Beware!... $105 citation for camera/mount on windshield

[Jesse Risley]

Most states have some sort of obstructed winshield code that would apply to video cameras, GPS units, etc.

I assume the OP was cited for this KS statute (I only copied relevant portions of the statute):
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Chapter 8.--AUTOMOBILES AND OTHER VEHICLES
Article 17.--UNIFORM ACT REGULATING TRAFFIC; EQUIPMENT OF VEHICLES
8-1741. Windshields and windows; damaged windshields prohibited; obstruction or impairment prohibited; wipers. (a) No person shall drive any motor vehicle with any sign, poster or other nontransparent material upon the front windshield, side wings or side or rear windows of such vehicle which substantially obstructs, obscures or impairs the driver's clear view of the highway or any intersecting highway.

For the full text, see http://www.kslegislature.org/legsrv-statutes/getStatuteFile.do?number=/8-1741.html
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I'm certainly no jurist, but if you wanted to challenge the citation, you would probably need to at least raise some measure of reasonable doubt that your video camera "substantially" obstructed your clear view of the highway. While the OP was perhaps guilty, the wording of the statute does leave it open to some reasonable interpretation. The use of the word "substantially" certainly means that LEOs will use their own discretion and interpret this very differently, as will one judge from another.

 

[Jim wyman]

Everyone is missing this I think.....

"upon the front windshield".

This tells me that nothing can be affixed to the windshield. It mentions nothing about the dash or dashboard........


Jim

 

[Adam Lucio]

I know its illegal here in IL. My dashboard sucks and is made of some glossy hard plastic that nothing will stick to! Unless I feel like drilling through it my only option is the windshield...I guess its just another risk to take in.

I had how these dumb laws are always "for your safety" phhht. Gimme a break. I want to see the storm [and the road] the last thing Im going to do is block my view.

 

[Tyler Burg]

I just have a window clamp I hang from the rear view mirror, sure its upside down, but you can just invert it when you edit the video, I never shoot video anyways though. I think I heard somewhere that it is illegal to hang stuff from the rearview mirror too, but I'm not sure.

 

[Jim Saueressig]

I have never claimed to be a storm chaser when questioned. I am always doing "storm photography".

Generally however I am not storming through red lights and racing through a town with the traffic lights out with my video camera running and then selling it to a show that uses it publicly and gets viewed by LEO's who then get rather pissed off about it.

Rather than start that debate again because it is pointless I simply want to say that with certain (imitation) chasers doing that kind of stuff and disregarding the laws of safety of others we all have to realize that pissed off and vengeful LEO's will now come with the territory. Don't forget some judges will have seen those same shows as well.

 

[Tyler_Costantini]

I dont know how the laws change from state to state but in Woodward, OK the OK State Patrol have GPS's on the windsheild.

 

[Brian Barnes]

I recently got an oil change at Wal-Mart and the put a sticker on my windshield, even on the driver's side.

 

[cdcollura]

Good day all,

Aahh,

Seems like the storm activity and chaser amounts are directly related to small-town officers meeting quotas and making money off us chasers thinking we would "just pay" the fine and not fight it.

Remember in the bright side ... THEY need money more than you and I do ;-)

 

[Dann Cianca]

On my way down on Saturday, I got pulled over south of Stratford, Texas going 2mph over the speed limit. I had the cruise set at 72mph ... in a 70. So, yes, I was speeding ... just thought that was a little strange. The officer asked me all sorts of questions about where I was heading; coming from ... what I was doing. I explained that I was doing storm research, though in the future I may use "meteorological research & documentation."

 

[Gene Moore]

Here in Texas law enforcement pretty much wiped out the popular "Baby on Board" yellow stickers attached with suction cups. Mommies were outraged and it made the evening news, but to no avail. I'm sure cameras would be no different, but so far no problems.

 

[Jason Young]

I have once been asked to remove my camera from my dash by a city cop in my town . I removed it and waited till I was at my target area to reinstall . As a side note, did anyone else have trouble with OHP in Magnum Ok last Sunday. I was getting gas at loves and well one of them was rude about why I was in town. Got me worried , 4 other's was all over a truck in front of me.

 

[John Hudson]

Glad I found out about all of this before dropping the money on the suction cup camcorder mount. Fortunately not chasing solo this year, so she can handle the video, and the money for the mount can go into the gas tank.


John
VE4 JTH

 

[Jason Foster]

There are cameras you can get that are small CCD type cameras only about 1" in diameter and 4" long, and don't require a huge mount. Your shooting through a windshield...it doesn't have to be the best camera in the world. Check B&H, you'll see what I'm talking about.

 

[Jim Hunt]

Something to possible consider is a Magic Arm. They are most typically used for backboard shots or shots from the post with still cameras. I shoot sports action and already had one and have used it a couple of times for spotting with my video camera. It works well. (I clamped it so the passanger seat bracket.)

 

[James Weatherman]

Laws and LEO's

Sorry to hear about all the trouble you are having with LEO in Kansas especially. I was reading many of the post and not sure why people think that LEO hate storm chasers. I use to be a Cop in Great Bend, Kansas and most of the officers I worked with in the city and the county enjoy chasing storms as well. Most of the officers I talked to at trainings were the same way. They did not understand how to forecast or anything like that but enjoyed chasing especially in the local area. As for the law about video screens in the view of the driver the last I knew they had removed that since most LEO agencies have screens they watch and computers up front by them. I know that most LEO's have more stuff in their window then any chaser I have seen. I am not sure of the statue that he wrote you.