Odd Water said:
This is something I've seen and been hearing about for several years and it never really made sence to me when you put it all together.
In the States, there are many cities and areas where it is illegal to have window tinting on a vehical that is darker then a specific degree/shade. There are various reasons, and of course exceptions such as limos, government vehicles, etc.
But in the same cities and areas it is legal for businesses to sell kits to put such tinting on a personal vehical or such, or even provide the survice to put it on themselves for the costomer, and as soon as the car is driven off the grounds it is considered illegal. I've seen cars ticketed right out of such places as soon as they pull off.
It just seems weird to me. Shouldn't it be illegal to even put this stuff on then? (Or just make it legal fully.) It just comes off to me like saying its legal for a person to sell a dangerious chemecal or gun from a store or a contraband item, but illegal for the person to have it once they walk out the door. Shouldn't something of this nature be illegal to even sell or do then?
I see this a lot . . .
I live in the state of Virginia, and I'm a licensed Virginia State Inspector (y'know, a mechanic who decides if a vehicle gets that nice, pretty oragen inspection decal or not) . . .
There's and absolute TON of equipment that places like Advance Auto, Auto Zone, Car Quest, etc. sell, but doesn't pass inspection (as it's not "approved" equipment).
It never fails, too - frequently customers, upon hearing their vehicle fails inspection for these accessories, complain "why aren't they legal if the stores sell them?"
The simple answer I always reply with - read the packaging. It clearly states the equipment is meant for
OFF ROAD USE ONLY. For the equipment to be approved, it has to be submitted to the federal Department of Transportation (DOT) or the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). If approved, the equipment is catalogued and given a number, and the part itself is stamped with said number during manufacturing. Look at the factory headlights on your car, you'll see either an SAE or DOT number somewhere on them . . .
As well, some of the "dress-up" equipment (like window tinting) is sold as it's intended for use on business vehicles (where the laws are more lax), or show cars . . . which is a whole other category. The "trailer queens," so-to-speak. The cars that are carted from one show to the next, and are never driven on the street.
Now, some of the other items are down to the city or county laws. Window tinting is one. We no longer inspect window tint, unless it distorts the drivers view out of a window. But, the cities don't want everyone running around with dark tint . . . the explanation I've heard, from a VA state trooper, is that with dark window tinting, an officer might not see if a passenger in the vehicle is pulling a weapon. I can understand that logic . . .
-EDIT-
good god the grammar mistakes in this post! Posting too damn late and tired again