I Got Stopped By A Cop and Got A Freakin Ticket!! You'll Never Guess How Much!
01-23-2004, 01:41 PM
#1
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Yep, As I was driving home on State Road 7, my radar detector started to go crazy. I looked up and the cop was on the opposite side of the road going south (I was going north). I wasn't speeding because there was too much traffic. All of a sudden, he bangs a uie, pulls up beside me, looks, moves over behind me and flashes the bubblegum machine. I pull over, he walks over and said, "Do you know why I stopped you.?" I said, "I have no idea." "Your windshield is tinted! Damn...I'm good," he said. I got a ticket for $4.00 and have 30 days to get the tint removed. I have to have a cop sign the ticket showing he inspected by windshield and the tint is gone. Give me a F%@ken break. I spend a fortune for a radar detector, now I get a ticket for this?
01-23-2004, 02:22 PM
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I did a little research for you on the law in your State.
The most relevant statute is below. Other related statutes and two cases are cited below this.
It seems that tinting is not illegal, so long as it's not too dark. On the front windshield it is not allowed below a certain distance at the top of the windshield, for safety concerns related to night driving.
Is your whole window tinted? If not, he broke the law and the ticket can't be enforced. I don't think they should be able to stop you for such an infraction, as it's not even a moving violation, but the courts in Florida have allowed it. I think a federal court would likely reverse them, but you might have to work your way up those courts too given that it's Florida.
They specifically exempt manufacturers tinting. If you can show that your tinting is no darker and covers no more area that some car that comes that way, then I think you'd have an equal protection claim.
I'm not an attorney. I'm an academic, active member of NMA, and have done extensive research on traffic enforcement.
The most relevant statute is below. Other related statutes and two cases are cited below this.
It seems that tinting is not illegal, so long as it's not too dark. On the front windshield it is not allowed below a certain distance at the top of the windshield, for safety concerns related to night driving.
Is your whole window tinted? If not, he broke the law and the ticket can't be enforced. I don't think they should be able to stop you for such an infraction, as it's not even a moving violation, but the courts in Florida have allowed it. I think a federal court would likely reverse them, but you might have to work your way up those courts too given that it's Florida.
They specifically exempt manufacturers tinting. If you can show that your tinting is no darker and covers no more area that some car that comes that way, then I think you'd have an equal protection claim.
I'm not an attorney. I'm an academic, active member of NMA, and have done extensive research on traffic enforcement.
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01-23-2004, 06:55 PM
#8
Honda 224 GTS, I would have liked to have responded to your post in that "spin out" thread that was closed, so I shall do it here.
First, welcome to this site. In response to the aforementioned post, I'd like to say that you should not paint us all with the same brush as that young fella who drives like an idiot in snowy conditions. You will find that most of the more "mature" owners (except for me) are much less vocal on this site and keep themselves in the "Vintage Owners" forum (click on my badge in my sig below to get there). As far as what people are like at S2000 gatherings, too bad you didn't know about Fall Colors '03 in your home State of Maryland. I was there and met some of the nicest people you could imagine. One of your own "kin", Legal Bill, is one such individual - an absolutely wonderful human being and car enthusiast. And of course, there will be Fall Colors '04 in PA.
I, too, do not like the Fast and Furious image that the car "can" represent, but as already stated, this kind of image can be applied to almost any high performance automobile group.
I can understand your tendency toward the Elise so I won't be one to try to convince you to buy an S2000. You have many wonderful S2000 owners in your area. Why not take a leap of faith and find out who they are and meet up with some of them before you condemn us all (as a group in general) as a "wild" bunch.
The "Vintage" forum is moderated by two people who live near you. Give them a chance even though you may be a bit on the young side to actually be a "member" of that forum. They do accept visitors of "less age maturity".
ps. I would have NOT been one to flame you in that post. I'm willing to take a leap of faith and assume you're an OK guy, too. Don't be too hard on the "younguns". Not all of them are all that bad. The "bad" ones get shunned as you have already witnessed.
First, welcome to this site. In response to the aforementioned post, I'd like to say that you should not paint us all with the same brush as that young fella who drives like an idiot in snowy conditions. You will find that most of the more "mature" owners (except for me) are much less vocal on this site and keep themselves in the "Vintage Owners" forum (click on my badge in my sig below to get there). As far as what people are like at S2000 gatherings, too bad you didn't know about Fall Colors '03 in your home State of Maryland. I was there and met some of the nicest people you could imagine. One of your own "kin", Legal Bill, is one such individual - an absolutely wonderful human being and car enthusiast. And of course, there will be Fall Colors '04 in PA.
I, too, do not like the Fast and Furious image that the car "can" represent, but as already stated, this kind of image can be applied to almost any high performance automobile group.
I can understand your tendency toward the Elise so I won't be one to try to convince you to buy an S2000. You have many wonderful S2000 owners in your area. Why not take a leap of faith and find out who they are and meet up with some of them before you condemn us all (as a group in general) as a "wild" bunch.
The "Vintage" forum is moderated by two people who live near you. Give them a chance even though you may be a bit on the young side to actually be a "member" of that forum. They do accept visitors of "less age maturity".
ps. I would have NOT been one to flame you in that post. I'm willing to take a leap of faith and assume you're an OK guy, too.
Don't be too hard on the "younguns". Not all of them are all that bad. The "bad" ones get shunned as you have already witnessed.
01-23-2004, 07:39 PM
#9
Registered User
Originally posted by xviper
Honda 224 GTS, I would have liked to have responded to your post in that "spin out" thread that was closed, so I shall do it here.
Honda 224 GTS, I would have liked to have responded to your post in that "spin out" thread that was closed, so I shall do it here.