Tinted windows and the fuzz

[_Rob_]

Did anyone see on the news this morning how the police are clamping down on tinted windows???? I understand if they are completely blacked out at the front because you cant see but they tested a merc that you could see right through the front windows and i mean easily and it failed miserably! It was transmitting 30% of light and should have been doing 70% and 75% on the front windscreen!!! WTF have the police found yet another way to crack down on the motorist and avoid having to do real work???

[Jezz_S13]

yep, this has been an issue for a few years.

They have a gadget that measures how much light is tranmitted through the window, think it has to be 70% as you say.

[ZXSpectrum]

I think this is a good thing... The amount of tosser boy racers with almost totally blacked out windows are rediculous... If they are not transfering light correctly then quality of vision is impared hence DANGER... more tint also means less field of vision and viewing distance...

[gaz.thomas]

Tinted windows obscure the fuzz when someone is looking in from...Ohh sorry should have read the thread rather than just the title :D:D:D

Gaz
-x-

[_Rob_]

but what about new cars that are sold with tinted front windows??? im not saying its a bad thing, you should be able to see through the window but this car only had a light tint and was completely illegal. does the same go for dirty windows? or the tint of your sunglasses? The police are impounding cars that they believe to be breaking the law with tints ..... along with everything else they do to the motorist shouldnt they do some real work?

[gaz.thomas]

I think you can only go so far wih legislation - The same applies with helmet visors. You can only have a certain level of tint but you can wear sunglasses underneath. When it gets dark you can take off your sunglasses - you can't remove your windscreen. I think it's illegal to drive with an empty screen washer bottle and the police can pull you over for having an excessively dirty windscreen. As far as I'm concerned the faster you go the further you need to see - so give me a mild tint/polarisation to minimise glare - If you want to look like a pimp then prepare to get pulled over.

Gaz
-x-

[JB]

Originally posted by ZXSpectrum
I think this is a good thing... The amount of tosser boy racers with almost totally blacked out windows are rediculous... If they are not transfering light correctly then quality of vision is impared hence DANGER... more tint also means less field of vision and viewing distance...

Quite right too :thumbs:

[Martin T]

Light polarising tint is a very good idea, and will most likely improve visibility, as it reduces glare as you said, even though its slightly darker.

[Dave_S]

Isn't it the amount of light inside the car has to be a certain amount (which in turn is altered by the tint level on the glass)

Dave

[Duff Man]

... and while we are at it how about pulling any car with inadequate lighting! The amount of cars you see with pathetic, yellowy lights that must be >5 years old (the bulbs that is) is amazing! Either they eat many more carotts than I do, or they feel safe charging along @60 mph with 40ft of vision ahead of you!

This will also include new vw golfs who have stupid front turn signals that are hard to see in bright light conditions, almost had a few runnings in with these on mini round abouts since it looked like they were going straight ahead!

Thank god for philips vision plus bulbs!, best £20 I ever spent http://www.powerbulbs.com/ :notworthy

[Jeff]

Originally posted by Adam D
... and while we are at it how about pulling any car with inadequate lighting! The amount of cars you see with pathetic, yellowy lights that must be >5 years old (the bulbs that is) is amazing!
We'd have the majority of S13 owners pulled for this with 5 minutes :eek: :(

[Duff Man]

Costs £20 and 30 mins of time to change them (well it did on a mk3 astra), made a good improvement over the standard fitment phillips bulbs it had (the oem ones from new that were ~4yrs old). Cast out an appreciably longer, whiter light that made driving along certain dark sections of the A12 at midnight much safer (the areas with worn out cats eyes and no lighting).

Only disadvantage would be that I have had a couple of people think they are on full beam when they are dipped :eek: (they are correctly adjusted too and have levelling controls, that was checked last service), not anywhere near as bright as HID lights though, they really hurt my eyes.

When I get an s14a (ha he laughs, need a job first) it will be my first modification :), hear its a pig of a job though! :(

[CraZyMoFo]

It's not confined to cars either. There was a story in Motorcycle News not so long ago about a guy with a reasonably tinted visor on his helmet that got pulled by the fuzz. when they spotted the visor, the insisted that they had to confiscate it leaving the rider (Who was over 100 miles from home) to ride all the way back with no eye protection. Now that's even more dangerous if you ask me.

[Jezz_S13]

here you go...

...Motor vehicles first used between 1/6/1978 and 31/3/1985 must have windows which allow at least 70% of light to pass through. Motor vehicles first used on or after 1/4/1985 must have windscreens which allow at least 75% of light to pass through - all other windows must admit at least 70% of light...

taken from here...

http://www.roads.dft.gov.uk/vehicle/standards/consum/04.htm

[Geeza]

Originally posted by robchopper50
does the same go for dirty windows? or the tint of your sunglasses?

Yes mate the same does go for dirty windows and no it doesn't go for sunglasses.

You can be stopped by the Police and told to clean your windows before going any further in your car!!

[dobergoose]

Anyone can tint there windows on a modern car up to 70% but due to its age my beetle isn't allowed tints. Make sense?

[_Rob_]

All other windows???? THe policman on the news this am said that 75% for windscreen, 70% for front windows but the others werent important...... maybe thats for next year?!?