Smoked head/taillights legal or not in VA?

[Infern0]

Yeah, I had a tinted plate cover too and he let me out of that because I took it off right there (thinking I was gonna get away from both), but he still wrote the ticket for the tail lights. He was a dick; and not just because he was "doing his job". I said: "I'm sorry I thought I was OK since it passed inspection and you could still see light through it. It's even smoked lighter than my window tint which is also legal". He said "OK" and that was it as he walked off. Didn't tell me we were done or anything just walked off after saying OK, got on his bike and rode off leaving me there.

[SILVERHAWK]

Originally Posted by Infern0

Yeah, I had a tinted plate cover too and he let me out of that because I took it off right there (thinking I was gonna get away from both), but he still wrote the ticket for the tail lights. He was a dick; and not just because he was "doing his job". I said: "I'm sorry I thought I was OK since it passed inspection and you could still see light through it. It's even smoked lighter than my window tint which is also legal". He said "OK" and that was it as he walked off. Didn't tell me we were done or anything just walked off after saying OK, got on his bike and rode off leaving me there.

MMMM, I guess I can see where you are coming from, but as a person thats "on the other side" remember one thing "we" hear a ton of excuses for everything. I'm not saying you are lying its just that it most likely shouldn't have been passed thats probably why he didn't really engage you any further. Especially if the tint can be removed and put back on. He was probably thinking... Okay, yeah you took it off, went thru inspection without the tint on, and then put it back on. Its a logical sequence of events and lots of people do it. I know alot of exhausts are done that way especially on Harleys.

(Side note DE DMV got sued for noise testing and making people change their exhausts..so for right now they stopped checking them. )

"We" are trained not to get into any "arguments/in depth discussions" over the violation in question... thats what Courts are for. Number 1 reason.... its an officer safety issue... the longer I'm standing out there next to your vehicle unprotected, the more dumb s--- can happen.
So he may not have been being a d---, he just didn't want to have any further discussion on the matter out there on the road.
Now if he didn't give you a fully professional explanation of how to take care of your citation thats a different matter..ya still have to be "professional"
I don't know how your inspections work. Here we have to go to DMV and go thru their inspection lane and its free. If you can go thru an inspection again and get someone to sign off on the taillights I would do so and take the citation to Court. But realistically they probably shouldn't be legal and make it thru inspection.
My last comment to you would have been the above if you can show me proof that it will pass, then bring it to Court and I will take care of the citation.