Most expensive tail lights violation ever!!!

[HarriSSon]

Cops don't make the laws. However, they are under oath to enforce them. Not trying to be rude, but they're just doing their job. Say one cop overlooks tinted tail light because he disagrees with the law, so would it be right for another cop to decide he doesn't agree with drug laws and not enforce those?

[6bangerBOOM]

Painted?!? That's why you got the ticket man. Painting your tail lights is potentially disastrous. Tinting still let's plenty of light through, but good lord man. Remove the paint.

[JustRaf]

learned my lesson in a hardway. now back to legal.

[Valpo1]

Originally Posted by MBS

The Ticket was given because he had blacked taillights and it must be stopped ,top priority. Not much else to do for law enforcement in California , No crime or anything , ,

Yes, it must be stopped. There is most likely not a state in the country that does not assign LEO to road safety including moving violations or vehicle safety hazards. The notion of invalidating an entire state because someone was fined for vehicle safety violation on a vehicle is just a little nutty.

[Valkyrja]

I think that blacked out tails can look okay but that should really be for shows, etc. The reason being that people tend to go too dark with it. I was behind someone with lightly tinted tails. They looked good and I was able to see the braking and signaling just fine. Then there was the Honda that had the super dark tint done and I could barely make out that they were braking. If I had not kept a really good following distance I probably would have nailed them.

Comes down to it though, the law is the law. You can always try to petition, etc to get it changed. May take years and years and a bit of compromise but it can probably be done.

[ChocoTaco369]

I used Headlight Armor to tint my tail lights. But here's the thing - they offer different grades of tint. 50%, 30% and 20%. I went with 30% because it looked better, still shows some red reflection and - yes - it protects the tail lights, which was important to me as well. I chose NOT to go to totally black because I don't want a reason to be ticketed. I would never spray them jet black. That's a terrible idea IMO, especially when tint that protects the lights and can be removed in a matter of seconds is so, so cheap.

But here is my main issue - brake lights are either ON or OFF. There is no in between. The tinting does not show at ALL when the brake lights are activated. Having an element of reflection while the lights are OFF - how exactly does that make things safer? If anything, having too much reflection could cause someone to think you're braking when you aren't, and that's a bigger safety issue.

If your tinting interferes with the look of the lights while the brake is depressed, you have major problems. In my case, there is zero function interference from the tinting material.

[DP Valentino]

Originally Posted by jamesfg49

Amen.

Back in the day when I used to drive out to Kommiefornia for car shows with my XB, on multiple occasions CHP would see me coming from the other direction (usually no front license plate and tint) flip a uturn and follow me until they saw my AZ plates then peel off.

Tickets, IMHO, in Kommiefornia is just a way to subsidize a failing government that can't budget it's money.

[Norm Peterson]

Originally Posted by ChocoTaco369

I used Headlight Armor to tint my tail lights. But here's the thing - they offer different grades of tint. 50%, 30% and 20%. I went with 30% because it looked better, still shows some red reflection and - yes - it protects the tail lights, which was important to me as well. I chose NOT to go to totally black because I don't want a reason to be ticketed. I would never spray them jet black. That's a terrible idea IMO, especially when tint that protects the lights and can be removed in a matter of seconds is so, so cheap.

But here is my main issue - brake lights are either ON or OFF. There is no in between. The tinting does not show at ALL when the brake lights are activated. Having an element of reflection while the lights are OFF - how exactly does that make things safer? If anything, having too much reflection could cause someone to think you're braking when you aren't, and that's a bigger safety issue.

If your tinting interferes with the look of the lights while the brake is depressed, you have major problems. In my case, there is zero function interference from the tinting material.

What about the running lights, which aren't nearly as bright as the brake lamp filaments.

It'd suck if you were parked on a dark street with the parking lights on - and your car's left rear corner still got clipped because it wasn't visible enough.


Norm

[Snidely Whiplash]

Hell, an expired inspection sticker cost me $52.50 back in 1983. Most local Texas cities were $20 to $35 for the ticket. The jerkoff town I got it in, generated revenue through traffic tickets.

[Snidely Whiplash]

Originally Posted by Comrando

So when you are parked at night on the right side of the street a car coming from behind you can see you?

^^^^^^^This
Bicycles ridden at night MUST have reflectors on them or face a fine, there's no reason a VEHICLE is exempt.

[Daltronic]

if they cant see a car on side of the road they need there eyes checked and new headlights pretty hard to miss even a black car on side of road if actually paying attention to the road ... just saying street lights exist and so do headlights .. especially in a city so much light pollution it's never actually pitch black out

[Snidely Whiplash]

Originally Posted by Pluto

the more I read about California the more I feel for the people who live there...I have never been, but I just can't imagine living in a place that's so contradicting...lets legalize weed, but you cant put long tubes or blacked out tail lights on your car...I know weed brings the money in, but seriously think about it..California is ridiculous

Originally Posted by Est.July.4.1776

Yep, I won't even vacation there. Too many laws, too little freedom.

I too, refuse to visit a state that does not recognize the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution. Let the Commies regulate themselves into oblivion. I'll soon be moving back to Florida anyway. FLORIDA will let me bring my toys...MGs and suppressors are legal there as they are in Texas.

[Camarolover85]

nevermind haha.

[Norm Peterson]

Originally Posted by Daltronic

if they cant see a car on side of the road they need there eyes checked and new headlights pretty hard to miss even a black car on side of road if actually paying attention to the road ... just saying street lights exist and so do headlights .. especially in a city so much light pollution it's never actually pitch black out

You can't just look at best case scenarios to justify making your car harder to spot. It's under the adverse conditions where problems are more likely to arise, and taillights tinted such that their reflector function is disabled represents at least contributory negligence on your part, possibly worse.


Norm