Ticket for smoked tails

sanndnsurf · #1 10-29-2009, 01:13 PM

Ok so I just got my 02 Screw Back yesterday after I replaced the bumpers, grill, and harley heads, I was goin to work without my radar on and I see a cop turn on his lights he asks me to step out of the truck and tells me that my tail lights are "Illegaly Tinted" and I need to change them he let me off with a warning for the lights and the speeding, but said if he pulls me over again with the lights he'll write me 13 citations at $160 each. What should I do?

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**Bluejay** · #2 10-29-2009, 01:19 PM

The wisest thing would seem to be to change out your tail lights.

bigchief2472000 · #3 10-29-2009, 01:40 PM

how dark are they? find out how far they are supposed to be visible from in your state and see if you can see em from that far. even if they arent illegal, that doesnt mean he wont pull you over and give you tickets for other crap though. maybe get one of those "line of fire" lights across the bottom of the tailgate and use that for tail/brake llights.

sanndnsurf · #4 10-29-2009, 02:07 PM

They're not even that dark, I was really surprised he even noticed, the guy I bought the truck from nightshaded them himself. It just really ticked me off how officer **** was nitpicking at my truck over every little thing, doesn't he have bigger fish to fry?

grizzstang · #5 10-29-2009, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sanndnsurf

They're not even that dark, I was really surprised he even noticed, the guy I bought the truck from nightshaded them himself. It just really ticked me off how officer **** was nitpicking at my truck over every little thing, doesn't he have bigger fish to fry?

I would get rid of it or make very sure it is legal in your state and some proof if possible. He will be watching for you now and if you don't he will give you the tickets he promissed. The younger you are the more likely he will bust you for it.

sanndnsurf · #6 10-29-2009, 02:25 PM

Are there any legal aftermarket ones with the smoked look? Putting oem's back on will totally kill the look of my truck.

dilloncawthon · #7 10-29-2009, 02:31 PM

put a pic up on here of how dark they are so we can better judge the legallity of them. mine were very very dark when i first niteshaded them but now it has faded quite a bit. i never got hassled for them though even though i've been pulled over for speeding with them. see in this pic you can see how dark mine were. now they are a real dark burgundy.

TX Chris · #8 10-29-2009, 02:33 PM

Do yourself a favor and do some research on the laws in your State.

I ride motorcycles and I don't know how many tickets I've seen written for obstructed license plates. 99% of those tickets were dismissed by the judge because he knows the cop is just giving the bikes a hard time and that the law only says the plate has to be visible from the rear. It doesn't say it has to be 100% perfectly visible from the drivers seat of a car 75' behind you, which is how the cops like to interpret the law.

Arm yourself with knowledge, don't just cower down because one cop doesn't like your taillights.

dilloncawthon · #9 10-29-2009, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sanndnsurf

Are there any legal aftermarket ones with the smoked look? Putting oem's back on will totally kill the look of my truck.

i believe hella makes some slightly tinted ones but from pictures that i've seen of them you can't even really tell. you could just take the paint off of the ones you have and then respray them but with a really light coat.

sanndnsurf · #10 10-29-2009, 02:36 PM

Ya mine are nowhere near that dark check it out:New Truck! Need Opinions

04HeritageXL · #11 10-29-2009, 02:57 PM

I cant see him writing you 13 citations. Not only would he have to find 13 things wrong to cite, you would get a vast majority thrown out. but hey idk what he saw or thinks is illegal, but like everyone said, check out the legalities, you have to realize its getting close to the end of the month and he has a ticket quota. i have searched all over the DMV site for my state and all it says and i quote "Always keep tail and side lights in working order. They signal other motorists in the dark and prevent accidents" ... it says nothing about tinting or anything of that standard for tail lights, the section on tinting says : "New Jersey laws prohibit add-on tinting on windshields and front side windows" so i see a loop hole in the law, check out your DMV site and see what it says.

dilloncawthon · #12 10-29-2009, 02:59 PM

yeah i wouldn't think you would get hassled by them since you can still see some red in them.

i forgot you had an obs truck so scratch that post where i said hella made some darker headlights.

ASUFX4 · #13 10-29-2009, 03:21 PM

Well I'm new to the forum so I'll try not to step on any toes but here goes...

I'm a cop in AZ and based on your pictures (obviously I haven't seen your truck in person) I can find a few violations (according to Arizona Revised Statutes). I've looked at your profile and I don't see where you live but in the pictures you posted it looks like it's either Texas or Utah based on the license plates. Obviously if you're not in Arizona this doesn't apply to you so take it for what it's worth.

Based on ARS codes you need to have mud flaps for having a truck that is lifted beyond the stock height. Also, you would need to have two red rear lighted lights which are clearly visible (your smoked tail lamps may be obstructing this). Also the law says you have to have the reflectors in the lamps visible, the tint may be obstructing these as well. Going back to lifted trucks. Check your local laws regarding the max height for head and tail lamps. Your truck may be too high and that may be another citation you could recieve.

Now let me say I'm not a traffic cop and I don't write a lot of tickets, but these are just things that I look for to stop people. Take it for what it's worth, but on a side note, I think your truck looks good.

Hope that helps and I wasn't trying to flame anyone just trying to provide some insight.

bigchief2472000 · #14 10-29-2009, 03:33 PM

well i see the plates are texas, the state troopers in my area have been out in force the past few days. so they probably are just tryin to make quota. the lights are a bit dark though but i still think as long as there visible from XX ft (brakes and blinkers during the day also) then it shouldnt be illegal.

thejake1989 · #15 10-29-2009, 03:41 PM

can you get a bigger pic of them? when i did mine i took the truck down to the local pd and got them checked out and the only issue i had was they may not been bright enough during the day so i just got a line of fire. its more about the cop and not the law that will get you. ask blackoutv6 hes gotten pulled over and ticketed for his in the same areas i drive too and mine are pretty dark.