Cops/Legal bags/PA laws?

[Reumster]

Ok I get stopped the other day, and the cops says my exhaust is illegal? They say the exhaust can't be altered from stock? But Everyone alters there exhaust. Why does the law have to be such blatent asses? I got a ticket for no inspection sticker. Pa has some Mucked up laws, I've never seen the like of these people. I've lived in 8 states, and this is by far the most screwed up. You don't even get plates registration at the damn DMV! For god sake. I mean give me a flippin brake. Not to mention if you are recuired to have state inspection then you should be recuired to have it before you get it registered. Or something.


The next thing I forsee is getting introuble for my bags? What is the law here, are they legal or is PA one on thous F'd up state where you can't alter your factory suspension. I mean I thought we lived in a free country here people. But I have to live in constant worry of being pulled over for stupid sh!t. Dize on my mirror, loud exhaust etc...................... The list can go on for miles. Theres got to be a way to fight back. I've had it up to here with this FUBAR BS laws. I pay these people to work, I pay the outragous unconstitional taxes, and I don't deserve to be harassed by the cops 95% of the times I've been pulled over it's been not for traffic violations but nit picky harrassment things.

What is the legal tint in PA for side windows?

Just because I drive a Customized vechicle does that make me a criminal? Does that give them the right to look at me harder and pull me over more thant the next guy? The cop said there was like 10 things he could site me for on my Blazer, Ishould have asked what? but I let it slide.

I guess everyone should just sell there Customised cars/trucks, and by new vechicles that all look the same, and drive around like zombies, and no one be origanal, and all be programmed Americans. Next thing you know they will make laws that no one can work on there own vechicles, and no changes can be made. Are we going to let them do this? Crush all are classics and use the metal to make electric cars?

[Longhorn Man]

As long as your exhaust system is not too loud,a dn exits out from under the vehicle further back then the dor opening, then there should be no problem. I would get a hold of an inspection station (since you have to go anyways now) and get a copy of the inspection procedure. If it is not very clear on there, look into it more. More likely than not, the law states you can not alter emissions control devises...of which your truck would have none on the exhaust system its self.
Some officers don't know what is what and will ticket if they suspect it is faulty, then let the judge decide if it is good or not.

[pissonNOS]

YOU TELL EM JOHNY YOU TELL THE WORLD !
that totally sucks man I have an option for you. Move to canada they are so slack when it comes to this sort of thing I have no licence plate light my horn has been disconnected ( cheap Grant products) and the new shifter arm i put on my 3 speed is too heavy so I have no reverse lights and havent gotten pulled over once except for my speeding ticket and I also have clear taillight lense that are illegal in canada and have yet to be harrased about them so come on up theres lots of room for a sweet ass blazer like urs man and ud be closer for shiping if I ever find the money to by your LED's

[Reumster]

What gives them the right to ticket "if they suspect"? If they don't "know" fact. than they can just go striaght to.... I'm just really fed up with there BS. I'm a law abiding citizen. I don't drive drunk because I wouldn't chance scratching my Blazer. So having a Customized vechicle actually makes you a safer driver for numerous reasons. You respect and put hard time in your ride so you don't want to chance damage, and you probably have alot of power, so you can make passes faster and quicker. You just flat out have more respect for cars.

[Longhorn Man]

Trouble is, in reality, there are way too many laws for one man to remember. If you were to get your hands on traffic law books, they would look like the LA phone book...but 3 times as big.
An officer has the right to detain you for suspision pull you over for suspicion, and if they are not sure on the offence (like your pipes) they have the right to ticket you. They enforce the law, but the judge has the final say.
You don't live in a tiny town with a mayor's court do you? If so, you're probably screwed. They'll fine you for anything, and something as small as your exhaust system would never be taken to a higher court.

[Reumster]

How is that justified? Where is our rights? And how do I gain EASY access to the laws? Or would I have to flipp through page by page? I will fight these unlawful pricks to the end. Man if I had money I'd take all these harassing asses to court and get as many badges revoked as possible.

[Slammed67]

Yeah, for the exhaust, it has to exit the vehicle past the passenger compartment for obvious reasons (carbon monoxide poisoning). On a truck however, it can exit under the bed (like mine is) because it is past the cab. I took my Grand Am to get it satefy inspected a couple weeks ago and they wouldn't pass it because there was a small hole (smaller than a dime) on the bottom back edge of one of the mufflers! I thought that was being a little anal, but I guess rules are rules.

As for the bags, I would be careful about "playing" with them while you are out driving, light at stop lights for instance. Don't want to draw more attention to you than necessary!

Does PA have safety inspections?

[Reumster]

Yes PA has state inspection sort of Safty I guess. I agree with inspections to a point, Tires brakes etc... But if it don't effect safty it shouldn't be used.

The cop said the exhaust can't be altered from stock. Do these trucks come with dual exhaust from the factory?

[Reumster]

Slammed 67 chech your PM and e-mail.

[68Custom]

You could always move to Kansas, no one gives a crap here.... atleast i have never seen anything of the sort like what you have mentioned. I think the biggest worry cops have in my city is the lights on the ends of valve stem caps and up by the washer fluid jets. oh yeah, you can't have anything less than 25% light transmission in my city as far as tint. yeah the light thing seems a bit off but i guess it could be considered a distractant while driving at night, oh well

[keenee]

First let me say that I have lived here in PA for most of my life, and though I don't agree with the laws always, I guess I just accept them. Yes Pa has an annual inspection. they check tires, brakes, ball joints, tie rods, lights, glass, body, frame, horn, exaust... the exaust must extend past the body is what I believe the state requires, and other stuff. You get registration from the dept of transportation then you get an inspection and emissions inspection (pre 1974) in some areas too. No you can't get straight answers about what is legal and not, some stuff seems to be up to the cop or magistrate. Last I heard no side window tint is legal. Who knows? As for the suspension, I lift them not drop them. Also be carefull of those LED's they may be illeagal "vanity lights" lol, and good luck!

[Palf70Step]

It has been a while since I had to deal with PA's laws, but I worked at an inspoection station for a few years and they are (were) pretty strict especially when it comes to modifing anything that might effect emissions. I wouldn't think they would get into our area too much, but who knows what was on that officer's mind. One thing I do remember, and this could have changed, that you could not have an exhaust exit before the axle, unless it was a commercially registered vehicle and it had to be that way from the factory.

Other than the polution tests, I think PA had and may still have the strictest inspection criteria of any state.

[Project1970]

You know the scary thing? I haven't had a license plate light for probably over a year now and nobody's said a thing, except for my friend once last year...I then forgot...and then my girlfriend told me more recently...

[Longhorn Man]

Reumster, yes they came with daul exhaust from the factory.
If your pipes exit from under the vehicle (that rule for trucks varies state by state) then chanses are the cop feels your pipes are a bit on the loud side.
I agree that PA's insp. is way too much. I don't know much of it, but from what I have seen on here, and saw when i was at OLDCHEV4X4's place last year, they go just a tad too far.

[bobs409]

I've been in Pa. all my life and never had any troubles like that. We do have an annual state inspection (unless you get antique tags) and some of Pa. might be into some form of emissions. (not where I live)

Sounds like the cop has it in for you or doesn't know his job very well. Might be confusing your old truck with one of these crappy new vehicles. On an older vehicle like yours, a custom exhaust shouldn't be a problem as long as it's not too loud. If I remember correctly, it has to exit past the passenger compartment. On a pick up, that would be past the cab and on a Blazer, all the way to the rear.

On window tint, I always heard you could tint any window except the driver and windshield. (and not too dark) This obviously doesn't apply to new vehicles that come from the factory with what I feel is too dark of tint. Most of them have it and you can't even see the driver.

Some of you might find it odd that a state requires a state inspection but since im used to it, I find it odd that some states don't. While I hate it, this is done for safety and judging by the way some people take care of their cars, I can see why. Not all drivers are motor heads like us and aren't going to check their own brakes and exhaust or steering/suspension. They'll drive until the pedal goes to the floor or die of carbon monoxide! LOL

You guys with no safety inspections must have a high accident rates just for brakes alone. (just a thought)

[Ryan Flowers]

Reumster,

You should be able to go down to the local DMV or Police station and get a copy of all of the traffic laws. Also remember when they stop you they have to show you that you were breaking the law (example: they stop you for speeding 65 in a 55, if you ask to see the clock on the radar they have to show you. If they say we cleared it then take the ticket to court and it will be thrown out). Same thing with the pipes and such. They have to be able to tell you which city, county or state code you violated. These guys go by what they are taught and have heard not nessaserily what is in the law books. But if everyone would take the time to take these things to court when the police can't come up with the radar or the regulation that was broken, sooner or later the court's would wake up and tell the police department to get their act together and stop waisting tax payers money.

I have gotten out of 2 tickets by asking to see the radar. The cops didn't even want to mess with it so they told me to slow down. I know things like the window tint laws and noise polution stuff, lift & lowered laws and bumber laws you realy cant get around. But when ever you are going to modify a vehichle it is always a good idea to look up the state and local laws before spending the money. Remember local and state laws are sometimes different.

Just my two cents!

[smokekiki]

bobs 409 is right.The exhaust on a pick-up will pass in front of the axel,blazer and suburbans behind axle.I live in south east Pa and we have emissions testing,but our trucks are excempted.As far as window tint goes our local paper had a write -up a while back.Only factory tint is legal on the windshield and side front windows.My blazer has a 6" lift and 35"tires.The only thig I had a problem with during inspection is I had to put longer mud flaps on.Your custom blazer might be done the right way but ,what about the guys who stack four 2" blocks,front and rear to get lift?I've seen it done.If you keep your truck maintained inspection is no problem.My local shop chages $20.