Got pulled over, Ticket for Blackouts!!!

[SHOntell]

Well, I took the day off today and for a doctor apointment and on my way back I was turning behing a police officer. As we turned he pulled over to let me pass. I knew I was f-ed. He pulled me over and asked me if I was a cop. I said no, and he said that my front blinkers appear red when flashing. I told him it was the spray on covering that is used to black out red lights without drowning out the red. He said it was illegal etc.

To make a long story short, he gave me a fix-it ticket and they have to be cleaned in 72hrs.
He noted on the ticket that my tails and turn signals need to be done. He didn't mention side markers but I am assuming those are included. I figure I had better do them all.

Question, What the **** am I gonna use to get it off??????

Do I need to order a whole new light set-up???

I am so ****** off right now!!!!!!!!!!

Mike

 

[RStalveyARFF]

Hi Mike,

I've been told you can use sandpaper, try to go as fine as it will allow. Then use a 3m buffing compound: "perfectit".

 

[rdw91]

A good ole rag, gloves and some mineral spirits should do the trick. It's basically a paint thinner. Be carefull not to get it on your car.

 

[SHO_Driver]

Use paint thinner and alot of elbow grease. Eventually took off the tint spray on my markers. Instead of using sandpaper go with the finest grade of steel wool to avoid scratches.

 

[SHOntell]

NO shit it takes elbow grease. I tried rubbing mineral spirits on it with a cloth and it did absolutely nothing. Not to mention the front running/turn signals are recessed into the front so it makes it hard to get at them with sand paper. I am so ****** I am having to do this. They look so nice, especially the rear lights, that I think I am gonna get new lights all the way around from a junkyard. It may be expensive but I am gonna see if I can just return them and go back to blackouts on the rear and not in the front. Of course there is a good chance I will run into that cop at some point. But maybe he will forget after the winter storage.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

Mike

 

[DJ SHO]

Isn't that entrapment? From what I was told a police officer can't be in front of you, pull over to let you go by, and then pull you over.

 

[Tacmedic]

I would like to know how that would be entrapment. I used to stop people behind me when I worked patrol. How would you feel if one of your family members were killed by a drunk that I witnessed weaving in my rear view but let go because he was behind me?

 

[Porkchop]

yeah i got the same thing, but i didn't get a fix it ticket, it pays to be out of state....you just have to be careful on where you use your signals when you have that stuff on your lights.

I got the side marker talk too, but nothing about the tails

 

[mholhut]

Mike,

400-600 grit wet/dry sandpaper. Trust me... been down this road after my car failed inspection with the lenses blacked out. Nothing else would work to remove the 5-7 coats of blackout. Wet sand all the lenses, then buff them out with polishing compound. The sanding removes the tint but leaves the lenses hazed... buffing them restores the proper finish. Your side markers and tail light assy's can be removed easily enough to work on. I just left the front directionals installed and just got what I could... I didn't buff the front's out either and they were fine.

 

[SHOntell]

Mike, that is exactly what I used and did last night. I got the fix-it ticket taken care of. I actually bought new front, rear and side markers from a junkyard fpr 100 bucks for all of them. I Just switched out all of the lights except the front because that was gonna be a chore to get to those. So, I just sanded the **** out of them and I even used a knife around the edges. I am going to go back to the blackout tails and side markers once I have finished buffing/polishing repeatedly to remove some of the blackout. It has actually produced a much more factory look. The lights are shinny black and you can actually see the different color shade though the black. My tail lights previously showed amber through them and I didn't get pulled over for those, I basically told the officer that I had those painted as well so he made not of that on the fix-it ticket. The lights remind me of what the Grand am/prix lights look like. Black looking with color differentiation.
Thanks for the help ALL, now, back to blackout minus the front.

Mike

 

[mcgilles]

<sarcasm> whew, sure makes me feel safe knowing that the cops are out there to keep people from tinting their lights! </sarcasm>

actually its the law makers that I am more upset with, why is tint so evil anyway? jeez!

 

[Emerald94]

I believe it's because the lights are to see and be seen. Tinting will diminish their output, making them useless therefore making your car dangerous.
I thought it was obvious!

mcgilles:
<sarcasm> whew, sure makes me feel safe knowing that the cops are out there to keep people from tinting their lights! </sarcasm>

actually its the law makers that I am more upset with, why is tint so evil anyway? jeez!

 

[SHOZ123]

I agree completely Emerald94

 

[SHOntell]

So what you guys are telling me is that I had better not use tinted lights aye. The rears sho up real nice in the dark. Side markers are not quite as nice. Those are the ones that I have done. I do not think my tail lights are tough to see at all. My side markers may be an issue however. I am torn right now. Who knows what to do. I am glad I am storing my car for the winter, that way I won't have to decide until spring.
Mike

 

[SHOZ123]

Under foul weather conditions you need all the light showing through you can get. Any coloring you put on you tail lights will reduce the total output. You may not notice it yourself. Try doing it to just one of the lenses for comparison.

 

[wuzzzer]

Mike, what's the winter beater going to be?
wink