davedog Posted October 17, 2005 Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 Back when I got my windows tinted a couple years ago I checked the local laws for GA. At that time there were none, they had been lifted for some reason or another. Now didn't want "limo tint" or anything like that, just enough to cut down on the hot southern sun. So i went with 20% - enough to make a differnce, but safe at the same time. So tonight I was on my way home from walmart, I had stopped at a redlight. Light turned green, as soon as I started rolling forward, blue lights in my rear view mirror. I was totally confused, I wasn't speeding or anything. So I pulled over, got my licence ready, and rolled down the window. The cop comes up and says my windows look too dark, I replyed this was news to me since I had had my windows this way for nearly 2 years. He brings out some thingie, and has my roll my window up part way and slides it over the glass and says my tint is 16.9% (even though they are 20%), and that the law is 32% - so he writes me a "warning". I get home and hop on the net, sure enough, new law as of may 1st, 2005! Nice of them to share that with me! And I can get fined up to $1000!!!! So i guess I will take it all of, what a waste of $$$ to only get a couple years out of it! So what is the trick to getting this stuff off? Anybody done this? Thanks guys. -dave Crystal Red Tintcoat Exterior | Shale/Brownstone Interior | 32k Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimD Posted October 17, 2005 Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 For the record, I am not an attorney. But, do you happen to have the receipt showing the date your windows were tinted? You should be Grandfathered which is the reason he didn't write a citation. Even the U.S. Congress is constitutionally prevented from legislating 'ex post facto'. Jim Drive your car. Use your cell phone. CHOOSE ONE ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davedog Posted October 17, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 unfortunalty the recepit seems to be long gone, but I do remember writing a check, so I did a search for "tint" in microsoft money, and sure enough, on June 23rd, 2004 I wrote a check for tint, has the check number and everything. Don't know if that's enough proof or not. I prob just need to take the stuff off, I can't afford $1000 ticket! -dave Crystal Red Tintcoat Exterior | Shale/Brownstone Interior | 32k Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STS Scott Posted October 17, 2005 Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 I went through the whole tint removal ordeal just after I got the STS. The previous owner had obviously used windex on a regular basis, and the amonia had turned the tint purple that was already on the car. Besides, I liked the look of STSs without tint, as that gorgious Zebranno wood really glows and the light colour of the interor IMO really complements the deep green. To remove the tint, I followed a procedure I found in a internet tuitorial. I believe I searched Google for "Tint removal", which yielded some helpful stuff. The back window is the most crucial, because a razor can not be used to scrape the tint with the defroster element there. The basic jist of the process though is... You will need a bottle of pure amonia which is used to disolve the tint adhesive, an ample supply of garbage bags and tape to protect the interior from your amonia, which you'll use quite liberaly, and also a paint razor to do the detail work and get any left over residue off the side windows. The garbage bags are also used as a 'vapour barrier' to keep the amonia from evapourating from the windows. You will want to cut them to fit the shape of each window, to surround and seal it once you spray the tint with the Amonia. Parking the car in the sun will also help, as the heat is a catalyst to the disolving of the tint glue. The back window went pretty easy for me. I sprayed it, covered it up with the bag and let is sit in the sun for about an hour. Every fifteen minutes or so I would peel a little bit of the bag back, and squirt more amonia on the tint, just to keep it wet. The idea it to sort of create a "sauna" effect where the sun will build up the heat and moisture on the tint. After I was confident the tint had "soaked" long enough, I started a corner with a finger nail, and it peeled of pretty easy. It actually split cleanly about half way down the window at the middle defroster line, but the bottom section peeled off nicely too, with no lue reside left on the windows. The side windows were more of a hack job, just because I was not as patient with the amonia as I had been on the all-important rear window. I eventually got it all of the side windows, but ended up using the razor blade alot becasue the tint seperated from the glue due to my impatience for not letting the amonia full soak into the tint. You'll want to have alot of towels on hand to, for you'll probably end up doin' some rubbin' with them and the Amonia to reall get all the glue residue off. Oh, and that Amonia is potent stuff... if you have a chemical mask (like a disposable paint one), you'll probably want to use it. I just held my breath when I was spraying the back window, but if I did inhale, man did you're nostrels ever burn! Good Luck, I hope I offered some decipherable advice! PS... My what a nice colour your car is! LOL " ...'took my Cobra down t' the track, hitched to the back o' my Cadillac..." - Jan & Dean, 'hey little cobra' Scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranger Posted October 17, 2005 Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 Call the place that did the job and show him the check if need be. He should be able to print you a new reciept. I am confused though. The law says 32% is max. You paid for 20% but actually have 16.9% and you still get a warning ticket? Isn't that like getting a ticket for driving 55 mph in a 65 mph zone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimD Posted October 17, 2005 Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 This is what I would seriously consider. Get a copy of the check from your bank and take the whole issue to a lawyer that specializes in something other than criminal matters. It is possible the lawyer will say forget it... or, he/she might suggest you take a stand against the GA legislature. And you will have a choice to make comparing possible legal fees to the tint removal fees. And there is a chance the lawyer you select will see some advantage to themself by challenging what 'might be' an unenforceable state law. In the case of GA, that would be 'another' unenforceable state law! Limit your search to law firms located in the county seat. You never know where the constitutional judges preside. Jim Drive your car. Use your cell phone. CHOOSE ONE ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Nunnally Posted October 17, 2005 Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 The bank can prolly give you an image of the cancelled check; my credit union even shows online images of cancelled checks. Bruce 2023 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing Follow me on: Twitter Instagram Youtube Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adallak Posted October 17, 2005 Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 Call the place that did the job and show him the check if need be. He should be able to print you a new reciept. I am confused though. The law says 32% is max. You paid for 20% but actually have 16.9% and you still get a warning ticket? Isn't that like getting a ticket for driving 55 mph in a 65 mph zone? Looks like the numbers relate to the transmittance not absorption. The saddest thing in life is wasted talent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davedog Posted October 17, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 just printed a copy of the check from online! Even says "Window Tint" in the memo line, as well as "Bauer Auto Detail" in the pay to the order of line. Should be enough proof. I guess I will drive over to the local sheriff's office, and see what they say.... oh and thanks JimD for that info, I printed out those terms and will bring them with me, worth a try. grandfathered in adj. refers to continued allowed use of property as it was when restrictions or zoning ordinances were adopted. Ex post facto Latin for "from a thing done afterward." Ex post facto is most typically used to refer to a law that applies retroactively, thereby criminalizing conduct that was legal when originally performed. Two clauses in the US Constitution prohibit ex post facto laws: Art 1, § 9 and Art. 1 § 10. see, e.g. Collins v. Youngblood 497 US 37 (1990) and California Dep't of Corrections v. Morales 514 US 499 (1995). Crystal Red Tintcoat Exterior | Shale/Brownstone Interior | 32k Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimD Posted October 17, 2005 Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 just printed a copy of the check from online! Even says "Window Tint" in the memo line, as well as "Bauer Auto Detail" in the pay to the order of line. Should be enough proof. I guess I will drive over to the local sheriff's office, and see what they say.... You can bet the SO will back up the officer 100%. But what about the next time you go to Wal-Mart on a quiet Sunday evening? The bigger issue is retroactive legislation which violates your rights. Good luck with it. I am going to continue pulling for Chicago to do what Boston did last year. Jim Drive your car. Use your cell phone. CHOOSE ONE ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canadian95sts Posted October 17, 2005 Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 Call the place that did the job and show him the check if need be. He should be able to print you a new reciept. I am confused though. The law says 32% is max. You paid for 20% but actually have 16.9% and you still get a warning ticket? Isn't that like getting a ticket for driving 55 mph in a 65 mph zone? Looks like the numbers relate to the transmittance not absorption. Exactly, 35% being the lightest and 5% being the darkest or "Limo Tint", Here in Ontario there is a very vauge tint law that uses the discretion of the officer more than anything. I would hate to see you have to peel that tint off, I dont know how people can drive ANY vehicle with no tint at all, especially a Caddy, just my opinion. Keep us updated, Matt A good friend will come and bail you out of jail...BUT, a true friend will be sitting next to you saying, "darn...that was fun!" www.madd.ca Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill K Posted October 17, 2005 Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 So maby you will be able to beat the tint law and not have to remove it. If you win it will probably be the first of many encounters with the cops. The next officer isnt going to know you won and can keep the tint so hes going to ticket you again. Its like driving around with a sign that says "Stop Me". Good luck.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davedog Posted October 17, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 So maby you will be able to beat the tint law and not have to remove it. If you win it will probably be the first of many encounters with the cops. The next officer isnt going to know you won and can keep the tint so hes going to ticket you again. Its like driving around with a sign that says "Stop Me". Good luck.... you are probably right, I just want to do some quick asking around before i tear the stuff off. What I was hoping for was a form that I could keep in my glove box that says i am exempt. i know this is far fetched, but you never know until you ask. Crystal Red Tintcoat Exterior | Shale/Brownstone Interior | 32k Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blunted Posted October 17, 2005 Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 There is such a form.. at least in most states. Here in NYC, if you get a doctor to sign a form saying you have photophobia or something of the sort, you can get an exemption sticker. .. I got a tint ticket a few months ago and pleaded not guilty.. I better get my *smurf* over to a eye doctor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
growe3 Posted October 17, 2005 Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 Be careful with the chemicals mentioned, many can be damaging to your lungs and your upholstery. Below is a link describing a method to remove the rear window tint, it may also work for the side windows; this method is less likely to damage anything. http://www.doityourselftint.com/window_tint_removal.htm -George Drive'em like you own 'em. - ....................04 DTS............................ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poobah Posted October 17, 2005 Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 The tint on my Eldo's windows is old and it's coming loose from the glass around the edges. I got an estimate about 6 months ago to take the old off and put new on. The guy said he would charge $100 to take the old tint off. If you have to take your tint off (and I hope you don't) you might consider having a tint shop do it for you. Happiness is owning a Cadillac with no codes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimD Posted October 17, 2005 Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 So maby you will be able to beat the tint law and not have to remove it. If you win it will probably be the first of many encounters with the cops. The next officer isnt going to know you won and can keep the tint so hes going to ticket you again. Its like driving around with a sign that says "Stop Me". Good luck.... you are probably right, I just want to do some quick asking around before i tear the stuff off. What I was hoping for was a form that I could keep in my glove box that says i am exempt. i know this is far fetched, but you never know until you ask. If you (and your lawyer) convince a judge to toss the warning based on ex post facto prohibition, you can be bet your county prosecutor's office will tell the SO to cease bringing similar citations that are almost certain to be dismissed in your county (precedent). The various county prosecutor's offices are networked better than we are and within weeks if not days, no law enforcement agency in GA will waste the time to write a ticket for tinting based on current law. The form you are looking for is the court dismissal. Jim Drive your car. Use your cell phone. CHOOSE ONE ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davedog Posted October 17, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 I just remebered that my mother-in-law has one of those small steam cleaner machines you use for carpet, and clothes, etc....do you think it would work to heat up the tint enough to peel it off? Crystal Red Tintcoat Exterior | Shale/Brownstone Interior | 32k Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjayzway Posted October 17, 2005 Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 I use to tint windows as a teenager for Ziebart. The easiest way to remove tint, is to heat and peal. No special tools required at all! If you have a heat gun it's easier. If not use a hair dryer, but take your time. Any glue left over, just use a scrubby pad(green plastic) and ammonia. It's that easy. Big Jay Life is too short to grow up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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