Tinted Windows...

[Solomon]

I just got pulled over at a checkpoint on 10th and 34th by the local police, he was checking permits for tinted windows. He proceeded to tell me that there is a new law here in Playa that requires anyone who has tinted windows on their vehicle to get a permit from "Transito" for their tint. The permit costs $250 pesos and can be purchased at the Transito office behind Mission Santa Fe, the infraction is $600 pesos.

It struck me that this might be a revenue generating scam for the local police, being low season and all. The checkpoint has been at that intersection various times in the last few weeks, so be careful folks.

I am going to go get the permit, I will put an update on here when I do.

[John]

First, I'm sorry to hear you got pulled over.

For the most part tinted windows have been made illegal up in the States, most likely due to safety concerns. I personally find tinted windows annoying from a pedestrian and other-driver perspective.

Do you think the goal is to make it more expensive to tint car windows (thus attempting to decrease their use), added revenue from permit sales, or is this just a quick way to randomly be allowed to stop cars? All three?

[Opatije]

Originally Posted by Solomon

I just got pulled over at a checkpoint on 10th and 34th by the local police, he was checking permits for tinted windows. He proceeded to tell me that there is a new law here in Playa that requires anyone who has tinted windows on their vehicle to get a permit from "Transito" for their tint. The permit costs $250 pesos and can be purchased at the Transito office behind Mission Santa Fe, the infraction is $600 pesos.

It struck me that this might be a revenue generating scam for the local police, being low season and all. The checkpoint has been at that intersection various times in the last few weeks, so be careful folks.

I am going to go get the permit, I will put an update on here when I do.

It's not just PDC. New law in effect due to the latest stream of drug-trafficking violence in MX. This was in Novedades week ago or so...

[AMKRGMOM]

I saw this thread and had to comment. Here in Baja Calif/Tijuana-Rosarito, tinted windows were made illegal in an effort to crack down on drug dealers and other shady types, unfortunately for the innocent, they have to pay the price for this. It's so blazing hot over this way, almost everyone has tinted windows. I think they are not to look at standard factory tint, but limousine type tint. But anything to get money goes I guess.
Becky

[Solomon]

The car I was driving had factory tint, it is pretty dark though. It is also not my car.

I had a hunch that this was something to do with drug trafficking, that explanation makes sense to me. I don't have any objection to the laws about tinted windows, I don't really like the tinted windows either. I think the idea of getting a permit for the tinted windows is interesting, why not just ban them all together?

More than anything, I think that setting up checkpoints to check permits for the tinted windows is a way to generate revenue, but I could be wrong about that as well.

I don't mind getting pulled over so much, its sort of part of living in Mexico...

[Opatije]

Originally Posted by Solomon

The car I was driving had factory tint, it is pretty dark though. It is also not my car.

I had a hunch that this was something to do with drug trafficking, that explanation makes sense to me. I don't have any objection to the laws about tinted windows, I don't really like the tinted windows either. I think the idea of getting a permit for the tinted windows is interesting, why not just ban them all together?

More than anything, I think that setting up checkpoints to check permits for the tinted windows is a way to generate revenue, but I could be wrong about that as well.

I don't mind getting pulled over so much, its sort of part of living in Mexico...

Bravo for such a positive attitude... remember: permit = access to information...pretty clever in my opinion.

[jamnkats]

I'm pretty sure it wasn't a shakedown. About a week after the decapitated headed bodies were found in Merida, the Merida police started the same thing. The first days they were actually pulling people over at the parabrisa shops and instead of fining them, actually having their tinting removed.

[nasplayacom]

thanks for the heads up. I saw the same checkpoint, but when I passed they were pulling over all the moped drivers and fining them. Luckily for me I passed by unnoticed with all of my windows tinted to legal US standards. I'm curious if there's a percentage of tinting allowed here or if it's any tinting at all. I mean, my back windows all came tinted, and I went to have my front ones done. It's not like you can't see the people inside the car - it just prevents the sun from coming in. as mentioned my level of tinting is legal in the US.

[corinne & jared]

Has anyone gotten this permit in hand yet?

[nasplayacom]

No, but I was thinking the same thing. I guess I'm just crossing my fingers. I've tried looking online to no avail for some sort of description of the new legislation - that way if I get pulled over and I don't need a permit for my level of tinting I can at least try to gently argue my point

[jamnkats]

Here in Merida there are very many police checkpoints and I'm not exactly certain what they're looking for but the presence (after the recent violence) is quite reassuring. Our back windows have a limo tint on them and we haven't had any problems at all. The cops use cones to bring the lanes down to one, usually at a tope, and slow the traffic down drastically and check out the car occupants and then let you either pass or pull over. We've never been pulled over and we go through at least 2-3 checkpoints a day.