Tinted Windows
Discussion
Collected my 12 month old Range Rover Sport on Wednesday afternoon and on Thursday morning I was stopped by a guy from VOSA who said that the window tints, which are on both sides and rear of the car, are illegal on the front two side windows.
He said that he could issue a prohibition order but wasn't going to and that my car insurance might be void. He said that Land Rover had supplied a car 'not fit for the purpose'.
Anyway, I rang the Land Rover dealer who supplied the car and he said that he'd get the front tints removed next week for me.
Fair enough but:
The VOSA chap didn't use any measuring device to check the amount of light passing through the glass and I don't know if there is anywhere that I can visit to see if they are actually legal or illegal in the present state of tint?
As an International Hit man and Drugs Baron (which I've told my kids that I am anyway), my credability as such is now at risk and so, before I insist of the tints being taken out - can I check to see that they really are illegal?
If they are, I have no issue with having the offending windows put right and the guy from VOSA was only doing his job and was very pleasant about the whole thing.
I'll have to tell my kids that I'm retiring from a life of crime too!
He said that he could issue a prohibition order but wasn't going to and that my car insurance might be void. He said that Land Rover had supplied a car 'not fit for the purpose'.
Anyway, I rang the Land Rover dealer who supplied the car and he said that he'd get the front tints removed next week for me.
Fair enough but:
The VOSA chap didn't use any measuring device to check the amount of light passing through the glass and I don't know if there is anywhere that I can visit to see if they are actually legal or illegal in the present state of tint?
As an International Hit man and Drugs Baron (which I've told my kids that I am anyway), my credability as such is now at risk and so, before I insist of the tints being taken out - can I check to see that they really are illegal?
If they are, I have no issue with having the offending windows put right and the guy from VOSA was only doing his job and was very pleasant about the whole thing.
I'll have to tell my kids that I'm retiring from a life of crime too!
I've heard that most modern standard tinted windows are at or around the limit for opaqueness, (opaquity, opalfruits?), for the front side windows so any additional tinting is, beyond all reasonable doubt, exceeding the limit.
It's only applicable to vehicle that had their windows tinted after a certain date though, (can't remember what date it is!). If you can prove your car had the windows tinted before that date then you'll be ok. My last car, ('02 plate), had tints all round except the windscreen from new and I never had any trouble with it. That included various encouters with the BiB too for one thing and/or another.
It's only applicable to vehicle that had their windows tinted after a certain date though, (can't remember what date it is!). If you can prove your car had the windows tinted before that date then you'll be ok. My last car, ('02 plate), had tints all round except the windscreen from new and I never had any trouble with it. That included various encouters with the BiB too for one thing and/or another.
If they were dark enough to give an opinion that thet are illegal then I'm guessing they are "drug dealer/Mafia/hitman" black 
The front window tinting is not very stong and anything resembling sun glasses level will be obviously too dark though a light metre will be needed to give strength of the tint.
The front window tinting is not very stong and anything resembling sun glasses level will be obviously too dark though a light metre will be needed to give strength of the tint.
I did notice that, on Wednesday, when the sun was out that I needed my sunglasses to look out through the front screen yet then looking through the side windows and wing mirrors, it was darker than I wanted it to be - so I guess that removal will be best!
I don't really mind.
I guess that I just wanted to be sure that the VOSA guy could be so sure without any measuring device and, had the dealer argued to me that they were legal, who could tell me which was right.
I don't really mind.
I guess that I just wanted to be sure that the VOSA guy could be so sure without any measuring device and, had the dealer argued to me that they were legal, who could tell me which was right.
An IAM Associate of mine was pulled recently for this - took her to Autoglass who directed us to a specialist glass man who metered the windows.
I recall 30% was the maximum opacity(or was it 70% opacity?)...he quoted £50 to clean up the glass - she managed to get it off herself...biggest problems was getting the glue off - think she used acetone nail varnish remover after peeling the plastic off.
BOF.
I recall 30% was the maximum opacity(or was it 70% opacity?)...he quoted £50 to clean up the glass - she managed to get it off herself...biggest problems was getting the glue off - think she used acetone nail varnish remover after peeling the plastic off.
BOF.
70% of light for side windows fore of the B pillar and 75% of light for windscreen must be allowed into the vehicle.
The standard window tint on a volvo straight out of factory is just above the required level.(As tested by light meter).
Markings on a vehicles window indicate certain aspects relating, such as which country the window was made, that it is laminated and that it complies with regulations on the standard of tint. That allowing more than 70% of light through.
Any tint film added to the window will make it nolonger as described.
It is not quite true about it making your insurance poilcy invalid, as any accessorises added to a vehicle will not invalide an insurance policy, but allow your insurance company to wriggle out of paying fully comp and just pay out to the 3rd party. Gutted if you own an expensive vehicle if written off.
The standard window tint on a volvo straight out of factory is just above the required level.(As tested by light meter).
Markings on a vehicles window indicate certain aspects relating, such as which country the window was made, that it is laminated and that it complies with regulations on the standard of tint. That allowing more than 70% of light through.
Any tint film added to the window will make it nolonger as described.
It is not quite true about it making your insurance poilcy invalid, as any accessorises added to a vehicle will not invalide an insurance policy, but allow your insurance company to wriggle out of paying fully comp and just pay out to the 3rd party. Gutted if you own an expensive vehicle if written off.
Edited by time2react on Friday 29th February 13:32
Davel said:
The L/R dealer is happy to meet any cost.
I just wanted to be sure that they were illegal before removal but don't know who can actually confirm it either way.
by the sounds of it almost certainly, much more than a very slight tint on the front windows is now illegal. if they are "drug dealer" tints which you cant see much from the outside then they are defo pas the acceptable limit.I just wanted to be sure that they were illegal before removal but don't know who can actually confirm it either way.
You car will look better without them anyway!
I bought a car a couple of years ago that I thought had factory tints until I was stopped by police during some kind of a 'crackdown' on a local trunk road. The VOSA officer present showed me that the tints were an aftermarket film. He used a small, boxed two-piece light meter with a digitial display showing the percentage of light being passed as 46%. The rear windows were much darker. The unit was calibrated by use of a small piece of certified glass in the box and he showed it was working properly. I was only given a warning but I removed the tints that afternoon.
I thought it looked bloody stupid with them in anyway, but it was 'er indoors' car!
I thought it looked bloody stupid with them in anyway, but it was 'er indoors' car!
TTwiggy said:
It is odd then that a huge number of large 4x4s in my neck of the woods (SE London) seem to get away with it (presumably the VOSA guys don't like to approach yardies?...)
You mean like a lot of people get away with all other traffic offences ?Prosecutions for virtually all traffic offences will only be the tip of the iceberg so there is nothing unusual in seeing offending vehicles, you can of course only manage to prosecute a relatively small number in between dealing with more serious matters.
Big Rod said:
And you do know that the reason for this isn't for external visibility!! (although that's what they'll tell you!!)
It's so that anyone outside the car, (BiB/MoP/Scamera), can ID the driver if required.
The legislation pre-dates the era of mass camera enforcement.It's so that anyone outside the car, (BiB/MoP/Scamera), can ID the driver if required.
Me personally, yes I say report for the offence because I do want to see who is driving, that makes it a winner on two counts.
Edited by vonhosen on Friday 29th February 15:27
vonhosen said:
You mean like a lot of people get away with all other traffic offences ?.
but that's not exactly the point is it? Yes, it's obvious that people will get away with offences like speeding, because unless they do it past a camera or in front of Police car, the crime will not be noted. But in the case of defective cars like the ones I mentioned, they are driving around, or parked on the streets 24/7 - essentially it's a 'continous' crime...Edited by TTwiggy on Friday 29th February 15:42
TTwiggy said:
vonhosen said:
You mean like a lot of people get away with all other traffic offences ?.
but that's not exactly the point is it? Yes, it's obvious that people will get away with offences like speeding, because unless they do it past a camera or in front of Police car, the crime will not be noted. But in the case of defective cars like the ones I mentioned, they are driving around, or parked on the streets 24/7 - essentially it's a 'continous' crime...It's no different for blacked out windows (other than the stopping officer isn't going to have to hang around waiting for a rare trafpol with a tintman device to arrive, in order to measure the light levels).
vonhosen said:
TTwiggy said:
vonhosen said:
You mean like a lot of people get away with all other traffic offences ?.
but that's not exactly the point is it? Yes, it's obvious that people will get away with offences like speeding, because unless they do it past a camera or in front of Police car, the crime will not be noted. But in the case of defective cars like the ones I mentioned, they are driving around, or parked on the streets 24/7 - essentially it's a 'continous' crime...It's no different for blacked out windows (other than the stopping officer isn't going to have to hang around waiting for a rare trafpol with a tintman device to arrive, in order to measure the light levels).
but how about a bit of joined up thinking - stop the car for window tints, find it 'unusual' that the driver gives his address as a one bed council flat and occupation as 'job seeker' but is tooling round in £45k+ of motor and wonder where his income is from?
You probably have to live where I do to really understand where I'm coming from...
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