# I finally got busted for my tint!



## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

Taken directly from my facebook:



> *.. so I'm driving home in North Buffalo tonight doing the speed limit minding my own business while a cop was following me. *shrug* no big I'm doing the speed limit. His lights start flashing! Great... I pull over off the main road get my documents out and wait. Within 5 minutes, FIVE cop cars were surrounding my position!! I roll down my windows as the officer approaches:
> 
> Officer: Do you know why I pulled you over?
> Me: No, sir.
> ...


So he makes me roll up my windows so he can use the stupid meter. 24% / 24% VLT (This confirms our factory is ~80%). NY is 70% / 70%. Thankfully, he didn't have that **** razor blade on him. I guess I know now to be careful where I drive at night, because any tint looks like limo in the dark. In the daytime I pass cops all the time and some of them even wave to me or look directly in.

But yeah, does it really take FIVE cops to pull over a brand new chevy cruze? I didn't think our car screamed "drug dealer."

I'm 100% sure I'm just going to pay the $110 fine. I'm not removing it, dammit.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Sounds to me like they were looking for someone and about all they had was a car with tinted windows. You got caught up in this search and you car had darker tint than NY allows.


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

Looked into what was legal here in Wisconsin & was surprised they have changed the law here requiring even lighter tint. Used to be 35% front/20% rear. New law is 50% front 35% rear, pretty much not even worth paying to get the car tinted. 

Always wondered how all the minivans & SUV's can have such dark tint, the fine pint of the law here states that if it came that dark from the factory its legal.


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## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

obermd said:


> Sounds to me like they were looking for someone and about all they had was a car with tinted windows. You got caught up in this search and you car had darker tint than NY allows.


New York doesn't allow *any* tint. It doesn't stop millions of motorists! *evil laugh*



spacedout said:


> Looked into what was legal here in Wisconsin & was surprised they have changed the law here requiring even lighter tint. Used to be 35% front/20% rear. New law is 50% front 35% rear, pretty much not even worth paying to get the car tinted.
> 
> Always wondered how all the minivans & SUV's can have such dark tint, the fine pint of the law here states that if it came that dark from the factory its legal.


Nah get it tinted. It is so worth it. It's so worth it that if he made me take it off I would get it again as soon as the winter is over. It protects the interior and leather, cools the cabin, prevents knuckleheads from highbeam spamming you when they are angry, and it just looks great.


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## Mick (Dec 31, 2011)

Didn't even give you a fix it ticket?! 

I've been pulled over for tint more than once and it is very hard keeping your cool when you just want to say, oh look at that one with darker tint, and that one and that one... But if you can keep your emotions in check, most of the time they'll wave you off. Unless of course they're in a bad mood or bored.


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## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

Nope, no wave off. No fix it ticket. Just a standard equipment violation on a traffic ticket. They obviously want the money.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Cops in the north are jerks. All of em. 


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## jakkaroo (Feb 12, 2011)

New york spent more money sending 5 officers to one car than the ticket was worth,great ole America


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## Zene (Oct 30, 2012)

I am moving out of California soon, and the percentage that is required in the state I am moving too is 35% front and 20% back. Cant wait..

I went to a bar a few months ago and I saw a cop catch a guy urinating in in a dark corner. 3 minutes later 6 squad cars and about 13 cops in total cape to just arrest him. Cops obviously have too much time on there hands nowadays.


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## iKermit (Dec 13, 2010)

They are enforcing TINT laws now? No wonder crime rates are so low!!

(rolls eyes)


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## Cavere (Sep 11, 2011)

A friend of mine got dark dark tint put on his car and a mile down the road from the shop got pulled over and the officer made him rip it off!


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## mabzmuzik (Jul 19, 2012)

ErikBEggs said:


> Taken directly from my facebook:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Are you sure this isn't Obama's fault? lol:th_coolioj/k)


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## Hoon (Mar 18, 2012)

Cheap ticket, in my state first offense for tint = $500 and second = $1000.


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## giantsnation (Oct 11, 2012)

Yes NY is very strict on tint laws. 

*ErikBEggs* NY does allow tint but only on the rear of SUVs, Trucks and Minivans (why those? I have no clue). This is why on these vehicles from the factory they have tinted rear windows whereas the Cruze as none (well almost none).


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## Jvegas04 (Aug 13, 2012)

New York State Window Tint Laws | eHow.com 

This is a small summary on NY tint laws.


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## GoldenCruze (Dec 18, 2011)

jakkaroo said:


> New york spent more money sending 5 officers to one car than the ticket was worth,great ole America


It is night and the cop can't see inside the car because of the dark windows. How many people are in there and do any of them have a weapon? Not that much of a surprise that he called for backup.

I am on the side that front windows should not be tinted so much that others can't see inside. Eye contact with other drivers is a big safety issue in some traffic situations.


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## giantsnation (Oct 11, 2012)

GoldenCruze said:


> It is night and the cop can't see inside the car because of the dark windows. How many people are in there and do any of them have a weapon? Not that much of a surprise that he called for backup.
> 
> I am on the side that front windows should not be tinted so much that others can't see inside. Eye contact with other drivers is a big safety issue in some traffic situations.


Couldn't agree more! The cops did the right thing here.


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## Vetterin (Mar 27, 2011)

In IL it's 35% / 35% so that's what I went with as I am more concerned with keeping the inside of the car cool than looking cool.


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## Greasemonkey2012 (Jul 8, 2012)

My car is 15% all Arround cops don't care where I'm at 


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## iKermit (Dec 13, 2010)

My front ones you can see me, but the back ones in mine are Limo. I was stopped once for speeding and the lady gave me a warning saying they are too dark.

I told her my car came that way, and she left me with only a speeding ticket (5 mph over the limit -_- yes i beat it in court)


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

Buffalo isn't a very visible-car-mod-friendly town. A fart cannon will get a bored police officer to tail you to see if they can rattle you so they have justification for a stop. Same with a giant wing, even if it's factory (STI).


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## giantsnation (Oct 11, 2012)

sciphi said:


> Buffalo isn't a very visible-car-mod-friendly town. A fart cannon will get a bored police officer to tail you to see if they can rattle you so they have justification for a stop. Same with a giant wing, even if it's factory (STI).


Really, Albany is not that bad. I've never heard of anyone getting pulled over just for a muffler, stereo nor spoiler (are there any legality issues with spoilers). I got pulled over years ago for being lowered but the cop could not write the ticket as my headlights were still within the legal height limits (I believe that was 22 inches off the ground, but it was a long time ago).


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## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

GoldenCruze said:


> It is night and the cop can't see inside the car because of the dark windows. How many people are in there and do any of them have a weapon? Not that much of a surprise that he called for backup.
> 
> I am on the side that front windows should not be tinted so much that others can't see inside. Eye contact with other drivers is a big safety issue in some traffic situations.


People don't need to see inside. There was no warrant out for my vehicle. I wasn't violating any traffic laws that made a stop necessary. There is nothing else on my car that warrants any kind of questioning. Anyone who knows about window tinting also knows 30% is still very transparent. It is the legal limit or close to the legal limit in like 80% of states. I even rolled my windows down long before he approached the vehicle. If he didn't have the meter on him, I could have just refused to roll my windows up.

Eye contact with other drivers is not a necessity. That is what traffic laws are for. You don't need to see or make any explicit gestures at me while driving. One of the reasons I got tinted was because I get sick of being flipped off, headlight spammed, or gawked at because I drive the speed limit.


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## MikeW (Nov 29, 2010)

When I got my Z tinted a few months ago I asked the guy at the shop if I could get a bit darker on the hatch window. He said he could not do it. In SC the tint laws require the same all around on cars. However, if you have an SUV, you can have limo tint on the back as long as you have the legal lighter tint on the front two windows. That kind of law does not really make good sense, because you can fit a lot of thugs in the back of an SUV, and not really any in the back of a Z.


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

Might be different from state to state but think they made it so it is not legal to stop someone for tint, they have to have another reason to stop you first in Wisconsin. If I ever do get mine done I am doing 35% all around, the 50% front is a joke.


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## GoldenCruze (Dec 18, 2011)

ErikBEggs said:


> Eye contact with other drivers is not a necessity. That is what traffic laws are for. You don't need to see or make any explicit gestures at me while driving. One of the reasons I got tinted was because I get sick of being flipped off, headlight spammed, or gawked at because I drive the speed limit.


A 4 way stop is a perfect example of needing to see the other driver. Knowing that they have seen me is vital to safely proceeding through the intersection.

Pedestrians being able to do the same makes for a safer walk across the street. If it doesn't look like the driver saw you, then you hesitate stepping off the curb.

I had a sort of reverse situation once in a parking lot. I was pushing my grocery cart to my car. A car that I was going to pass started, and I saw the driver look around and spot me. Since he knew I was there, I kept walking even though he faced foward. That was when he hit the gas and rammed my cart, causing damage to his car. He admitted that he had seen me before he fled.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

GoldenCruze said:


> A 4 way stop is a perfect example of needing to see the other driver. Knowing that they have seen me is vital to safely proceeding through the intersection.
> 
> Pedestrians being able to do the same makes for a safer walk across the street. If it doesn't look like the driver saw you, then you hesitate stepping off the curb.
> 
> I had a sort of reverse situation once in a parking lot. I was pushing my grocery cart to my car. A car that I was going to pass started, and I saw the driver look around and spot me. Since he knew I was there, I kept walking even though he faced foward. That was when he hit the gas and rammed my cart, causing damage to his car. He admitted that he had seen me before he fled.


This could all be avoided if they didn't let morons have a drivers license.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

spacedout said:


> Might be different from state to state but think they made it so it is not legal to stop someone for tint, they have to have another reason to stop you first in Wisconsin. If I ever do get mine done I am doing 35% all around, the 50% front is a joke.


35% looks awesome and keeps it dark enough in the car. Been pulled over, and never had a problem with the tint.

This picture was taken in ridiculously bright sunlight.


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## cronyjabrony (Aug 10, 2012)

I find 35 too light so I got 20. The laws here are 35 front and I think anything goes back. could be wrong. I haven't had any issues, but i drive the speed limit and don't act like a retard.


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## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

cronyjabrony said:


> I find 35 too light so I got 20. The laws here are 35 front and I think anything goes back. could be wrong. I haven't had any issues, but i drive the speed limit and don't act like a retard.


 Canada seems to be a lot more lenient with tint. I've seen dozens of Limo tinted Ontario plate cars driving around here. The cops don't pay them any attention for obvious reasons. 

This is a pic I have of 30% with a dark interior. It's dark enough but you can always see in!

I must say though... this stop is making me reconsider upgrading to LED taillights


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## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

Welp, turns out he actually wrote me TWO separate tickets on here. One for the front and one for the rears. What a dick.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

ErikBEggs said:


> Welp, turns out he actually wrote me TWO separate tickets on here. One for the front and one for the rears. What a dick.


I didn't even know they could do that.


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## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

I didn't either. So I owe $220. -________- Is it worth going to court? I'm not fixing it unless I get another one like next week or something.


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## giantsnation (Oct 11, 2012)

ErikBEggs said:


> Welp, turns out he actually wrote me TWO separate tickets on here. One for the front and one for the rears. What a dick.


Welcome to ny! This is very common for cops as it is an easy money maker.


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## Hoon (Mar 18, 2012)

Looks like those 5 cruisers were paid for by your ticket. 

Still got off cheap compared to here.


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## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

Hoon said:


> Looks like those 5 cruisers were paid for by your ticket.
> 
> Still got off cheap compared to here.


That is disgusting. Laws are made for safety, not to make money.


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## giantsnation (Oct 11, 2012)

ErikBEggs said:


> That is disgusting. Laws are made for safety, not to make money.


I'm confused as to why your bitching. You knowingly broke the law with your tints. To the cops, this is a safety issue. No different than speeding. At 100 mph, would you cry about a speeding ticket even though you thought you were safe? NO!

You have to know police tolerances when considering breaking the law. For example, going 70 mph in a 65 mph is fine and no cop will (in NY anyways) give you a ticket. 50% tints all around would probably be fine (at least you would not get stopped just for that). Again, know the law and then know the tolerances.


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## oMAHONEYo (Mar 23, 2012)

ErikBEggs said:


> Canada seems to be a lot more lenient with tint. I've seen dozens of Limo tinted Ontario plate cars driving around here. The cops don't pay them any attention for obvious reasons.


That's because our laws regarding tint are very... vague. I've discussed this with a cop before, and his rule is that he should be able to tell the gender of the driver; ha. Some other's are if they can see your license through the window.

The places I shopped around at all stuck to the 35% on driver/passenger and down to 5% in the back seats/rear. Most people I've seen have 35%/20%. If you're not driving like an idiot, they don't usually bother. 

But as other members have stated, sadly the law is the law. If your state has a no tint law, and you were aware+still tinted your windows, there's not really too much you can do. Sucks that they didn't give you a fix-it ticket though. I mean, they can check for prior tickets regarding the tint.. so if you haven't been ticketed about it before, they should be AWARE at least, and swing you a fix it ticket.


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## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

giantsnation said:


> I'm confused as to why your bitching. You knowingly broke the law with your tints. To the cops, this is a safety issue. No different than speeding. At 100 mph, would you cry about a speeding ticket even though you thought you were safe? NO!


It is a stupid law which is why I can bitch about it. I am not saying I'm not at fault I certainly am! However, the fact that every **** state has a different tint law shows you how garbage the law is. _* I am not putting anyone else on the road in danger by lightly tinting my windows.*_ I am FAR from limo you can see me and wave through my windows. I am bitching because it was at night and an entire squadron of coppers pursued me to issue me a ticket when I'm sure other serious crimes were happening in the area. Buffalo's crime rate is too frigging high and my tax dollars shouldn't go towards cops pulling over people for minor traffic infractions. I could see if my tails were tinted or if I was driving recklessly but I wasn't so I have every right to be mad and will.

Why do you think so many motorists in New York State blatantly ignore the 70%/70% law and take the risk? *Because the law is unreasonable.* I see tinted cars every day all over the place here. We want a little heat rejection, interior protection, and some sort of privacy at times. That is why so many people do it. When I was in school out of state I was never bothered yet local people said cops pulled over for tint all the time. Is this right?! Heck no. I was just as much of a "threat" to the locals as a local driver by your definition. So yes, I broke New York State law and I will willingly do it again. I probably won't remove the tint until the fines become frequent and hurt my pocket too much. Until then, I will happily drive around breaking the law. It is just ******** that our pig LEOs are more concerned with making money than ensuring that people are safe.

I know you have been in a tinted car before. The difference is night and day.


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## MIPS64 (Sep 10, 2012)

I've got limo all around. Legal is 36% here in front with anything in rear. Cops don't seem to care.


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## giantsnation (Oct 11, 2012)

ErikBEggs said:


> It is a stupid law which is why I can bitch about it. I am not saying I'm not at fault I certainly am! However, the fact that every **** state has a different tint law shows you how garbage the law is. _* I am not putting anyone else on the road in danger by lightly tinting my windows.*_ I am FAR from limo you can see me and wave through my windows. I am bitching because it was at night and an entire squadron of coppers pursued me to issue me a ticket when I'm sure other serious crimes were happening in the area. Buffalo's crime rate is too frigging high and my tax dollars shouldn't go towards cops pulling over people for minor traffic infractions. I could see if my tails were tinted or if I was driving recklessly but I wasn't so I have every right to be mad and will.
> 
> Why do you think so many motorists in New York State blatantly ignore the 70%/70% law and take the risk? *Because the law is unreasonable.* I see tinted cars every day all over the place here. We want a little heat rejection, interior protection, and some sort of privacy at times. That is why so many people do it. When I was in school out of state I was never bothered yet local people said cops pulled over for tint all the time. Is this right?! Heck no. I was just as much of a "threat" to the locals as a local driver by your definition. So yes, I broke New York State law and I will willingly do it again. I probably won't remove the tint until the fines become frequent and hurt my pocket too much. Until then, I will happily drive around breaking the law. It is just ******** that our pig LEOs are more concerned with making money than ensuring that people are safe.
> 
> I know you have been in a tinted car before. The difference is night and day.


After reading this one word comes to mind: selfishness. Let me first explain tint law reasoning. Cop pulls you over and he can't see you clearly. Which means he can't see what weapon your concealing. Too many cops die on routine checks because idiots decide to wip out a gun and shoot the cop.

Laws are different from state to state and I could see how this could be frustrating but it's the way the country is. Do I smoke marijuana when I have migraines because California allows this. no!


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## mabzmuzik (Jul 19, 2012)

Well if the only reason you are stopped is for tint, than that in itself is dumb as ****. If an officer is so worried about seeing in a car and getting shot, why pull over a car just because it has tint? Seems awfully stupid to me.


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## Mick (Dec 31, 2011)

I understand where you're coming from on police safety. I totally agree. To many good men are killed in the line of duty cause a crackhead said, if I'm going out, I'm going big.

But frustrating part of this thread I'm sure is the fact that 1. He got 2 tickets for the same thing and 2. There were 5 cruisers dispatched for a car driving under the tint. 

Depending on how long all 5 units took to arrive at the scene would determine if they were bored (straggled in) or like obermd said it must have gotten real around there.
Still either case wouldn't warrant for 2 tickets in my opinion. I mean why stop there, let's hand out a ticket for every window. 

In any case Erik, not sure what steps you took at the time the lights came on but these are the steps I take when I see them. Mind you doesn't happen often, but I always get a wave off.
Pull over as quickly as you can safely. Roll down all the windows and if at night turn on all the lights. Keep both hands on the steering wheel until you're asked to provide license and registration.

If your stop went along those lines, sorry man you just got the wrong guy at the wrong time.


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## iCruze2 (Dec 16, 2011)

ErikBEggs said:


> Taken directly from my facebook:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


It's an officer safety issue. If the officer can't see inside your car, he/she doesn't know who you are or what you may or may not have inside of your car. Although 5 patrol cars is alittle extreme, 2 would have sufficed. I like to go home at the end of my shift to my family, I don't blame that officer for being extra cautious


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## mabzmuzik (Jul 19, 2012)

But why Stop a car just 
Because it has tint? If the law isnt being broken go stop someone who is speeding. I want tint,, but I haven't done it yet. Don't need to give the law a reason to bother me. 

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## oMAHONEYo (Mar 23, 2012)

mabzmuzik said:


> But why Stop a car just
> Because it has tint? If the law isnt being broken go stop someone who is speeding. I want tint,, but I haven't done it yet. Don't need to give the law a reason to bother me.
> 
> Sent from my HTC Sensation 4G using AutoGuide.Com Free App


But in the state of New York, the law IS being broken.


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## breadtrk (Dec 28, 2011)

Dude, you knew you were illegal, you knew the law, yet you chose to break the law.

Quit your crying, man up and take your lumps.


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## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

Believe me.. I understand where all you guys are coming from. Tint is kind of a murky subject. I was not bitching because I broke the law.. I'm bitching because NY tint laws are pretty shitty (48 states allow after market VLT%, Idk why NY and PA think they are special). I was also bitching about how it took an entire squadron of coppers to pull me over just for tint when my city struggles with homicides and overall crime everyday. Buffalo is in the top 20 of American cities in crime.



iCruze2 said:


> It's an officer safety issue. If the officer can't see inside your car, he/she doesn't know who you are or what you may or may not have inside of your car. Although 5 patrol cars is alittle extreme, 2 would have sufficed. I like to go home at the end of my shift to my family, I don't blame that officer for being extra cautious


Well yeah that is the "safety" issue but the facts are tint violations are more of a money making issue than a safety issue which is all I was saying. I have 0 points on my license, 0 crimes on my records, and there was no search out for my vehicle. Therefore, the officer is knowingly putting himself at "risk" to give me a ticket when I'm sure he could be doing something more productive or trying to catch someone for a moving violation. I am not putting anyone else at risk, sorry.



giantsnation said:


> After reading this one word comes to mind: selfishness. Let me first explain tint law reasoning. Cop pulls you over and he can't see you clearly. Which means he can't see what weapon your concealing. Too many cops die on routine checks because idiots decide to wip out a gun and shoot the cop.!


The cop safety thing is a poor excuse. You can fit criminals in the back of limo-tinted SUVs but no one says anything about that. It is more the two windows to see if someone is actually operating the vehicle safely ya know.. not on a cell phone? 

Anyway, the point is moot. Thanks everyone for letting me rant. I paid my $180 fee ($90 each) and will continue to drive around with my 30% tint. ****, if I knew this was all I had to do I woulda went darker, LOL. My buddy just told me he has 5% tint all around on his Genesis and he gets about 5 tickets per year. He just pays em and keeps driving, LOL. Laws don't make you do anything. Have a nice day.

P.S. on a friendly note, anyone have a guess for how long until I get another one?


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

I had similar treatment out in California for not having a front license plate. What a mess that was. Fast forward 2 years, and not having a front license plate resulted in my CA license being suspended, my car getting impounded, myself getting handcuffed and arrested, having to pay the impound fee and suspended license ticket, and being under court supervision for a year, not to mention the hassle, headache, and annoyance of having to deal with the traffic courts in both CA and IL. The arrest actually happened a day after I got laid off from my job too. Talk about a bad week...

Stupid laws can make for one heck of a gigantic headache. If I were you, I'd just remove the tints.


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## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

XtremeRevolution said:


> Stupid laws can make for one heck of a gigantic headache. If I were you, I'd just remove the tints.


Nahhhhh. The fishbowl is for the birds. I'll take my chances ^_^

Yes, I am a stupid kid.


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## mabzmuzik (Jul 19, 2012)

ErikBEggs said:


> Believe me.. I understand where all you guys are coming from. Tint is kind of a murky subject. I was not bitching because I broke the law.. I'm bitching because NY tint laws are pretty shitty (48 states allow after market VLT%, Idk why NY and PA think they are special). I was also bitching about how it took an entire squadron of coppers to pull me over just for tint when my city struggles with homicides and overall crime everyday. Buffalo is in the top 20 of American cities in crime.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



That's wasting money. After so many tickets, **** just remove the **** tint. Unless of course you have so much money to throw away paying an avoidable ticket. **** I will come write you some tickets you can pay me cash and i will only charge $50 per ticket:1poke:


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## mabzmuzik (Jul 19, 2012)

oMAHONEYo said:


> But in the state of New York, the law IS being broken.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Autoguide.com App


I can understand that, but really? tinted windows is the biggest issue New York has? **** any state for that matter? Just another option to get money from the people. You have tinted windows you must be hiding something. Since they are so worried about broken laws, go crack down the hotels with the sex trafficking and all. Surely anybody in a room having sex is breaking the law SMH


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## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

mabzmuzik said:


> I can understand that, but really? tinted windows is the biggest issue New York has? **** any state for that matter? Just another option to get money from the people. You have tinted windows you must be hiding something. Since they are so worried about broken laws, go crack down the hotels with the sex trafficking and all. Surely anybody in a room having sex is breaking the law SMH


Psttt.. New York.. Have you seen the bullshit they go through in Chicago? The city of Chicago circumvents the Illinois tinting law of 35%/35% and gives people $250 tickets for ANY tint, legal or not, on the front windows. You don't even have to be operating your car at the time to get em (you can be parked!)! Ongoing court battles over it. They cite "safety" and "home rule" yet is making wads of cash off visitors of the city.


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## iCruze2 (Dec 16, 2011)

ErikBEggs said:


> Believe me.. I understand where all you guys are coming from. Tint is kind of a murky subject. I was not bitching because I broke the law.. I'm bitching because NY tint laws are pretty shitty (48 states allow after market VLT%, Idk why NY and PA think they are special). I was also bitching about how it took an entire squadron of coppers to pull me over just for tint when my city struggles with homicides and overall crime everyday. Buffalo is in the top 20 of American cities in crime.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


You're not law enforcement, you don't get it. Traffic stops are one of the most unsafe things we do. Now add tinted windows to it, restricting the ability to see movement. Even more unsafe and a high probability to get injured/shot. Maybe you need to put yourself in the shoes of the officer before you're so quick to judge and through the, "he only stopped me to get revenue." 9 times out of 10, nobody gives a crap about making money for the city. It's not getting us a raise!!!


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## mabzmuzik (Jul 19, 2012)

iCruze2 said:


> You're not law enforcement, you don't get it. Traffic stops are one of the most unsafe things we do. Now add tinted windows to it, restricting the ability to see movement. Even more unsafe and a high probability to get injured/shot. Maybe you need to put yourself in the shoes of the officer before you're so quick to judge and through the, "he only stopped me to get revenue." 9 times out of 10, nobody gives a crap about making money for the city. It's not getting us a raise!!!



That's odd. I have a friend in law enforcement. His department they are told otherwise. Of course it's not getting you guys a raise, so the question remains, if the car was driving perfectly fine and only had tinted windows, Since it is such a high risk, why even bother stopping the car just for tint?


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## mabzmuzik (Jul 19, 2012)

ErikBEggs said:


> Psttt.. New York.. Have you seen the bullshit they go through in Chicago? The city of Chicago circumvents the Illinois tinting law of 35%/35% and gives people $250 tickets for ANY tint, legal or not, on the front windows. You don't even have to be operating your car at the time to get em (you can be parked!)! Ongoing court battles over it. They cite "safety" and "home rule" yet is making wads of cash off visitors of the city.


I moved from Chicago to country lol. But strangely enough in my days of doing wrong, I had limo tint. I was stopped just because they knew my car, constantly searched then tint was the reason everytime I said why you stop me? first the brake light was out, total bullshit. But I admit i was hiding something at the time and they knew it. They just couldnt prove it. I am all grown up now and have nothing to hide, dont even want to have to deal with such a stupid traffic stop for tint so I opted out. Now Johnny law has to find something better to bother me about. 6 years no traffic stops. I still get the odd, "why the **** this blackman driving out here in country" look, not many of us in the area I am in. But they just look and they can see I am no threat to them.


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## Aussie (Sep 16, 2012)

How do get treated for tints if your car comes from another state? In NSW Australia tinting is legal up to 70% (that is allows 70% light through). The windscreen is only allowed if it is standard on the car and in the glass. If we travel interstate as long as the car is legal in the home state you won't get into trouble. If you get even a parking ticket and you don't pay your license gets suspended until you pay up. I know someone who avoided paying for a ticket on a train and had her license suspended until the fine was paid. Sounds like USA is headed the same way?


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## iKermit (Dec 13, 2010)

We are still battling this? Some law's are ridicoulous, i can see how unsafe it is for a cop, but do you know how safe it is when a thief can't look into your window to see if he can steal something? Or if you are looking at someone next you, that is already pissed off and they can't see you? It keeps temparature low, and as long as you can see visibly well at night through the windows, you would be fine. 

A cop has a gun, can protect himself and the right to arrest, if he choose to, he can tell the driver to get out of the car and search it if the driver allows.


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## Gus_Mahn (Aug 16, 2011)

ErikBEggs said:


> Psttt.. New York.. Have you seen the bullshit they go through in Chicago? The city of Chicago circumvents the Illinois tinting law of 35%/35% and gives people $250 tickets for ANY tint, legal or not, on the front windows. You don't even have to be operating your car at the time to get em (you can be parked!)! Ongoing court battles over it. They cite "safety" and "home rule" yet is making wads of cash off visitors of the city.


Chicago is BS in general. We live in NW Indiana where tint is legal. Our Cruze is tinted and is parked around the near west side daily. We've never been ticketed. I have spoken with CPD officers and they said they don't ticket out of state plates. Hopefully we don't find out something different!


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## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

Gus_Mahn said:


> Chicago is BS in general. We live in NW Indiana where tint is legal. Our Cruze is tinted and is parked around the near west side daily. We've never been ticketed. I have spoken with CPD officers and they said they don't ticket out of state plates. Hopefully we don't find out something different!


Exactly why it is a scam.. I could move to chicago.. keep my NY plates on my car and drive around thugged out. Lady in my apartment is limoed out with West Virginia plates and shes been living here longer than me.. go figure.


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## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

So I never did place any wagers on how long until I got another one of these... but I got another!

This time I was driving on the highway near the US / Canada border . A New York State Trooper was chilling on the last police turnaround on I-190 before the Bridge. I was doing the speed limit (55).. then 20 seconds later I see him whip out like a bat out of **** and gun me down.. I was like "what did I do?" 

He comes walks up to my car.. my windows are all down I smile and say "Hello Officer!" He comments on how nice the Cruze looks and my interior.. then says my tint looked nice but he pulled me over to write me a ticket for it -____-. 

I must say, I never thought a State Trooper would waste time chasing down cars for tinted windows, when there are plenty of speeders out there. ****, if I actually had any drugs I'm sure the border guards would seize them before I entered Canada, right? Fugging cops...


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## buck95 (Jan 19, 2013)

Years ago, all my daughter wanted for her birthday was tinted windows on her car. I studied Pennsylvania law concerning tinting and found at that time the law was that the tinting could not be too dark as to not allow viewing inside the car. (Something general like that) This was the actual law written by the legislator and signed into law by the governor. (the only people voted into office that could make law) The PA State police used a 70%? VLT as a determination I think. Note the State police do not have authority to write law and as such this percentage is not the law. The ability to see in is the law. There are several problems with this restriction in that a car from another state that have no tinting laws and has tinting , can it be ticketed for tinting in PA? The issue of different highway laws in states is the reason the Fed threatened to pull highway funds if state did not change laws such as “right on red”.

I bought VLT tint just under the limit and put it on her car. I could easily see into the car and even read the odometer. That evening her and a friend were out driving and were being stocked by a State Police officer that followed them to a gas station, a friends house and finally to dark section of highway and pulled them over. My guess is he did this since both were 17 yr old good looking girls.

I was working, my wife drove out and ripped off the tint. Needless to say I laid into the Barracks commander the next day about the unwarranted stop and explained the law (which I had printed out).


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## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

At the end of the day.. it is a law made for cops to make more money for the town. They don't issue fix it tickets anymore, because they realized people actually fix them to waive the fee then re-tint them. Instead they would rather us just pay the $90 fine to them and keep driving. LOL, that is what I'm about to do.. again. I'd say 2 tickets a year is worth it lol.


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## giantsnation (Oct 11, 2012)

buck95 said:


> There are several problems with this restriction in that a car from another state that have no tinting laws and has tinting , can it be ticketed for tinting in PA?


This is very true in NY and its an easy money maker. The theory here (according to the law) is that people from other states driving through should know the laws in which they are driving. I'm guess this was actually done to help with people towing large items such as a boat (correct me if I'm wrong). Every state has different regulations and permits regarding the width of what can be towed. 

But back to the point, your from X state with no tint laws and have a 5% limo tint job. You drive through NY and get a ticket, you're mostly like going to pay the fine and mail in a check. Easy money for the state. Conversely an resident of the state may try and fight the ticket and thus costing the state the cops overtime pay for going to court. 

Just my .02c.


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## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

I read somewhere that the state of New York gives out like five times as many tint tickets as speeding tickets. Oh the priorities...


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## giantsnation (Oct 11, 2012)

I believe that stat is a bit misleading and here is why. Technically there are multiple violations that a cop can write you up for tinted windows. So when they pull you over for speeding, for example, they can give you the speeding ticket and like 4 tint tickets. 

If you'd like I can find out the specifics.


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## iKermit (Dec 13, 2010)

I have only been told once and left off with a warning...

But i have had state troopers drive behind me for miles, and not done a **** thing. It depends on what mood they are in, then there was the day i got pulled over for doing 3 mph over the limit... And that day i got a warning -_- for the tints... 

Too bad i beat that ticket, was a no brainer from the start to beat.


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## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

giantsnation said:


> I believe that stat is a bit misleading and here is why. Technically there are multiple violations that a cop can write you up for tinted windows. So when they pull you over for speeding, for example, they can give you the speeding ticket and like 4 tint tickets.
> 
> If you'd like I can find out the specifics.


A cop can't write a ticket for every window.. void by duplicity. Well, I suppose he could but that is just a cop with ***k up his a** and you probably can get it reduced in court. However, in the DMV system for NY, he can write you a tint ticket for the front and rear windows. They are listed separately in the computer. The last ******* did that to me and I had 2 tint tickets.. this guy said "I won't write you for the rears I don't ticket people for THAT"


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## giantsnation (Oct 11, 2012)

ErikBEggs said:


> A cop can't write a ticket for every window.. void by duplicity. Well, I suppose he could but that is just a cop with ***k up his a** and you probably can get it reduced in court. However, in the DMV system for NY, he can write you a tint ticket for the front and rear windows. They are listed separately in the computer. The last ******* did that to me and I had 2 tint tickets.. this guy said "I won't write you for the rears I don't ticket people for THAT"


Exactly my point. Front/Rear are listed differently as is the Windshield (I believe in NYS you have a 5inch strip). 



iKermit said:


> I have only been told once and left off with a warning...
> 
> But i have had state troopers drive behind me for miles, and not done a **** thing. It depends on what mood they are in, then there was the day i got pulled over for doing 3 mph over the limit... And that day i got a warning -_- for the tints...
> 
> Too bad i beat that ticket, was a no brainer from the start to beat.


Don't just assume the cop didn't do anything. Most of the time (out of boredom) the cop will run your plates for warrants or just prior tickets.


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## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

giantsnation said:


> Don't just assume the cop didn't do anything. Most of the time (out of boredom) the cop will run your plates for warrants or just prior tickets.


The funny part is.. a good chunk of people receiving tint tickets have clean driving records (myself included).


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

ErikBEggs said:


> The funny part is.. a good chunk of people receiving tint tickets have clean driving records (myself included).


But once you get the tint ticket any cop who stops you later can point to that and say you're a habitual moving violation and get away with writing for the most he can do.


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## giantsnation (Oct 11, 2012)

:sigh:


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## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

obermd said:


> But once you get the tint ticket any cop who stops you later can point to that and say you're a habitual moving violation and get away with writing for the most he can do.


I didn't get this. I don't have any moving violations and once you pay the fine the ticket is removed from your record.


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## giantsnation (Oct 11, 2012)

Nope! Its still there.


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## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

Well, he didn't use a tint meter. So f**k the officer, I'm fighting it in court (along with the BS incorrect change of address ticket he wrote) and wait for the judge to order me to take them off or pay the fine.


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## giantsnation (Oct 11, 2012)

Tint meter - good luck with that argument. Just like a radar detector, cops don't necessary need one to write a ticket. They're trained to know the difference between 60mph and 80mph just like they can tell (especially in NY) 80% visible light (I believe stock) versus 20% visible light. Not to mention, if you bring this up, they might just walk out to your with car with a meter and document this. 

You have a good chance fighting these like address. Can you further explain what happened?


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## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

I'm just going to remove them before court take a picture of my car and get it retinted after then just reuse it later when I get more.

The cop was being a dick. My address on my license doesn't match the one somewhere else I forgot where. But anyway, in the NYS DMV online, my voting registration and everything else is up to date. Why the cops computer showed my outdated address is beyond me but he wrote a ticket for it. I went to the DMV to get the "sticker" to put on the back so that one will get dropped too.

I could just be a law abiding citizen and leave my fishbowl car untinted... but 90 degree work days outside in the summer and black leather interior just don't mix. The cops and me will never agree on this issue.


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## cornbreesha (Apr 29, 2012)

ErikBEggs said:


> So I never did place any wagers on how long until I got another one of these... but I got another!
> 
> This time I was driving on the highway near the US / Canada border . A New York State Trooper was chilling on the last police turnaround on I-190 before the Bridge. I was doing the speed limit (55).. then 20 seconds later I see him whip out like a bat out of **** and gun me down.. I was like "what did I do?"


how recent was this? i saw a cruze pulled over in that spot by a trooper a few weeks back, prob was you :/


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## Patman (May 7, 2011)

Was this at the end of the month? Sounds like they are trying to get ticket quota which all cops will swear does not exist! Yea right! But 5 cops. Was anyone else in the car? I have seen back up if you are in a van and there is more than one "perp" in the vehicle but come on!


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## giantsnation (Oct 11, 2012)

They don't have a quota but they get they get their arses chew out when they don't write 30 tickets a month!


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## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

cornbreesha said:


> how recent was this? i saw a cruze pulled over in that spot by a trooper a few weeks back, prob was you :/


It was February 23. If it was a black Cruze, you bet your ass it was me! Were you headed to Canada too?


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## White eco (Aug 2, 2012)

Im glad i dont live in those states. Illinois law is you cant go darker than 35% in the front. But the back windows you can paint black if you wanted to! Well thats for vans and suvs. The police dont really care if its a sedan.


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## cornbreesha (Apr 29, 2012)

ErikBEggs said:


> It was February 23. If it was a black Cruze, you bet your ass it was me! Were you headed to Canada too?


yeah that had to be you! no canada, i take the peace bridge exit to get home, but i hate that area of the 190 haha ... i am fed up with all of the canadians who cut me off last second because they didn't read the signs. happens everyday no fail lol


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## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

cornbreesha said:


> yeah that had to be you! no canada, i take the peace bridge exit to get home, but i hate that area of the 190 haha ... i am fed up with all of the canadians who cut me off last second because they didn't read the signs. happens everyday no fail lol


LOL, that probably wasn't me then this was way up in Lewiston.


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## Matt585 (Dec 19, 2012)

150$ for all tint in rochester sorry my phones being a POS on txt erik


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## cornbreesha (Apr 29, 2012)

well they must be jealous they don't drive cruzes & are taking it out on us!! lol


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## CruzenNortheast (Feb 4, 2013)

Oh man, this discussion reminds me of a time (pre-cruze ownership) when I had my windows tinted and I was driving by a cop in an SUV. He flagged me to pull over so he could test my tint. When I rolled down the window he said "Do you know your tint is illegal?" and my response was, "Actually it isn't" so he used his stupid meter to test it and of course it was legal. The place that installed it only goes as low as the state allows. It was fun seeing his dumbfounded look as I drove away laughing. Sometimes cops really have nothing better to do.


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## Aussie (Sep 16, 2012)

Never heard of cops worrying about weapons with window tint here, the reason we have tint laws is to make sure we can see properly when it is dark. At least that is what they tell us. So now we use hi-tech tint to keep the UV and heat out. UV is a real problem in summer here.


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## Gus_Mahn (Aug 16, 2011)

giantsnation said:


> They don't have a quota but they get they get their arses chew out when they don't write 30 tickets a month!


Around here cops get OT to do extra traffic work. You bet your ___ the officers will protect their OT by writing tickets. It's not exactly a quota, but let's just say the cops are well motivated.

BTW my son just got a ticket on the Skyway by a Chicago cop. He got a speeding ticket for 68 in a 45 even though the speed limit is 55 for a long way on either side of where he was pulled over, but the cop didn't mention the tinted windows.


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## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

Just to follow up on this. I had my court date a week ago and went to court. They dismissed my silly "failed to notify DMV of change of address" ticket like they should. I plead guilty to the tinted windows. Turns out the town prosecutor said "just plead guilty and I'll reduce it to a parking ticket can you do that for us?" LOL, I plead guilty, ended up paying a $75 parking ticket and kept Cruzin'!!!

The story here is that the towns in NY really have nothing better to do. Any violations in their jurisdiction they reduce to parking tickets to keep the money in their town. They could give two s**ts about tinted windows and cops writing for it. Pretty cool I didn't get raped so I thanked the judge and went on about my day.


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## Matt585 (Dec 19, 2012)

ErikBEggs said:


> Turns out the town prosecutor said "just plead guilty and I'll reduce it to a parking ticket can you do that for us?" LOL, I plead guilty, ended up paying a $75 parking ticket and kept Cruzin'!!!
> 
> The story here is that the towns in NY really have nothing better to do. Any violations in their jurisdiction they reduce to parking tickets to keep the money in their town. They could give two s**ts about tinted windows and cops writing for it. Pretty cool I didn't get raped so I thanked the judge and went on about my day.



leave it to NYS... lol i was wondering why u never called me for tint work haha! good **** right there. cops with entirely too much time in their hands (ie. BPD)


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## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

Matt585 said:


> leave it to NYS... lol i was wondering why u never called me for tint work haha! good **** right there. cops with entirely too much time in their hands (ie. BPD)


You know something is wrong when there is a debit machine INSIDE the courtroom!!!!


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