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Common_Sense's Blog

by Common_Sense from Phoenix

Last Post 283 days, 22 hours Ago


WINDOW TINT
Mar 21, 2008 | 4:26 PM
Category: Traffic
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As a continuing public service informing people of Arizona's traffic laws, today I'm going to touch on window tint.

When I stop a car for having illegally dark window tint, I'm invariably told that they weren't aware that Arizona has a law regulating tint.  I don't know if they're lying, or if they really are unaware that Arizona's tint law is the same as California's.

Arizona Revised Statutes 28-959.01.A.1 specifies that window tint on the front passenger compartment windows cannot have a light transmission specification of less than 33%.  33% window film is not very dark, and you can see clearly into the vehicle.

The rear side windows and rear windows can be as dark as you want as long as you have side mirrors.

We DO issue citations for violations of this law.  I carry a small, hand-held electronic tint tester that shows the amount of light transmission on an LED display.  The tester is calibrated and holds up in court.

I see loads of cars with "limo black" tint.  It's only a matter of time until they get tickets and have to scrape the tint off.  Scraping off window tint is a royal pain.  It's better to get legal tint in the first place.

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Member Comments Total Comments: 73
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splat read my blog
Mar 24, 2008 | 8:51 AM

I'm sure window tinting companies in AZ know the laws and if I went to a place and they tinted my windows the illegal tint I'd request a refund of my money, tell them they're paying the ticket and make them scrape the tint off.

I don't like the dark tint. I don't think it should be allowed on any of the windows unless you are in a limo.
worldlyone read my blog
Mar 24, 2008 | 9:02 AM

I have a problem with the rear windows being as dark as desired. How does a police officer on foot, approaching a vehicle he/she has stopped know what is lurking in the back seat if he/she can't see in? I know the law is aimed at sight restrictions for the driver, but it does not address the vulnerable officer. I think there should be a tint limit on all windows for this very reason.
Milton89
Mar 24, 2008 | 12:30 PM

Who cares!? You should be doing real police work, "common_sense", instead of pulling people over for window tint.

I'm sure your community would rather you keep the roads safe instead of hassling drivers over silly issues like HOV lanes and window tint.
raybeez
Mar 24, 2008 | 1:27 PM

Hey Milton89 ... that's what photo radar is for! :))

The window tint place I checked out does know the law - but they said if I pay cash they'll tint my windows any way I want.
(Paying them cash, they can deny doing the tinting job in any legal issues).

No, I didn't go that route.
GrnFlamingos read my blog view my photos
Mar 24, 2008 | 1:28 PM

Milty - who determines "real police work"? Isn't writing a violation for an AZ statute "real police work"? Or would you rather be a pedestrian who gets hit at night by a vehicle with overly tinted windows?
Milton89
Mar 24, 2008 | 1:37 PM

Pedestrian hit because of tinted windows? Nah, that's quite a stretch.

Real police work, when it comes to patrolling the road, is making sure everyone's liscence is valid, that they are insured(for example, if an illegal alien in AZ hits you, is he/she covered? Probably not).

HOV lane and tinted window tickets are purely revenue grabs, not real police work.
Milton89
Mar 24, 2008 | 1:39 PM

[quote]Hey Milton89 ... that's what photo radar is for! :))[/quote]Yep, tying people up in court and collecting cash from them over minor violations. That's what those are for.
RDJVZ read my blog
Mar 24, 2008 | 2:23 PM

He's not even a real cop. He just plays one on here. Real cops don't have time to write tickets for window tint.
hddaddy read my blog
Mar 24, 2008 | 2:34 PM

The windows on my BMW are factory glass, not a tint overlay. I keep the factory options document in the glove box to prove it. It used to drive cops in CA nuts because they couldn't prove their little power trip and show me the VC related to items that have never been modified from factory.
Milton89
Mar 24, 2008 | 2:55 PM

Speaking of driving cops nuts, here's another gag that's fun:

Drive up and down the HOV lane during rush hour with a buddy laying down in the back seat. Eventually you get pulled over by some loser and when he walks up, your pal sits up in the back and you both give him a big smile
GrnFlamingos read my blog view my photos
Mar 24, 2008 | 4:07 PM

Just when you think there can't be a bigger idiot, someone comes along to prove you wrong.
Milton89
Mar 24, 2008 | 4:13 PM

Hey you gotta admit it's a clever trick.

Some traffic cops are just there to make my life more difficult. So I return the favor.
worldlyone read my blog
Mar 24, 2008 | 9:09 PM

It looks like Milty and RDJVZ should go on the road as the "Idiot Brothers". Tell someone to do real police work and then describe an idiotic trick to waste an officers time. Really smart!!! Milty you wouldn't know real police work if it jumped up and bit you in the fanny. And RDJVZ, where do you get your idiotic information on what cops write tickets for? You said you were leaving the Valley because of the heat. I think you are too late, your brain is already fried.
AZMee read my blog
Mar 25, 2008 | 4:13 AM

Well, this proves me wrong.
You really are on the "front lines" of law enforcement.
Be careful out there with the broken tail light offenders. They may not be as understanding as the dark tinters.
RDJVZ read my blog
Mar 25, 2008 | 1:18 PM

I didn't say I got any information from anywhere worldlyone. I said REAL Cops don't have time to write lame ass tickets. If you go back and look at No_Sense's blogs he's all about writing tickets for this and that. When was the last time you saw a real Cop in Phoenix taking radar? When was the last time you saw a Real Cop writing tickets for window tinting? When was the last time you saw a Real Cop get to a non injury accident in less the an hour? You haven't and you won't because unlike fake Cops as No_Sense is Real Cops just don't have the time for BS tickets. I don't just hate the heat here I have a genuine dislike for all the morons that have come in droves to this valley over the years. How long have you been here worldlyone?
Milton89
Mar 25, 2008 | 1:28 PM

I'm not wasting any cop's time with the HOV trick. They're already wasting their whole day and taxpayer money enforcing it in the first place.

I'm just putting a little levity into the situation.:)
Milton89
Mar 25, 2008 | 1:32 PM

And like RDJVZ said, common_sense does brag about writing petty tickets.

No community wants their police force hassling good people for minor violations that mean nothing. Why you would brag about that is beyond me.
Milton89
Mar 25, 2008 | 1:35 PM

I'm not wasting any cop's time with the HOV trick. They're already wasting their whole day and taxpayer money enforcing it in the first place.

I'm just putting a little levity into the situation.:)
worldlyone read my blog
Mar 25, 2008 | 4:34 PM

Hey Dumb and Dumber, the cops have a job to do and they are doing it. Any, (ANY) infraction of any law is the job of an officer to enforce no matter what twiddle-dee and twiddle-dum think. I get the opinion from these two lunk heads that it's okay break any law and the cop that enforces it is the one who is wrong. They should both be arrested for impersonating a human being.
Milton89
Mar 26, 2008 | 12:45 AM

I suppose writing petty tickets is part of the job.

But we have an alleged cop here who brags about it. Why would you be proud of such a thing? Doesn't add up, if you're rational.
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Common_Sense

A police officer for 14 years, and a Valley resident for 30 years. I work with the Boy Scouts of America, the Girl Scouts of America, the Fraternal Order of Police, and numerous trade organizations including the National Narcotics Detection Dog Association and the National Narcotics Interdiction Officers' Association.

Member Since: 1/12/2007


 

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