Window Tint

[RickyTheStorm]

Okay - thought I would just start a little conversation on this since there is controversy over the issue.

First off - this isn't a debate on legality - this is a debate on right to pull over.

So - the question is, does a police officer have the right to pull you over for window tint or must you have committed another infraction for them to get you on it? I know I know - police can manage to say anything, like hitting a line you must have been drinking, etc.

The point I am trying to make is some things they cannot pull you over for unless you do something else. For example, I am a PA resident, I must have an inspection every year. If I don't have a sticker on my window they cannot pull me over for that alone, they must get me for another infraction that is a moving violation.

The question is, do tinted windows fall in this category?

Let the debates begin!

Oh - as to my understanding, they cannot pull you over for tinted windows, you must commit another infraction - but that is why if I get pulled over both windows go all the way down and dome lights come on.

[TommyTSquared]

Moving and Non-moving Violations
The names of these types of violations offer a good idea of what they encompass.A moving violation refers to a traffic violation committed by a moving vehicle while a non-moving violation is related to a car that is not in motion. Generally moving violations are considered more severe -- and the fines are higher -- than for non-moving violations because of the potential for an accident or other dangers. Moving violations include running a red light or stop sign, DWI/DUI and speeding. Tickets for non-moving violations are usually for parking violations, such as parking more than 18 inches from a curb, parking in front of a fire hydrant, parking in a no-parking zone or parking beside an expired meter. Illegal vehicle modifications or faulty equipment can also merit a ticket for a non-moving violation. If your window tint is darker than the law allows or if you have illegal lights on you car, a police officer may issue you a ticket. These infractions count as non-moving violations no matter if you received the ticket while parked or after being pulled over by an officer.

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/car-dr...fic-ticket.htm

[onechuck]

I live in Texas and they can pull you over for anything and say "I have probable cause". Yes they can pull you over for just window tint.

[Chevyg1rl]

You can be pulled over for window tint in California.

[brtaus]

Honestly, it doesn't matter if they can or can't; if they want to pull you over they will and they will any excuse to pull you over. If they see you have dark tint and they want to pull you over, they will and say you crossed a line, made an illegal turn, were following to closely, etc...

[the upcoming]

yah i got pulled over in a previous ride i had blacked out cause of my tint and ended up getting in trouble from other stuff...needless to say the tint was pulled off the next day

[Wizzer]

Originally Posted by RickyTheStorm

Okay - thought I would just start a little conversation on this since there is controversy over the issue.

First off - this isn't a debate on legality - this is a debate on right to pull over.

So - the question is, does a police officer have the right to pull you over for window tint or must you have committed another infraction for them to get you on it? I know I know - police can manage to say anything, like hitting a line you must have been drinking, etc.

The point I am trying to make is some things they cannot pull you over for unless you do something else. For example, I am a PA resident, I must have an inspection every year. If I don't have a sticker on my window they cannot pull me over for that alone, they must get me for another infraction that is a moving violation.

The question is, do tinted windows fall in this category?

Let the debates begin!

Oh - as to my understanding, they cannot pull you over for tinted windows, you must commit another infraction - but that is why if I get pulled over both windows go all the way down and dome lights come on.

I feel most (not all) cops have better things to do that rag on people for window tint. Now since the economy is so poor and budgets are lower now for all the townships I can see this would be a bad time to expect a break. Typically your window tint would be an added ticket to another reason for being pulled over. That is such a judgement call it would be hard to answer this question for all the possible areas in the USA. Thank god GA lets us tint to a fairly dark level. The sun is killer out here.

[brtaus]

Legal tint in GA is 32%; I don't consider that "fairly" dark at all.

[Wizzer]

Originally Posted by brtaus

Legal tint in GA is 32%; I don't consider that "fairly" dark at all.

I do when the sun goes down and I have to try and back up.

[Black5thgen]

A cop can you pull you over for what ever he wants, period. It doesn't matter what the law states.

[mackvenom1]

I was pulled over for only tinted windows in NYC. It's a great story:

I was home from college for a week, so I drove down to my high school to pay some old teachers a visit. Driving home near rush hour, there was heavy traffic on Madison Ave. Once I got to about 128th street or so (in Harlem), there was a cop standing literally right in the middle of the road, walking amongst the cars in traffic. When he got to my car he waved me over to the side of the road.

When he approached my car, I asked what I could do for him. He told me he was part of a special Harlem Task Force against crime/to improve police-community relations (giving out tickets is a greaaaaaaat start, btw, NYPD!). He said that my window tints were too dark, and took a meter out of his pocket to measure the tint. He asked if my tints were factory or aftermarket and I told him they were aftermarket. He said only factory tints like ::that one:: were allowed. He was pointing to a parked Benz, with literally ZERO tint. I said, "I'm sorry officer, that's not a tinted window. At all."

He explained that tints are illegal for police safety. I said that police are generally safe regardless of what color my windows are. Then he said that they are illegal for my safety. (I know about safety glass.) I told him that if they are conducting a traffic stop, they just want to be able to snoop around in the car. It's not for my safety, it's for them.

Being fairly pissed off and inconvenienced, I remembered that those livery cabs (not the trademark yellow cabs, but the tons of other Town Cars and Crown Vics that are all blacked out) always had near-limousine tints. So, I responded further, "Officer, THAT is what a tint is," and pointed at one of the blacked-out culprits. He said, "You know what, you're right," and ran over to the cab and told him to pull over.

I still got a ticket, but only for 1 window (he claimed he could give me a ticket for the four door windows). I did pay the $60 fine. I did not remove the tint. The cop and I were friendly the whole time despite the comments back and forth. I'm glad he saw I was just being honest and stating my opinion and he took no disrespect.

I'm just sick of cops saying they hate tinted windows because they want to see everything during a traffic stop... they want to be safe. If you want to feel safe, A) don't stop the car or B) become a gardner! It's a dangerous job. You'd spot a weapon on our person a lot faster if we all drove around naked, but that's not allowed is it?

[RickyTheStorm]

Originally Posted by mackvenom1

I was pulled over for only tinted windows in NYC. It's a great story:

I was home from college for a week, so I drove down to my high school to pay some old teachers a visit. Driving home near rush hour, there was heavy traffic on Madison Ave. Once I got to about 128th street or so (in Harlem), there was a cop standing literally right in the middle of the road, walking amongst the cars in traffic. When he got to my car he waved me over to the side of the road.

When he approached my car, I asked what I could do for him. He told me he was part of a special Harlem Task Force against crime/to improve police-community relations (giving out tickets is a greaaaaaaat start, btw, NYPD!). He said that my window tints were too dark, and took a meter out of his pocket to measure the tint. He asked if my tints were factory or aftermarket and I told him they were aftermarket. He said only factory tints like ::that one:: were allowed. He was pointing to a parked Benz, with literally ZERO tint. I said, "I'm sorry officer, that's not a tinted window. At all."

He explained that tints are illegal for police safety. I said that police are generally safe regardless of what color my windows are. Then he said that they are illegal for my safety. (I know about safety glass.) I told him that if they are conducting a traffic stop, they just want to be able to snoop around in the car. It's not for my safety, it's for them.

Being fairly pissed off and inconvenienced, I remembered that those livery cabs (not the trademark yellow cabs, but the tons of other Town Cars and Crown Vics that are all blacked out) always had near-limousine tints. So, I responded further, "Officer, THAT is what a tint is," and pointed at one of the blacked-out culprits. He said, "You know what, you're right," and ran over to the cab and told him to pull over.

I still got a ticket, but only for 1 window (he claimed he could give me a ticket for the four door windows). I did pay the $60 fine. I did not remove the tint. The cop and I were friendly the whole time despite the comments back and forth. I'm glad he saw I was just being honest and stating my opinion and he took no disrespect.

I'm just sick of cops saying they hate tinted windows because they want to see everything during a traffic stop... they want to be safe. If you want to feel safe, A) don't stop the car or B) become a gardner! It's a dangerous job. You'd spot a weapon on our person a lot faster if we all drove around naked, but that's not allowed is it?

You know, I can understand that for rear windows - as in back only so they can see what you are doing inside. But come on, most vehicles out there are 20% tint on all rear windows except driver and passenger and front. My truck is factory 20% except those windows, which I added 20% to my driver and passenger side.

Of course to give you an idea, in PA the law is that you must be able to see the interior of the vehicle (well, easy in daylight at 20%) but that is what the law states, no percentage. The state police state 70% (whats the point in tint). However, I have been pulled over in PA in my truck and never gotten a window tint ticket. This may be because I roll them all the way down during a stop. I can see how in your situation that was a problem as he was walking along the cars.

I also understand why there are tint laws, it is for the officers safety, they want to see if you have a gun waiting. However, if you follow procedure, that is roll down your windows and turn on your dome lights at night time - then what is really the problem. Can't get any clearer than no window.

[porscheis1]

I am a lifelong western PA resident. Back in the 80's cops would pull cars over for tinting all the time. Currently, i see a ton of cars in western PA that are illegally tinted which make me believe the cops don't care anymore. All my cars have been illegally tinted and i have never been pulled over in PA. As long as you don't go so dark that they can't even see the driver, you should be safe. The Philly police department is so corrupt you can do whatever you want in that part of the state.

[TekkGuy]

A cop can pull you over for any reason. What they cannot do is search your car without reason. Yes they can pull you over for illegal tint. Rolling down your windows and turning the dome light on, might actually annoy the cop because at that point, being that the cop is pulling you over for (suspected) illegal tint, he might think you are trying to be a smartass by hiding your windows. And I do understand what cops mean by it being a safety issue. The cop wants to know if you have a weapon as they approach your car. They have every right to mitigate their exposure to danger. Just because they have a high risk job, doesn't mean that they don't have the right to make it less dangerous. Don't forget, driving in-it-of-itself is not a right, it's a privilege given to citizens.

As for an inspection sticker, I think you are wrong, unless your state is very lenient. But in NY, let’s say there was a checkpoint on a road, and as you roll by (slowly of course) the cop notices you missing the sticker, he can pull you over and give you a ticket. He does not need any other infraction in order to ticket you for a missing sticker. Hell, you can get a ticket for honking in some areas.