I was driving home today and I had my daughter in the backseat of my RX8. On the freeway we jumped onto the carpool lane and we passed a CHP. Immediately he pulled right in behind me and once there was a shoulder avaliable he pulled me over. I knew he hadn't seen my daughter in the backseat and I was sure he was going to attempt to write me up for being in the carpool lane. As he approached my car my daughter popped her head up to see what was going on and I thought that he was just going to tell me he didn't see her and was going to send me on my way. Instead he walks up to the car and tells me he is giving me a fix-it ticket for window tinting. While my back 3 windows are very dark, my 2 side windows are very light and easily seen through. I was under the impression that in CA you can tint the side windows up to as long as there in 70% visibility. I am thinking of fighting the ticket, but I want to make sure my facts are correct.

 

Did you get his autograph, it could had been Erick Estrada. (CHIPS) lol.

 

No tint is allowed on any of the front windows in California.

You are less likely to get a ticket with a 70% visibility, but it is still against the vehicle code.

 

Wow, just move to Texas. The legal limit on the sides was 30, and you can have limo black 5% on the rear. That's why I'm keeping my Texas plates here in NC.

 

Oh well. You take the risk.

 

Wow, that sucks. My guess is he was going to pull you over for a Carpool violation and when he spotted your daughter, he didn't want to feel dumb so he got picky.
In California, you can tint the rears as DARK as you want but no front tint is allowed.

You'll have to get it removed and signed off on. Call who ever did your tint... most of those places will remove the tint for free and reapply it at a discount.

 

To be a little more accurate - no tint other than stock is allowed. Tint is allowed, but only as it comes off the show room floor.

 

you tinted your car in an illegal fashion, and you got caught for it. Just what exactly are you gonna be fighting on the ticket? sounds like sour grapes to me.

 

huh? No tint allowed on the front windows unless it's the tint shading that's already in the glass. (5% I believe)

 

when i was living in CA ... cops there will give you any reason to pull you over

 

how much is the fix-it ticket? i just pay the front plate ticket as many times as they give it to me. think of it as a 'vanity tax'.

there are many laws that are unjust. however, side window tinting is to protect the officers that come up to a car so they can see if a weapon is leveled at them through the window or not. dont really want them nervous since they have a gun too.

 

Absolutely! The second an officer throws his lights on to pull me over, first thing I do is lower the windows, turn on the overhead lights, and sit still with BOTH hands on the wheel.

 

Here they never follow up on fix-it tickets. I have been given a few over the years and never went to get them checked up on again. Have been pulled over since as well.

 

what state you live in?

 

Fix it tickets here in CA are like 35 bucks.

 

it's still a hassle though... i agree with what jedi said. he probably just didn't want to look dumb. i see cars all over town w/ windows tinted so dark u can't even make out if the driver is male/ female. it's just a stupid game of luck.

 

I'm waiting to get nailed for this...my front windows are easily seen-through but still noticeably tinted, bought it that way (from a dealer no less.) I also don't have a front plate but I've seen a lot of cars like this. I'll fix it when I get the ticket.

 

"some" police in CA tend to do that... pull you over something they think is wrong, but then they realize their wrong or a mistake they find another excuse to write you up.....
(story) one time i cut off a police car on the street and they pulled me over, said i didnt give right of way.. I looked at him and said,"..oh yeaaaa" . then back up came and 20min they just gave me a fix it ticket for covered L plate??? those idiots...but they are some cops that really dont care,seen it may times...

but i stll want to do a light tint on my car...

 

i do that also... even read it from police dude that wrote a article bout cars and getting pulled over...

 

THE REAL ANSWER!!!!!
There is no law against window tint. There is however a law about mirrors.
Once a window is tinted, it is considered completely solid. ( non see thru ) The LAW says you have to have AT LEAST 2 rear view mirrors.
SO . . . . .
If you only have one side mirror, you can not even tint the rear window.
For those with 2 side mirrors, rear tint is okay, side tint MUST be cut so that the driver can see the outside rearview mirrors.
Or solution 2, get a couple rearview cameras with 2 seperate displays. This will keep you legal

 

WRONG!!!!!!!

CALIFORNIA CODES
VEHICLE CODE

26708. (a) (1) No person shall drive any motor vehicle with any
object or material placed, displayed, installed, affixed, or applied
upon the windshield or side or rear windows.

If your'e bored, you can look up the rest: http://home.pcisys.net/~bpc/auto_law/tint/tint_ca.html

 

Funny, I have had mine written of twice after cutting a small hole for the line of sight to the mirror

26708. (a) (1) No person shall drive any motor vehicle with any
object or material placed, displayed, installed, affixed, or applied
upon the windshield or side or rear windows.

And that paragraph would also make it illegal to have any rear window tint as well.

 

other than the fact that you may have been born/raised there, I cannot see any reason to live in california. You have emissions ****'s, overzealous cops, high cost of living, traffic, smog, and various other undesireable elements of society.

Of course, some might say Tn is boring and shitty too, though.

 

Reasons to live in CA: (SoCal)
1) probably the best freakin' weather in the country
2) HOTTEST girls ever
3) No tornadoes, tsunamis, or hurricanes
4) The Beach
5) HOTTEST girls ever
6) It hardly ever rains! (your car stays clean)
7) No need to switch wheels and tires for the winter or get a 'winter beater'
8) It's not hot and humid here like other parts (**cough cough Florida **cough cough**)
9) HOTTEST girls EVER
10) If you live in Socal: LA is an hour to the north, San Diego is an hour south, and MEXICO is only 90 minutes away. You can party like a rock star every single weekend if you're into that stuff!
11) HOTTEST GIRLS EVER

 

Jedi . . . you forgot to mention the women


Hottest girls anywhere