!llegal Front window tinting

April 19, 2008

Good News! Took four calls from customers stopped by police for !llegal front window tints this week.

One was made to rip the film off at the road side on another the officer scratched the tints so badly they would have to be taken off. VLT on one was 23.3% another 37% areas covered were oxford, Manchester and London has anyone else heard of this starting up again?

Also does anyone know what happened - if anything - to that Tint shop being prosecuted by the police. Rep from a film company told us about this a few months ago?

Slick · April 19, 2008

here is a question....is it actually legal for a police officer to scratch the tint? I know it is !llegal to have the tint...but what if the person is wanting to fight the ticket in court? I was once told about a cop reaching into a guys car and scratching the tint with his pen...the guys lawyer told him that amounts to assault. Anybody know the legal ramifications of this? :beer and what if in scratching the tint, they scratch the glass...do they have to replace it? :beer

April 19, 2008

Good News! Took four calls from customers stopped by police for !llegal front window tints this week.
One was made to rip the film off at the road side on another the officer scratched the tints so badly they would have to be taken off. VLT on one was 23.3% another 37% areas covered were oxford, Manchester and London has anyone else heard of this starting up again?

Also does anyone know what happened - if anything - to that Tint shop being prosecuted by the police. Rep from a film company told us about this a few months ago?

I have not heard of this - please tell me more.

April 19, 2008

Oh well, I see your not in Portugal, :gasp :

that sort of thing is always happening here and no one complains, even that is ilegal, cops still make ppl remove it in the road.

The good news are, that since January, it's finally legal to tint cars, with 75% W/S, 70% driver door, and anything from driver to the back, the moment it is certified films, it's ok.

The major problem is that you have to go to a new MOT that costs around 95€ and then ask for a new car document that costs you more 45€, so you just make the math and see how much it costs o tint cars in Portugal...

Oh well it's a begining, and thanks God I've been busy, otherwise.....

April 19, 2008

Good News! Took four calls from customers stopped by police for !llegal front window tints this week.
One was made to rip the film off at the road side on another the officer scratched the tints so badly they would have to be taken off. VLT on one was 23.3% another 37% areas covered were oxford, Manchester and London has anyone else heard of this starting up again?

Also does anyone know what happened - if anything - to that Tint shop being prosecuted by the police. Rep from a film company told us about this a few months ago?

I have not heard of this - please tell me more.

Not a lot more that I know ND - except that the shop was essentially saying F U and continuing to put out dark tints on fronts saying it was the customers responsibility. The rep said police and trading standards were taking it through the courts and he did not want to name the shop yet . Could be BS :gasp . I'm interested because I'll fit 50% if pushed and I've lost quite a bit of business to people fitting 35 and darker.

April 19, 2008

here is a question....is it actually legal for a police officer to scratch the tint? I know it is !llegal to have the tint...but what if the person is wanting to fight the ticket in court? I was once told about a cop reaching into a guys car and scratching the tint with his pen...the guys lawyer told him that amounts to assault. Anybody know the legal ramifications of this? and what if in scratching the tint, they scratch the glass...do they have to replace it?

Don't think it would stand up in court here. Hopefully common sense would prevail - you've got something !llegal on your car you can't take it off at the side of the road I think the officer is right providing he does not damage the car itself. But then the US/Canada are far more litigious - although UK is catching up.

Cars in the UK can be taken off you and crushed by the police in some circumstances - such as no tax, insurance and unroadworthyness.

April 19, 2008

Oh well, I see your not in Portugal, :
that sort of thing is always happening here and no one complains, even that is ilegal, cops still make ppl remove it in the road.

The good news are, that since January, it's finally legal to tint cars, with 75% W/S, 70% driver door, and anything from driver to the back, the moment it is certified films, it's ok.

The major problem is that you have to go to a new MOT that costs around 95€ and then ask for a new car document that costs you more 45€, so you just make the math and see how much it costs o tint cars in Portugal...

Oh well it's a begining, and thanks God I've been busy, otherwise.....

Surely that means that you still can't put anything on windscreen and front side windows -except clear UV/security films. Even they can bring the VLT down slightly.

April 23, 2008

Hi Tim, the police round my way arent that bad and every now and then they have a crack down but its not normaly for tinting, but there dose seem to be alot more 35% and below going around my way these days. Like yourself, I only put 50% at a push but I still try and steer punters way from having anything on the fronts what so ever.

April 23, 2008

Hi Tim, the police round my way arent that bad and every now and then they have a crack down but its not normaly for tinting, but there dose seem to be alot more 35% and below going around my way these days. Like yourself, I only put 50% at a push but I still try and steer punters way from having anything on the fronts what so ever.

Hey Potz

I was speaking to some traffic police today - they tell me VOSA are setting up periodic checks for various traffic offences - one week it will be just tinted windows. They typically arrange for a couple of police units and set up an inspection area near a busy junction. Then any car that goes by with tints they pull over - check the levels with a "tintman" meter issue a prohibition notice or impound the car for excessive tints.

He pointed out that they would not scratch a tinted window in order to ensure it was removed as this would amount to criminal damage. He did say that when the tints were excessive instaed of impounding - they'd give the offender the opportunity to remove it at the side of the road. He went onto say that if a tint shop was continuing to fit excessive tints to the front windows that they would eventually be prosecuted.

He pointed out that if someone was killed in an accident as a result of tinted front windows the tinter would be sued and end up paying for the rest of their life. He also said the insurance companies first question is how can they avoid paying out a claim.

He made it clear I was breaking the law by fitting 50% even when pushed - but could understand my argument. Just as I was starting to think 50 was okay as a last resort now I'm thinking I need to find something lighter. When I mentioned the fact that we were losing business to shops fitting darker, he said this was an ongoing process and that traffic police are "graded" on their performance. The more offences they get the better for the individual officer and tinted windows are a very easy target.

Confirmation of stuff I already knew but nevertheless interesting to hear the view of police. Conversations I have had in the past have been with VOSA or ordinary Police - this guy was more knowledgable.