How do cops enforce the carpool lane?

[fuzzybabybunny]

I've always wondered this. I assume they look at cars driving in the carpool lane and if there's only one person, they pull them over.

But what if the windows are tinted? My car's back windows are tinted pretty datk. How does the cop know there's not some other person sitting in the back seat?

Nowadays, the sun sets at 5. Rush hour lasts until 7PM, so it's impossible to look into people's cars, especially if there's any tint, from 5 to 7. How do they enforce it then?

 

[NikolaeVarius]

Aren't tinted windows illegal

 

[Born2bwire]

They just pull over every fifth vehicle in the lane.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Aren't tinted windows illegal

Not in the rear windows. Yes in the front windows. But there could be people sitting in the rear, like a child or something that cops wouldn't be able to see.

 

[Cookie]

Not in the rear windows. Yes in the front windows. But there could be people sitting in the rear, like a child or something that cops wouldn't be able to see.

So they'd pull you over, then see the child, then let you go without a ticket?

 

[Vic Vega]

Visual inspection - they aren't mind readers.

 

[Born2bwire]

Not in the rear windows. Yes in the front windows. But there could be people sitting in the rear, like a child or something that cops wouldn't be able to see.

What exactly are you planning on using the carpool lane for....

 

[Tobolo]

I had my wife laid back in the seat and got pulled over. He told her to sit up if we didn't want to get pulled over again.

 

[The_Dude8]

Aren't tinted windows illegal

just the front ones, the back is legal in CA. You can tint the front ones with the lightest tint, and the back windows as dark as you want in CA.

 

[bobdole369]

In Miami, they literally just pull every 5th car over and chances are they'll find a way to get a ticket or they will run. Not kidding either. I know someone from dade county LE and they seriously do just that.

In FLL I see them just looking, dunno how that works at dusk though.

 

[Pardus]

I tell them my invisible friend is riding shotgun.

 

[jmgonzalez]

Dude8 - CA does not allow as dark as you want in the back. You can up to a limo tint, with a lighter tint on driver level windows. No tint allowed at all in windshield.

And they check through sensors in the lane itself which X-ray your vehicle. it's either that or they flip a coin.

 

[ThatsABigOne]

So they'd pull you over, then see the child, then let you go without a ticket?

That seems illogical to cops' low IQ.

 

[BoomerD]

Dude8 - CA does not allow as dark as you want in the back. You can up to a limo tint, with a lighter tint on driver level windows. No tint allowed at all in windshield.

And they check through sensors in the lane itself which X-ray your vehicle. it's either that or they flip a coin.

http://www.tintcenter.com/laws/CA/

 

[El Guaraguao]

I tell them my invisible friend is riding shotgun.

Baby Jesus?

 

[Triumph]

Most of the carpool lanes around here are limited access. So the cops simply sit at the end of the off-ramp where there's usually a stop light or line of cars waiting to turn onto local roads. Easy pickings. They should be, and are, fined heavily around here.

 

[Printer Bandit]

i keep a gimp locked up in the trunk for this very purpose.

 

[Lifted]

Tint + mannequin in back seat FTW.

 

[SP33Demon]

Thermal IR. Tint all you want, it matters not when their tech > yours.

 

[Lyfer]

Robocops.

 

[Lifted]

Thermal IR. Tint all you want, it matters not when their tech > yours.

Not when your mannequin is heated to 98.6.

 

[Capt Caveman]

No, you can't consider your stuff animal as a person.

 

[SP33Demon]

Not when your mannequin is heated to 98.6.

Actually, Near infrared in most systems. Thermal in the older systems.

http://www.dot.state.ga.us/doingbusiness/research/projects/Documents/0726.pdf

Near IR cares not about your temperature, only spectral reflectance and the imaging software will filter the rest. Better hope you don't live in a state like GA.

 

[gorobei]

highway patrol usually sits on top of an overpass with easy merge ramp down to freeway. officer watches oncoming traffic and spots you through front windshield, then he either flogs the 500 ci engine to make the stop or radios his buddy half a mile further down and road to make the stop.

Motor patrol usually works in packs, with 1 spotter/radar and 3-5 officers on cycles ready to intercept. while 1 is writing the cite, there is always another ready to make the stop.

 

[gevorg]

body IR/heat sensor