texas laws

So we just moved to Texas 3 months ago and state troopers finally pulled US over and gave me a warning for my tail lights being to dark. They had a 5% film on them. No problem at night but during the day they are a little hard to see. He said they're supposed to be visible from 300 ft and he couldn't even see them from 3ft.
Anyways, I was wanting to know if there's any laws that I need to know about before I continue modding. I'm assuming my window tint is legal. Is it illegal to spray smoke the tail lights, side markers, etc? Anything else?
 
Tail lights like he said as long as they are visable at a certian distance u can have them. My tail lights are tinted but u can see through them during the day. Modding; no theres no real laws for modding just as long as u can pass emission test for inspections. Window tint can be as dark as u want in any passenger windows except for front passenger. Fronts most ppl use 35% but i have 28%. I think as long as a cop can see through and see u they wont mess with u too much. Head lights i wouldnt tint to be on safe side. Side markers doesnt really matter as long as they still work i guess but they are not a must. Long as u got front and rear signals. Hope that helps you
 
I had tinted tails on my P5 (not too dark but tinted) and never had a problem but honestly cops in Austin seem to be relatively lenient unless you are speeding. I have been without a front license plate for over a year without a problem. The front tint law keeps changing back and forth, I have 30% on the front and 5% on the back. The shop said the net % of 30% on a window is 28% which is right above the legal limit of 25%.
 
Be aware my fellow Texans and transplants, there are TWO sets of laws here, State Inspection laws and Driving Laws, and both are subject to an officer's discretion. The inspection laws are generally more lenient, as are most big city cops, but you can't count on that.
Read your TexDOT laws and get to know them if you are modding.
For tint, a passenger side window, front or rear, is a passenger side window. I had been pulled over for that because my dealer installed 25%F and 5% (limo tint) everywhere else on my car before I bought it. The laws on tint have changed in the last few years as well. They have gotten stricter as more officer's are being blind-sided by the bad guys with dark tint.
I was even told by a Travis County deputy that having my plate mounted in the windshield is reason enough to be pulled over, but the law states (paraphrasing) that is is legal to "display the front plate in the windshield until such time as a proper mounting bracket can be installed." Translation: If the same cop sees your car more than once and the plate has not been moved to the front bumper, he/she CAN pull you over and ticket you for it. That said, I haven't had that problem in the 5 yrs mine has been in the windshield.

A personal comment on smoke tinted lights: 1) It restricts output no matter how light it is. 2) It's been done and is not an original mod in any way. 3) No one is fooled into thinking you have no lights on your car. 4) If you get rear-ended and the other driver claims he didn't see your car, you will be charged for the accident. This actually happened to a friend of mine who had a 3 HB, even though the other driver was clearly at fault. 5) And most importantly, its a safety issue for you, your passengers and anyone else on the road, especially with so many bad and distracted driver's out there these days.
Please, don't do it.
 
Thank you. So the tow hook license plate shouldn't be an issue as long as its up there?

& I appreciate your opinions. I agree that my previous tinting was too dark. Also, to your second and third points, I know its not original but isn't it supposed to be what I like? & I'm not trying to make it look like there's no lights in there.
 
yeah its supposed to be what you like but if a cop is being a dick or thinks its a saftey concern they will pull you over why give them a reason IMO. as for the turn signals they can only be white or amber no other color its considered a destraction all you need is the wrong cop and bamm another ticket. Me personally i like to mod my car the way i want but i dont see the point in drawing attention to my car when its not needed. which is why i never put my plates on the window, or had dark tint, or even tinted my tail or head lights. I just want to enjoy my car and not be harrased because some cop felt like messin with me. I see people with there plates all the time here and its kinda a mixed bag some say theyve been ticketed others been warned some not once I dont want to be the % that gets ticketed, besides the money i save from not paying off fines i can use for other mods or hell to have a beer.

also not sure if your dropped or anything but the height is 22" IIRC from the center of your headlight to the floor any lower they can get ya if they feel like it.
exhaust and bass have a decibal range im sure every city has one but some are different ranges IIRC but i dont know what it is here. other than that thats all i can think of at the moment.
 
Thank you. So the tow hook license plate shouldn't be an issue as long as its up there?

& I appreciate your opinions. I agree that my previous tinting was too dark. Also, to your second and third points, I know its not original but isn't it supposed to be what I like? & I'm not trying to make it look like there's no lights in there.

The tow hook plate should be fine.

As for the rest I was speaking to the group in general and giving the reasons I have thought of why people tint their lights. But in general its just a bad idea.
Please remember that you are not the only driver on the road, so I say yes, it is about what you like, but within reason. Making a car, any car, hard for others to see is dangerous, just as are other distractions. Texting, watching video's, talking on a cellphone, listening to excessively loud music all come to mind and are in the same category, IMO.
When you (any "you") as a driver are irresponsible, you take other people's lives in your hands and that's arrogant.

Ask yourself, how would I feel if I were responsible for killing somebody... let's say a 5 yr old riding home with his/her mother?

Driving is a dangerous business and I think many people lose sight of that. I have seen it all too often and lost friends because either they were irresponsible, or someone else was. It only takes a second to change the lives of many forever.
That's the point I was trying to make here.

As for turn signal colors, and I'm pretty sure this is a universal law: They can only be white if they were original equipment to the car, such as in a '57 Chevy. I'm pretty sure all forward facing signal lights have been amber/yellow since 1968 or '69.
 
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i simply drive to my parents town for my inspections, instead of getting it done in DFW area ill drive a bit south where they dont require emmissions, only pay 14 bucks for it.
 
Unless the car is actually registered there, that will not keep you from getting pulled over or a ticket for falsifying.
 
All good points. The tail lights can be tinted as stated in reason. Mine are tinted but u can see through the tint during the day just like the front window tint. The side markers they can be painted. I had a gen one speed 3 and took side markers off and painted black. U could still see the yellow light through the paint so i had no issues. Fronts and rear as staked have to be amber in color. I also have a tow plate on mine and have had no issues. Ride height i havent had an issues with my drop springs nor any buddy around here with a slammed vehicle. I dont think the cops care as much as lowered veghicles as they do with lifted vehicles. If u like i can take pics of my tail lights tomorrow to show you.
 
I got a pic right here
3SistersPics9-24-11079.jpg
 
u mite be able to go alittle darker then that speed3 up there... and also perttylilthing be sure to have ur license plate on ur front bumper all the time!!! im on my 2sec warning already 1 more and i get a ticket... i see people drive around with them on the windshields and never get pulled over.. mybe cops dont like mazdas lol who knows!
 
Thanks everyone. I can't lower my car for awhile. We have MASSIVE speed bumps at the entrances of our apt complex. If I don't hit them right I scrape even at the stock height. Learned that real quick. Thanks for the pic. That's what darkness I was thinking...are they spray film or aftermarket? && rep Its on the front it just came w this huge plastic tacky frame. I hate it. Has anyone made they're own tow hook frame? It cant be hard w a little welding right?
 
no problem ..man that was a fun day cant wait for the next one.

w/o the turbo loss and the drift king trying to go sideways that is

LMAO!!! that made my day after the drift king showed his skills. lol

And thank you Repthemazda. :-D


No problem Prettylilthing, anytime :p ( Also the tint i have on the rear is light enough for the day but at night it looks dark) well according to Matx that is. lol
 
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