waterboy72785

I was on Metzerott Road, at the traffic light before entering the UMCP campus. Two lanes going forward entering campus, while the most left lane could also make a left turn. The cop was the second car on the left lane and i was the second car on the right lane behind the campus bus for students. The traffic light turn green and i started to accelerate with the bus and i notice the cop slowing down b.c the car in front of him was making a left turn. After passing the light, the bus merged to the left lane and i realized i was on a right turn only lane. I didnt want to make a long detour so i decided to merged to the left lane in front of the cop (bad idea), but i did it passively.. i follow every step on the MVA driving manual just so i won't get pull over. I signal... waited...checked my mirror... saw cop's headlights..merged...then turn signal off....... less than five second later.... the cop pull me over for SPEEDING!?! I thought that was crazy cuz i was behind a bus..and i was just following the flow of traffic.

Well i got three tickets:
1) speeding... 30 on a 20..... $90 fine and i dont think i got a point since i dont see it on the ticket (she got bad handwriting tho...hard to read)
2) Fix it ticket for my tints 20%... had it for two years and no problem before this
3) $60 Fine for tints

I was looking around on this site and i found that some people have two option when they got ticketed for tints. Pay the fine and keep the tint..... or strip the tints and pay $10 bucks. Does that exist for the state of MD?? Or do i have to pay the 60 bucks AND strip my tints??

Also, the cop told me i have 15 days to get the fix-it ticket sign... but the on the back of the fix-it ticket... it said i got 30 days to mail it in. So is it 15 or 30?

FYI: Class was cancel that day... so i drove to school for nothing (30 minute commute) and got ticketed.

Well thanks for listening, any help would be appreciated

xD_kidd91

they mostly pull you if you go over 10mph so 90bucks is harsh. and i never heard about the 10bucks and strip it off rule. but why dont you tjust sent the waver for court date. most likely the cop wont show. and your off free. but you shud strip the rear and tint it 30-35% cause they will jst check the rear when your being followed.

-fantC-

Sorry to hear about your bad luck buddy. I got pulled over in my neighborhood the 2 weeks ago and I was given a "repair order" for my tint. The repair order states that you have 30 days to fix the issue, otherwise your vehicle registration will be suspended. So, I am in the same boat as you.

I do not want to strip my 20% tint either, but in order to pass the repair order, that may be the only method.

On a different note (same topic), I have heard that some people can get physicians to sign doctor's notes stating that the driver is sensitive to light... and then they can keep the tint.

cobb

Sorry to hear that, sounds like something that would happen to me.

FYI, never pull in front of a cop, let em pass. PS, most radars work forwards or reverse and dont tailgate or follow them if they exceed the posted limit til someone gets sandwiched between you and said cop.

As a VA resident, your getting one for at least 10 over, they let you do 5 no problem.

Tint, we have have the rear blacked out if have a passenger side mirror. The front driver and passenger no more than 35% and nothing on windshield.

-fantC-

thanks Cobb

You jogged my memory as that is something I was curious about. You see several SUVs and other vehicles out there with the rear windshield and rear side windows with limo tint while the front passenger and front driver side have nearly no tint at all.

If, say, the tC can have the rear windshield and rear sides blacked out all the way, then only the tint on the front windows has to be addressed (i.e. stripped and made legal.)

So, is that understanding correct and legal? If that works for VA, does anyone know if it works for MD (or other states)? I know that the tC is not an SUV, but if the tint on the front windows is all that matters, then more money can be saved and the car does not have to get so baked in the summer sun... thanks all!

vettereddie

Not sure on the tC, but on the xB in MD, 35% front is the limit, rear can be completely covered soince it is considered a microvan somehow. If anyone complains about it, I show a picture of the Chevy HHR panel, it's in the same class with solid back side windows. If your front is 20%, it's not legal.

waterboy72785

yeah, i heard about that doctor's note thing too but i dont know anyone doctor well enough to write me one. Well strip off all the tints today and went to the state trooper to get it sign off.... needless to say i wasnt the only one there with fix-it tint tickets...

i asked the guy at the tint shop,,, MVA... and the state troopers.. and found out that in MD, the only LEGAL tints is 35% all around for coupe and sedan. So you cannot black out the rear. XB is fine since its not even consider a sedan or a coupe... just the TC is not =(. now i look at it... it doesnt look too bad without tints... just going to be a _____ during summer.

well thanks for the input guys

geo46_2

iTrader: (1)

sorry bro but that lady screwed you .

mcbrew

Tint laws are different for "trucks." A lot of vehicles fit into that class that you might not expect... like the HHR and PT Cruisers, which are both considered SUVs. The xB is considered a "small station wagon," so I think it would be the same as a sedan or coupe, but not 100% sure.

black_xb

the xb is considered N MPV. Making it legal to go dark on all windows but the 2 in the front those are 35%. But for cars its 35% all the way around..... Here's the tricky part MD inspectors cannot sign off on tint unless it is completly stripped off or it has a letter from the State police. Meaning to get the ticket signed off you'll have to go to Glen burnie or some other full service MVA to get it signed off on....As long as there is a state trooper there to test it... Good luck

cobb

These are VA laws for tint? I dont recall reading that. I know if its oem its ok, but added tint can be a hassle. Many tint shops will use a lighter tint than advertised just so it comepsates for any tint in the glass and error of a tint gun. So, they use 45% vs 35% for example. I never had any problems with my xa, then again, it looked like a mini suv, 22 rear 35 front, nothing on the windshield.

I think the rear tint on the xb2 helped to make the deal, I cant imagine driving a cart without them any more. My tacoma is tinted in the back and I am working on tinting the front. Got some tint for the metro and its getting covered too.

PS, you can buy static cling 22% tint at walmart 12 bucks for 6 ft roll. Just peals off.

BlackberryPie

"...some people can get physicians to sign doctor's notes stating that the driver is sensitive to light... and then they can keep the tint."

Then they can wear sunglasses. LOL (Which, in the past, I have had to do due to extreme sensitivity to light; DD does too)

Laws can vary extremely from state to state. Google your state's website and do a search. I'd suggest keywords: window tint

Don't take my word or anyone else's for fact. Legislatures make new laws and changes to old ones every year.

chrominized

damn sorry to hear that man! i go to umcp and ive had 20% tint since winter break but havent been pulled over either. hmmm metzerott....i used to take that road to get back on 495. but i rarely see cops there o__O

waterboy72785

yeah same here... lot 4j is where the cops are usually.. except during traffic hrs when everybody is leaving campus. I been driving on that road for the past two years without problems too... cuz i park at lot 11.

chrominized

11 is close to 6 which is where i park and it's right next to the exit. thats a blower man...$90 for 30 on a 20 is a bit much imo

mossfan15

90 really isnt too bad. i was ticketed here in wv about 3 weeks ago for 10 over and my fine was 165

cobb

Cops are really cracking down, since my speed o is about what my gps says, I just go 5 over by myself or keep up with traffic if they are faster.

waterboy72785

wow 165 ... thats harsh

yeah cops are crackin down so they can get more money to fund their activities i guess...

supercharged07tc

if you pay the fine for speeding u probably would get 1 point in your record, i think is 1 point for every 10mph higher from speed limit, for the tint u should get it fix and go ask for the fine to the mva.