don't most people just tint the windows and not the windshield?

Cops are assholes. Just last night I was driving home with my mom and we came to a traffic light. The light turned green for us just as a cop was driving up to the steer to our right at a four way intersection (this meant for him the light just turned red). The asshole turned on his lights and siren, forcing us to slam on the breaks, and he drives through the intersection. Not even 2 seconds after he exits the intersection he turns the lights off. What a dick

I'm from Cali too, and we just say "**** it" and run like 10% all the way around our trucks, haha.

What about a verbal warning? Can you appeal? That is really bizarre and ...sad.

You could have just googled it instead of going to the cops!

Windshield tints are illegal if it is below the little arrows on your windshield. Many tinting places will still do it because it isn't them who get in trouble. It just costs a lot due to how big the windshield is. Windows in the back seat can be as dark as you want, but the front windows are not allowed to be tinted at all, but many cops allow it if you can be seen behind the tint. I have had experience with my tinted windows (I live in California) and I have my door windows (front and back door) as well as my back window tinted all at 20% and never have received a ticket for them. Why would you tint your windows before asking the cop? I checked my stuff out way before. You deserved it.

I'm a cop. The window thing isn't a big deal, I'm actually surprised he cited you. What people need to realize though is that as cops, we HATE tinted windows. There's thousands of cops that have been shot at a traffic stop and if the windows are so tinted that we can't see who's inside, we get nervous. I'm not saying all people who have tinted windows are bad, so don't go there. Just saying it's a safety thing.

seriously? that's like asking a cop if the blunt you're smoking has too much weed in it.

I don't see why this is an FML, or why so many people are saying that the cop was an asshole. It's illegal and any illegal move will have consequences, the cop was just doing his job. it doesn't matter that OP was honest. Illegal will still be illegal whether you hide it or not, and chances are OP would have gotten a ticket at some stage anyway. The right thing to do would have been asking before getting the tint.

Give the ticket to the people that tinted your car. They can't give you illegal tint unless they were out of state.