they took my front window tints off :@

[jay87]

Police were doing there stop checks 2day and omg they took my front tints off, and they wernt even dark, you could see straight through!

once on the machince they said the visability was 21 28 28 so about 26% visability compared the legal standerd of 70%

i was trully shocked and once they pulled it off they hit me with a £30 fine, and i i never even had the tints done was the previous owner

basically my point is, now my car looks ruined as its dark at the back and light at the front, if i was to tint them again, and i did get stopped would it be the same thing again or worse?

as ive got quoted £60 for the front 2 windows, and £30 fine

 

[RobM]

You'd get totally and utterly shafted if you got caught again. You got off lightly this time as it's been 100% illegal for a few years now, so there is no excuse for trying to get away with it.

Don't get me wrong, I would love to tint my Leon all round and have been tempted to risk it myself. But I know it's illegal and I know full well that the Police have every right to fine you and force you to remove them there and then.

You got off lightly, so I'd just learn from it and make sure you're not stupid enough to do the same thing again. If you want tints on the rear windows but don't like how it looks now, get them removed and replaced with a lighter shade.

 

[swissrebel]

It's now on their database that you were stopped and fined for that particular offence.

If it happens again, it'll be worse.

Fines can go up to £2000. Also, further action can be taken if it's a repeat offence - they can impound your car for that.

 

[swissrebel]

Oh yeah, possibility of 3 points for driving a legally-defined "dangerous vehicle"

To be fair, 28 is pretty damned tinted old boy...

 

[jay87]

its not illegal to have them done tho, ur have to have 75% visibilty through your wind screen, and 70% on your front driver and passenger, any thing after that is illegal. ok then i think il just get it done to 30% then, well may be sell as i think the leons windows are already slightly tinted?? thanks so far ppl

 

[jay87]

ye i know 28 sounds alot, but i honestly swear to you, they just looked very lightly smoked, you could see straight through, and they showed me a glass which was 63% and it looked normal :/ is there any way i can appeal there machine etc, as ive heard people do it with hand held speed cameras etc with calibration etc

 

[Fl@pper]

was the machine calibrated ?

 

[RobM]

Your windows are already tinted VERY close to the maximum allowed legally. There are very few tints that wont put it over.

By all means get it done, but now your car is known to the Police, they will pick you out much quicker in the future. If they spot your car with tints and think 'hold on, we did that car for having tints already' you really are going to get shafted. Big time.

 

[RobM]

was the machine calibrated ?

Does it matter? If you know you have done something that's broken the law, you can't argue when you get caught!

 

[swissrebel]

Nope, not illegal at all to have them done - i've been told the Leons are standard sent-out at 70%

If you put 30% back on your front window and you get caught with it, your car will be impounded - repeat offence.

Saying all this, it depends on the car and the driving - my car wouldn't draw as much attention as a modified higher-end car, and I wouldn't be caught dead at a max-power event - which is where most people get their tint fines

 

[Fl@pper]

Does it matter? If you know you have done something that's broken the law, you can't argue when you get caught!

but if they cant prove the equipment is calibrated that day with a certificate they cant prove its reliable and accurate therefore the evidence is circumstantial

does get snotty with cops that you do ask for though - and if you have the guts when they do start simply ask them before they proceed that you need to be reacquainted with your human rights

this involves a large book being delivered to the site for you to read to ensure you are happy at your own speed before they can proceed

record locally is 2hrs 10 mins before coppers gave up and slapped em on his way

really wind em up and you wont go nowhere fast though so most people dont bother

 

[swissrebel]

Let's be fair - if you dispute the accuracy of their equipment, they'll simply tow your car away and argue it later.

 

[WaveyDaveyGravy]

I have absolutely no sympathy with you. As a cyclist who has viewed some of the moronic behaviour of some drivers pulling out on me the last thing that cars need is darker side windows as an excuse for not seeing you. Why do you think there is a law on this? It's not daylight all the time is it?

If you think you were hard done by I can tell you you're wrong. A guy with exactly the same circumstances as you (bought the car with the tints on, didn't know they were illegal) had his car impounded, which they are legally entitled to do. Take the £30 like a man, accept you've been caught and learn from it.

 

[Avant4me]

Human Rights????

but if they cant prove the equipment is calibrated that day with a certificate they cant prove its reliable and accurate therefore the evidence is circumstantial

does get snotty with cops that you do ask for though - and if you have the guts when they do start simply ask them before they proceed that you need to be reacquainted with your human rights

this involves a large book being delivered to the site for you to read to ensure you are happy at your own speed before they can proceed

record locally is 2hrs 10 mins before coppers gave up and slapped em on his way

really wind em up and you wont go nowhere fast though so most people dont bother

There is no requirement for the police to produce human rights document at the side of the road what so ever. If the officers are happy they are not breaking any law or human right, they are within their right to carry on regardless and it would be for you to sue afterwards if you found an infringement.

=Lose Lose situation

As has already been said, why bother. It a law set for safety, just because some people may question its relevance doesn't make it any less and offence.

Or should we start inviting those who think its alright to flout drink driving laws into this discussion as well.......... They obviously think that is just a trivial law as well.

Bottom line - don't bother

 

[Brummy]

Nope, not illegal at all to have them done - i've been told the Leons are standard sent-out at 70%

If you put 30% back on your front window and you get caught with it, your car will be impounded - repeat offence.

Saying all this, it depends on the car and the driving - my car wouldn't draw as much attention as a modified higher-end car, and I wouldn't be caught dead at a max-power event - which is where most people get their tint fines

without wishing to come across as pedantic, it really matters not a jot to your average cop, WHO is driving the car, If its illegal, ITS ILLEGAL

 

[swissrebel]

without wishing to come across as pedantic, it really matters not a jot to your average cop, WHO is driving the car, If its illegal, ITS ILLEGAL

You're not coming across as pedantic - but I didn't say 'who' was driving, I just said "the" driving - as in the style.

If you're attracting attention to yourself, you're certainly more likely to get pulled over than someone who isn't. Kinda obvious, but still - people still drive like idiots

 

[RobDon]

It IS most definately illegal to have any additional tint applied to your front windows:

http://www.pentagonglasstech.com/the-law.php

The legal minimum is 70% for front side windows, so if standard windows are 70% then you can't put anything on them, apart from clear security film.

 

[Brummy]

Swissrebel, you stated 'your car' , as i said , be it a standard car being driven by a 30 plus or even 40 plus driver has jst as much chance of getting pulled as a lowered car with bigger exhaust driven by the local 'Ned'...

 

[Icecavern]

Nope, not illegal at all to have them done - i've been told the Leons are standard sent-out at 70%

Yes it is. You have to have 70% VLT on the front windows, the standard glass is about 80% VLT so you could only get away with fitting 90% tinting film and still be legal. Since that doesn't exist it's illegal to have the front windows tinted by any amount.

 

[swissrebel]

Swissrebel, you stated 'your car' , as i said , be it a standard car being driven by a 30 plus or even 40 plus driver has jst as much chance of getting pulled as a lowered car with bigger exhaust driven by the local 'Ned'...

Our cops do things differently down here Brum

It's all about age and modifications - we have a serious problem with uninsured young drivers, including many without licenses - the police openly ignore tints because they're basically standard around here now.

The only time you'll get a fine for tints is if they pull you over and can find nothing else to get you for.

But as I say - different systems