jumblemo
Member Since: 19 Jun 2005
Location: Sarf London
Posts: 102
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Despite fear of being called a Southern wuss I'm considering whether I should have tinted windows as an after-market add-on to keep the wife and children shaded on the summer jaunts around Europe
I'm thinking of a mid shade 'smoke'.
Whats' the forum members consensus on these?
Should I defy the law and risk prosecution by having this all on the drivers and passengers doors too - do many people get nicked for this?
Are there any recommended vendors who service the Sarf London area?
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21st Jun 2005 3:54 pm |
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NightFox
Member Since: 02 Apr 2005
Location: Bedfordshire
Posts: 125
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I don’t want to sound like a do-gooder here, but laws do tend to be there for a reason, and I think to think only of prosecution as a possible consequence is missing the point – it’s a bit like the fact that most people don’t drink drive because if they get caught they would loose their license is a prime example – what about the fact they might kill someone?
I’m not suggesting tints are in the same league as drink driving, but the fact is a 50% tint cuts out 50% of the light entering the cabin – so effectively the cyclist at night relying on his 3v Ever Ready front light has just had his chance of you not seeing him when you pull out of a junction doubled. OK, so that’s maybe an oversimplification, but hopefully it illustrates my point. People often say tints are no different from wearing sunglasses – true, but most people have the sense to take sunglasses off when driving at night.
As for prosecution, I think it’s unlikely you would get stopped and “done†just for tints. If you got stopped for something else, it might get raised though. Most UK police forces now operate a “Voluntary Defect Rectification Scheme†(VDRS), where you will be given notice that you will be reported for any defect to your vehicle (faulty lights, dodgy number plates etc), but if you get the defect repaired within a set number of days, and an MOT-registered garage certifies that it has been fixed on the form you return to the police station, not further action is taken.
However, if you had been involved in a serious RTC, and it was deemed that your tints may have been a contributory factor, then it would be a different story.
Now I’ve got all that off my chest though, I must admit that I’ve considered having my rear ones done, so any recommendations?
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22nd Jun 2005 10:05 am |
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Gareth
Site Moderator
Member Since: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bramhall
Posts: 26779
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Careful, my cousin got pulled in his Range Rover, and was issued with an order to get the tint removed from the front windows, or face prosecution.
The tint was on the car when he bought it approved second hand from a Land Rover dealer. Land Rover replaced the front glass with normal glass without question.
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22nd Jun 2005 3:34 pm |
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10forcash
Member Since: 09 Jun 2005
Location: Ubique
Posts: 16534
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Nottinghamshire police apparently have a policy to stop all vehicles with deep tinted windows or 'privacy' glass - even those with it only behind the 'B' post, it's supposed to be perceived as 'threatening'....
Decided not to go for the 'privacy glass option on mine, just to avoid the high nuisance value from plod
Wonder if they stop all the minor 'royals' and ambulances then eh?
Cheers,
10forcash
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22nd Jun 2005 3:46 pm |
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nobbyclark
Member Since: 03 May 2005
Location: Perth, Scotland
Posts: 1268
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Sign of the times - several 4x4s were targeted in my street recently, apart from my Disco. Apparently the miscreants couldn't see through my neighbours' tints and got curious, whereas mine are completely seethrough and revealed only lost Smarties and biscuit crumbs.
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23rd Jun 2005 1:01 pm |
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KL
Member Since: 16 Jun 2005
Location: Gilling, nr York
Posts: 713
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nobbyclark wrote:Sign of the times - several 4x4s were targeted in my street recently, apart from my Disco.
I presume you mean by tea leaves, not by the polis.
...Erm no officer, I wasn't insinuating that they are one and the same thing.
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23rd Jun 2005 1:48 pm |
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jumblemo
Member Since: 19 Jun 2005
Location: Sarf London
Posts: 102
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Quote:I don’t want to sound like a do-gooder here, but laws do tend to be there for a reason
I do take your advice in the spirit is intended, but I doubt that there is a driver among us out there who doesnt break the law every single time we do a journey over 10 miles. The law sets the speed limits at 30 40 60 and 70 mph for good reason - but we all apply our discretion and sometimes exceed and sometimes stay well below.
Think about the impact of universal legality too; the day we all live 100% within the law is the day that local government finances will crash because they cannot sustain expenditure if the system of parking and speeding fines develop £0 revenue. If we all stop smoking too they are well and truly kippered.
The government has a vested interest in us breaking the law on a regular basis.
That said, I have no interest in subsidising everybody elses public services so, regarding privacy glass, I've spoken with a few local tinters and they suggest that I use a darker smoke tint at the back and a light tint at the front i.e in front of the 'b' pillar. This gives the benefit of keeping the car as cool and shielded as possible, but tends to keep the plod from taking umbrage.
Personally I dont like the black-out glass, it looks too much like a drug dealers stylee and I dont want no homeboys asking 'who pimped your ride dude'
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23rd Jun 2005 9:10 pm |
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jumblemo
Member Since: 19 Jun 2005
Location: Sarf London
Posts: 102
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10forcash wrote:Nottinghamshire police apparently have a policy to stop all vehicles with deep tinted windows or 'privacy' glass - even those with it only behind the 'B' post, it's supposed to be perceived as 'threatening'....
Too much time, and too little to do up in the boonies I guess. S'pose it gives them yet another excuse not to look out for criminals - that wuold be dangerous after all.
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23rd Jun 2005 9:14 pm |
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NightFox
Member Since: 02 Apr 2005
Location: Bedfordshire
Posts: 125
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jumblemo wrote:I've spoken with a few local tinters and they suggest that I use a darker smoke tint at the back and a light tint at the front i.e in front of the 'b' pillar.
Have you had any quotes or rough ideas of price? I'd be interested in what you find out
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24th Jun 2005 11:18 am |
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jumblemo
Member Since: 19 Jun 2005
Location: Sarf London
Posts: 102
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around £285 inc vat for side and back windows
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24th Jun 2005 11:54 am |
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nobbyclark
Member Since: 03 May 2005
Location: Perth, Scotland
Posts: 1268
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kevinlally wrote:nobbyclark wrote:Sign of the times - several 4x4s were targeted in my street recently, apart from my Disco.
I presume you mean by tea leaves, not by the polis.
...Erm no officer, I wasn't insinuating that they are one and the same thing.
Sorry, yes, the miscreants not the bobbies.
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24th Jun 2005 12:59 pm |
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ducati
Member Since: 06 May 2005
Location: Ohio, USA
Posts: 180
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Do you guys over there not get the standard Privacy Glass? The rear windows on my LR3 are quite dark--the darkest tint I've ever had from the factory. '05 LR3 HSE
Departed: '62 Series IIA, '02 Freelander, '03 Disco
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24th Jun 2005 1:19 pm |
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jumblemo
Member Since: 19 Jun 2005
Location: Sarf London
Posts: 102
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Its an option, but my car is a stock car that doesnt have it factory fitted. D3 Bonatti Grey TDV6
1942 Crusader Mk III with 6lbr
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24th Jun 2005 3:28 pm |
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cmyers_uk
Member Since: 10 Apr 2005
Location: Near Bristol, UK
Posts: 433
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The thing to consider is that if you have an accident and the insurance guys comes to look at your LR finds illegal windows not declared on your insurance form you may find they do not honour any claim you make. I appreciate you may think this will never happen and insurance companys would not do anything like that but I can assure you they do.
http://www.nationwide.co.uk/mediacentre/Pr...asp?ID=644
Regards
Chris
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4th Jul 2005 7:03 pm |
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Slimer
Site Moderator
Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Last Exit to Nowhere
Posts: 16295
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Saw a Black D3 on the M25 yesterday with really dark tints, personally I think it just ruined the vehicles good looks, looked like a van. I suppose on any other colour it wouldn't look so bad
Si The End
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10th Jul 2005 7:43 am |
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