Tint Warning - State Patrol

Discussion in 'General Subaru Discussion' started by Steve in Minnesota, Jun 5, 2006.

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  1. Steve in Minnesota
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    Steve in Minnesota Well-Known Member

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    Hey...

    Just wanted to give everyone a heads-up.

    I got pulled over yesterday on the way back from the MAC autocross for my tint. It was between Cannon Falls and Zumbrota on Hwy 52 South.

    I did just get a warning and was told I needed to remove it, but he did pull me over just for that. I wasn't speeding.

    I think he was a little surprised to find a 40 year old male driving. I'm sure he thought it was going to be some little punk with my windows tinted, lowered, aftermarket wheels, aftermarket exhaust. He was definately surprised.

    I did the smart thing and was very friendly and respectful and it got me just a warning.

    Steve
     
  2. Scuba Steve
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    Scuba Steve Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for the warning. What tint % are you at?
     
  3. John16V
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    John16V Well-Known Member

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    +1 how dark did you have it?
     
  4. Dream
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    Dream Well-Known Member

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    I got a ticket in the same exact spot this year and last year by the State Patrol, im sure it was the same guy. I have 22% and he said if he see's me again with the tint he will tow my car :laugh:

    Was this a younger guy?
     
  5. Steve in Minnesota
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    Steve in Minnesota Well-Known Member

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    Yep...younger guy. Name was Anderson or Nelson...something like that....the warning is at home.

    I had 35% put on the front windows and 20% everywhere else on a silver WRX wagon. He measured it at 31% on the front and 21% on the back or something like that.

    I guess I think there are more important things a State Trooper could be doing than pulling someone over for tint and nothing else.

    The thing that irks me the most is that I had all four windows rolled all the way down until I got to Cannon falls because I was hot and stinky and then I rolled them up so I could enjoy my DQ Blizzard that I stopped for in Cannon Falls.

    Steve
     
  6. Dream
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    Dream Well-Known Member

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    Yep, thats the guy! :mad:
     
  7. Dizmal
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    Dizmal Well-Known Member

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    Well, I guess I will be taking my gf's Durango whenever I go tubing at Welch. Sucks to. We just went there this weekend for tubing and if you drive by Welch on CO 7 is has some nice twisty roads with great scenery that would be fun with our cars.

    Unfortunately I have 35%F/20% all around also.
     
  8. Scuba Steve
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    Scuba Steve Well-Known Member

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    what is the exact tint allowed on a wagon/suv.....I know it's different than sedans.....I thought suv/wagons could go darker!?
     
  9. wrxpeed
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    wrxpeed CobraPeed

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    how do they measure it exactly? some sort of light device or what?
     
  10. Scuba Steve
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    Scuba Steve Well-Known Member

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    Don't wagons and SUV's have a different limit on tint? rather than the 50% for sedan's?
     
  11. Steve in Minnesota
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    Steve in Minnesota Well-Known Member

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    I asked him that. No Dice!

    It's SUV vs. passenger car according to officer friendly. I politely asked him what the difference was between my wagon which is AWD and has a rear hatch....and any SUV. His response was that is based on what it is registered as.

    I'm going to start doing some research on this and then start squawking to whoever will listen. I really don't think it is fair or reasonable to hold a passenger car to a different standard than an SUV.

    Steve
     
  12. Steve in Minnesota
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    Steve in Minnesota Well-Known Member

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    Yep...he had a little magic box that had a slot in it that fit over the windows in the doors. Came up with a digital display that I'm sure was a measure of how much light the windows let through.

    Steve
     
  13. hofit
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    hofit Well-Known Member

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    I've been pulled over 3 times in my last car which had 20%. It was measured at 18% and 15% by their meters and the third time he didn't measure at all. 3warnings in 3 different suburbs. It is easier to get a warning when you have your kids and wife in the car though.

    I'm running 30% on my Subie now. It's not worth the headache of being pulled over for something so lame.
     
  14. esperunit
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    esperunit Well-Known Member

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    He's right, that's how the law is written. People took it upon themselves to assume wagons were included in there, but absolutely nothing in the law insinuates that they are, other than that it says delivery vehicles. And in that case it would only be the rear 3 windows that would be allowed.

    I didn't tint my matrix's back windows because of this. i talked to a cop I know and he said there's nothing in the law that says wagons are legal, but tint shops often say they are so they don't lose a customer (not a criticism of any local tint shops, never been to one)

    If its registered with delivery vehicle insurance like courier etc. or a pickup or an SUV registered car its legal. This means that foresters can get away with it since subaru had them reclassified as light trucks a few years back.
     
  15. Dream
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    Dream Well-Known Member

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    sheeet, I had my 3 month old in the car at the time and he didnt care at all, sux!
     
  16. beeloo
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    beeloo New Member

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    OMG!! same guy! he gave me a speeding ticket for going 10 over AND a ticket for tint. I had 30% and it measured as 32%.
     
  17. Dream
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    Dream Well-Known Member

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    This guy must really hate tinted window's. Im never driving my car down 52 again past Cannon Falls.
     
  18. k_thaosta
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    k_thaosta Well-Known Member

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    I thought there was more tinted window threads? They contained useful mn state law information about tinted windows but oh well, someone will come up with that information again... here's the official law... I'm sure it's still stands as the current law...

    http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/stats/169/71.html
     
  19. Steve in Minnesota
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    Steve in Minnesota Well-Known Member

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    Zak

    Does this seem fair to you? Who do you thing I could talk to about taking steps toward getting it changed. The only thing that is different from my wagon compared to the typical SUV is that I don't have a big, fast soccer mom driving mine.

    Steve
     
  20. 02blubru
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    02blubru Well-Known Member

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    I guess I will take my work van down to roch on wednesday not my car with 35 on doors and 15 on back window.

    Thanks for the heads up...
     
  21. Scuba Steve
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    Scuba Steve Well-Known Member

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    good luck with that....by the time you made an influence on the state your subie will be old and rusty....

    Here's the information on it .....
    169.71 Windshield.



    Subdivision 1. Prohibitions generally; exceptions.
    (a) A person shall not drive or operate any motor vehicle with:


    (1) a windshield cracked or discolored to an extent to
    limit or obstruct proper vision;


    (2) any objects suspended between the driver and the
    windshield, other than sun visors and rearview mirrors and
    electronic toll collection devices; or


    (3) any sign, poster, or other nontransparent material upon
    the front windshield, sidewings, or side or rear windows of the
    vehicle, other than a certificate or other paper required to be
    so displayed by law or authorized by the state director of the
    Division of Emergency Management or the commissioner of public
    safety.


    (b) Paragraph (a), clauses (2) and (3), do not apply to law
    enforcement vehicles.


    (c) Paragraph (a), clause (2), does not apply to authorized
    emergency vehicles.


    Subd. 2. Windshield wiper. The windshield on every
    motor vehicle shall be equipped with a device for cleaning rain,
    snow or other moisture from the windshield, which device shall
    be so constructed as to be controlled or operated by the driver
    of the vehicle.


    Subd. 3. Defrosting requirement. No person shall
    drive any motor vehicle with the windshield or front side
    windows covered with steam or frost to such an extent as to
    prevent proper vision.


    Subd. 4. Glazing material; prohibitions and exceptions.
    (a) No person shall drive or operate any motor vehicle
    required to be registered in the state of Minnesota upon any
    street or highway under the following conditions:


    (1) when the windshield is composed of, covered by, or
    treated with any material which has the effect of making the
    windshield more reflective or in any other way reducing light
    transmittance through the windshield;


    (2) when any window on the vehicle is composed of, covered
    by, or treated with any material that has a highly reflective or
    mirrored appearance;


    (3) when any side window or rear window is composed of or
    treated with any material so as to obstruct or substantially
    reduce the driver's clear view through the window or has a light
    transmittance of less than 50 percent plus or minus three
    percent in the visible light range or a luminous reflectance of
    more than 20 percent plus or minus three percent; or


    (4) when any material has been applied after August 1,
    1985, to any motor vehicle window without an accompanying
    permanent marking which indicates the percent of transmittance
    and the percent of reflectance afforded by the material. The
    marking must be in a manner so as not to obscure vision and be
    readable when installed on the vehicle.


    (b) This subdivision does not apply to glazing materials
    which:


    (1) have not been modified since the original installation,
    nor to original replacement windows and windshields, that were
    originally installed or replaced in conformance with Federal
    Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 205;


    (2) are required to satisfy prescription or medical needs
    of the driver of the vehicle or a passenger if the driver or
    passenger is in possession of the prescription or a physician's
    statement of medical need; or


    (3) are applied to:


    (i) the rear windows of a pickup truck as defined in
    section 168.011, subdivision 29;


    (ii) the rear windows or the side windows on either side
    behind the driver's seat of a van as defined in section 168.011,
    subdivision 28;


    (iii) the side and rear windows of a vehicle used to
    transport human remains by a funeral establishment holding a
    license under section 149A.50; or

    (iv) the side and rear windows of a limousine as defined in
    section 168.011, subdivision 35.


    Subd. 28. Van. "Van" means any vehicle of box-like
    design with no barrier or separation between the operator's area
    and the remainder of the cargo-carrying area, and with a
    manufacturer's nominal rated carrying capacity of three-fourths
    ton or less.
     
  22. beeloo
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    beeloo New Member

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    Wonder if there is any other way to get to St Paul besides going through Cannon Falls.
     
  23. Scuba Steve
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    Scuba Steve Well-Known Member

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    Plane?

    We could caravan everyone from here through that area....less likely to pick on a pac of wolves....or in this case subies....:biggrin:
     
  24. pistolpete99
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    pistolpete99 New Member

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    I got pulled over in elk river by a state trooper. My windows tested at 27% but let me off with a written warning and next time i would get towed. I must have got him on a good day because he let me off for speeding also.
     
  25. 02blubru
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    02blubru Well-Known Member

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    coming from roch, you could cut over to hwy 56.

    52 north to county rd 9 west
    56 norht, that will bring you up to hwy 50 on the south side of Hampton would probably only add at most 10 miles to your trip...

    http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=...4.383379,-92.838936&spn=0.085878,0.21698&om=1

    I used to take 56 a lot with my old job, never saw a cop.
     
  26. pbedroske
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    pbedroske Well-Known Member

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    I think I'll just make a point to drive with my windows down on that route. On Friday when I drove up to have Matt work on my car I did see a State-boy around Cannon Falls sitting in the median area just past the crest of a hill (hiding). I was going ~72mph windows cracked open - 35% tint. Nothing happend
     
  27. 02blubru
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    02blubru Well-Known Member

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    My windows are tinted and I am willing to pay to play, I would rather not but hey what do you expect when you put illegal things on your car?
     
  28. John16V
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    John16V Well-Known Member

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    I bought my car with the tint on it. Is there any place I could go and test what the % is before I get a ticket?
     
  29. Gairloch
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    Gairloch New Member

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    Why would you guys be getting written warnings when you're no where near the 50% mark? Am I reading the law wrong?

     
  30. techy101
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    techy101 Well-Known Member

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    it refers to allowed light transmission. 50% means that it allows 50% of the light through. 30% means that it allows 30% of the light though. Hence, 30 is darker than 50.
     
  31. austinpike
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    austinpike Well-Known Member

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    So does that mean SUV = van? I see no other defintion of "SUV" anywhere in there. In which case, by that definition, a wagon would apply just as well as an SUV.
     
  32. hofit
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    hofit Well-Known Member

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    Yes, and I've had 50%. You can't even tell it's tinted. I didn't tint my car to look cool. I have a sensitivity to light which makes it hard to drive in the winter when it's sunny. I can't see crap with out tint and sunglasses on. 50% is worthless IMHO.
     
  33. Dynapar
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    Dynapar Well-Known Member

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    hmm.. there is that thing in there about perscription. i should get a writ from teh eye doctor saying i can have 30% all round and go blingin!
     
  34. Xcelor8
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    Xcelor8 Well-Known Member

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    Yeah I wonder about a presciptiong for tint too, but a couple things, one it won't stop them from stopping you, and secondly it most likely won't stop them from ticketing you either, which mean you'd hopefully go to court and have it thown out, hopefully. My truck has legal tint on it, and my car is illegal, it came that way, had I tinted it, I would've left it legal, I don't need anymore reasons to get pulled over.
     
  35. esperunit
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    esperunit Well-Known Member

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    SUV doesnt need a definition as it goes by the title. If its titled as an SUV or light truck then its ok.

    Steve: I'm not judging whther or not its wrong or right, but I get pulled over all the time just for being a black guy driving relatively nice cars, so I tend to go with things that will not give them any more excuses to pull me over.

    I've been pulled over more than 15 times since moving to the twin cities. Out of that, I've gotten one speeding ticket, so I prefer not to tempt fate when it comes to stuff like tinitng that just seems to aggravate certain cops.

    And yes, I too have been pulled over by "the menace of highway 52" near cannon falls. He yelled at me for a while about my front plate which at the time was bent at a weird angle because that morning it got caught on my pants when i walked by it. He said he couldnt easily read all of the numbers, and that my exhaust was too loud, but he didnt give me a ticket. what a douche.

    edit: oh yeah! he also pulled me over the day after i got my RS! I got a warning then too.
     
  36. Steve in Minnesota
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    Steve in Minnesota Well-Known Member

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    Zak

    Not that it's even close to the same thing....but I'm sure that ossifer friendly had me figured as some pimply-faced, skinny little white kid until I rolled down the window. Stereotypes SUCK and so does pulling someone over because of the color of their skin. That is complete and utter B.S.

    I was talking with this dip%$#@!%$#@!%$#@!%$#@! that I worked with once. He was saying he wanted to move out of Rochester to a small town. When I asked why, his response was that "he was sick of all the ethnic people in Rochester." When I go up off the floor I asked him if Appel (his last name) was American Indian....of course he responded....no it's German. Focking people are %$#@!%$#@!%$#@!%$#@!%$#@!%$#@!%$#@!es!

    Sorry for all your troubles!

    Steve
     
  37. austinpike
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    austinpike Well-Known Member

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    yeah, but where does that come from? I don't see any such reference in the linked statutes.
     
  38. RichWRX
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    RichWRX Well-Known Member

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    im glad the cops around here dont bother with tint tickets, Every car I have ever had has had 5% on all windows. and a strip on the windshield
     
  39. Fasteddy
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    Fasteddy New Member

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    "Subd. 28. Van. "Van" means any vehicle of box-like
    design with no barrier or separation between the operator's area
    and the remainder of the cargo-carrying area, and with a
    manufacturer's nominal rated carrying capacity of three-fourths
    ton or less."

    It looks like a strong argument could be made for a wagon to fall under this classification.
     
  40. ScoobyTodd
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    ScoobyTodd New Member

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    Man, I just got pulled over last night for the same thing off of 94 westbound nearly to 95th Ave.

    The guy was a total douche and got me for that and not having a MN driver's license. So, instead of a warning he gives me tickets for both!!!! Man, I was respectful, showed my military ID, and truthfully didn't know the specifics of both laws (not that that is an excuse). Grand total: $260!!!!

    I'm going to contest both b/c both are offenses that (in my opinion) are warnings only, especially on first hits with someone recently moved to MN from AZ.

    Heck, the guy even was trying to argue with me that my AZ-legal tint was past AZ state law from when he worked in AZ for 5 years. Why would he argue with me, when I would get in more touble going on and off the Air Force base everyday if I indeed went beyond the Arizona legal limit?!?

    Another thing I don't understand is, I presume this tint law is to protect police from people hiding in the back of cars. Understandable, but it's allowed in trucks and SUVs!! When I think of gangster I think of SUV, not STi. Oh well.
     
  41. ScoobyTodd
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    ScoobyTodd New Member

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    PS..1st two tickets of my life!!! ^^^^
     
  42. austinpike
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    austinpike Well-Known Member

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    I'm sure it made some kind of sense when it was written back in the 70's or whatever. Zero logic by today's definition of a typical passenger vehicle. Yet it will be mindlessly enforced until some enterprising lawyer wants to make a case out of it.

    Good luck...
     
  43. ScoobyTodd
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    ScoobyTodd New Member

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    Mindlessly controlled I can understand, but enforced with revenue-producing tickets?! I cannot.

    I understand giving tickets away like candy to indignant punks (young or old), but to respectful (otherwise law-abiding) citizens; I cannot.
     
  44. LSE Performance
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    LSE Performance New Member

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    I have 50% on the stealth and it makes a big difference. I am also very sensitive to light when driving, and I wanted to try to deter people from peering in my car.
    I would have loved 30% but I didn't want to deal with the harrassment from local and state PD. I have enough "items" on my car to attract attention, illegal window tint didn't need to be added to that list.

    I think it is sad that you all know of the trooper and where he always sits on CTY RD 52.
     
  45. ScandiaWRX
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    ScandiaWRX <font color="#f8467d">Rally Demi-goddess</font>

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    I got a tint warning heading to work on Hwy 10 just North of Little Falls, two weeks ago. I saw the State Trooper going North bound and said a "oh no" when I saw him do a 180 in my rear view mirror and head back my way. He admitted I wasn't speeding and we had the very same pasenger car, SUV, wagon talk. I have 50% driver/passenger windows and 15% in the back. He gave me a warning and literally said I could do what I wanted with it. I assume he meant, fix it or not. We had a friendly chat.

    I see the same PT cruiser every morning heading to work and every time I wonder, "Why does he get to have factory tint and I get hassled?" Not to mention minivans, and the new charger wagon (I saw two of them at Target tonight). What gives?

    I'm thinking of calling my local senator and asking him to add something to a bill to clear this up.
     
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