? about window tinting laws - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Eddie Bronze · 10-26-2006, 06:40 PM

Got in an argument today with a guy today (you can all guess who that may be from previous threads I had on here) about window tinting laws. From my understanding, no tint is legal on the front driver or passenger side window. His claim is that it is legal as long as the tint is from the factory. That's not how I understand it. Tint is tint is tint, no matter where it comes from and it's not allowed from my understanding.

I checked out this site and didn't see anything that said factory tint is allowed.

http://www.windowfilm.ca/auto/autofaq.html#laws

browna · 10-26-2006, 06:45 PM

I am pretty sure that no straight-from-the-factory autos from any manufacturer come with front window tint. Laws all over North America against it.

I'm betting even the original dealer, when it rolls off the truck, isn' allowed to tint the windows before delivery.

None.

Reaper · 10-26-2006, 06:50 PM

Your friend is technically correct although factory tint is generally around 85 - 90 % light transmission. The majority of aftermarket tints start off at 50% light transmission and then in decreasing values because there isn't a huge market for paying a few hundred dollars and only knocking off 15%. If there weren't some tint to auto glass you would absolutely fry like a bug under a magnifying glass so they treat the glass to filter out the nasty wavelengths.

Eddie Bronze · 10-26-2006, 07:05 PM

Well that's a good point Reaper but that's not the kind of tint we were discussing. He was trying to say any level of tint was allowable as long as it was factory.

He based his reasoning on the fact that when he got nailed for it, the cop felt his window. So because he felt it and determined it was applied aftermarket, that it was a fine. If he couldn't feel it though, he thinks he would have gotten away with it. He didn't say it in those words, but that's what he was getting at.

Anyway, I can't see a law that says one form of tint is allowable but another isn't. Tint is tint, and this guys head has rocks in it.

Sylvanfan · 10-26-2006, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eddie Bronze

Anyway, I can't see a law that says one form of tint is allowable but another isn't. Tint is tint, and this guys head has rocks in it.

Just grab a sack of rocks and club him in the head. If he doesn't scream, than you'll have proven it. Worst case scenario is that he goes down for the count if you hit him hard enough.

Dynamic · 10-26-2006, 07:32 PM

I think the thread starter is right. On the back of my window it says "tint solid tempered" but when I bought the car it wasn't darkened in any way. I now have aftermarket tint which is the stuff you can see.

I would advise against getting your front windows tinted with even a light tint cause I have already been stopped once for that reason alone and once an officer was writing up a ticket at night and somehow knew my front had a light tint. They seem to look at that stuff closely for some reason. I never thought they care about window tint but I guess I was wrong.

Lucifer · 10-26-2006, 08:03 PM

Any kind of tinted windows is illegal, yep. When I first got my RSX over a year ago now, they asked if I wanted the windows tinted, and that's when they mentioned that it was illegal to tint the front ones. So, I said just the back ones I'd get tinted but by mistake, they did the front ones also. I didn't have to pay any extra obviously since it was their mistake, and they said I could have it removed at any time.

I never did, and I have yet to get stopped for that reason alone. It's gonna happen but meh, whatever.

Bill Bumface · 10-26-2006, 11:41 PM

Your friend is right... sort of. The manufacturers have to follow all the safety regulations, so like reaper said, any tint they put on there is very very light, and therefore legal.

All cars have very light tint, so I guess your friend is right. The dark stuff is only ever put on the back windows though (ie. minivans and SUV's often have this from the factory).

Kerplunk · 10-26-2006, 11:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

Your friend is right... sort of. The manufacturers have to follow all the safety regulations, so like reaper said, any tint they put on there is very very light, and therefore legal.

All cars have very light tint, so I guess your friend is right. The dark stuff is only ever put on the back windows though (ie. minivans and SUV's often have this from the factory).

Must be police discretion then. We had a van that had very light factory tinting on the front (driver, passenger) windows. Got pulled over and ordered to remove the tinting (all the while missing the guys 40km over the speed limit. Go figure). That was a pain, I tell ya.

soulchoice · 10-27-2006, 02:28 AM

I have been fortunate with respect to tickets. On my SUV, my front windows are pretty dark, one step away from limo. Add that to the fact my 5 windows in the back of the truck are limo as well, makes the front look even darker from certain angles.

I have yet to be pulled over nor given a ticket at all. In the last 10 years, I have tinted all the windows on my cars, trucks and have yet to be given a ticket. I just make sure that I roll my windows down when creeping beside a cop, even in winter....lol.

Jayems · 10-27-2006, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dynamic

I never thought they care about window tint but I guess I was wrong.

Cops need to see who is driving the car. I'm 96.24% sure thats why you can't get your front windows tinted (at least here).

Reaper · 10-27-2006, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jayems

Cops need to see who is driving the car. I'm 96.24% sure thats why you can't get your front windows tinted (at least here).

That's the reason. Can you imagine how freaky it would be for a cop to do a traffic stop on a car where all the windows are blacked out or "mirror" tinted? Anyone in the vehicle could have a gun trained on him/her and he/she wouldn't even know.

Bill Bumface · 10-27-2006, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kerplunk

Must be police discretion then. We had a van that had very light factory tinting on the front (driver, passenger) windows. Got pulled over and ordered to remove the tinting (all the while missing the guys 40km over the speed limit. Go figure). That was a pain, I tell ya.

If you could remove it, it was dealer tint, not factory tint. You can't remove factory tint as its permeated glass.

Dynamic · 10-27-2006, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jayems

Cops need to see who is driving the car. I'm 96.24% sure thats why you can't get your front windows tinted (at least here).

But he can...........its the lightest tint I could of got. Im 96.25% sure thats why many states allow tint to a certain degree on your front windows.

Jayems · 10-27-2006, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dynamic

But he can...........its the lightest tint I could of got. Im 96.25% sure thats why many states allow tint to a certain degree on your front windows.

depends where you are. In california, you can get full tint.

Alberta, you can't.

Kerplunk · 10-27-2006, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

If you could remove it, it was dealer tint, not factory tint. You can't remove factory tint as its permeated glass.

Hmmm...maybe. It WAS over 15 years ago, and I thought my parents bought the van brand new. Dealer could have slapped something on it, though.

greerb · 10-28-2006, 11:05 AM

It all depends here in Saskatchewan. You can't have film on the front window, but if you smoked the window no film, their hands are tied. Another way to get away with it is ho have a doctor's note requiring you to have it.

MoneyGuy · 10-28-2006, 11:37 AM

The cops also want you to be able to make eye contact with others, such as a pedestrian in a crosswalk, so each can determine the other's intentions.

Shazam · 10-28-2006, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jayems

depends where you are. In california, you can get full tint.

Alberta, you can't.

In California, being in a car without full tint is akin to torture.