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I live in the suburbs (Alsip) and very often go into the city for business and pleasure. A few weeks ago I received 2 tickets. One was for and "obstructed windshield" and the other was for "obstructed sideview". I got the one ticket dropped for the windshield by submitting proof that the tint strip on my windshield is 6" like law says. However the “sideview” one is still not being dropped.

Here is the issue. Chicago regulations say that ANY tint film on the side windows is illegal. Illinois state law states that 35% non-reflective tint is permitted as long as all windows are 35% with a 5% variance being observed. My tint is 35%. Chicago is supposedly using "home rule" to make this law. The problem is that my car is NOT registered in Chicago so why do THEIR laws apply to the equipment on my car that is legal where my car is registered? And on top of this the ticket is $250.

Has anyone else gotten this ticket for LEGAL (35% or more) tint? I want to get a (class action?) suit together. I need a good lawyer and some other people to get this ball rolling. I don’t claim to be a legal expert so my terminology may be off.

My goal is to get this amended or removed.

If you have gotten a ticket for LEGAL window tint in Chicago please email me at Timothy.Hoogland(AT)Gmail.com. Please put “CHICAGO TINT” in the subject line so it goes to my email filter properly. Please provide me with your name, phone number, address (city at the least if you are not comfortable giving out your full address), and relevant info from your ticket (date, time, where it occurred). I am getting a list of people that have also been hit with this so that I can assemble a large case against the city.

TLR, I have tint that is legal in IL but Chicago says NO tint allowed and ticketed me $250 for it. I need help with this.

 
Rep Power: 284

LMFAO. Good luck with that class action law suit against the city, the legal fees would be exponentially higher than the ticket itself and you'll never win. This happens all the time in Vancouver, someone in Seattle drives up with front tint, they get an $800 ticket and think the laws don't apply just because they're from a different region.

 
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Yes but the thing is that it is legal in the rest of the state. We all know its not easy to remove. Chicago is in the legal wrong here and someone needs to get this fixed. I don't really care how much it costs I want this fixed. I asked the administrative office about what happens if I pay it and go on with life. They said that I can be ticketed again and again. Why would I not try to get this fixed? It's people like you who just accept it and don't do anything about it.

 
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Good luck getting enough people for a class action.

What my buddy does when he drives down from washington to CA, is he just keeps his windows all the way down as much as he can

 
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I got the ticket while I was parked and I was not in my vehicle. That really isn't going to work.

 
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Then just fight it.

State law > County/City law

 
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eh, i lived in IL (not chicago) and the law for the whole state is no front window tint. i have a hard time believing certain cities have their own regulations. its a state law, and it goes by where your plates are from. for example, IL cops couldnt do anything to my 35% tint because i still kept NV plates where that percent is legal.

 
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Oh, one thing i might mention.

In California, 70% is allowed on the front ONLY
ONLY if it is factory installed, no aftermarket front window tints are legal whether it be 35%, or 90% tint.

and what gearbox said is correct.

 
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there is a simple way around that by dying the windows yourself. you can roll it down and show the cop there is no film on the window and he will think its factory.

 
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But would it be worth the trouble?

 
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What kind of dye? Can't find anything on google search, guess I'm just retarded tonight. If there's no DIY I'll do one, need new tint anyways.

The cities and municipalities in TX get away with that bs all the time. Like for instance, buddy gets a ticket for speeding and even if he is found not guilty he still has to pay $80 court costs. WTF, you're the ones taking him to court!? Red light cameras are city citations and not issued by Public Safety (what they call law enforcement here in TX). BUT, they will still issue a warrant thru their local Police dept. They just make up laws to increase revenue and don't stop till the state makes 'em.

The one thing I do like is deferred adjudication (probation) for moving violations. You pay the fine and court cost, promise to not get another violation (in that jurisdiction) for 3 months and as long as you don't get another violation you're fine. Gone broke a couple of years keeping the license clean. You have to when you drive a delivery vehicle for a living.

 
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The fact that you live in another area does not allow you to not abide by the laws of the juristiction your in. Example, my friend has his LFA insured using an Alberta address where he has a second home, while driving his car in BC he is still subject to the restrictons of the BC Motor Vehicle Act. If local laws did not apply, he would be able speed, drive drunk, wear no seat belt etcetera.

Local traffic bylaws aren't even uncommon.

 
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traffic laws are different from vehicle codes

of course you still have to abide by speed limits of different juristiction and such, those are traffic violations and apply everywhere u go
but vehicle codes can be different
a car that from nevada that doesnt pass smog inspection in cali is allowed to drive in cali
however, if u were to stay in cali and have your car registered in cali, it must be able to pass smog
those are vehicle codes
such as headlights, tint, etc

 
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lazlong i havent seen a diy as the process is complicated and many people do not have the proper tools or equipment. its also a pita because the window glass has to come off the car. we have a deferred program here too except you can only do it once every 3 yrs lol. i still have 2 more left before i can get another ticket.

there are other examples of when you need to modify your car depending on where you live, due to local laws. since you are physically driving the car there you can get away with some things but not others. when i lived in IL, the small town did not require smog, so i didnt have to get one for my renewal since the car was being driven in IL and not NV (where smog is required and where the car was registered). i imagine if i went to cali with nv plates (my brother does) then smog is still required and you need to abide by CA regulations for carb approved parts. now there may be exceptions if you are just passing thru, vs going to school and living there longer than a week. also the lighting laws vary by state, and you need to abide by them depending on where the car is physically. for example in IL i could drive legally with yellow headlights, even tho its illegal in 48 other states including NV where im registered. white fogs are illegal there too, so i had to switch to yellow or turn them off. so yeah i think tint is one of the few exceptions that they let slide. otherwise you need to follow laws of where you are driving. usually only a problem with a modded car.

 
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Illinois is weird. Still can't get a CHL (Concealed Handgun License) even though you can in the other 49 now.

 
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Just so you all know in ALL of IL 35% is legal on the WHOLE car. HB 3325 made this so.

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/Bill...ionID=76&GA=96

 
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ah okay they changed it! since 2009. good to know. in that case it should be no problem proving it in court

 
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You would think that to be correct right? Wrong. Chicago does whatever the f*** they want. It was going to be over $800 to fight this at the LEAST. My lawyer said to just pay it and move on. Since my job is in the city I took the side window tint off just to avoid police harassment. I still think its utter bullshit. What also worries me is that there are stories of people with NO tint getting ticketed for it. At the point I will give the city a good old f*** you and not pay that. I would love to see them boot my car or come after me. That would be a real law suit for sure.

My buddy is applying 5% on the rear windows this week. Might as well black it out since that is all I can do.

 
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$800!?!?!? I pay $40 to the lawyer for just about every violation. And he doesn't even show up in court, the para-legals do all the work.

If the justice system is as F'ed as the city government is reported to be (3 decades and counting) then that's why it costs so much for 1 violation.

I would find work in another city. Just my 2 cents, take it or leave it.

 
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Find me an IT job that pays over $45K in another state or city and I will gladly re-locate.

 
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^^ I feel ya bro. Been looking for a new job 'cause the boss is . Everywhere I go they want to pay me $5.50 less for doing the same exact thing. And this is the best local economy in the states (D-FW).

I tell ya what, if you got skillz apply to Southwest Airlines. They have places all over the states but, the headquarters is here in Dallas. They're always hiring the right person in the IT dept and are, and have been for a long time, one of the top rated companies to work at nationwide. My dad used to work there and he had nothing but good things to say- good pay and benefits, good work environment, etc. I have delivered to the headquarters before and can say it is the only place I've seen that size that everybody was smiling. Plus all the stewardesses end up working there