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by Katie101 from Calera

Last Post 67 days, 19 hours Ago


The Alabama Tint Law- UGGHHH!!!
Jul 10, 2008 | 5:12 PM
Category: Traffic
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I've been out of town the past week to LA- Lower Alabama, that is- to visit my family and significant other. My parents live in Clarke County and my SO lives in Mobile. In order to get to Mobile, I travel Highway 43 which travels through the new Thyssenkrup site, so there's construction and the speed limit is 45. On my way back up here today, I'm going through the construction zone going the posted 45 mph. In the meantime, a white Chevy Tahoe with Mississippi plates speeds past me and blam- there we meet a State Trooper coming from the opposite direction. The trooper gets behind me, tavels for a minute, and I'm thinking "Surely he's going to get the Chevy for going way over 45..." Before I know it, he's behind ME with his LIGHTS ON!!!!! I'm like what the heck??!!!

He stopped me for TINT!!!! Can you believe this? People are speeding past us, SPEEDING WHILE WORKERS ARE PRESENT and I get stopped for TINT!!! Mind you, I've had my white car for two years now with the tint for two years- I've been driving all over the state of Alabama- have received one speeding ticket within that time frame- and NEVER, NEVER has anyone said anything to me about my tint. He checked it and said that it was illegal and I, against my better judgment, was in tears and pissed and ready to go to jail because I wasn't bothering anyone, going the speed limit, and I got stopped. I'm usually very respectful of law enforcement officers, but this has put a bad taste in my mouth about them and my respect level has certainly decreased for some (sorry BPDMotor6--not for you, though).

What bothers me most is, this law is barely enforced. I mean, if it was, I woud have gotten a citation about it a long time ago. What kills me about our wonderful State Troopers is that they enforce the law when it suits them and they are one of the most inconsistent law enforcement agencies I've ever seen. Now, in order for me to protest this, I'm supposed to be in Mobile Traffic Court on August 18th.....problem there. I have a prior engagement...it's called TEACHING ENGLISH!!!!!! Ususally, I'm really cool about these things, but this one has got me TICKED!!!!!!!!!! He must have been short some tickets and had to get some in....

Since I don't plan on paying the ticket, I'll probably have a warrant out for my arrest, so Jamezzzz, you may see my face on a mugshot yet!!!!

MAN!!!!

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Member Comments Total Comments: 23
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just21 read my blog
Jul 12, 2008 | 1:13 PM

I agree, i have my back window tinted as low as possible because i have a system and before i got the tint someone broke into my car and stole everything. and the police said nothing we can do about it ... "sorry". ok i got pulled over about a month ago and the cop made me peel my tint of while he was their and still gave me a ticket. needles to say i got it retinted because like you said i am passed by people going 90 -100 mph and they pull me over for tint. I understand police safety but my side windows are at the law limit and what about these people that have all including the front window tinted darker??
fargingbastige read my blog view my photos
Jul 13, 2008 | 12:53 PM

Geez, Katie, I hate to hear that. Regardless of how we try sometimes bad things happen to good people. I've been stopped for speeding in the past 3 years - for 57mph in a 55 mph zone while others are zooming past me. Why? Because I was in the black sports car, so I must have been speeding. I think that by speaking with several of Alabama's State Troopers they shold be in your English class.
Katie101 read my blog
Jul 14, 2008 | 2:20 PM

LOL @ FB....

Well needless to say, I'm much more calm now and have decided to pay the ticket. There are several ways I can get out of it, but it's not worth all of the effort and time. I'm going to pay the ticket and try my DARNDEST not to travek Highway 43 in Mobile County for a while. My daddy got a ticket traveling down there a month ago and my daddy hasn't gotten a ticket in YEARS. Frankly, I think something's going on down there, but it's not even worth my time to try and figure it out. So if you're a State Trooper and you're reading this, please know that I am very unhappy to be paying your salary because it's obvious that you all only enforce the law when it suits you. We citizens pay you to uphold the law all of the time- not when your quota is running low.....
tj3891 read my blog view my photos
Jul 14, 2008 | 3:35 PM

state troopers are the lowest form of life on the planet. They should be kept doing what they are qualified to do. Guarding coaches at football games, that seems to be the ONLY assignment they are qualified for!
Katie101 read my blog
Jul 14, 2008 | 3:45 PM

LOL @ TJ.....specifically coaches who wear crimson and white....lol
fargingbastige read my blog view my photos
Jul 14, 2008 | 7:07 PM

Ya'll will love this... Then Governor Guy Hunt (that's another laughing matter) spoke at my sister's high school graduation. As we are from a small south Alabama town with a rather austere campus, the State Troopers got stuck in the mud on the track around the football field trying to escort the good governor off the field. That is a memory that I will cherish forever - the sight of those fine, upstanding officers of the law trying to push a Ford Crown Vic off the track with rooster tails of mud coming from the rear wheels!

I respect the law. I respect MOST LE officers. The AL State Troopers just do not seem to attract the best and brightest.
Katie101 read my blog
Jul 14, 2008 | 7:16 PM

Wow, FB- that's priceless....I would've paid money to see that.

I guess I have to retract an earlier statement because when it comes down to it, I respect the law as well...I can hear my mother's admonishing now..."How do you expect to follow God's law when you can't follow the law of the land?"....sheesh....

I am constantly questioing their tactics...."Take back our highways" and blitz for a few days....what about the other days of the year when drunks are driving or idiots are driving like bats out of you know where....all of their ideas seem ill-conceived. Just what kind of testing do they have to go through, I wonder......I'm willing to bet they have naught to do with logic or common sense....
BPDMotor6 read my blog view my photos
Jul 16, 2008 | 9:53 PM

I can feel ya on this one Katie, but there aren't too many things scarier than walking up to a car and not knowing what's about to happen. Is this person going to roll down the window and A) hand me a license or B) shoot me in the face with a gun? With dark tinted windows it's impossible to tell. The were all the rage in the early 90's an dthe ticket law got rid of them , now they are back with a vengence! I understand why people want them, but really the law only applies to the two front door windows and the main windshield. Sorry for your ticket, I know you to be a sweet person but those guys in LA don't know you like I do!
Katie101 read my blog
Jul 21, 2008 | 11:50 AM

BPD!!! I certainly appreciate your sympathy, brother and I've been chastised by the Holy Spirit so I'm over it. My wonderful daddy has offered to either pay the ticket or pay to have my tint removed and put back in (legally) so I have no gripes.

I understand the reason for the law, but if a law is going to be on the books, my point is to either enforce it ALL OF THE TIME or throw it out. A law that is not enforced consistently, in my opinion, is no law at all.
BPDMotor6 read my blog view my photos
Jul 24, 2008 | 9:18 PM

You're right!
Meterreader read my blog
Jul 24, 2008 | 9:25 PM

I feel your pain, I got a ticket for my window tinting also. It cost me $152, we are in a sad state of affairs when we get a ticket for something like that. With all the crime going on they are writing tickets for window tint. Revenue in Alabama is way down so that is an easy buck for the state.
What about all the police cars with illegal tint?
Meterreader read my blog
Jul 24, 2008 | 9:32 PM

State Troopers are good people too, they have a quota to meet each month and if it's not met in the bosses office they go. I have a friend that recently got fired for not meeting the ticket quotas. So he's not a trooper now!!!
bowler1 read my blog
Jul 28, 2008 | 11:22 AM

I can see your point of being upset Katie, I have window tint on my car and my wife's Escape but so far (thank God) haven't been pulled over yet for it. One would think speed would be a bigger concern for the police than window tint and how dark it is.

True some of the smaller towns are the ones who seem to inforce the tint law or any other small insignificant law because I guess that's how they get their revenue. I always try to slow down when going through a small town like those on the 231 hwy going to Panama City, Fla. or down to Gulf Shores; like Robertsdale, Loxley, Foley, and others.
noshamejamezzz read my blog view my photos
Aug 6, 2008 | 12:32 AM

No sugar not yet but let me give you a little shameless advice,call the Dept.of Public Safety and find out if this is considered a moving violation! If it is not then your license won't be suspended if you don't go to court.If it is then you will have to pay it,or contest it in court.But if it is not a moving violation throw it in the garbage,granted whatever county you were in will file a bench warrant for you and you can't go back.But there not gonna come get you.
retired52 read my blog view my photos
Aug 29, 2008 | 4:47 PM

got you beat! Bench warrant from Loxley, license revoked, reason: The legistlature voted in a law creating the trucker retirement fund. To fund it they added one, yes $1 dollar to all traffic fines. The fun part that affected me was that it was retroactive to the previous January. So the speeding ticket I got and paid a month before this law passed had a dollar added to it. Since I had paid the $200 ticket the notice from the court clerk wanting the dollar plus court cost was thrown away by my x-wife.
A trooper friend of mine told me he had a warrant for my arrest. This was 3 days before Christmas, so I figured he was joking,he assured me he was serious. Took the rest of the day off and headed to Baldwin county to see the clerk.
She informed me I owed the court fees in amount of $249 plus the one dollar. Since the court had revoked my license the judge issued a clear on my record. Had to go to Mongomery to be issued a new license. That was fun too and another $250. So here it is, two days before Christmas - broke. Just so some trucker can retire. The worst part was being with my x-wife the whole trip.
noshamejamezzz read my blog view my photos
Aug 29, 2008 | 9:34 PM

Wow,but this was a moving violation correct?
Katie101 read my blog
Sep 11, 2008 | 1:01 PM

Retired52, yes brother you do have me beat.

Yes Jamezzz, it is classfied as a moving violation. I did "unlawfully operate a vehicle".

For anyone who cares and who would die at the thought of me in jail, I PAID THE TICKET!!!!!
noshamejamezzz read my blog view my photos
Sep 11, 2008 | 4:58 PM

Thats just crazy,plain cray.
bamavern
Oct 5, 2008 | 6:57 AM

My sons ex girl friend wrecked his car. A so called friend of his was a deputy and was looking at his car. He said that the windows were tinted too dark and wrote him a ticket on the spot. Since then we have seen a lot of cars with darker tint on them all the time. Like someone said why don't they enforce the law for everyone not just one or two.
noshamejamezzz read my blog view my photos
Oct 6, 2008 | 12:31 AM

I beleive I would have had to told that cop to go BLEEP himself!!!!!!!!!!!
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Katie101

Christian, Educator, American- one who loves to see the lightbulb switch on in my children's minds and the love of Christ reign in people's hearts. Native of LA- lower Alabama, that is, and I am a Southern Belle of the New South....despite all that ails it, I love Alabama with all of my heart.

Member Since: 11/27/2006


 

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