This is one of my pet hates. As a motor bike rider, I like to make eye contact with a driver so Im sure Ive been seen. With heavy side tints, I cannot do this from the side or the front. There is not enough light in the cabin to see the driver from the front. I believe the heavy tint I am talking about is illegal.
Last week I saw a stationary vehicle mounted speed camera on a vehicle with heavy tints on all side windows. Could not even be certain there was actually a person in the vehicle.
Several question flashed through my tiny mind.
Is the tint illegal?
If so, is the vehicle unroadworthy?
If so, should the vehicle be driven there?
If so, the vehicle should not even be there?
If so, is any fine issued null & void?
I put it int he same category as police raiding a house without a warrant. It must all be seen to be legal and unquestionable.
This then is my Sunday Morning sermon for thought.
rockylizard said
10:25 AM Sep 30, 2018
Gday...
This site (and its sub-sites) might give you an overview of the law -
Now, all ya gotta do is carry a device to measure the actual tint level on any vehicle that irks you ... take a photo of window and licence plate and orf to the plods.
Cheers - John
Yuglamron said
10:29 AM Sep 30, 2018
I agree if you cannot see if there is someone in the driver's seat because the tint is too dark it's a road hazard.
There used to be an old Lexus driven around Hervey Bay a few years ago with ALL the windows so dark you could not see into the car Even the front windscreen. Drove around for a long time and to me was totally illegal yet was always out and about.
From what I gather the Police are a law unto themselves re tinting light fittings use of mobiles whilst driving, obscuring windscreens with computers etc. You name it they do it.
You can't register a quad for road use they do.
I stopped behind a Police car at traffic lights outside the Police station in Hervey Bay a couple of years ago. The police car crept through the red light and was all four wheels over the Line.
I switched off ,got out and knocked on the window of the passenger's side and asked the woman Constable if she was going to book the driver for jumping the Red light. OH my what a result.
Red and Blues on, siren on and sped off spinning wheels.
Funny I kept getting random Police stops for a few months afterwards.Lol
outlaw40 said
03:44 PM Sep 30, 2018
What is illegal for you may be legal for a police car.have a look at the crap on the windscreen of a highway patrol car and ask yourself if you would get away with it. Also i believe i heard somewhere its legal for a police officer to use a mobile while driving his patrol car.
rgren2 said
05:40 PM Sep 30, 2018
outlaw40 wrote:
What is illegal for you may be legal for a police car.have a look at the crap on the windscreen of a highway patrol car and ask yourself if you would get away with it. Also i believe i heard somewhere its legal for a police officer to use a mobile while driving his patrol car.
This is correct for the phones. Its called In the line of duty.
LLD said
07:07 PM Sep 30, 2018
The vehicles on the side of the road with speed cameras are not police. In Victoria they are civvies contracted to a company which is contracted to the police as far as I know. The vehicles should be subject to normal civilian laws.
Quads can be registered for road use under certain circumstance. I rode one on public roads in Coral Bay in WA. Was subject to certain conditions. Councils have Quads that are registered. Not sure but I think Primary Producers can register them too. All have special conditions attached to them.
blaze said
10:36 PM Sep 30, 2018
mates quad is fully registered as a tractor, he does commercial spraying for the council. The quad must have the spray gear on it. If he wants to go on a fun ride (not work related) he only has to carry a small spray bottle of roundup ettc and he is compliant
cheers
blaze
The Belmont Bear said
07:59 AM Oct 2, 2018
In the last year I have purchased 2 new vehicles one from Mitsubishi and one from Jeep both times I have had the front/side windows tinted before delivery (back ones are normally factory tinted). The dealer told me on both occasions that they are only legally permitted to use tints that have a certain level of shading. In the past I have also had tinting done after delivery at places that specialise in tinting and they also said the same thing. Here in NSW cars that are more than 3 years old are required to have an annual vehicle inspection and I know from experience that they will fail you if your windows don't comply with the law. LLD my question to you as a motorcyle rider is how am I supposed to see your eyes if you are wearing a full face helmet with the visor down - not too much light is going to get in there either ? I have also been a bike rider on and off for many years and although I can see your point about the benefits of making eye contact there are times when it is not practical especially when you are in traffic.
I can't comment about the legality of the window tinting on the stationary contract vehicles as I have never really taken that much notice of them. In my opinion rather than trying to argue in a court that the fine should be null and void I would rather just slow down or accept that I probably deserved the penalty for speeding anyhow.
Cheers
BB
Aus-Kiwi said
08:05 AM Oct 2, 2018
Sheesh bigger things to worry about .
LLD said
09:05 AM Oct 2, 2018
BB. I probably didn't really mean eye contact. More just that I hope I've been seen. Head turned my way at some point. With sunnies on a driver or bike helmet that you describe, eye contact is not possible but a head pointing in my direction at some point gives me a bit of comfort.
LLD said
09:09 AM Oct 2, 2018
Aus-Kiwi wrote:
Sheesh bigger things to worry about .
At a roundabout when I have a car on my left that I cannot be sure that I've been seen due to an illegal tint, I worry about my life if I'm on a motorbike or pushy.
rockylizard said
09:21 AM Oct 2, 2018
LLD wrote:
Aus-Kiwi wrote:
Sheesh bigger things to worry about .
At a roundabout when I have a car on my left that I cannot be sure that I've been seen due to an illegal tint, I worry about my life if I'm on a motorbike or pushy.
Gday...
I think you meant to say "....when I have a car on my left that I cannot be sure that THEY've seen me, (because of allegedly illegal tint?), I worry about my life....."
I do realise the consequence of another vehicle not seeing me if I am on a motorbike or pushy is far more consequential than if the same situation arises when I am in my car ... but such is life.
The road is fraught with danger once you exit your gate at home. What about the vehicle coming toward you, not even tinted, and they are p!ssed or high on ICE or just plain sleepy/fatigued, or checking their phone because they just got another post on their forum thread, how do you cope with the constant uncertainty of other's actions?
I suggest that because YOU are hyper-vigilant, your chances of being cleaned up by any other vehicle, tinted or otherwise, is much reduced.
Cheers - and continue to stay alert and safe - John
The Belmont Bear said
10:19 AM Oct 2, 2018
LLD I fully agree with you that illegal window tint is dangerous (not just to bike riders) and maybe 10 or 15 years ago a lot more people were doing it even going so far as to put some along the top section of their windscreens. As I said in my earlier post in this state (NSW) it surprises me that it is still happening with the controls that are in place i.e. dealers won't supply it, reputable window tinting companies wont do it, after 3 years we have yearly rego checks and the police will quickly defect you if they catch you with it. Just be careful without making eye contact, somebody that glanced in your direction may not have even seen you. As all bike riders know you always need to ride defensively as there is not a real lot of protection for you if something happends to go wrong..
Heavy tints on front door windows.
This is one of my pet hates. As a motor bike rider, I like to make eye contact with a driver so Im sure Ive been seen. With heavy side tints, I cannot do this from the side or the front. There is not enough light in the cabin to see the driver from the front. I believe the heavy tint I am talking about is illegal.
Last week I saw a stationary vehicle mounted speed camera on a vehicle with heavy tints on all side windows. Could not even be certain there was actually a person in the vehicle.
Several question flashed through my tiny mind.
Is the tint illegal?
If so, is the vehicle unroadworthy?
If so, should the vehicle be driven there?
If so, the vehicle should not even be there?
If so, is any fine issued null & void?
I put it int he same category as police raiding a house without a warrant. It must all be seen to be legal and unquestionable.
This then is my Sunday Morning sermon for thought.
Gday...
This site (and its sub-sites) might give you an overview of the law -
https://www.tinting-laws.com/australia/
Now, all ya gotta do is carry a device to measure the actual tint level on any vehicle that irks you ... take a photo of window and licence plate and orf to the plods.
Cheers - John
I agree if you cannot see if there is someone in the driver's seat because the tint is too dark it's a road hazard.
There used to be an old Lexus driven around Hervey Bay a few years ago with ALL the windows so dark you could not see into the car Even the front windscreen. Drove around for a long time and to me was totally illegal yet was always out and about.
From what I gather the Police are a law unto themselves re tinting light fittings use of mobiles whilst driving, obscuring windscreens with computers etc. You name it they do it.
You can't register a quad for road use they do.
I stopped behind a Police car at traffic lights outside the Police station in Hervey Bay a couple of years ago. The police car crept through the red light and was all four wheels over the Line.
I switched off ,got out and knocked on the window of the passenger's side and asked the woman Constable if she was going to book the driver for jumping the Red light. OH my what a result.
Red and Blues on, siren on and sped off spinning wheels.
Funny I kept getting random Police stops for a few months afterwards.Lol
This is correct for the phones. Its called In the line of duty.
Quads can be registered for road use under certain circumstance. I rode one on public roads in Coral Bay in WA. Was subject to certain conditions. Councils have Quads that are registered. Not sure but I think Primary Producers can register them too. All have special conditions attached to them.
cheers
blaze
In the last year I have purchased 2 new vehicles one from Mitsubishi and one from Jeep both times I have had the front/side windows tinted before delivery (back ones are normally factory tinted). The dealer told me on both occasions that they are only legally permitted to use tints that have a certain level of shading. In the past I have also had tinting done after delivery at places that specialise in tinting and they also said the same thing. Here in NSW cars that are more than 3 years old are required to have an annual vehicle inspection and I know from experience that they will fail you if your windows don't comply with the law. LLD my question to you as a motorcyle rider is how am I supposed to see your eyes if you are wearing a full face helmet with the visor down - not too much light is going to get in there either ? I have also been a bike rider on and off for many years and although I can see your point about the benefits of making eye contact there are times when it is not practical especially when you are in traffic.
I can't comment about the legality of the window tinting on the stationary contract vehicles as I have never really taken that much notice of them. In my opinion rather than trying to argue in a court that the fine should be null and void I would rather just slow down or accept that I probably deserved the penalty for speeding anyhow.
Cheers
BB
At a roundabout when I have a car on my left that I cannot be sure that I've been seen due to an illegal tint, I worry about my life if I'm on a motorbike or pushy.
Gday...
I think you meant to say "....when I have a car on my left that I cannot be sure that THEY've seen me, (because of allegedly illegal tint?), I worry about my life....."
I do realise the consequence of another vehicle not seeing me if I am on a motorbike or pushy is far more consequential than if the same situation arises when I am in my car ... but such is life.
The road is fraught with danger once you exit your gate at home. What about the vehicle coming toward you, not even tinted, and they are p!ssed or high on ICE or just plain sleepy/fatigued, or checking their phone because they just got another post on their forum thread, how do you cope with the constant uncertainty of other's actions?
I suggest that because YOU are hyper-vigilant, your chances of being cleaned up by any other vehicle, tinted or otherwise, is much reduced.
Cheers - and continue to stay alert and safe - John
LLD I fully agree with you that illegal window tint is dangerous (not just to bike riders) and maybe 10 or 15 years ago a lot more people were doing it even going so far as to put some along the top section of their windscreens. As I said in my earlier post in this state (NSW) it surprises me that it is still happening with the controls that are in place i.e. dealers won't supply it, reputable window tinting companies wont do it, after 3 years we have yearly rego checks and the police will quickly defect you if they catch you with it. Just be careful without making eye contact, somebody that glanced in your direction may not have even seen you. As all bike riders know you always need to ride defensively as there is not a real lot of protection for you if something happends to go wrong..
Cheers
BB