Hey all you Cali clear Tail light owners beware! I was stopped today by Cali's finest fat @ss highway patrolman. First he slowed me down and stopped me, then he took off. then when I took off 1 minute later he was back on my case. This time he told me he stopped me because I had no red lenses or reflectors. I told him they are red at night which is when they're needed and the side markers can be seen from the rear at night. He wasn't having it. Then he hassled me for my front license plate being missing. I quicky explained that away by telling him "I just bought the car in another state and there are no holes up front to mount the plate to." He bought that one. Since I have a Pa. License I didn't get a ticket, but I don't want to be hassled again. I could feel that he just wanted to look at and in the car. I have Limo tint on the back 3. Can anyone tell me if it is Cali law that you must have Red Lenses & Reflectors or is it either or? Any fellow SCMM members that can help me with this?

 

I may be wrong on this, but isn't the tint illegal in Ca.? I thought they were a "no-tint" state.

 

He was BSing you, trying to see if you lived in SoCal.

 

VEHICLE CODE SECTION 24600-24616 (full text)

(e) Taillamps shall be red in color and shall be plainly visible
from all distances within 500 feet to the rear except that taillamps
on vehicles manufactured after January 1, 1969, shall be plainly
visible from all distances within 1,000 feet to the rear.

VEHICLE CODE SECTION 25100-25110 (full text)

25100. (a) Except as provided in subdivisions (b) and (d), every
vehicle 80 inches or more in overall width shall be equipped during
darkness as follows:
(1) At least one amber clearance lamp on each side mounted on a
forward-facing portion of the vehicle and visible from the front and
at least one red clearance lamp on each side mounted on a
rearward-facing portion of the vehicle and visible from the rear.
(2) At least one amber side-marker lamp on each side near the
front and at least one red side-marker lamp on each side near the
rear.

The bottom line is there are loads of laws and if you modify things they can get you if they want to.

California Vehicle Code Index

 

Tint is not illegal in CA unless its too dark. Is it even illegal anywhere in the US? What if you have a skin condition and need the tint? Just wondering.

As for the clear lights, dont they come with little red stick on reflectors or something?

 

26708.5. (a) No person shall place, install, affix, or apply any
transparent material upon the windshield, or side or rear windows, of
any motor vehicle if the material alters the color or reduces the
light transmittance of the windshield or side or rear windows, except
as provided in subdivision (b), (c), or (d) of Section 26708.

If I'm reading this right, section (d.1 The material has a minimum visible light transmittance of 88 percent.) you can only go 12% on the windows to the left and right of the driver. Section 26708.8 leads me to believe that it's ok to tint back and rear windows since we have side mirrors. Anybody else have an opinion ?


26708. (a) (1) No person shall drive any motor vehicle with any
object or material placed, displayed, installed, affixed, or applied
upon the windshield or side or rear windows.
(2) No person shall drive any motor vehicle with any object or
material placed, displayed, installed, affixed, or applied in or upon
the vehicle which obstructs or reduces the driver's clear view
through the windshield or side windows.
(3) This subdivision applies to a person driving a motor vehicle
with the driver's clear vision through the windshield, or side or
rear windows, obstructed by snow or ice.


(b) This section does not apply to any of the following:


(1) Rearview mirrors.
(2) Adjustable nontransparent sunvisors which are mounted forward
of the side windows and are not attached to the glass.
(3) Signs, stickers, or other materials which are displayed in a
7-inch square in the lower corner of the windshield farthest removed
from the driver, signs, stickers, or other materials which are
displayed in a 7-inch square in the lower corner of the rear window
farthest removed from the driver, or signs, stickers, or other
materials which are displayed in a 5-inch square in the lower corner
of the windshield nearest the driver.
(4) Side windows which are to the rear of the driver.
(5) Direction, destination, or termini signs upon a passenger
common carrier motor vehicle or a schoolbus, if those signs do not
interfere with the driver's clear view of approaching traffic.
(6) Rear window wiper motor.
(7) Rear trunk lid handle or hinges.


(8) The rear window or windows, when the motor vehicle is equipped
with outside mirrors on both the left- and right-hand sides of the
vehicle that are so located as to reflect to the driver a view of the
highway through each mirror for a distance of at least 200 feet to
the rear of the vehicle.


(9) A clear, transparent lens affixed to the side window opposite
the driver on a vehicle greater than 80 inches in width and which
occupies an area not exceeding 50 square inches of the lowest corner
toward the rear of that window and which provides the driver with a
wide-angle view through the lens.
(10) Sun screening devices meeting the requirements of Section
26708.2 installed on the side windows on either side of the vehicle's
front seat, if the driver or a passenger in the front seat has in
his or her possession a letter or other document signed by a licensed
physician and surgeon certifying that the person must be shaded from
the sun due to a medical condition, or has in his or her possession
a letter or other document signed by a licensed optometrist
certifying that the person must be shaded from the sun due to a
visual condition. The devices authorized by this paragraph shall not
be used during darkness.
(11) An electronic communication device affixed to the center
uppermost portion of the interior of a windshield within an area that
is not greater than 5 inches square, if the device provides either
of the following:
(A) The capability for enforcement facilities of the Department of
the California Highway Patrol to communicate with a vehicle equipped
with the device.
(B) The capability for electronic toll and traffic management on
public or private roads or facilities.
(c) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), transparent material may be
installed, affixed, or applied to the topmost portion of the
windshield if the following conditions apply:
(1) The bottom edge of the material is at least 29 inches above
the undepressed driver's seat when measured from a point 5 inches in
front of the bottom of the backrest with the driver's seat in its
rearmost and lowermost position with the vehicle on a level surface.

(2) The material is not red or amber in color.
(3) There is no opaque lettering on the material and any other
lettering does not affect primary colors or distort vision through
the windshield.
(4) The material does not reflect sunlight or headlight glare into
the eyes of occupants of oncoming or following vehicles to any
greater extent than the windshield without the material.
(d) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), clear, colorless, and
transparent material may be installed, affixed, or applied to the
front side windows, located to the immediate left and right of the
front seat if the following conditions are met:
(1) The material has a minimum visible light transmittance of 88
percent.
(2) The window glazing with the material applied meets all
requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 205 (49
C.F.R. 571.205), including the specified minimum light transmittance
of 70 percent and the abrasion resistance of AS-14 glazing, as
specified in that federal standard.
(3) The material is designed and manufactured to enhance the
ability of the existing window glass to block the sun's harmful
ultraviolet A rays.
(4) The driver has in his or her possession, or within the
vehicle, a certificate signed by the installing company certifying
that the windows with the material installed meet the requirements of
this subdivision and identifies the installing company and the
material's manufacturer by full name and street address, or, if the
material was installed by the vehicle owner, a certificate signed by
the material's manufacturer certifying that the windows with the
material installed according to manufacturer's instructions meets the
requirements of this subdivision and identifies the material's
manufacturer by full name and street address.
(5) If the material described in this subdivision tears or
bubbles, or is otherwise worn to prohibit clear vision, it shall be
removed or replaced.




_________________

Waiting to motor since 01/05/03

 

hmmm....interesting

 

In SoCal....
Those are meaningless.

It's old book
Cops today have more important reasons to pull people over. Like Tint... Most Cops don't even know the ratio of Legal tint... some told me 75% others have told me 8%(obviously morons)

Clear Tail Lamps are made US/DOT compliant... don't sweat it.

 

>>In SoCal....
>>Those are meaningless.
>>
>>It's old book

It may be old book but it's still on the books. If thay are looking to hastle you and write you up for it, then it's all on you to prove it is ok. They might not pull you over on the freeway, but if you are cruising through town an a Saturday night they might just stop you. If you can get away with it more power to you.

>>Cops today have more important reasons to pull people over. Like Tint... Most Cops don't even know the ratio of Legal tint... some told me 75% others have told me 8%(obviously morons)
>>
>>Clear Tail Lamps are made US/DOT compliant... don't sweat it.

From Moss Mini:
All lamps are DOT approved but for DOT compliance on the highway a set of red reflectors are required.

 

>>It may be old book but it's still on the books. If thay are looking to hastle you and write you up for it, then it's all on you to prove it is ok. They might not pull you over on the freeway, but if you are cruising through town an a Saturday night they might just stop you. If you can get away with it more power to you.

Yeah if your leaving IN N Out and just cruising around town on a saturday night on your way home they just might stop you, make you open your hood and give you useless tickets for an intake!!!

 

and we have red reflectors
there is no argument hence there will be no ticket

I have slipped out of an illegal tint ticket in of all places, Pasadena, where the cops are bored and need to hand out tickets....

He didn't want to ruin my new car.

I took the Plate "fixit" ticket in for a signature.... and they hassled me there... but signed my ticket and did not hand me a new one for illegally tinted windows.... that is a $100 fix it by the way.

Cops will pull someone over if they break the law... if you are pulled over for clear or white tail lamps... kindly walk the pig over to your red reflectors and slam his snout into it.
And ask him if they are red enough.
Lastly, You know, if the White Tail Lenses were "ILLEGAL" they would not be sold by the dealer.

 

The red reflectors mounted in the fender flares are put there to maintain DOT compliance that the vehicle has reflectors that can be seen on the side of the vehicle, they aren't so people can see you from the rear.
I'd love to see you be rude to a cop and prove yourself wrong. There's a reason the dealership and the aftermarket parts guys provide those relectors to mount on the back.

 

On clear tail lights you are required to mount the red reflectors on the bumper. However I didnt on mine, and most dealerships dont. Either because they are too lazy or they look stupid. However, yes the pigs can ticket you for that and they can ticket you for tint. Basically if a pig wants to give you a ticket, hes gunna do it. They can even ticket you for having your car lowered. So who cares, do what you want to your car. oink. oink.

 

Gee Ants, good thing your fellow Troopers aren't reading these posts!

 

>>Gee Ants, good thing your fellow Troopers aren't reading these posts!

 

Minian, don't you have the rear reflector installed???

 

>>Gee Ants, good thing your fellow Troopers aren't reading these posts!

"However, yes the pigs can ticket you for that and they can ticket you for tint. Basically if a pig wants to give you a ticket, hes gunna do it."

Calling anyone a pig is uncalled for but as the old saying goes I guess it takes one to know one.

Mona Cooper

 

You no breaka da law, you a no get hassled.
Honestly though isn't there there a car thief, rapist or something else he could be spending his time on? It's not like CA has a lack of real crimes. I wish cops would spend more time being worried about real crimes than petty things like reflectors.

 

>>I may be wrong on this, but isn't the tint illegal in Ca.? I thought they were a "no-tint" state.

Cali has a tint rule on the driver and passenger windows only. the rest you can tint til your hearts content.

_________________
Minian(^-^) DrkSlvr/DrkSlvr S/Sprt pkg/Aero/HK Sound/Alta Air & Pulley(May Club)

 

>>The bottom line is there are loads of laws and if you modify things they can get you if they want to.
>>
JustGo4it: Thanks for the info.

 

>>Minian, don't you have the rear reflector installed???


No, but I will soon. someone told me to buy a license frame and put red reflective material on it. Do you think thank will work?

 

>>>>Gee Ants, good thing your fellow Troopers aren't reading these posts!
>>
>>
>>

 

To all reading this post. Yes there are Pigs out there, but there are police too.
the policeman is the one who is out there to protect and to serve, and doesen't worry about the little *****. The Pig is the power hungry one who needs to show his authority over everyone and everythink. Agreed?

 

Disagreed. While I've met some pretty authoritative cops in my whole 26 years of existance, I don't think any of them would deserve a degrading nickname that some of us seem compelled to throw around. Calling a cop a pig isn't any different than calling a Marine a babykiller, although some of us seem to put less importance on one than the other.

The bottom line is, traffic violations are free revenue for the village, city, and state and your standard uniform cop isn't responsible for investigating murders and rapes, he's there to insure your safety on the road. If you break the law, you suffer the consequence. Whether or not he gives you a ticket or a warning doesn't decide whether he's a police officer or a pig.

 

I smell bacon.....