PA Troopers, help please

[99cobraclone]

Ok so for the first time ever in my entire 5 years of driving I was pulled over yesterday. Not for speeding or anything that puts anyone's life in jeapordy, but for my freaking tinted windows.

Now before some cops say "well tints are illegal" please spare me the diatribe. I have had my windows done for over a year and routinely pass 4 or 5 cops a day and I never once had a problem. I was in a wawa one night and a state trooper actually complimented me on my car and started chatting it up, even LIKING the windows. My tints are 7% all around.

So anyway back to my question, I was getting off the PA turnpike in King of Prussia and the rookie trooper (I'll get to that in a minute) pulls me over. This guy, I mean kid ( he was no more then a year older then me, I'm 21) took about 10 minutes to get out of his car with another trooper. They come over and only the rookie talks and asks why I was pulled over. I have no idea because I wasn't speeding, he tells me it is because of my windows.

He made numerous false statements saying that tinted windows are illegal even on the back window then he said I had illegal window spray squirters. No I don't have those cobra eyes that light up, I have chrome ones. I even showed him this. He then said that my tail lights are illegal as well, I have sequential tail lights which are in no way illegal.

I had just gotten my car back from the auto body guy so I didn't have any of my registration or insurance on me. I got a ticket for that and my windows and windshield squirters.

My question is if I can just show up to the barracks with my registration and just pay the fine when it comes in the mail and not remove the tint. This cop was a rookie and it was evident of that. I also am getting a prescription for the tinted windows from my optometrist. Thanks for all that help :thumbsup:

 

[99cobraclone]

cliff notes for above:

I got a ticket for tinted windows. However I got a ticket for illegal cobra eyes windshield washer squirters even though they don't light, even after showing him this. I have to show up to prove registration and insurance within 5 days.

 

[FordSVTFan]

The fact that the red lights exist in the Cobra eyes, whether or not they are supplied with power at the time is the problem. If indeed there were two troopers and one was a "rookie" that would make the other a "FTO" and he would have reviewed all the actions of the rookie and advised him on exactly what to write you for.

Good luck
I would guess that if you show up with proof of reg/ins they will get rid of those tickets and you might have to pay a small administrative fee for that.

 

[Groovyash]

99cobra, FWIW, if you actually read the PA Motor Vehicle Code, it essentially boils down to "If it ain't factory, it's illegal." Taillights, squirters, etc, bumper to bumpet. I very rarely write tickets for any of that, but it does make for perfectly good probable cause for a stop, upon which I have made lots of good arrests. The ticket for the insurance/registration is of course valid, at least from the standpoint that you certainly could be uninsured, and the tickets for the equipment are the PC for the stop to back that ticket up should it need be. My advice to you is to show up with proof of ins/registration and show that you have replaced the equipment in question, and more than likely the judge will be willing to drop them.


Dan

 

[hillie16]

Originally posted by Groovyash
99cobra, FWIW, if you actually read the PA Motor Vehicle Code, it essentially boils down to "If it ain't factory, it's illegal." Taillights, squirters, etc, bumper to bumpet. I very rarely write tickets for any of that, but it does make for perfectly good probable cause for a stop, upon which I have made lots of good arrests. The ticket for the insurance/registration is of course valid, at least from the standpoint that you certainly could be uninsured, and the tickets for the equipment are the PC for the stop to back that ticket up should it need be. My advice to you is to show up with proof of ins/registration and show that you have replaced the equipment in question, and more than likely the judge will be willing to drop them.


Dan

Ditto, PA laws (if going by the book) are anything other than factory is illegal. Most guys aren't that "by the book" about it, but if it was a rookie, he may be learning, and the best way to learn is to do the job by the book. FordSVTFan must have read your post incorrectly, thinking you do have the cobra eye sprayers.