Tinted windows

[cheeseballs]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? NY

I got stopped in Long Island (suffolk county) for my 20% window tints (on all windows, except front)

i believe it was a state trooper who pulled me over; he didnt use any device to measure the tint.

this is my second time getting pulled over for window tint. the first time, the officer used the measuring device on my window.

Would i be ableto get this dimsmissed becuase of this technicality? Do i have to remove my window tint first in case they want to see that my car does not have tints?

[FlyingRon]

Your best bet is to have the car made legal before going to court. You're running the risk of being ticketed again and again if you continue to break the law. If you show that you are in compliance most courts will dismiss the fine.

[Zigner]

How did you get out of the first ticket without taking off the tint?

[You Are Guilty]

NY uses two methods to test tint. One is a meter that sits on top of an open window, shines a known amount of light to itself and measures how much the tint absorbed. The other is a bunch of "slides" of tints of various darkness which the officer holds up next to your window and compares the two till there's a match. (Used for windows that do not open).

If they didn't use either method, then the officer based the ticket on "eyeballing", which as a practical matter, is probably a fairly accurate method (legal tint is about as dark at that strip at the top of your windshield), but not a legally acceptable method. So you can try fighting it, but even without a valid tint test, your chances of success (especially on your own) are less than 100%.

If I recall, the ticket is only $65, so it might even be easier just to pay it and hope you don't get caught again

[cheeseballs]

Originally Posted by Zigner

How did you get out of the first ticket without taking off the tint?

i didnt get out of the first ticket...i paid 150$

[cheeseballs]

Originally Posted by You Are Guilty

NY uses two methods to test tint. One is a meter that sits on top of an open window, shines a known amount of light to itself and measures how much the tint absorbed. The other is a bunch of "slides" of tints of various darkness which the officer holds up next to your window and compares the two till there's a match. (Used for windows that do not open).

If they didn't use either method, then the officer based the ticket on "eyeballing", which as a practical matter, is probably a fairly accurate method (legal tint is about as dark at that strip at the top of your windshield), but not a legally acceptable method. So you can try fighting it, but even without a valid tint test, your chances of success (especially on your own) are less than 100%.

If I recall, the ticket is only $65, so it might even be easier just to pay it and hope you don't get caught again

Out in suffolk county,ny its $100 fine...plus $50 surcharge...plus $20 per violation in a single incident (enacted 8/1/2008)

i dont know if this is true in the rest of ny.

[cheeseballs]

BTW i got ticketed on 8/24 but on the ticket it says 8/31
i went to the TVB and the tickets are not in the system yet

also my last name is mispelled.

any chance these would dismiss the charges?

I doubt it'll work, but if anyone knows...


For measuring the tinted windows , the officer used neither method (he just eyeballed)
so if i plead not guilty, what evidence do i have to show? and if i'm found guilty does that result in higher penalties? because if not, then i might as well give it a shot.

[efflandt]

What are you going to say when they ask you what you did and when to correct the equipment violation since the last time you were fined?

[Zigner]

Originally Posted by cheeseballs

i didnt get out of the first ticket...i paid 150$

So, your state doesn't require you to certify that you corrected the problem also? I find that difficult (but not impossible) to believe.

[xylene]

Originally Posted by Zigner

So, your state doesn't require you to certify that you corrected the problem also? I find that difficult (but not impossible) to believe.

New York State is happy to collect multiple fines from tint lovin' cheesballs.

[You Are Guilty]

Originally Posted by cheeseballs

BTW i got ticketed on 8/24 but on the ticket it says 8/31
i went to the TVB and the tickets are not in the system yet

also my last name is mispelled.

any chance these would dismiss the charges?

I doubt it'll work, but if anyone knows...


For measuring the tinted windows , the officer used neither method (he just eyeballed)
so if i plead not guilty, what evidence do i have to show? and if i'm found guilty does that result in higher penalties? because if not, then i might as well give it a shot.

The errors you mention don't provide any sort of viable defense.

But unless there's a notation on the violation as to what your tint's light transmission was measured at, I'd definitely plead not guilty on the basis that there's no legally admissible evidence that your tint was too dark. If, by some miracle, the officer shows up, you just need to ask him what his training and qualifications as a "tint darkness estimator" are (there is none, which is why they use a meter). Absent expert testimony or meter testing, his OPINION that the tint was too dark is insufficient to support a guilty finding.

Of course now, while that's the law, there's no guarantee that is how it would play out at the TVB. I've gotten my fair share of tint tickets in the past and usually just paid them, as the the tickets (used to) cost less than the aggravation the TVB caused.

But even if you're found guilty, I think you have a pretty good shot on appeal (which requires you to pay the ticket first, so yes, there is a down side to pleading not guilty I suppose).

[Zigner]

Originally Posted by xylene

New York State is happy to collect multiple fines from tint lovin' cheesballs.

And they call California strange

[You Are Guilty]

Originally Posted by Zigner

So, your state doesn't require you to certify that you corrected the problem also? I find that difficult (but not impossible) to believe.

Equipment violations are weird. If you correct the problem (i.e. remove the tint) within 24 hours of receipt of the ticket, and take the vehicle to a local precinct to have an officer inspect and certify that the violation was repaired, you can usually get out of the ticket. Alternatively, you can just pay the ticket and leave your car the way it is, and just hold your breath until the next ticket is issued for the same violation.