Going to court tomorrow to try to get out of Tint ticket

[JanetMermaid]

It is always important to stand in integrity. What ultimately defines who we are to ourselves and who others know us to be is our word. Do the right thing and own up.

[Smart Enuf]

Originally Posted by rawlus®

perhaps i don't understand, if the limit is 50% and you only have 35% then what's the issue?

the state will have to make it's case that you exceed the limit. this is done by presenting evidence. if what you say is true, then the charge cannot be proven.

Sounds like a minimum (not maximum) requirement that 50% of light be transmitted through the glass, and his tinted windows only transmit 35% (at least, that's what the tint manufacturer rates it at).

[theguywiththelongestname]

Originally Posted by Smart Enuf

Sounds like a minimum (not maximum) requirement that 50% of light be transmitted through the glass, and his tinted windows only transmit 35% (at least, that's what the tint manufacturer rates it at).

that's the way i read it too: minimum of 50% light transmission...

this post did lead me to check out the code here in california: for side windows, it's 88% light transmission!

[rawlus®]

oh. in that case a 65% tint seems excessive.

[Smart Enuf]

Originally Posted by theguywiththelongestname

that's the way i read it too: minimum of 50% light transmission...

this post did lead me to check out the code here in california: for side windows, it's 88% light tansmission!

Yeah, have a friend who got ticketed AND the officer made her scrape off the tint on the spot with a razor. She said she had it very lightly tinted and the installer assured her it complied with the law, but it apparently was still too dark.

[astuto]

Virginia Law:
C. Except as provided in § 46.2-1053, but notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, no sun-shading or tinting film may be applied or affixed to any window of a motor vehicle unless such motor vehicle is equipped with a mirror on each side of such motor vehicle, so located as to reflect to the driver of the vehicle a view of the highway for at least 200 feet to the rear of such vehicle, and the sun-shading or tinting film is applied or affixed in accordance with the following:

• 1. No sun-shading or tinting films may be applied or affixed to the rear side windows or rear window or windows of any motor vehicle operated on the highways of this Commonwealth that reduces the total light transmittance of such window to less than thirty-five percent;
  2. No sun-shading or tinting films may be applied or affixed to the front side windows of any motor vehicle operated on the highways of this Commonwealth that reduces total light transmittance of such window to less than fifty percent;
  3. No sun-shading or tinting films shall be applied or affixed to any window of a motor vehicle that has a reflectance of light exceeding twenty percent;
  4. Any person who operates a motor vehicle on the highways of this Commonwealth with sun-shading or tinting films that has a total light transmittance less than that required by subdivisions 1 and 2 of this subsection or a reflectance of light exceeding twenty percent shall be guilty of a traffic infraction but shall not be awarded any demerit points by the Commissioner for the violation;
  5. Any person or firm who applies or affixes to the windows of any motor vehicle in Virginia sun-shading or tinting films that reduce the light transmittance to levels less than that allowed in subdivisions 1 and 2 of this subsection or that have a reflectance of light exceeding twenty percent shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor for the first offense and of a Class 2 misdemeanor for any subsequent offense;

D. The Division of Purchases and Supply, pursuant to § 2.1-446, shall determine the proper standards for equipment or devices used to measure light transmittance through windows of motor vehicles. Law-enforcement officers shall use only such equipment or devices to measure light transmittance through windows that meet the standards established by the Division. Such measurements made by law-enforcement officers shall be given a tolerance of minus seven percentage points.
E. No film or darkening material may be applied on the windshield except to replace the sunshield in the uppermost area as installed by the manufacturer of the vehicle.
F. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the affixing to the rear window of a motor vehicle of a single sticker no larger than twenty square inches if such sticker is totally contained within the lower five inches of the glass of the rear window, nor shall subsection B of this section apply to a motor vehicle to which but one such sticker is so affixed.
G. Nothing in this section shall prohibit applying to the rear side windows or rear window of any multi-purpose passenger vehicle or pickup truck sun-shading or tinting films that reduce the total light transmittance of such window or windows below thirty-five percent.
H. As used in this article: "front side windows" means those windows located adjacent to and forward of the driver's seat; "rear side windows" means those windows located to the rear of the driver's seat; "rear window" or "rear windows" means those windows which are located to the rear of the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle and which are approximately parallel to the windshield; "multi-purpose passenger vehicle" means any motor vehicle that is (i) designed to carry no more than ten persons and (ii) constructed either on a truck chassis or with special features for occasional off-road use.
I. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, sun-shading material which was applied or installed prior to July 1, 1987, in a manner and on which windows not then in violation of Virginia law, shall continue to be lawful, provided that it can be shown by appropriate receipts that such material was installed prior to July 1, 1987.
J. Where a person is convicted within one year of a second or subsequent violation of this section involving the operation of the same vehicle having a tinted or smoked windshield, the court, in addition to any other penalty, may order the person so convicted to remove such tinted or smoked windshield from the vehicle.
K. The provisions of this section shall not apply to law-enforcement vehicles.
L. The provisions of Subdivision C 1 of this section shall not apply to sight-seeing carriers as defined in \047 46.2-2200 and limousine and executive sedan carriers as deined in \047 46.2-2500

[Orphan-Beggar]

When traveling state to state, which tint laws apply?

[JPaul]

In Va., i.e. "any motor vehicle operated on the highways of this Commonwealth"...

[helidrvr]

Originally Posted by JanetMermaid

It is always important to stand in integrity. What ultimately defines who we are to ourselves and who others know us to be is our word. Do the right thing and own up.

True enough, dear Lady.

On the other hand, it is useful to remember always this fundamental truth:

Every single "law" is nothing but a political opinion enforced by (the threat of) violence.

Before adhering to any law, it therefore behooves us to strip away the violence and determine if the opinion expressed in that law is ethically supportable. The easiest way to do this is to ask but one simple question:

Would I, with gun in hand, "enforce" this opinion on my neighbor?

If the answer to this question is "NO", then the only "right thing" is to resist that law with every available resource one can muster or failing that, to at the very least protest it vigorously.

[jwight]

So, if you wouldn't use a gun to keep someone from doing 60 in a 25 mph school zone that's a "bad" law? I ain't buying it, with all due respect.

There's a reason for the tint laws/regulations - to ensure enough visibility out of the car (and into it for the LEOs out there) to keep the drivers from running into things they can't see, and to let others see into the car for a variety of reasons, not the least of which was mentioned by whalepirot earlier - need to be able to make eye contact with the driver and to see through the car at what's coming from behind it.