[nightkhan]

So first....fix it ticket for not front license plate. On the ticket that the officer gave me, it said I had until 3/15 to fix it and pay the $10 fine, so I thought, no biggy, just attach it on, show it to a cop, get it signed off, then take it off again. My mistake was I waited too long. I get a letter in the mail saying that the last day to actually get it signed off was beginning of March, and the 15th was the last day bring the ticket to court to show them. Ah well, $120 fine.

Next, SFO airport...international parking lot. At the entrance where you get the parking ticket, I didn't see that the island curbs where the ticket machines are located juts out so much, and you have to turn immediately after you get the ticket. I get the ticket, pulled forward along the curve of the path, and I hear a horrible scrunching sound!!! OMG!!! At first I came out and didn't see anything except curb rash on my rims....MY BEAUTIFUL CSL REPLICAS!!! haha, but i figured no biggy, I had some other curb rash on it too and I was just going to fix it myself with the DIY posted on this forum.

A couple days later as i'm walking to my car, i first notice the jacking block underneath my car is hanging off!! Then i take a closer look, and the panel right underneath the passenger side has popped out a bit!!! AND THEN....oh my dear god......the entire bottom half which is kinda tucked in, completely scratched up and dented. Not small scratches....it looks like the someone with a brick came up and scraped along the panel back and forth!!

Going to take it to Ottwerks on Harrison St. to see what they can do with it, unless someone has recommendations on a better body shop. I'm not sure whether they're going to have to replace the entired thing, or they can someone refinish it and bring it back to new. It is scratched up pretty back and dented in. I'll post up pictures soon....so don't worry.

Then the other day, got pulled over for front window tints. I have 17% all around. So my question is, how much is the fine for the first time getting caught with dark tints? Would it be cheaper to pay the fine, or take off the front tints and put on lighter ones....which I understand in CA, it can't be darker than 70%!!!

Ughh....bad month!!

[cgnahc]

Bad luck. Heard that in CA regs for no tints front or back was in effect in Jan. 2007. I will try to find a reference. But if anyone knows for sure, please share.

[dejav0o]

Sorry to hear all the bad news about your car... it always seems to come in bunches. When I got my tint installed, the installer warned me that the front windows can't be tinted at all. The only 'tint' that could be applied is a clear tint that helps block some UV.

[cgnahc]

here is the reference...its a long one

California

VEHICLE CODE

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.

Amended Sec. 77, Ch. 1154, Stats. 1996. Effective September 30, 1996.
Amended Sec. 1, Ch. 476, Stats. 1998. Effective January 1, 1999.


26708.2. Sun screening devices permitted by paragraph (10) of
subdivision (b) of Section 26708 shall meet the following
requirements:
(a) The devices shall be held in place by means allowing ready
removal from the window area, such as a frame, a rigid material with
temporary fasteners, or a flexible roller shade.
(b) Devices utilizing transparent material shall be green, gray,
or a neutral smoke in color and shall have a luminous transmittance
of not less than 35 percent.
(c) Devices utilizing nontransparent louvers or other alternating
patterns of opaque and open sections shall have an essentially
uniform pattern over the entire surface, except for framing and
supports. At least 35 percent of the device area shall be open and
no individual louver or opaque section shall have a projected
vertical dimension exceeding 3/16 inch.
(d) The devices shall not have a reflective quality exceeding 35
percent on either the inner or outer surface.

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) or (c) of Section 26708.
(b) Tinted safety glass may be installed in a vehicle if (1) the
glass complies with motor vehicle safety standards of the United
States Department of Transportation for safety glazing materials, and
(2) the glass is installed in a location permitted by those
standards for the particular type of glass used.

[shragon]

sucks bro!

had no idea no front plate ticket is $120 if you don't get it signed off! that's insane!

my drivers side jacking block was hanging for it's life. i'm pretty sure it was due to me scraping coming out of my gf's underground parking garage. there's this steep ass ramp, and i gotta angle the car like crazy. i pushed it back in with some guerilla glue. if it falls off, no biggie, it's like a $5 part that just pops back in.

i'm not clear what body part you messed up. i'm assuming the side skirt?

17% tint is pretty dark, especially if you have a black interior. might want to consider going with something lighter.

[just4kickz]

sucks... haha maybe next month will be better.

[cgnahc]

This may also apply to the rear.

Defective Windshields and Rear Windows
26710. It is unlawful to operate any motor vehicle upon a highway when the windshield or rear window is in such a defective condition as to impair the driver's vision either to the front or rear.
In the event any windshield or rear window fails to comply with this code the officer making the inspection shall direct the driver to make the windshield and rear window conform to the requirements of this code within 48 hours. The officer may also arrest the driver and give him notice to appear and further require the driver or the owner of the vehicle to produce in court satisfactory evidence that the windshield or rear window has been made to conform to the requirements of this code.

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/vc/tocd12c4.htm

[nightkhan]

thanks cgnahc for the reference

had no idea they changed the tint regulations in CA. the cop just told me to change the front windows.

yeah, 17% is pretty dark. sometimes at night when i'm parallel parking i have to roll down the windows cuz i can't see anything, but I like the windows all the same color.

Yeah, i meant to say the side skirts. Passengar side skirt to be exact. Completely scratched and bent. I'll take some photos later today after work.

I got a quote from Trust Auto to remove and replace the front 2 windows for $90, not bad at all. I'll wait for them to mail me the official notice and see what the fine would be if I don't get it fixed.

[18LLC]

stupid CA laws.

sorry to hear your scratches. I do have a lot, so you are not alone, hahaha.

[IndianPoweredE90]

I had an 03 Toyota Tacoma i used to drive which was my parents and was just to drive around and they took care of all the paperwork like registration, insurance and such. well anyways registration was expired and i kept telling my dad about it. i pulled off on a freeway one day and well a CHP happened to be getting off.. Ok well he comes up to the window


"Sir do you know why i pulled you over?"
"Officer my Tags are expired i know"

well obviously he gives me a fix it ticket.

anyways fast forward a bit.. i show it to my dad because his original statement was he mailed in the tags a long time ago so its been paid.. anyways.. i give him the ticket since his car his responsibility... anyways he LOST the damn ticket and completely forgot about it.. so consider the ticket was in my name they temp suspended my license and put out a warrant for my arrest. God damn shit ended up costing $475.00 to clear my name and pay the full bail on the ticket.. and reinstate my license.

wats sad is the cops wont sign off anything without the original ticket which is super lame.
Was a freakin 10.00 ticket.. And my dads answer to all of this?

"You shouldnt have gotten pulled over!"

i was like wtf!!!

[cm3rc]

sucks bro thats the price we have to deal with modding..

[Fraggy]

About the fine, a few years ago I got a front tint ticket too and the fine was around $45 which was much cheaper than removing and redoing the tint. You will get a letter telling you your options soon.

[Ray]

Tadd,
As long as you have driver and passenger side mirrors, the rear windows will be fine.

The legal limit for the Driver and Passenger Side windows are 70% visability.

"The law prohibits any person from driving any motor vehicle with any object or material placed, displayed, installed, affixed, or applied upon the windshield or side or rear windows, with certain limited exceptions.

However, legislation signed into law effective January 1, 1999, exempts from the above prohibition specified clear, colorless, and transparent material that is installed, affixed, or applied to the front driver and passenger side windows for the specific purpose of reducing ultraviolet rays. If, as, or when this material becomes torn, bubbled or otherwise worn, it must be removed or replaced."
http://www.chp.ca.gov/html/answers.html

[nightkhan]

Originally Posted by IndianPoweredE90

I had an 03 Toyota Tacoma i used to drive which was my parents and was just to drive around and they took care of all the paperwork like registration, insurance and such. well anyways registration was expired and i kept telling my dad about it. i pulled off on a freeway one day and well a CHP happened to be getting off.. Ok well he comes up to the window


"Sir do you know why i pulled you over?"
"Officer my Tags are expired i know"

well obviously he gives me a fix it ticket.

anyways fast forward a bit.. i show it to my dad because his original statement was he mailed in the tags a long time ago so its been paid.. anyways.. i give him the ticket since his car his responsibility... anyways he LOST the damn ticket and completely forgot about it.. so consider the ticket was in my name they temp suspended my license and put out a warrant for my arrest. God damn shit ended up costing $475.00 to clear my name and pay the full bail on the ticket.. and reinstate my license.

wats sad is the cops wont sign off anything without the original ticket which is super lame.
Was a freakin 10.00 ticket.. And my dads answer to all of this?

"You shouldnt have gotten pulled over!"

i was like wtf!!!

damn...that's f'ed up!!

[just4kickz]

i never go to sF... never... if friends call n' ask if I wanna go... I just say 'not driving' cause running no front plate and a light front 30% tint... haha thats still asking to get ticketed.

[SpecC]

terrible news bro you should now reward yourself with some mods

[Fraggy]

My mom got her doctor to write her a letter saying that because of the meds shes on, she needs tinted windows to protect herself from the sun. I need to get me one of those