Law for tinted windows?

carmadaaron · Post by **carmadaaron** » Mon May 17, 2004 3:14 pm

hello ppl.
today i went to Pentagon Autotint with my mate and they said front (side) tinted windows are illegal. only the rear ones can be tinted.
i thought it was just the windscreen that cant be tinted.

Cheers
Aaron

david burton · Post by **david burton** » Mon May 17, 2004 4:24 pm

there's a post about this somewhere on the forum

all windows are tinted by manufacturers nowadays - about 10 - 20% apparently. The law says (I think) that 70% or more of light must pass through the front side windows. not sure about the windscreen, but even this is tinted a little.

There you go. No restrictions on rear windows.

I have copied this from another post of mine (may be out of date now):

"Tinted windows warning to drivers

Cars with tinted windows could be taken off the road by inspectors with light-meters in a nationwide road safety crackdown.

Spot checks will be carried out on cars to see if they comply with legal regulations stating that the front screen must let in 75% of light, while the side must let in 70%.

Some areas of Britain already have light testers and now inspectors will be available to test tinted windows across the country.

Vehicle inspectors could make prohibition orders against unfit vehicles, requiring cars to be towed away.

Drivers would then have to get the necessary adjustments done before having them verified at a test station.

A spokeswoman for the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency said: "Many drivers do not realise that their vision is significantly impaired when looking through tinted glass and are often unaware that heavy tinted glass is illegal.

"If the windows are found to be over the legal limit, the vehicle will be prohibited and cannot be driven until the tint is removed."

The spokeswoman added that drivers would not be left "high and dry" should their windows be found to be breaking the law. She said: "We will use an element of discretion. We don't want to leave people stranded and the officer concerned will take everything into consideration."

robz · Post by **robz** » Tue May 18, 2004 12:11 pm

if all else fails roll down your windows before the police come, supposedly they cant do anything then. (works for my m8)

carmadaaron · Post by **carmadaaron** » Tue May 18, 2004 1:22 pm

LOL thats true

but pentagon wont put the tinits on the windows tho..

nicola vdub · Post by **nicola vdub** » Tue May 18, 2004 9:29 pm

i got stopped a couple of months ago in falkirk,

i had 2 take my tints off cause they were 2 dark

KarlM · Post by **KarlM** » Tue May 18, 2004 9:32 pm

take your money elsewhere - Pentagon obviously havent got a fcuking clue.

Regulation 32(10) Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 wrote:
All motor vehicles first used before 1/4/85 - 70%
Motor vehicles first used on or after 1/4/85 - windscreen 75%, Other windows 70%
Trailers - 70%

Measurements should be carried out perpendicular to the surface in accordance with the procedure specified in the appropriate British Standard Specification.

[The requirements above have effect in relation to any tint, film or other substance or material applied to a windscreen or window as they have effect in relation to the windscreen or window itself] - from 01/01/2004.

Exceptions apply to parts of the windscreen outside the visual reference zone, windows through which the driver could not see the road, and windows, other than rear facing windows and access doors, behind the driver in goods vehicles, buses, locomotives and tractors and all windows behind the driver in an ambulance.
]

Does that clear it up? according to that you could technically tint the top half of your windscreen as well.

nicola vdub · Post by **nicola vdub** » Tue May 18, 2004 9:35 pm

aye your rite, try magma in bathgate

carmadaaron · Post by **carmadaaron** » Wed May 19, 2004 10:20 am

KarlM: where did u get that from?

Wheres bathgate btw?

robz · Post by **robz** » Wed May 19, 2004 7:19 pm

bathgate is near ediburgh (roughly) if you take the motorway 2 Edinburgh, Bathgate is signposted. Not sure exactly where Magma is (tho 2 of ma m8s have had there windows tinted there)
whilst your in bathgate you cood go2 freeflow & get an exhaust!

KarlM · Post by **KarlM** » Wed May 19, 2004 9:27 pm

that was from one of the governments help websites

concept-e · Post by **concept-e** » Thu May 20, 2004 9:56 am

The company who did my tints (Autotint Designs, Sutton) said that the front side windows are illegal if they are over 30% tint. Which was the least tint they did. I thought it would look crap with the front lighter than the back so I got them to do the front limo black too. They said they'd do it but they wouldn't give me the lifetime guarantee! Oh well, looks great!

Steve

P.S i agree with the anti-foglight campaign! They p*** me off bigtime, wow you have foglights, no need to show em off when its NOT foggy!

Tahrey1043 · Post by **Tahrey1043** » Thu May 20, 2004 5:32 pm

...Trailers?

toXXin · Post by **toXXin** » Thu May 20, 2004 5:57 pm

Its a new law coming in, so Pentagon know what they're talking about, and so they should being one of the best out there.

carmadaaron · Post by **carmadaaron** » Fri May 21, 2004 8:54 am

toXXin wrote:Its a new law coming in, so Pentagon know what they're talking about, and so they should being one of the best out there.

whens the law coming in? they told us it started 01/01/2004.

whats the new law about? no tints at all?

Cheers
Aaron

Halfpint · Post by **Halfpint** » Fri May 21, 2004 2:20 pm

My mate got pulled on the way to Inters this year about them (amongst other things). He was then asked to drive around the corner to the other patrol car to be booked and as he turned the corner he wound both front windows down. There was nothing that they could do to make him wind them up either. Ha ha!

He's joining the force a sa special so he knows all the loopholes!