moving to fla.
#1
Instructor
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moving to fla.
hello florida,im moving to fla. in 25 days, any one know the laws there on what you can and can,t do to your vette? like blackouts,tint ect. thanks
#3
florida laws
most tints allowed. no limo tint but you can get by with very dark tint. blackout kits allowed but not pitch black lights. I have seen some people that paint their lights so dark you can't even see the lights when turned on. No front plate required. be courteous or someone will shoot you. remember troopers love giving vettes tickets. don't speed on turnpike unless you are in a cluster of cars. Get ready to pay tolls. Buy a sunpass for those tolls. Places to speed... us27, some parts of the turnpike..miami to homestead example. most people will not respect your car so be ready to give up your spot and do whatever to avoid a accident. fyi.
#5
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I moved from the Chicago area in 2005. The Vette-Friendly things I immediately enjoyed was (1) no front plate, (2) no village or city stickers of any kind on the windshielf and (3) legal tint.
Outside of that, note that any type of alteration of stock lights is considered "illegal" per most DOT authorities, however many of us have gone down that path while maintaining or improving visibility. I have seen some murdered out blackouts pulled over. Most recently a completely blacked out Mustang so the LEOs are watching.
Note that everyone drives fast down here due to the nice paved roads. I drive I75 often and the speed limit is 70 MPH. You will get run over if you're not doing 80 MPH.
Due to the mixed demographics, you have (1) elderly drivers with limited reflexes/eyesight, (2) tourists who are not familiar with the roads, (3) drivers who can't read the English signs and (4) People who don't understand the concept of the left/passing lane and (5) residents who manage to drive through it all.
The good news is the roads are usually in great shape, however most side roads and parking lot entrances are not Vette friendly because they grade the roads in order to produce the run off of heavy rains. If you haven't already done so, you will learn pretty quickly how to angle in the Corvette!
Good luck with the move!
Outside of that, note that any type of alteration of stock lights is considered "illegal" per most DOT authorities, however many of us have gone down that path while maintaining or improving visibility. I have seen some murdered out blackouts pulled over. Most recently a completely blacked out Mustang so the LEOs are watching.
Note that everyone drives fast down here due to the nice paved roads. I drive I75 often and the speed limit is 70 MPH. You will get run over if you're not doing 80 MPH.
Due to the mixed demographics, you have (1) elderly drivers with limited reflexes/eyesight, (2) tourists who are not familiar with the roads, (3) drivers who can't read the English signs and (4) People who don't understand the concept of the left/passing lane and (5) residents who manage to drive through it all.
The good news is the roads are usually in great shape, however most side roads and parking lot entrances are not Vette friendly because they grade the roads in order to produce the run off of heavy rains. If you haven't already done so, you will learn pretty quickly how to angle in the Corvette!
Good luck with the move!
#6
Team Owner
Where at in Florida??
They only hassle the thugs with dark tint
And yeah no one does the speed limit on the interstate...
They only hassle the thugs with dark tint
And yeah no one does the speed limit on the interstate...
#8
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I'm going to Florida for vacation in June unless the oil washes up on the beach, then I'll go to San Diego!
Last edited by jrose7004; 06-02-2010 at 09:08 AM.
#10
Burning Brakes
no pollution controls = headers /loud & free flowing
dark tint
black outs
nice flat level roads for lowered vettes
no snow/no ice = no salt or chuck holes that swallow cars :o
year round vette driving on very long, very straight, and sometimes very empty roads = the need for sp**d
dark tint
black outs
nice flat level roads for lowered vettes
no snow/no ice = no salt or chuck holes that swallow cars :o
year round vette driving on very long, very straight, and sometimes very empty roads = the need for sp**d
#11
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no pollution controls = headers /loud & free flowing
dark tint
black outs
nice flat level roads for lowered vettes
no snow/no ice = no salt or chuck holes that swallow cars :o
year round vette driving on very long, very straight, and sometimes very empty roads = the need for sp**d
dark tint
black outs
nice flat level roads for lowered vettes
no snow/no ice = no salt or chuck holes that swallow cars :o
year round vette driving on very long, very straight, and sometimes very empty roads = the need for sp**d
#12
Race Director
The best advice is to read the FL statutes yourself. It looks like the FL Motor Vehicle Code is under Section XXIII, Chapters 316-325.
Keep in mind that the statutes have probably changed in the last legislative session and may or may not be implemented for a period of time...
http://www.flsenate.gov/Statutes/
Keep in mind that the statutes have probably changed in the last legislative session and may or may not be implemented for a period of time...
http://www.flsenate.gov/Statutes/
Last edited by hotwheels57; 06-02-2010 at 12:12 PM.
#13
Le Mans Master
Due to the mixed demographics, you have (1) elderly drivers with limited reflexes/eyesight, (2) tourists who are not familiar with the roads, (3) drivers who can't read the English signs and (4) People who don't understand the concept of the left/passing lane and (5) residents who manage to drive through it all.
#14
Drifting
no pollution controls = headers /loud & free flowing
dark tint
black outs
nice flat level roads for lowered vettes
no snow/no ice = no salt or chuck holes that swallow cars :o
year round vette driving on very long, very straight, and sometimes very empty roads = the need for sp**d
dark tint
black outs
nice flat level roads for lowered vettes
no snow/no ice = no salt or chuck holes that swallow cars :o
year round vette driving on very long, very straight, and sometimes very empty roads = the need for sp**d
#17
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I don't live there year-round but one thing I hate in the Fort Myers area is the horribly long traffic signals, and, get this....left turns have the first priority when the signal changes!....very hard for us midwesterners to get used to....the wait sometimes seems like an eternity to go in a straight line through the intersection...very bazaar because in most parts of the country the through traffic always has the right of way.
#18
Burning Brakes
Wellcome fellow corvette brother sunny south Florida is the place to be . You can drive your vette all year round hot days and cool nights
you won't be disapointed . don't let the myths of hurricanes scare you
you only have to worry if you live on the cost once it's inland it's just a bad tropical storm good luck on your move
you won't be disapointed . don't let the myths of hurricanes scare you
you only have to worry if you live on the cost once it's inland it's just a bad tropical storm good luck on your move
#19
Le Mans Master
Legal tint limit is now 37%.
I know this because my sister just had her car tinted, and the installer told us what was legal.
I rode around with 15% on my Infiniti for 4 years without a problem, but it was not legal.
I know this because my sister just had her car tinted, and the installer told us what was legal.
I rode around with 15% on my Infiniti for 4 years without a problem, but it was not legal.
#20
Safety Car
Wellcome fellow corvette brother sunny south Florida is the place to be . You can drive your vette all year round hot days and cool nights
you won't be disapointed . don't let the myths of hurricanes scare you
you only have to worry if you live on the cost once it's inland it's just a bad tropical storm good luck on your move
you won't be disapointed . don't let the myths of hurricanes scare you
you only have to worry if you live on the cost once it's inland it's just a bad tropical storm good luck on your move
i will add, it does depend on where you are in the state. generally speaking in the deeper south of the state with the general congestion we have, you will probably find you can get away with a bit more than other areas of the state. personally, i wouldn't have a dark tinted vehicle. just my opinion, but it's tough enough to stay alert all around you without putting yourself at a disadvantage once it gets dark. this area has become somewhat known for the number of people who run red lights. the state recently passed legislation the use of traffic light cameras to provide evidence for the issuance of non point earning "civil" tickets (to the tune of $153/offense). the drivers here generally are discourteous and don't believe anyone else deserves to be on "their" road.
if you aren't being aggressive, you can get away with exceeding the speed limit on virtually all the expressways (but don't get caught exceeding the speed limits in residential areas or on city streets). the local police will ticket you without blinking an eye.
i ride the turnpike and I 95 regularly and exceed the speed limit when conditions permit. i always stay out of the left lane (usually in the 2 most right hand lanes) and it is not unusual to be passed at an even greater speed by an FHP cruiser. weave in and out, you're a dead man. blow everything else off the road during more peak times, you're a dead man. probably not too different than anywhere else.
loud exhaust comes down to what kind of day the officer is having, lol! i have a friend with a 67 convertible with factory side pipes (the car was a museum piece prior to him buying it), and he was pulled over on the beach by a ft lauderdale officer who insisted his exhaust was illegal and wanted to give him a hard time. after all his threats and about a half hour of the cop trying to prove he was in charge (and my friend basically tell him if he was going to give him a ticket give it already), the cop let him go. just depends on the officer. it's probably no different than where you are coming from.
we don't have vehicle inspection here. you can renew your tags for 2 year periods if you wish. be prepared to probably pay much more for the basics, like your tags and registration, and a florida driver's license (although your license renewal will be for 8 years). be prepared to be hassled getting your florida license. you need to bring all types of documentation to prove you are real and not an illegal immigrant. you will need something that verifies your social security number (a pay stub or a copy of your last tax return), you will need a utility bill sustantiating your address and at least 2 picture id's (a passport is most helpful). make certain to check what you need BEFORE you go so that you don't have to make repeated trips to the license bureau.
all that said, there is no better place to live. we have no state income tax (prohibited by our state constitution, lol) and being able to do just about anything you want outdoors at any time of the year isn't too hard to take. if you are lucky enough to live near the water (around here it is the atlantic ocean, lol) you will continually believe you are on vacation even if you only go to the beach occassionally. just my opinion, but the further south you live the better it is.
Last edited by srs244; 06-02-2010 at 03:53 PM.