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Legal question about window tint (I got a ticket)

  • thePITman
    I bought my car straight from a Toyota dealer on Whipple Avenue in Canton 2 years ago, and I've never gotten any grief for my windows. I got pulled over yesterday 2 blocks from my house, and I got a ticket for illegal window tint. Supposedly I have 23.6%, and the legal minimum is 50%. Sure, maybe my windows are not "legal", but I bought it like that from a dealer. How can I go about making the dealer responsible for this?

    Thank you in advance for your help. Thanks!
  • THE4RINGZ
    New or pre-owned car?
  • krambman
    Call a lawyer and ask them. That's where I'd start.

    I've never gotten a ticket, but have been told that my back windows are too dark, even though they are the factory tinted windows that ALL Mountaineers come with.
  • thePITman
    THE4RINGZ wrote: New or pre-owned car?
    It was owned for 3 months by someone else previously. But the polieman even told me it was illegal for a dealer to sell it to me with illegally tinted windows.
    krambman wrote: Call a lawyer and ask them. That's where I'd start.

    I've never gotten a ticket, but have been told that my back windows are too dark, even though they are the factory tinted windows that ALL Mountaineers come with.
    According to this, back windows do not matter: http://www.tintcenter.com/laws/OH/
  • RedRider1
    Ghetto.
  • Little Danny
    You've had the car for two years. It would be one thing if you just bought it, but I think you are going to have a hard time trying to beat the wrap on a car you've had for two years.

    As the above poster asked, was this a new car or a used car? If it is a new car, was the film certified?
  • thePITman
    So, I see there are some people that have responded already that know who I am (locally)... so I'll confess right now that it wasn't me that got this ticket. (I drive a Volkswagen, anyway) It was a co-worker that is having this issue, but I wanted to get everyone's advice. Please keep it coming, if you have any. Thanks!
  • Chesapeake
    It's like Fireworks, once you buy them in Ohio you're supposed to take them out of state.

    Maybe the dealer that sold you the car was in the fireworks business before getting into cars.

    It's your responsibility to title the car in a state where it's legal.
  • Shane Falco
    Got one for my tinted windows on my pick up ( bought that way). ... After the ticket was written and I had it in my hand, the statey asked if I had any questions I said " No but I would like to thank you because if you have time to write me a ticket for window tint I guess I will not have to worry about our ( wife was with me) safety all weekend in Columbus as all the major problems are taken care of...As he started to lecture me I put my window up and left, the look on his face in my mirror was priceless!
  • THE4RINGZ
    I would say call the sales manager at the dealership and explain the situation. They might pay the ticket and rectify the situation because it would be less expensive for the dealership to do that than to hire an attorney to represent them in court if you explain to them that that is your next option.

    You can probably double check how dealers view that situation by caling Matt D**n at his dealership. I am sure you know him.
  • thedynasty1998
    THE4RINGZ wrote: I would say call the sales manager at the dealership and explain the situation. They might pay the ticket and rectify the situation because it would be less expensive for the dealership to do that than to hire an attorney to represent them in court if you explain to them that that is your next option.

    You can probably double check how dealers view that situation by caling Matt D**n at his dealership. I am sure you know him.
    Or the dealership will laugh at him for threatening a lawsuit over a $50 ticket.
  • ManO'War
    I had my windows tinted dark in Florida, when I moved back here I had to go through Ohio inspection to get my plates changed. It passed. But then while in downtown Pittsburgh, coming home from work, I got pulled over for having my windows tinted too dark. They gave me a ticket and told me to have the tint removed, even though I didn't live in Pa. I paid the ticket, but kept the tint, since it wasn't worth fighting the ticket.

    Bottom line is that tint laws are BS. There should be a set standard for all the states to agree on. How can a certain tint be safe in Florida, but not safe in Pa???
  • jordo212000
    Why do people tint their windows anyways?
  • NNN
    jordo212000 wrote: Why do people tint their windows anyways?
    Because it goes hand-in-hand with other things like pit bull ownership.
  • ManO'War
    jordo212000 wrote: Why do people tint their windows anyways?
    Well, in Florida if you don't do it, you'll be roasting like a pig, regardless of AC.
  • se-alum
    Actually, window tinting can be very helpful if you're not keeping the car in a garage, which is why I have my windows tinted. It helps to keep the fabric from fading.
  • sportchampps
    my room mate at the time once got a ticket for tinted windows (he only had his side windows tinted) while they were rolled down. The officer had said he saw them the day before but, didnt have time then to ticket him for it then.
  • majorspark
    Ohio must really be getting desparate for cash. Window tint used to be just a warning for 1st time.
  • GoChiefs
    jordo212000 wrote: Why do people tint their windows anyways?
    I have to park out on the street in front of my house...I did it to prevent people from looking inside and seeing what's inside my SUV.
  • Flash
    Does he have a vision problem that he got them tinted for? An Optometrist can write them an excuse if there's a medical reason. I've written a couple and swore I won't do it again because I got all kinds of Highway patrol guys calling me up to see if it was bogus.
  • FairwoodKing
    Apparently it's OK to have tinted windshields out here in Washington. I bought a used Chevy Tracker a couple of years ago, and the windows are so dark I can hardly see out of them. No cops have stopped me. Of course, now that I've said that, this will be the time when I do get picked up.
  • dlazz
    krambman wrote: Call a lawyer and ask them. That's where I'd start.

    I've never gotten a ticket, but have been told that my back windows are too dark, even though they are the factory tinted windows that ALL Mountaineers come with.
    Back windows are apparently okay. I've always tossed the idea of getting mine tinted and I'm doing a thing online right now. It says side windows area a 50% limit in ohio, the others have no limit.
  • GoChiefs
    dlazz wrote: Back windows are apparently okay.
    Correct..the rear windshield and the back side windows can be any darkness, the front side windows can be no darker than 50%, and the non-reflective tint is allowed on the top 5 inches of the front windshield.