>window tints sufficient to block inspection of the passenger compartment of the car by an officer standing next to the car are already effectively illegal
Which is absolutely preposterous, given how hot it is getting. Window tint laws need to be repealed.
Is heat the reason you want to repeal these laws or do you have others?
I’m on the opposite side of the issue. I think that tinted windows don’t allow for enough visibility for pedestrians and cyclists. This is anecdotal but they also seem to be used in higher portions of the population breaking driving laws. And lastly, I really don’t enjoy the militant “badassness” associated with these. I want the roads to be more chill, not people going around thinking they’re God’s gift to mankind and any who dares cross them will be punished.
These are mostly opinions based on anecdotes. I’ve lived in a few cities now and this remains true. Which is why I’d like to hear your experience.
It's currently 112 F where I am and there isn't a cloud in the sky. Humidity is very low so water isn't absorbing radiation.
Nobody is riding a bicycle or walking long distances six months of the year here, except for the unhoused, and they can only move at night. Cars are mandatory to participate in the economy.
A car with un-tinted windows is impractical for two reasons: solar heat and UV.
The A/C can be running full blast and my legs will still get hot. Normal side window glass doesn't block UV well so I can get a sunburn with my windows closed.
I have to equip my windows with dark tints. It's like a Canadian putting on snow tires except I can't change it out with the seasons.
So my state doesn't have laws against tints because it can't. Ok, so I drive to another state in my car... now I'm breaking the law.
You can say "human beings shouldn't live in such a place" but first, about 114 million Americans live in similar conditions, and second, these conditions are moving north.
Protecting the occupants of a car against solar radiation is a reasonable thing to do.
That is interesting. The high desert is my current location so it's "only" 105 but with the same low humidity. I find that a sunshade massively reduced any issues that I had with the idleness of the vehicle. But I'll give you that the heat is horrible.
I suppose my rebuttal is: how many months do you feel like tint is necessary? I grew up with routinely high temps (100+, in an area with high humidity). In college our first few weeks were normally 100+, and we did walk to class. I normally would come back with swamp ass and a back covered in sweat. People absolutely can live in these conditions. I just don't think we can remove the human element of it. It's hot, we are going to sweat. It feels like we are trying to control an element of human nature that cannot be controlled.
Edit: I appreciate the reply. Apologies if I sound snarky (as another commenter apparently thinks). It's truly just that the only people I know with tinted windows have been controlling and manipulative. The experiences I get on the road do not help my anecdotal stereotypes.
I don't think you sound snarky. I think it's easy to look at an issue like this through a cultural lens. Heavy tint is indeed popular among jerks.
As for necessity, studies suggest that skin cancer rates vary according to the side of the road a country drives on. [1] So even if you're tolerating the radiation it's still hurting you.
It's also important to remember that paneled vans are legal. They are taller than any car and the visibility through them is 0% because there are no side windows. Frequently the back window is covered or blocked by equipment.
You pretty much have to assume you can't accurately see through any vehicle. Seeing the driver's eyes can be useful, but it can be misleading... I've been hit on roller blades by a driver who'd stopped and was looking right at me but didn't process I was there.
I think every car on the road has to be treated like a panel van. Big opaque block that can kill you and will act unpredictably.
Wow that is a lot of F. It's 95 (105 real feel with humidity) here in tropics but people and bicyclists are out. I don't drive but not having issues you describe sitting in a nontinted air conditioned bus
> You can say "human beings shouldn't live in such a place" but first, about 114 million Americans live in similar conditions, and second, these conditions are moving north.
> It's currently 112 F where I am and there isn't a cloud in the sky. Humidity is very low so water isn't absorbing radiation.
114 million Americans live in conditions where it is regularly 112 in the summer?
No. It doesn't always hit 112 F. Temperature is a function of sensible and latent heat.
So Dallas, for example, is only 84 F with a humidity of 83% right now at 9:23 AM central. That's a heat index of 95 F. The high temperature will be 100 F but the high of the heat index will be 110 F.
Corpus Christi recently hit a heat index of 125 F.
It all works out the same. It's brutally hot for months somewhere in every Southern state (including California). These states should all allow tint and account for 114 million people.
Modern automobile window tints do a very job of keeping heat out without impacting visibility. Where I live, temperatures cross 45C every summer. Heavily tinted car windows are banned and we manage just fine.
I just find the arrogance humorous, I don't see how it's unkind. There are politer ways of saying it but you don't deserve it. You didn't care to be polite when associating window tint with: not being 'chill', militant, and associated with reckless criminal drivers. Just say what you really think:
"I don't like window tint and others agree with me, so let's take the rights from others to lower the heat in their idle cars and also keep the sun out of their eyes away. Now let me find a list of disconnected anecdotes to justify this"
I think you meant to reply to me, the person you replied to was just restating the rules.
That being said, I still disagree with your assessment. I don't really have a better way to describe completely dark tinted windows, blacked out windows, blacked out rims, other than militant. How would you describe this? In movies they use this look to describe the bad guy. We now sell those vehicles to match that "vibe".
Once again, I did say it was anecdotal. These individuals tend to drive at a much higher reckless rate in the areas I have lived. If I see someone coming up behind me at 15+ MPH faster than speed of traffic, they'll have windows tinted darker than the majority of others, a majority of the time. They also tend to swerve and run individuals off the road.
Please note, I asked if heat was the issue because I genuinely wanted a shared experience. I haven't seen a good example of the need for these windows. But most of the areas I live only get to 105. Looks like sibling comments of yours have warmer experiences - which is what I needed to know.
Your characterization of tinted windows seems to be draped in generalizations and anecdotal evidence(as you stated) rather than an exploration of their practical applications. You draw a line connecting the aesthetics of darkened windows with reckless driving and assert a sense of assumed arrogance on the part of the driver. Yet, you overlook the practical and safety benefits that window tints provide.
Let's disentangle the aesthetics from the usage. To claim that a tinted window is a symbol of militancy or a display of superiority is to judge a book by its cover. A film on glass does not a character assessment make.
Now, onto the practical side of things. It's not merely about beating the heat - though in regions where temperatures soar well above your mentioned 105 degrees, the difference can be crucial. Window tints can block up to 99% of harmful UV rays, offering significant protection against skin damage and eye ailments. Furthermore, they reduce glare, enhancing driver comfort and safety.
Your anecdotal observations of tinted-window drivers might be biased by a confirmation bias. You remember the reckless ones because they fit your preconceived notion, and you discount the countless tinted-window drivers who operate their vehicles responsibly because they don't fit the narrative.
There's also a point to be made about privacy - not in service of "militant badassness", but for the sake of personal comfort and security. And while visibility for pedestrians and cyclists is a valid concern, it's worth noting that there are laws stipulating the extent of tinting precisely to address this issue. Complete blackout windows are generally illegal for this very reason.
Finally, to characterize this discussion as a matter of 'rights' may seem overblown, but it highlights a broader point about individual choice and autonomy. It's about finding a balance between personal preferences, public safety, and common good.
Tinted windows mean it’s impossible for a pedestrian or other motorist to make eye contact with the driver—which is often a way that people communicate to ensure safe crossing.
Tinted windows prevent cyclists, pedestrians and other drivers from seeing drivers clearly. If you can’t see the driver, then you can’t know if the driver can see you. Very important for driveways and intersections.
Which is absolutely preposterous, given how hot it is getting. Window tint laws need to be repealed.