Driving to cali soon...

**Ramairgod84** · 04-17-2010, 05:31 AM

So I'm taking the gf to san diego mid may, and im kind of worried about driving my car there...lt's, off road x pipe, fr and rear blackouts, limo spec tint... I guess im paranoid about driving there because of all their anti sports car laws. I guess my fear is just driving along and being pulled over for nothing. All you cali guys, is there anything i should/ shouldnt do other than the obvious no speeding/racing common sense stuff? how easy is it to be pulled over there? Since im from out of state, am i subject to their laws like for my tint. Where dark tint is acceptable here in az because of the intense sun.

**SeVeReDiStOrTiOn** · 04-17-2010, 05:47 AM

Drive with the driver and passenger windows down because chp will get ya for tint...no front plate is big with them too. They're just fix it tickets but still.

**Ramairgod84** · 04-17-2010, 06:08 AM

well az doesnt have a front plate, and as far as the tint, they dont really care here because the sun is so strong. I've heard before they cant hold people to their laws like that

**KahanaReef** · 04-17-2010, 07:11 AM

Originally Posted by Ramairgod84

well az doesnt have a front plate, and as far as the tint, they dont really care here because the sun is so strong. I've heard before they cant hold people to their laws like that

I'm not sure how that works. But, I do know that CA is in the tank and needs cash badly. Tickets are up.

I say just be a good boy and if you get pulled over, play the happy go lucky tourist and kiss some ass

**SouthernBornThriller** · 04-17-2010, 05:41 PM

I've been living in SoCal since October (San Diego area since late January) and I've only been pulled over once - for a burned out headlight. Don't have a front plate, but I'm still running NC plates, and no cop has said anything. Everyone I've asked says I wont need one unless I register it in Cali (which I dont plan to do).

I agree about leaving the windows down though...they may nail you for tint.

**pecha** · 04-17-2010, 07:06 PM

Originally Posted by Ramairgod84

well az doesnt have a front plate, and as far as the tint, they dont really care here because the sun is so strong. I've heard before they cant hold people to their laws like that

I don't know who you heard it from by I asked CHP about operating the vehicle with out of state license plates in CA and I was told that as long as you are in CA you are supposed to obey CA vehicle code - including the tint and front license plate
if they will enforce it or not, it's up to every single officer who sees you
they might not but they can

my advice - if you're pulled over don't be a d!ck, explain you're just on vacation (they pay attention to out of state license plates on vehicles that belong to CA residents as the part of the registration goes to the CHP salaries) and you'll probably get away with it

**Ramairgod84** · 04-18-2010, 05:18 AM

lol wow thats pretty rediculous as far as the plate goes. I dont even think I have a second plate.. I have a hole where the plate should go lol. I wouldnt be a dick, but that would turn me off of ever going back there again if they're gonna harass out of towners like that. I drove from az to de a few times and didnt get heckled in the front plate states. I guess I'll have to get a statement by my doctor saying my tint is ok.

**pecha** · 04-18-2010, 05:20 AM

just be cool
it'll be all right
it's the a*holes that get tickets

**clovenhooves** · 04-18-2010, 04:55 PM

Light tinting should be okay, but it sounds like the tinting is about as high as it can go. Keep the windows down, don't flagrantly violate the law, and you should be okay. Cops around here don't seem to care about minor violations, although I personally think they should be enforcing turn signal laws.

**Ramairgod84** · 04-19-2010, 07:19 AM

it seems like the big thing is the tint...i can go to my doctor and have him write a note saying i need the tint because my eyes are sensitive to the intense sun here. I had to do that back east. They had a form you'd fill out at the dmv, get it signed by your doctor, and you'd keep it in your car,

**pecha** · 04-19-2010, 07:30 AM

do it if you can.
no front tint is a police safety thing, they wanna see what's going on in a car they're approaching

**Detroit Power** · 04-19-2010, 08:07 AM

Originally Posted by Ramairgod84

Since im from out of state, am i subject to their laws like for my tint. Where dark tint is acceptable here in az because of the intense sun.

I didn't know the sun was more intense in AZ versus CA. Or Ohio. Or Cambodia. LOL

AZ, CA, and OH are (generally) the same distance to the sun, depending on the time of day.

They could probably write you a tint ticket, but I doubt you'll be hassled over the front plate. If the plate is valid and your DL is valid too, even if you did get pulled over you're obeying the law in AZ, where the vehicle is legally registered. I have NEVER heard of an out-of-stater getting a ticket for something like that.

Why not just rent a car if you're concerned?

**clovenhooves** · 04-19-2010, 08:16 AM

You can't be ticketed if you're out-of-state and legally have just one license plate. Local cops probably know that AZ requires just one. If you were to somehow get a ticket, if contested it would be dismissed.

By the way, the sun might be a little less intense in SoCal due to pollution. (That's speculation - I've only spent a few minutes in Arizona.)

**pecha** · 04-19-2010, 08:36 AM

Originally Posted by clovenhooves

You can't be ticketed if you're out-of-state and legally have just one license plate. Local cops probably know that AZ requires just one. If you were to somehow get a ticket, if contested it would be dismissed.

By the way, the sun might be a little less intense in SoCal due to pollution. (That's speculation - I've only spent a few minutes in Arizona.)

can you provide the law that states that?

**clovenhooves** · 04-19-2010, 08:48 AM

Uh, no. But a while ago, I had a discussion with people who seem to know the law - the opinion there was that any ticket would be dismissed. Not that answers.com is the law, but it states that, "If your motor vehicle licensing office issued you only one plate, then you are still permitted to use the vehicle to visit anywhere in North America."

**Detroit Power** · 04-19-2010, 10:00 AM

Originally Posted by clovenhooves

By the way, the sun might be a little less intense in SoCal due to pollution. (That's speculation - I've only spent a few minutes in Arizona.)

I'm just arguing semantics. Obviously atmospheric conditions have a lot to do with how intense it feels, even though the actual intensity of the sun doesn't change.

(That's why mountain climbers have to use higher SPF than they would on the ground)

**tallnick** · 04-19-2010, 10:53 AM

I used to live in Washington state but had Indiana plates on my car.. Washington requires front plates and well I had several cops turn around really quickly to pull me over but I am guessing once they saw that I was out of state they lost interest.. cause I never got pulled over for that offense..

**pecha** · 04-19-2010, 05:34 PM

Originally Posted by clovenhooves

Uh, no. But a while ago, I had a discussion with people who seem to know the law - the opinion there was that any ticket would be dismissed. Not that answers.com is the law, but it states that, "If your motor vehicle licensing office issued you only one plate, then you are still permitted to use the vehicle to visit anywhere in North America."

see post #6
even if dismissed, it's still PITA to drive to the court especially if you're from out of state

**clovenhooves** · 04-19-2010, 07:32 PM

You might be able to get it dismissed by talking to someone over the phone and then mailing a letter (including various documents). Look, since the home state issues only one plate, there's no reasonable option other than to visit and drive safely when there.