pulled by the police 2 (Window Tints)

[scouk]

Seems the boys are out this weekend.[:|]

 

I got pulled over today by two nice gentlemen to have a chat about tinted windows.  More specifically, my front driver/passenger tinted windows. *sigh*  I knew they were probably darker than the new legal limits but apparently they are much darker! Darkest they had seen!  legal limit 70% light can pass through it.. Midn 23.6%!!  That sounds really dark when you see it written down but from looking inside out it wasn't all that bad.

 

Anyway, the damage is as follows:

Remove the front tints [:'(]
£60 fine [:'(][:'(]
3 Points  [:'(][:'(][:'(]
Car is off the road until I get a new MOT test done to comfirm the glass is legal and then take it to the local police station to have someone check to make sure it's all done and it's back in "legal" form, to have the ban lifted.

[:'(][:'(][:'(][:'(][:'(][:'(][:'(]

Wouldn't be so bad if I had put the tints on myself but I bought the car like that 7 months ago and was advertised with having "Privacy Glass" but rules are rules.. *sigh*

 

Ok I knew this day would probably come, but  it's a farily harsh penalty IMHO!!  Never mind... I duely accepted No intentions of causing a fuss.  But be warned if you've got tints on the front side windows other than Manufacturer glass tinting then I strongly suggest you remove them!  It's not worth gettign pulled over for.

 

[euan_r]

they have been out in force a lot recently. probably due to high number of grampian deaths.

 
though they would have given u a notice to rectify problem or maximum of fine but points ffs.  

 
also whats the point in having both mot and police inspect work has been done [:S] 

[P1Andy]

I never knew they could give you points for that? FFS thats harsh. I thought it would be warning to remove them and given 21 days to do it.

 Mine is booked in for the 2nd july to get them tinted [:S]

Andy

[RA Dunk]

like the others say getting all of that without even a warning seems a bit excessive to me [:|]

[scouk]

Yeah I was quite shocked!

I thought the same as you guys, I'd get a warning and I'd happily remove them, even on the spot if I had to..  Maybe a small fine to go along with the warning.. But nope...

 

Not turning out to be a good day, just did a quick check over the car for the MOT and couple of tyres are looking more scrubbed at the edges than I thought they were a coupel of weeks ago. *sigh* This is a right B****R of a day..  Anyone know any good local places to get tyres quickly?  Had planned on maybe getting some the next coupel of weeks while down in southampton but the car has to sit in the drive until I get this sorted so at the moment that screws up my plans.. Argh!

 

If Lewis Hamilton can wind the canadian F1GP that might cheer me up []
 

[glen_cadwallader]

That is a fckin joke mate, the cops in Elgin are complete tossbags.

Removal notice yes but points ? That is outrageous.

I personnally would be tearing them apart in court, but that does cost money.

Regards Tyres, Go in to see Chris (manager) in Kwik Fit, tell him your a mate of Big Glen's, and ask what his best price is [] You'll be surprised.

[andy]

I thought illegal tints were a £30 fixed penalty and was non-endorsable???

[scouk]

Aye got the option of court.. Possibly could of had a go of it claiming being a member of the IAM and myself trying to promote road safety among young drivers.  Sure I could have tried and got a lesser penalty, but can't be arsed with all that to be honest...  In saying that it's prooving a load of hassle anyway.. But then they would probably have the right to teke my car off the road until it was all cleaered up..

And just while writing this I rememberd I'll probably have to remove the Sunstrip for the MOT as well as it catches more than 22mm of the wiper (or whatever the regulation is)

Bah-Effin-Humbug! 

 

Cheers for hte tip on tyres!   Gonna have Carkare (Tyock Ind Est.) take a look at one of the tyres tomorrow and see if they reckon it will pas the MOT or not.. 

[scouk]

I thought illegal tints were a £30 fixed penalty and was non-endorsable???

I think the penalty changed pretty recently..  But correct me if I'm wrong.. Especially with the recent news clicky. (I think someone else posted this link up a few weeks ago but can't find the post)

[abbott]

thats pretty brutal , here in inverness we normally get told take them off on the spot or recieve the points and fine hence most have now gone !!

chris in kwikfit is a damn good guy i went to school in nairn with him  ...

[glen_cadwallader]

Ive never heard of points for tints myself, but in Elgin it wouldnt surprise me, Ive been stopped by some serious knob jockeys in the last 5 years here, and have 10 points for speeding thank you officers.

 One night they pulled me for cutting a round about in my Warrior at 4am, they followed me down a single track lane, then I stopped and jumped out just for a laugh, pmsl, they just about s**t themselves, Im a 21 stone bodybuilder !!!

 Abbot, yeh chris is a top bloke, cannot fault him, he has fitted more pirelli's for me than I care to remember LOL

[P1Andy]

Have been reading up on the rules about tints. As you all know they have to let a minimum of 70% of the light through, but if they let less than 30% of the light through then they can class the vehicle as dangerous and then can give you points etc etc.

Does that me if you have more than 30% coming through then you dont get points?

 

Andy

[scouk]

Sounds like it.. Mine were only letting in 23.6% but from the inside you probably wouldn't think it. Obviously I was aware of the tint but even when dark you coudl still see out fairly clearly. I guess that explains the points.  I confess I was aware of the 70% limit on the front end but never expected the points..

 

[scouk]

Actualyl andy have you got a link online to where that information is presented officially?  (Not a boy racer forum for example)

Would be nice to have a copy of the regs when telling other people about what they are risking..

 

Thanks, 

[P1Andy]

http://www.carkeys.co.uk/features/everything_else/2277.asp

http://www.scotglass.co.uk/window-tinting-regulation.html

http://reviews.ebay.co.uk/WINDOW-TINTING-A...T:-1:LISTINGS:1

 

There are some of the ones i have read. I think it is because your windows let so little light through. But still harsh treatment IMHO.

Andy

[scouk]

Thanks for the links andy,

Yep looks fair enough..  Had I known that there was a lower limit of 30% light travel which incurred serious penalties and known that the tint on the car allowed less than 30% light through then I would have probably removed it long before now..  Last thing you want to do is run around in an illegal car that only going to attract attention..

Never mind what's done is done... Now I have to pay for it....

 

One thing I was just thinking about though.. For anyone considering getting tints all round, remember that if you are sold perfectly legal tint film but your windows are already partially tinted then you will be getting a double tint.  E.g. The Impreza windows are already slightly tinted as standard (as I noticed once I removed the film) so it's probably around the legal 70% boundary but with the added tint it not only took it below 70% but below 30%  Had the glass not been tinted as standard perhaps the test woudl have shown the windows were about 40% therefore not incurring the more serious penalty. If you can see what I'm getting at.  Infact I when I have to present the car to the police I may take a sample of the film along and see if they can test it to see if the tint alone on clear piece of glass would be over the limit.  Whoever the owner was that put the tint on before me could have purchased it as legal tint but because of the double tint it was much darker than advertised. Not trying to dig out of a hole, just something I thought of earlier on..

I'd suggest if anyone get's tinting done in the future, ask for it to be checked with a proper light sensor before paying for it and driving on the public roads! You have been warned!!! [6]

 

 

[glen_cadwallader]

Yep thats a bitter lesson, and one I didnt know about, My M3 was probably about the same as your scooby, and Im on 10 point, I could easy have lost my license and never seen it coming !

[lestippp]

Very harsh punishment, was this only for the tints? Never heard of anyone getting this treatment before. I know a couple of people who have been told to get them off pronto. I did know about this law though, that's why you see a lot of cars with only the back tinted, basically a clear window only lets a little more than the 70% of light required, hence all but the very slightest tints are illegal. If a window tinter agrees to do it they can also be held partially responsible and any good fitter will tell you it is illegal. When I had my second CTR they would not tint the front windows even with the lightest tints they had.

Don't tint the front windows unless you want to be fined or worse, you are simply inviting yourself to be stopped. I think the law changed after a very bad accident, where the car's tints were so dark that it was believed to have impaired the drivers vision and contributed to the accident, people were killed!

[speech]

Agree with mosst that it seems a bit harsh to fine you straight off, most cases I've heard of they have always given the option to remove first before taking any further action.

When I picked up the scoob about 2 weeks ago it had all of the windows tinted but I removed the front window tints the next day since I didn't fancy being stopped, plus the passenger side was a bit worse for wear around the top edge.  What a nightmare removing the adhesive that had been used to stick them on though!

[martin_allen]

does seems harsh. worth noting though that most modern cars already come with the windows tinted to the legal limit so if you add anything extra you will probably be illegal.

 

your tinting company should be able to advise on whats legal and whats not (although it seems most just take the money and let you worry about it)

 

5t.

[scouk]

Very harsh punishment, was this only for the tints?

Yep just the tinting on the front nearside and offside windows (driver/front passenger) You can put what you like on the rear end behind the B-billar.

 

I think the law changed after a very bad accident, where the car's
tints were so dark that it was believed to have impaired the
drivers vision and contributed to the accident, people were killed!

Yeah I believe it involved a motorcyclinst and it was believed that due to the restricted visibuility from the car windows the driver could not see the motorcycle clearly and the car driver pulled out infront of him.. Killing the motorcyclist!!
 

When I picked up the scoob about 2 weeks ago it had all of the windows tinted but I removed the front window tints the next day since I didn't fancy being stopped, plus the passenger side was a bit worse for wear around the top edge.  What a nightmare removing the adhesive that had been used to stick them on though!

Should have done the same [*-)] . I checked back the previous MOT's for the car on the web (didn't realise you could do that) and not the last MOT but the previous two before then the front tinting was mentioned as possibly being illegal.  I never had this information when I purchased the car, it was sold as having "privacy glass" and just assumed it was legal, shame on me...  Also it seems the tinting has been on the front of the car since at least 2005 yet it's only been picked up now. Grr!

 

Anyway, for a tip on how to easily remove the film/tint find a hairdryer or a heat gun and heat up one edge of the glass from inside the glass and start to pick off a section, it should start to peel a way with your nail/finger.  Can take a few minutes to remove a whole sheet but take your time, heat up a section peel it back a bit, then heat up the next section and peel a bit.  Try and peel off too much too quickyl or not enough heat and the film will tear which is a pain.  Once you get the film off you may be left with some sticky residue on the glass.  Just use some glass cleaner to take off the gunk or some meths if you have any kickind around...

 

My drivers side was was slightly torn in a section and someoen tried to fill it in with a permanent marker.  So was thinkign about gettign them replaced anyway.. At which point a tinting comapany woudl hopefulyl tell me I shouldn't have them on at all.  Again should have done that earlier... But then it's always easy to say that.. 

 

 

P.s.  Got the new MOT scheduled for tomorrow and will hopefully pass and get the prohabition cleared on mycar.  Pay the fine at the local council court office, and get a nice new set of Bridgestone RE050's fitted [] (This is gonna be an expensive day)

[GaryD]

Should have done the same [*-)] . I checked back the previous MOT's for the car on the web (didn't realise you could do that) and not the last MOT but the previous two before then the front tinting was mentioned as possibly being illegal.  I never had this information when I purchased the car, it was sold as having "privacy glass" and just assumed it was legal, shame on me...  Also it seems the tinting has been on the front of the car since at least 2005 yet it's only been picked up now. Grr!

 

Got a link for where and how to check your previous MOT's on the web?

[scouk]

The website addres is actually printed on the MOT certificate (which is where i found it) but here a direct link:

 

http://www.motinfo.gov.uk/internet/jsp/ECH...ory-Request.jsp

 

Got my MOT done today no problems at all! passed with the 3rd cat deleted  too.  WooT!  Police are happy so i'm back on the road!
 

[glen_cadwallader]

Glad to hear it mate, however I still think they should have just gave you a ticket to fix it, and not stick points on your license, that really sucks.

[ur.a.bus]

i recently got my windows tinted in my 99 impreza. i asked the guy to test them first as i wanted them legal.

front came in at 77% the guy said even clear shatter film would take them to just below the limit at around 68%.

i went for 30% from b pillar back (still see in from outside, just) and the lightest i could get on the front which took the front sides down to 60%

i have since been pulled over for other reasons and when asked about the front windows i say they are standard and no1 has ever noticed they are'nt