OK... Tint law... Thoughts?

[ohiomike]

Hey man, wasn't trying to be a dick about it. I just look at it like black and white. I agree, some cops are dicks whether state bulls, county mounties or local yocals. Leo's have a tough job. What kind of person they are might depend on the time in their shift that you interact with them. After a day of dealing with dickwads someone totally different might pay for it. Its not fair, but its life.

Back where I come from they were always writing tickets for tinted glass. I gave up doing it years back-got tired of the hassle.

Not sure if $115 is hi or low, but compared to some of the other tickets prices I hear about it sounds about like the norm.

[QuikAccord]

I believe the cost of the fine varies from one area to the next. I recently paid 130 for a non point violation.

[granda080]

I got pulled over in my youth driving through a small town. The officer was on my left, parked. I had a 2-door civic and had my drivers window down. I wasn't speeding or doing anything illegal. He pulled me over and told me he did so because my window tint was illegal. Turns out he was wrong. It was factory tint and well within the legal limit.

My question is, why is a window tint violation a reason to pull over a vehicle? To me it seems like this should be a secondary offense. In my situation the officer's judgement was incorrect (and I stopped almost in front of him at a light in a 25mph zone so he had plenty of time to "see" my tint...even though the driver window on his side was down lol) and just a waste of time.

[TSB67]

I just wanted to see if there was ANY room to plead my case with the work aspect which is totally legit.

You have no more of a reason to have tint on your windows that anyone who leaves a laptop in their car. Get over it.

[VanDy]

Remove the tint, take pictures, go to court, beg forgiveness and show that you have seen the err in your ways, show them the pics. Gets tossed out and you pay court cost, about 115$ probably. Nothing on your record then.

Worked for me in highschool, although it may have been my buddy's truck....

Ymmv

-VanDy

[jporter12]

I also told him that I had been pulled over before and even had a State Patrol Officer friend that I had talked to about it.

Basically, I WANT them to do these things. I even want them to pull my van over if they think it is suspicious. I want them to do that. But, to ticket for something as trivial as window tint? Wow... They missed the no front license plate. They could have technically measured my vehicle height to see if it was illegal according to Ohio laws. They could have clocked me at 72 MPH which I was traveling, but they were chatting like school girls and saw the tint and saw a chance to write a ticket. Simple as that. Once they saw it was a harmless guy and his 2 year old, they were laughing it up and betting on the %. Again, if it is that laid back and obviously not that serious, why write a ticket? Why not just write a warning?

You can't pick and choose what laws you want to abide by!

You admitted that there were maybe 3 other things that they COULD have written you a ticket for, one that WOULD have resulted in points on your license, and you're still even questioning it? Really? You have been told in 3 previous stops by LEO's that your tint is illegal, whether it's an official warning or not, I think I would take it seriously that you COULD get a ticket for it.

Now don't take this as an attack, I'm just trying to understand your expectations!

[bobtheelder]

Don't tint my windows except for what the factory installs, but restrictions on it are really BS. If they are worried about safety they should've picked a different job. Telling us we have to be visible to the world is a violation of our own privacy....

[max power]

State troopers are dicks no matter what they want. Big egos on them for some reason. They are heartless bastards too.

^This. Never met a Statie in Ohio that wasnt a total knob. OSHP dont write warnings. At least not that I've hear of.

Telling us we have to be visible to the world is a violation of our own privacy....

^This too.

[Pokey]

I have a friend who is in law enforcement, even his car has illegal tint.

[jporter12]

I don't agree with the tint laws, in fact I've been breaking that law since I bought my car that had 15-20% on it. If I was to get pulled over a couple times and warned (verbally, or written) I would probably consider removing it. I have just been fortunate that I've not even had a LEO stop me in this car to even say anything about it.

[OSUYZFR1]

Don't think it's high. I got pulled over a couple years ago by state patrol in Dublin for the same thing and the ticket was 125.00. The guy was a dick about it. I just paid it and moved on.

Reminds me of a story from way back. Had a buddy get pulled over in his BMW for this by another state patrol and as we wait for the cop to write him the ticket he says 'pimping ain't easy' and I replied back 'or cheap'.

How about this question... Can anyone tell me if the $115 is the norm or if it was higher than typical? I am not going to fight it, I guess from talking to friends and what you all have mentioned. But, I also don't want to pay at the high end of the spectrum because I got short with the guy once he decided to cite me.

I suppose I should have kept quiet and maybe he would have cited me for something else that was cheaper or something... Dunno... $115 seems a little high. I think my dad paid something like $75 last year...

[bmwnut]

Exactly. I got a ticket for speeding as I mentioned above. Guy was super cool and super friendly. Speeding is something I understand getting a ticket for. Window tint? It's like getting a ticket for jaywalking on a street that had zero cars on the road. It just doesn't makes sense.

the law is the law why do you want to enforce one and not the other

besides LABOR DAY every one gets a ticket- gotta make quota

[LongDogRacing]

yup, they even wrote an ammendment to the constitution about it. (check #4). If the cop says he can't see in your window, then you say, "I do not consent to any searches, Officer." (Barring, of course, you haven't given him or her any probable doubt about the issue.)

Telling us we have to be visible to the world is a violation of our own privacy....

[SWing'R]

You can't have limo tint on your front windows. Pay it or peel it. No stories necessary.

Yep. I believe the limit is only 50%. You were way off there with 4%

[Moto-Brian]

I don't agree with the tint laws, in fact I've been breaking that law since I bought my car that had 15-20% on it. If I was to get pulled over a couple times and warned (verbally, or written) I would probably consider removing it. I have just been fortunate that I've not even had a LEO stop me in this car to even say anything about it.

Again, the difference as to why I didn't pull the tint was based on the fact that the officers that pulled me over were very cool and understood my thoughts and really, I believe they pulled me over and used the tint as a reason to really check to make sure I wasn't hauling bad stuff in a white van.

So, not pulling it was based on the idea that three different State Troopers in three different parts of the state all essentially were not worried about the tint and really weren't about to write a ticket for such nonsense.

Yes, it is the law. But again, do officers pull people over for 1 mph over the limit? They use judgement and use common sense. Guy pulls over quickly, gets the window down quickly to show himself and not get the officer worried and has all his paperwork in order. Has a 2 year old with him, wasn't speeding (OK, was at 72 on the clock according to me) and was cordial and honest. Using judgement, sounds to me the officer was a dick. It was all fun and games with his buddy who was Chatty Cathy with him in the medium while checking the tint and yet decides to cite me.

Just seems weird that there isn't some sort of consistency. Crawford County HWP officers must be ticket happy or just plain jerks and citing people no matter what.

In this world, there are always rules and laws. But, at times, how you break them or go against them can be thought about and determined if the offender is worth a ticket or not.

I understand it is the law. But, had the other three done something and not blown it off? It wouldn't be on, man.

[wicked94s10]

I put 5 percent on all my vehicles. After my second ticket i went to my doctor and complained about my sensitive eyes. He wrote me a prescription for tint and all is good now. I get pulled over about every other month for my tint, i just flash my note and they Leave me alone

[Moto-Brian]

I was told this doesn't work anymore by my State Trooper buddy. He said unless appointed and approved by a judge, it is just a piece of paper and won't fly. Again, if the guy is a dick, he can write you a ticket. Even with the doctor note...

[jporter12]

I was told this doesn't work anymore by my State Trooper buddy. He said unless appointed and approved by a judge, it is just a piece of paper and won't fly. Again, if the guy is a dick, he can write you a ticket. Even with the doctor note...

Same thing, I bet it depends on the officer. Let's face it, LEO's aren't always up to date on ALL of the laws.

[CleaveTheGreat]

my wife works in westerville

She's lucky she hasn't been pulled over yet. I've had nothing but bad experiences with the LEO's since I've moved here.

How about this question... Can anyone tell me if the $115 is the norm or if it was higher than typical? I am not going to fight it, I guess from talking to friends and what you all have mentioned. But, I also don't want to pay at the high end of the spectrum because I got short with the guy once he decided to cite me.

I suppose I should have kept quiet and maybe he would have cited me for something else that was cheaper or something... Dunno... $115 seems a little high. I think my dad paid something like $75 last year...

Sounds about average. Mine was $105.

[wicked94s10]

Most State troopers are dicks and think they can make their own rules, the doctors note holds up in court trust me. I have had my note six years and have zero tent tickets. I have been pulled over at least twenty times

[cOoTeR]

You should have solidified his suspicions.. and shot him in the face.

As a LEO not funny and I really hope this is an attempt at sarcasm.

[cOoTeR]

Exactly. I got a ticket for speeding as I mentioned above. Guy was super cool and super friendly. Speeding is something I understand getting a ticket for. Window tint? It's like getting a ticket for jaywalking on a street that had zero cars on the road. It just doesn't makes sense.

Imagine there were people out there that wanted to kill you for selling KTM's. Then you had to approach people without being able to see them and try to sell them a KTM. Walking up to a car not knowing if a .50cal Barrett is pointed at your dome kinda sux.

[cOoTeR]

Listen, I respect officers. Like I stated, I have several who are friends. Each told me that they'd never ticket a driver for such an offense as they too think it is bullshit. I roll my windows down immediately so the officer can see me clearly. Had I pulled over, kept the window up until he got up beside me? Sure, I would understand that idea.

Tint laws are really ignorant. I mean, you can spray paint the rear and side glass black and have zero visibility. I could slide my seat all the way back and even with clear windows up front, you'd never see me. Or even the posse of gun toting criminals housed in the back of the van...

Point is that I was pulled over and NEVER given a written warning. If I ever got a written warning, I would have respected that and had the tint pulled.

But, this guy never did the warning and went straight to the ticket.

I understand it is a law. I understand that driving 56 MPH is technically illegal also. But the point is that most (Even in this case) officers aren't going to cite me over tint. I respect them if they want to see what is in the back, I respect that if they want me to be educated in the law and that they recommend me to get it fixed, etc. But, it is like that 56 MPH. I can get pulled over for speeding as a reason to check on my vehicle and do a once over to make sure I am not suspicious. I understand all of that.

But, to see HWP sitting in a medium, chatting to each other and simply looking for a reason to write a ticket? Seems a bit like a waste of government funding, no? I mean, the idea for officers patrolling the freeways and enforcing even speeding is to protect the citizens and to prevent accidents. On their own site, they claim that the reason they patrol and write tickets are explained as:

Is traffic enforcement just another way to raise revenue?

No. The mission of the Patrol is to reduce crashes, deaths, and injuries on the roadways of Ohio. Because of a policy of firm but fair enforcement, Ohio is consistently among the safest of the most populous states.

Ohio State Highway Patrol operations are funded primarily through license plates and driver license fees, so the Patrol receives no benefit from traffic fine money. While the state of Ohio receives some fine money, the majority is retained by the municipality and/or county in which the offense occurred.

Why don’t troopers concentrate on "serious" crimes instead of traffic offenses?

Crime-fighting is designed to protect citizens from threats to life, limb, and property. Traffic crashes, though largely preventable, claim twice as many lives each year as murders. In America in 1996, a person was murdered (on the average) every 27 minutes, while a life was lost in a traffic crash every 13 minutes. And while there was an aggravated assault every 31 seconds, there was also a crash-related injury every nine seconds.

Nobody expects to die in a traffic crash, but thousands do each year. Since traffic crashes can be (and are) prevented by fair and firm traffic enforcement, the enforcement of these laws has a significant effect upon society.

Why enforce speed?

Excessive speed is consistently a leading contributing factor in serious crashes. Since the Patrol's primary mission is to reduce crashes and the accompanying death and injuries, speed enforcement is imperative.

Basically, I WANT them to do these things. I even want them to pull my van over if they think it is suspicious. I want them to do that. But, to ticket for something as trivial as window tint? Wow... They missed the no front license plate. They could have technically measured my vehicle height to see if it was illegal according to Ohio laws. They could have clocked me at 72 MPH which I was traveling, but they were chatting like school girls and saw the tint and saw a chance to write a ticket. Simple as that. Once they saw it was a harmless guy and his 2 year old, they were laughing it up and betting on the %. Again, if it is that laid back and obviously not that serious, why write a ticket? Why not just write a warning?

It just is as simple as some officers are pricks and some are not. This guy being a prick wants me to take it to court and say that the ORC he wrote me up for has zero details to support why he pulled me over.

Now, if the ORC 4501-41-03 is basically a code that falls under the ORC he wrote me up for, I will pay the fine and walk away and figure it is as stated above, a tax to have things the way I want it.

But, these assholes are on a freeway I travel a ton on. He will be looking for my van (easy to spot) and simply give me shit everytime. Then again, if I go to court and fight it, it will make him pissed and he will hammer me the next time also... Of course, if he writes it up wrong again, I will hit it up again and do it all over...

I understand laws. I get them. But, this is silly. This is a deal like a broken tail light and instead of letting the driver know that the safety aspect of not having it fixed right is why he wanted to pull you over and giving a simple warning to get it fixed, he gives a $100 fine to the guy...

Patrol Officers are there to protect and serve. Not sure where this falls, but his approach is shit.

A speeding ticket probably would have cost you more in the long run with insurance. If you feel the speeding ticket is better go to court tell the judge you want the speeding ticket instead and self admit you were speeding.

[cOoTeR]

Don't tint my windows except for what the factory installs, but restrictions on it are really BS. If they are worried about safety they should've picked a different job. Telling us we have to be visible to the world is a violation of our own privacy....

What the F**K do you do for a living?

Who do you car when you get robbed?

[cOoTeR]

Don't tint my windows except for what the factory installs, but restrictions on it are really BS. If they are worried about safety they should've picked a different job. Telling us we have to be visible to the world is a violation of our own privacy....

What the F**K do you do for a living?

Who do you call when you get robbed?