windows endanger cops on routine traffic stops- they can't see the person in the car. Also, it is assinine to drive around , and expect to make eye contact with other drivers, something that in my opinion is necessary.... It's too bad you got a ticket, but really, you WERE breaking the law by the sounds of it!

 

[kcjetta]

Re: I am PISSED!!! please help (Sutt)

Sorry to hear about your situation. I have no idea about the laws in your state regarding PC for stops (if tints are considered PC for a stop or you have to have other cause such as speed or expired tag, etc.) or % of tint allowed. But in regards to tint meters, yes they do make them, and they are accurate.


[Modified by kcjetta, 3:23 PM 4-8-2002]

 

[Sutt]

Re: I am PISSED!!! please help (agarc)

Ok yes my fiance not finace.

Sorry just a little upset. We need to find the paper work on the tint job. Told the installer to make it the legal limit and it is not that dark. Just the right darkness. SOunds like I will be paying a fine. I need to find out what the legal limit is. Yes, I agree on the cops but when I live in a ******* part of GA and I see big trucks and jeeps over their height requirement it makes me made. Plus while I was pulled over a truck with darker tint drove by and it was jacked up. Just my luck lately I guess.

 

[rbenjami]

Re: I am PISSED!!! please help (kcjetta)

quote:[HR][/HR]Sorry to hear about your situation. I have no idea about the laws in your state regarding PC for stops (if tints are considered PC for a stop or you have to have other cause such as speed or expired tag, etc.) or % of tint allowed. [HR][/HR]​

Just a point of clarification:
A law enforcement officer can cite you for ANY infraction, no matter how small. In some areas a particular police department may have a POLICY that they won't issue a summons for violating the seatbelt law unless you were also breaking another law. This is strictly a nice thing they do to reduce the number of stops each officer makes. However, it does NOT mean that the officer can't decide to enforce the minor law if he (or she) wants to. There is no probable cause issue here. If your windows looked dark, he was well within his rights. I've gone on anti-tint rants before, so I'll spare you.

 

[landrumdh]

Re: I am PISSED!!! please help (Sutt)

Dude if they are legal and you CAN prove it don't pay.
Fight it but make sure you have ALL documentation.

 

[CWaters]

Re: I am PISSED!!! please help (rbenjami)

quote:[HR][/HR]
Just a point of clarification:
A law enforcement officer can cite you for ANY infraction, no matter how small. In some areas a particular police department may have a POLICY that they won't issue a summons for violating the seatbelt law unless you were also breaking another law. This is strictly a nice thing they do to reduce the number of stops each officer makes. However, it does NOT mean that the officer can't decide to enforce the minor law if he (or she) wants to. There is no probable cause issue here. If your windows looked dark, he was well within his rights. I've gone on anti-tint rants before, so I'll spare you.[HR][/HR]​

generally but not always true. Sometimes the statute will expressly provide that a violation is alone insufficient for a stop and can only be given in conjunction with another violation. SC's mandatory seat belt law was like that for a while. But generally any traffic violation, no matter how minor, justifies a stop, even if the "real" reason is that the officer wants to see if anything else is going on.

 

[samc]

Re: I am PISSED!!! please help (CWaters)

yes you do have a case. well not a case. I mean if you have proof a reputible place did the tints and they are legal within your states laws then, go to the judge (police judge) and pleed your case. I mean written proof is stronger then a fat beer belly donut eating fool carrying some device at night.
Just smile and know, your right and he's wrong. Something like this happend to me once and the judge completely voted towards my side..the cop felt pretty stupid after that.

SAmc

 

[Terragen]

Re: I am PISSED!!! please help (Sutt)

quote:[HR][/HR]I mean I pay for this guys pay check and he pulls me over for tint. [HR][/HR]​

You should have reminded him of this fact, cops love it.
Next time you get pulled over please tell the cop he can't give you a ticket because you're his boss

 

[JosephShaw]

Re: I am PISSED!!! please help (Terragen)

Those units are only as accurate as possible if they're calibrated, just like radar detectors. Most traffic lawyers get tickets dismissed because the Police Departments don't get them calibrated as often as they should. It could be that their tint tester might have the same issues. Either way, I bet dollars to donuts it's not been calibrated since delivery to the PD.

 

[kevdakaotic]

Re: I am PISSED!!! please help (Terragen)

Puts on NWA : FU*K the POLICE!

 

[Dangler]

Re: I am PISSED!!! please help (kevdakaotic)

in nj, i believe that tints on the front two doors, is illegal, but its only a secondary offense, meaning you can't get pulled over just for tints.....but if your caught speeding, or committing primary offense, then they can proceed to give you a ticket for the tints. seat belts where once secondary offenses, but now they can pull you over just for that....

 

[Henry]

Re: I am PISSED!!! please help (vwgolfbk1)

I'm locking this because it really doesn't have anything to do with MK4 Golf / Jettas.
But I would recommend you write your legislature and maybe start a petition to change the law.... I too got nailed for tinted front windows, here in cali