Pulled over for tint and plate. My story

[thorny]

I took a long way home after work and went to a very remote "undisclosed" location to do some 0-60 runs. This isn't something I do often, but I am taking my car to a drag strip for the first time, so I needed to "practice".

I did maybe 6 runs and called it good, because it was way too cold and got pretty dark.

On my way home, after making my way through some back roads, I got on the freeway HWY 99 (North of Bakersfield, CA) and was cruising at 70-75 (speed limit is 70). By that time, it was pitch dark, and I saw a car behind me that was following me and looked like a police car. He followed me for a while, then he changed lanes and eye balled me hard by rolling side-by-side with me, then accelerated to look at the front of my vehicle. After that he dropped speed, got behind me and pulled me over. I was super polite throughout the whole process, as I never have an attitude about being pulled over. I have no points on my licence.

LEO: "Your windows are dark, did the vehicle come like that?
ME: No, sir. The summers are too hot around here (Note: I have 35% all around except windshield)
LEO: "Unless they change legislature, bla bla bla"

Then he goes in front of the car and says: "Where is your licence plate?"
ME: "I don't have one on this car, sir, but I have front plates on the other 3 vehicles that I own" (this is true)
LEO: "You need one"

He goes back to his car with my licence/registration and takes forever, at this point I swear to God, I am thinking he is googling the rear end picture of a stock M3 on his "police iPad" to see what it looks like to bust me for my Akra Evo.

He finally comes back and says: "Did you modify the height of your vehicle?"
ME: "No, sir. Maybe slightly, by 5 mm" (Note: I am on KW Clubsports, but I am not slammed by any means!, I have what is considered normal for track duty. I also run 18" TE37SL with rears being very flush w/ fenders)

He busted out his tape measure and goes to measure something in front, then declares: "You are good".
At this point I am thinking, what else... But after this, he finally backed off.

I drove off with two citations, one for tint and one for the front plate (first time in 8 years for this bs). All my cars, but one have illegal front tint.

But, height!? C'mon California!

[roastbeef]

tint and licence plates are common fix-it citations.

vehicle height is dependent on; 1. the height of the headlights (what he was probably measuring) and; 2. the lowest part of the vehicle can not be below the bottom of the rim.
there are other stipulations on vehicle height based on the vehicle's weight, but that is mainly an issue for commercial vehicles.

bottom line is that you're going to get attention in a car that calls for attention. keep it polite and to a minimum like you did and you won't get hassled too bad.

[thekurgan]

California is broke ... but those citations probably cost us more in his time than you paying the measly amount, plus your time wasted.

[CanAutM3]

0-60 time.

[GOLFFRR]

That sucks man, window tint ticket at night! LOL. and what if you were to say yes it did come like that when I bought the car??does it make it ok?

either way bummer to hear, most of us have been there. You just get someone to sign it off, pay the piper, or have the tint removed etc..

Make sure you do something bc im sure that cop will remember your car and will stop you again if he can.

[glockperfect]

At least he didn't see you doing 0-60 runs.

[XeroZeus]

OP it sounds like you were too honest. Just say that the car came like that and you didn't know any better and pray for mercy

[///M3THOD]

I got a ticket 2 months ago for a ///M logo black license plate frame in Atlanta, GA.

It was 7:30 in the morning, on the hwy and I was doing 67 in a 60, middle of 5 lanes, with the flow of traffic.. I was stopped for speeding and he wrote he a ticket for my plate frame, which he explained was illegal???

My windows have 20% on them and no comment was made, car is stock looking besides my titanium MORR's.

Cop remarked that he bet that my car got me into a lot of unnecessary problems.

[THE TECH]

Could have been worse. At least they are fix-its even though they're a pain (tint). I wonder why they create some of these BS laws anyway.

[thorny]

Originally Posted by roastbeef

tint and licence plates are common fix-it citations.

vehicle height is dependent on; 1. the height of the headlights (what he was probably measuring) and; 2. the lowest part of the vehicle can not be below the bottom of the rim.
there are other stipulations on vehicle height based on the vehicle's weight, but that is mainly an issue for commercial vehicles.

bottom line is that you're going to get attention in a car that calls for attention. keep it polite and to a minimum like you did and you won't get hassled too bad.

Thanks for info on height. Well, at least now I know that I pass that with flying colors

And I agree about our cars drawing attention. I don't know how those guys with red M3's w/ huge wings make it from A to B without being hassled for something like that

[thorny]

Originally Posted by CanAutM3

0-60 time.

[mwlmd]

Originally Posted by ///M3THOD

I got a ticket 2 months ago for a ///M logo black license plate frame in Atlanta, GA.

It was 7:30 in the morning, on the hwy and I was doing 67 in a 60, middle of 5 lanes, with the flow of traffic.. I was stopped for speeding and he wrote he a ticket for my plate frame, which he explained was illegal???

My windows have 20% on them and no comment was made, car is stock looking besides my titanium MORR's.

Cop remarked that he bet that my car got me into a lot of unnecessary problems.

What is illegal about a black plate frame?

[thorny]

Originally Posted by GOLFFRR

That sucks man, window tint ticket at night! LOL. and what if you were to say yes it did come like that when I bought the car??does it make it ok?

either way bummer to hear, most of us have been there. You just get someone to sign it off, pay the piper, or have the tint removed etc..

Make sure you do something bc im sure that cop will remember your car and will stop you again if he can.

I am undecided on removing the tint, as long as I dont get pulled over too often, I really like it tinted.. Maybe I should do a vinyl wrap to disguise myself from him

Originally Posted by glockperfect

At least he didn't see you doing 0-60 runs.

Originally Posted by XeroZeus

OP it sounds like you were too honest. Just say that the car came like that and you didn't know any better and pray for mercy

I'll do that next time

Originally Posted by ///M3THOD

I got a ticket 2 months ago for a ///M logo black license plate frame in Atlanta, GA.

It was 7:30 in the morning, on the hwy and I was doing 67 in a 60, middle of 5 lanes, with the flow of traffic.. I was stopped for speeding and he wrote he a ticket for my plate frame, which he explained was illegal???

My windows have 20% on them and no comment was made, car is stock looking besides my titanium MORR's.

Cop remarked that he bet that my car got me into a lot of unnecessary problems.

That sucks to hear. I heard that those frames could be "illegal" too bc they cover too much of the plate. And I guess we all should drive VW bugs and Priuses to avoid unnecessary problems

Originally Posted by THE TECH

Could have been worse. At least they are fix-its even though they're a pain (tint). I wonder why they create some of these BS laws anyway.

+1. Can I just pay for tint and keep it?

[paradocs98]

Originally Posted by thorny

He finally comes back and says: "Did you modify the height of your vehicle?"
ME: "No, sir. Maybe slightly, by 5 mm" (Note: I am on KW Clubsports, but I am not slammed by any means!, I have what is considered normal for track duty. I also run 18" TE37SL with rears being very flush w/ fenders)

He busted out his tape measure and goes to measure something in front, then declares: "You are good".
At this point I am thinking, what else... But after this, he finally backed off.

I drove off with two citations, one for tint and one for the front plate (first time in 8 years for this bs). All my cars, but one have illegal front tint.

But, height!? C'mon California!

Originally Posted by ///M3THOD

I got a ticket 2 months ago for a ///M logo black license plate frame in Atlanta, GA.

It was 7:30 in the morning, on the hwy and I was doing 67 in a 60, middle of 5 lanes, with the flow of traffic.. I was stopped for speeding and he wrote he a ticket for my plate frame, which he explained was illegal???

My windows have 20% on them and no comment was made, car is stock looking besides my titanium MORR's.

Cop remarked that he bet that my car got me into a lot of unnecessary problems.

Tickets for illegal tint I can understand. I don't envy LEOs who have to worry about getting shot during what would seem to be a routine traffic stop. They don't know if the driver is a parole violator, an ex-con, a drug dealer, high on meth, etc. If a cop can't see in the interior of your vehicle to see what you're doing as he approaches, he has to assume you're going to pull a gun on him.

But the vehicle height regulation is ridiculous. What's the purpose?

And as for the license plate frame, was it one that has a smoked plastic cover that obscures the plate? That's the only reason I can think of for getting a citation for a plate frame.

[THE TECH]

Originally Posted by thorny

+1. Can I just pay for tint and keep it?

I think you can. Fine is hefty though. You are only allowed to pay the fix-it price if you get it removed and signed off.

[Carl L]

Ride height? What about the thousands of redneck pickup trucks with 6" lifts that (literally) roll around with their bumpers at roof height? That's what they should be clamping down on if they give a crap about safety.

[BCA]

Originally Posted by mwlmd

What is illegal about a black plate frame?

Nothing is illegal about it being black. It has to do with the plate frame covering up parts of the actual license plate (state, county, etc.). To my knowledge, Texas has similar laws but they aren't really enforced.

[Edjay]

Originally Posted by THE TECH

I think you can. Fine is hefty though. You are only allowed to pay the fix-it price if you get it removed and signed off.

Cheaper to remove the tint get it signed off, then re-tint. As far as the front plates, double side tape, cut the head of a bolt and place it on the pate hole to make it look like its screwed on the bumper.

If your wondering, min. headlight height is 22inches from the center of the head light to the ground.

[lorinzo]

And, you only have 35%!

Unfortunately for those of us in CA.... this is the risk we run (I have 20% and no front plate).

I know it is just a matter of time before I get my fix it ticket.

[kiloil]

Boy that sucks. CA is just looking for wayes to boost revenue. Move to TX or FL. You won't be harrased that way.

[M3forMe]

Cop bored and just being a prick IMO. One thing if he adds these on to something bigger and more illegal like street racing. To pull you over just for that is just senseless.

Don't the cops in the People's Republic of California have a better way to spend our dollars, like fighting real crime.

No front plate and tinted windows on all my cars along with almost every other car in the state and no issues. Knock on wood.

Sorry to hear your issue.

[Nautik]

It's the end of the month and he has a quota to get.

I have so many front plate and tint tickets that now when I get pulled over they ask if those are all for the same car! lol I just pay the fine. I like my tint and am sensitive to sunburns, sorry LE.

Btw I ALWAYS roll both windows down completely when I get pulled over (even in the rain) and keep my hands at the 10 and 2 oclock positions on the wheel.

I did buy a tow hook front plate kit though and I am considering putting it on to give LE one less reason to pull me over. I don't really care about the ticket but I don't like being delayed.