NY Tint Law / meters

January 3, 2010

Hey new to the site --

Got pulled over on Long Island for my tints. I know its a primary offense but I got a few other questions (thanks if you can help). My tints are legal - 70% VLT%. Cop never let me see the meter but he wrote on the ticket that my tints were 69%.

1. Do you guys know if in NY, he has to let me see the meter?

2. According to the meter's manual, a tint meter has a variance of +/- 2% and it is considered accurate. Meaning my tints, at 70, could be measured at 72 or 68% when they are actually 70%. In addition the manual says that the window should be wiped/cleaned before taking a reading cause this would skew the reading as well. He did not do this and only took one reading. My question is do you know of the procedure that a cop has to do to take a proper meter reading? Do you know if this procedure was memorialized in a cop manual or are these guys free to roam the streets and pull us over with unfounded suspicion and then free to perform unreasonable, substandard investigations into perceived tint infractions?

3. Lastly, the cop said that my tints are 69%. Other than getting my car tinted and getting pulled over the other day, I have no experience with tints. So I attempted to look up 69% tints for sale either by a auto place or to do myself and was unable to find any. Question - does anyone know if they even make tints in 69% vlt? It would seem to me that a cop taking a 69% reading, having experience with tints (since he gives out so many tickets) should know if the vlt read by the meter actually exists.

Thanks in advance for all your help fellas.

-Mike

January 3, 2010

Hey new to the site --
Got pulled over on Long Island for my tints. I know its a primary offense but I got a few other questions (thanks if you can help). My tints are legal - 70% VLT%. Cop never let me see the meter but he wrote on the ticket that my tints were 69%.

1. Do you guys know if in NY, he has to let me see the meter?

2. According to the meter's manual, a tint meter has a variance of +/- 2% and it is considered accurate. Meaning my tints, at 70, could be measured at 72 or 68% when they are actually 70%. In addition the manual says that the window should be wiped/cleaned before taking a reading cause this would skew the reading as well. He did not do this and only took one reading. My question is do you know of the procedure that a cop has to do to take a proper meter reading? Do you know if this procedure was memorialized in a cop manual or are these guys free to roam the streets and pull us over with unfounded suspicion and then free to perform unreasonable, substandard investigations into perceived tint infractions?

3. Lastly, the cop said that my tints are 69%. Other than getting my car tinted and getting pulled over the other day, I have no experience with tints. So I attempted to look up 69% tints for sale either by a auto place or to do myself and was unable to find any. Question - does anyone know if they even make tints in 69% vlt? It would seem to me that a cop taking a 69% reading, having experience with tints (since he gives out so many tickets) should know if the vlt read by the meter actually exists.

Thanks in advance for all your help fellas.

-Mike

A 70% VLT is legal on perfectly clear glass - which you wont have due to the factory tint.

Your VLT will be around 56-60% - so you will be under the limit.

tintmeter · January 3, 2010

If the meter used was the one I designed( Laser Labs Model 100) then you are correct in that the accuracy is +- 2% points. If the reading by the officer was truly a 69%, by specification it could be 67, 68, 69, 70 or 71% I will leave you to decide what to do

January 3, 2010

well, since it metered 69%, I would say you don't have a true 70% film on there, since as naughtydog said, it would meter lower than that. You could have a 75 or 80% film, which would be in that range. Since the meter read 69, I would challenge it in court. If you can remember what the meter looked like, find a picture and the manual online and do your research on it. Generally, meters are +/- 2-3%, as has been mentioned, so you are correct in your stating that technically you have legal film.

Tell the magistrate that you want to see the officers meter, and show them the specifications on it. make the cop look stupid in the courtroom for not knowing how to use it correctly. Chances are it will get thrown out due to him not knowing how to properly use the equipment. Its then up to him to prove that your film really is illegal, so they may go meter it again if they really want to, but the reading shouldn't change.

tint123 · January 8, 2010

I would give a Traffic Ticket Attorney a call, this would be one they don't see every day.

Could be $$ well spent.

January 20, 2010

I would give a Traffic Ticket Attorney a call, this would be one they don't see every day.
Could be $$ well spent.

:bingo :bmw !!!!!!

jttint1 · January 21, 2010

how can he see that your car had tint with 70% film on it?

you must have done something really bad to piss him off.never heard of a cop give a ticket for that.where did you find 70% tint anyway?call me,I will write something up for you,might help in court.

January 21, 2010

how can he see that your car had tint with 70% film on it?
you must have done something really bad to piss him off.never heard of a cop give a ticket for that.where did you find 70% tint anyway?call me,I will write something up for you,might help in court.

I install 70 every day jt solargard and express has it

EWF · January 26, 2010

Quote:

"the manual says that the window should be wiped/cleaned before taking a reading"

You are absolutely correct.

I have hired an attorney (who also happens to be a judge) to defend someone who was ticketed in New York for this. We are seeking a ruling that if the evidence is to be admissible in court, the police officers must use the meters in accordance with the manufacturers instructions.

There is another inherent vulnerability in the meter, in regard to its calibration. The meters come with calibration plates which are of a single thickness. Hence the meters are calibrated to read values on glass of that thickness only. If the particular vehicle glass was of a different thickness, the meter is not calibrated to read it correctly. This is due to variances in the refractive index of glazing which varies in thickness.

If I have my way, cops in New York better start packing the Windex and Wipes in the cruisers and be ready to wash windows. They may also need to start carrying glass thickness gauges.

You now have some defenses if you wish to protest the ticket, however you will probably need an attorney to present your argument. If you wish to call me to discuss this, I can be reached at (203) 798-2211.

Stay tuned.

-Howard

tintmeter · January 26, 2010

Thickness of the glass does not effect the reading. The refractive effects are under 1%, and only result in a higher reading, not lower. The refractive effect essentially shortens the effective light path. Think of shinning a flashlight on a wall, the glass refraction shortens the effective distance to the wall like moving the flashlight closer, which tightens the diameter of the beam, thus making brighter spot.