Window tint

[NHarris]

So I just found out today, that here in the state of Utah I can't really tint my windows more than stock, without getting pulled over. So for all who say tint the windows to match the back.... I can't.
Especially since I live near Ogden, some of those cops get pissed off if the windows are tinted too much...

 

[clarks2001]

I used to live in Ogden. The Ogden City Police were pricks back when I lived there. I hear they still are lol. More and more states are starting to get harsh on mods in general (including tint). Since the economy went down the toilet, they need to generate more money, so the small stuff that once was overlooked, is now being scrutinized.

 

[FloridaState]

It's more a safety issue than anything.

When a police officer stops you, if he can't see you or your passengers, that's dangerous. For all he knows, you could have a gun back there just waiting for him to get into range. Just put yourself in his shoes...you're pulling over a vehicle and have no idea who the person is, and you can't even see inside the vehicle at all. There could be a friggin' 12-gauge on the other side of the window, and if the tint is too dark, the officer can't see it.
My dad has been a Trooper for 25 years. This is coming straight from the horse's mouth.

Also, when your windows are so dark, at night, it's VERY difficult to see. This is also a safety hazard. My sister's Grand Prix had insanely dark windows and I had to stick my head out of the window in order to see whilst reversing in the dark. Not good. lol

 

[zerodevil]

florida i have to call BS, thats why they only say dont tint the front windows right? if safety was the issue it would be no tint on any windows, in alaska you can go straight down to 5% tint on all windows but the fronts.. i agree for the safety of the DRIVER though, i doubt it has anything to do with law enforcement though.

 

[NHarris]

I honestly wouldn't go any darker than the back windows. I don't think tinting windows pitch black is as great as some think it is.

 

[xplorerguru]

It's more a safety issue than anything.

When a police officer stops you, if he can't see you or your passengers, that's dangerous. For all he knows, you could have a gun back there just waiting for him to get into range. Just put yourself in his shoes...you're pulling over a vehicle and have no idea who the person is, and you can't even see inside the vehicle at all. There could be a friggin' 12-gauge on the other side of the window, and if the tint is too dark, the officer can't see it.
My dad has been a Trooper for 25 years. This is coming straight from the horse's mouth.

Also, when your windows are so dark, at night, it's VERY difficult to see. This is also a safety hazard. My sister's Grand Prix had insanely dark windows and I had to stick my head out of the window in order to see whilst reversing in the dark. Not good. lol

CANT AGREE ANYMORE

 

[FloridaState]

florida i have to call BS, thats why they only say dont tint the front windows right? if safety was the issue it would be no tint on any windows, in alaska you can go straight down to 5% tint on all windows but the fronts.. i agree for the safety of the DRIVER though, i doubt it has anything to do with law enforcement though.

Call BS all you want, I really don't care. I'm telling you a reason why dark tint is a bad thing, and why cops will bother you about it.

And you can tint your front windows in a lot of states, including Florida. Cops don't make the laws, but if they did, tint laws would be a lot stricter, you can bet on that.

 

[clarks2001]

It's more a safety issue than anything.

When a police officer stops you, if he can't see you or your passengers, that's dangerous. For all he knows, you could have a gun back there just waiting for him to get into range. Just put yourself in his shoes...you're pulling over a vehicle and have no idea who the person is, and you can't even see inside the vehicle at all. There could be a friggin' 12-gauge on the other side of the window, and if the tint is too dark, the officer can't see it.
My dad has been a Trooper for 25 years. This is coming straight from the horse's mouth.

Also, when your windows are so dark, at night, it's VERY difficult to see. This is also a safety hazard. My sister's Grand Prix had insanely dark windows and I had to stick my head out of the window in order to see whilst reversing in the dark. Not good. lol

I have to agree on the difficult to see out of aspect of it. The whole police thing is another story. Who's to say, someone in the back seat don't have a gun pointed at the officer? Most officers bullet proof vests cover front and backs but rarely the sides, and when a cop is standing next to the rear door (aft of driver) who is to say the passenger in the rear seat wont unload a clip on the officer? If its such a big safety deal for the officers doing traffic stops, why dont they just make tint illegal or require the driver to roll down all windows before the officer approaches?
If I was a LEO doing a traffic stop, you can bet I will get on the loudspeaker and tell the driver to lower their windows if they are tinted dark enough that I cant see thru.

 

[FloridaState]

I have to agree on the difficult to see out of aspect of it. The whole police thing is another story. Who's to say, someone in the back seat don't have a gun pointed at the officer? Most officers bullet proof vests cover front and backs but rarely the sides, and when a cop is standing next to the rear door (aft of driver) who is to say the passenger in the rear seat wont unload a clip on the officer? If its such a big safety deal for the officers doing traffic stops, why dont they just make tint illegal or require the driver to roll down all windows before the officer approaches?
If I was a LEO doing a traffic stop, you can bet I will get on the loudspeaker and tell the driver to lower their windows if they are tinted dark enough that I cant see thru.

Uh, I think you're proving my point? That's why the tint is bad, because he can't see inside to see if there's someone with a gun in the car. If the tint isn't pitch black, he's better able to see inside the vehicle in case a passenger does have a gun. I'm not sure what you're getting at...

They won't make it illegal because the lawmakers don't give a **** about the police. They constantly cut the department budget, underpay officers, deny raises, and just treat them like dirt. It happens at the state, city, and county levels. From my experience, the state is the worst. FHP NEVER gets raises, they are one of the most underpaid agencies in the state, they suffer from budget cuts constantly, and on and on. They just don't care, that's why they don't do anything about it.
My uncle is the same rank as my dad, but works for a local department. My dad has been on 5 years longer, but my uncle makes about $20k more a year than my dad.

Legislators, at least in FL, could care less about police. Sad but true.

 

[FloridaState]

Let me make it clear I'm not hating on window tint...I have my windows tinted and so are all of our cars. My dad's patrol car windows are tinted. It keeps it cooler, and keeps you cooler so the sun isn't beating down on you. But you can have adequate cooling without having limo tint.

I can't drive a car without tint. I get too hot and I also like the privacy of it. You can still see through it, obviously, but it's just a little less BAM there I am, "you can see every little thing I'm doing" kind of thing lol. If that makes sense.
I got my Explorer's front windows tinted the second day I got the car. I can't own a car without tinted windows.

 

[NHarris]

If I was a LEO doing a traffic stop, you can bet I will get on the loudspeaker and tell the driver to lower their windows if they are tinted dark enough that I cant see thru.

-What they do around here (Utah), from what some of my friends who have tinted windows, they have about 2 or 3 cop cars, and the first cop goes up to the windows with his gun out and loaded, ready to shoot if someone is behind those tinted windows, with a gun of their own.
-I have to agree if I was doing a traffic stop, I'd have them lower all the windows.
-FloridaState, I do agree with the legislator not caring about the police. I still beleive for what **** the police put up with they don't get paid enough. Some of those people get shot at, and etc, and even local police officers don't get paid enough.
I do need to research the tint laws, but from what I've heard the tint laws in Utah are so light, that I may as well not even tint the windows... Thanks SLC. :thumbdwn:

 

[stuartr]

In VA the only ones they stress out about are the front windows. So if it is the 12ga they are worried about, how about the back windows? Around here tickets like this, loud pipes, and light covers and things are a money racket. Cops know you will 90% of the time pay and not go to court and fight them. So easy money for them. I know tons of people who have been pulled for speeding and got off with one of these ticket. The speeding you cna beat with a few tricks but the tint is metered infront of you and is dang hard to beat. So write the easy one and have a light court case load or write a ton of speeding tickets and have to haggle with lawyers and judges all day long 2 or 4 days a month. Even with these petty tickets the state, county, or town the cops works for still gets funds, and the cops aren't tied up in court all the time so they can write more. Get what I am saying, that is how it works around here anyway.
Oh ya, look into this in VA atleast you can get a eye Doc. to write a waiver for tint.
STU

 

[NHarris]

True on that. Who would fight one of those tickets...I'd just pay it, and call it good. Like said easy money. Now speeding ticket, I may fight that one.

 

[stuartr]

Yep, no points on your license and not worth fighting that is why they work so well.
STU

 

[clarks2001]

My friend got metered on his Tc for tint here in VA. His rear window is like 5% tint. his driver and passenger windows are whatever the max is. They metered his door windows but apparently couldn't meter the rear window because they have to have another meter to read it. He didn't get a ticket though.
My windows are still factory tints. I will be getting my driver and passenger window tinted soon. Just got to find a good shop lol

 

[NHarris]

Well I just found out that the Utah Tint laws require 43% of light in. So I would be able to have the windows tinted to match the back... I think the back windows are 20% tint, but then Ogden City could have a tint law too.