New UK Tint Law Kick in?

Well the misinformation dept of Blairs Government or to give it is proprer title Vehicle & Operator Service Agency is quoted in the Daily Mail today (page3 and no t**s!)
Headed End of the road for tint that make you squint.
Lovely title ! just the sort of unreaserched crap you expect from the tabloids, but please not the Mail!!!

I am not going to type it word for word, suggest you buy,steal go to job centre to read! But the basis is this;
Apparently from today tint are banned! yes thats right if youread the crap printed they will put a prohibition order on vehilces with heavy tint (OR NOT SO HEAVY TINT)

Now what is VERY worrying is that reading this rubbish they are useing the C & Use Regs to the full.
This states that ALL glass nust have a 70% VLT not just the front drivers and passengers glass.
Now most of us have know these regs all along but the Authorities have not enforced this, small commercial vans have no glass etc. so how could you go to court with a vehicle that has film and win?

The pillock form the new agency is quoted as saying that IF ONLY THE SIDE WINDOWS BREAK THE LAW, THEN THE MOTORIST CAN WIND THEM DOWN AND DRIVE TO A GARAGE, OTHERWISE THE GARAGE OR AA/RAC ETC WILL HAVE TO COME AND PICK THE VEHICLE UP.

Comments gentleman & ladies please, we need feedback ASAP so we can start to fight this, our business and homes are on the line.

Tint Bob (Sussex UK)

Just Read it mate, bad news!! I notice they refer to the Mr Blairs car, is he having his removed?? I guess not!

The whole industry is being shafted! and it appears that the industry is just bending over and taking it!

Comments gentleman & ladies please, we need feedback ASAP so we can start to fight this, our business and homes are on the line.

Soon it will be too late for fight

Still can't understand why UK tinters look how news laws kill their business... There are BSF, Johnsob, Sun Gard e.t.c. in UK - why You, installers can not tel to your suppliers? Why You can't b*mb Llumar plant in UK with questions? They don't need customers? For me UK market is not the main, believe. I only love UK,have lot of friends there and do some small biz, but lad's believe me, after law will work sometime, there were NO WAY BACK, and you will loose You job... Just write my ideas... Of course it's not Oxford English, but I hope You will understand my idea's... Of course when DARTSFILMZ.TV will be so strong as Llumar or 3M - I will help You, but now sorry, I am not so strong to lobby UK laws

i've asked my supplier and they are just toeing the line!!! being honest WHAT CAN WE DO??? as i lost my full time job and tinting is now my livelyhood this does affect me in a big way!! i explain the laws to everyone i tint for and so far everyone just says tint it and i'll see what happens!!! thing is can i run a business like this??? i still cant believe the ggf did a detailed report into this and recommends vlt at 30% which would leave us free to use 35% and yet the dep. of transport just ignores it??? i've e mailed them a few times (the ggf and the dep. of transport) and so far havent heard a word! either they dont want to discuss it or they dont want to admit there is something wrong!!! does tony blair have his windows tinted??? id he does and it doesnt get removed then that would be interesting in court,saying the government has been ill advised on the vlt limit and how can we follow the requirements when our own prime minister doesnt?? if i have to become a back street hack then i will! i have no other income!! :booga

to admit there is something wrong!!! does tony blair have his windows tinted??? id he does and it doesnt get removed then that would be

When I tinted ALL our government - they have NO WAY, and stop to struggle with tinting....

What we can do? Really don't know too. There are companies who make huge money on this biz. THEY MUST THINK. If ALL THEIR CUSTOMER WILL START TO ASK SUPPLIERS SOMETING MUST MOVE. I think so. They also loose money, and much more then You, Barry So, they have to think.... Peoples mind stopped Vietnam War, I think it was harder than change tint laws...

why dont the authorities start by going to the premiership and league football grounds and clamping down on the players. They will probably book 98% off the cars in the car park. Then move onto the famous stars and their cars including politicians.

Next they can move onto the police whom also have private vehicles tinted.

By the time they get to the general public, they probbly will have lost their jobs!!!

Sorry this flurry only started cause i have just seen one of the Leeds players driving around in his new Range Rover and guess what his driver and passenger windows are tinted in 35%. Bet he wont get pulled by the plod!!!!

SOD IT! TO BE BLUNT IT'S VERY EASY FOR US ALL TO SIT IN FRONT OF YOUR COMPUTER SAYING IT'S NOT FAIR!!!! WHAT CAN WE DO????? TODAY I PHONED THE GGF GOT TOLD TO PUT IT IN WRITING AND SEND IT TO THEM!! WHICH I'VE DONE. ALSO I'M CONTACTING MY LOCAL MP TO PUT FORWARD OUR CASE!! YES, OUR CASE!!! CAUSE NO ONE SEEMS TO BE DOING ANYTHING!!! I'M TOTALLY FED UP OF READING THESE POSTS, I'M GOING TO DO SOMETHING. ALSO GOING TO CONTACT THE DAILY MAIL TO PUT RIGHT THE REPORTER THAT GAVE OUT FALSE REPORTS. SORRY TO BE SHOUTING THIS BUT I'M SICK OF IT!!

I also tried the GGF this morning and got told to put in in writing! I dont think they are interested, but lets give it a go! I have also put my comments in writing to them.

It's work of GGF, EWFA, IWFA.... or if we will organize something this organization work... It must be like trade union.... As I know history trade unions in UK always was very strong.... Just thoughts...

thats it rolling now! i have spare time on my hands til mid april so i'm putting this into motion! i have spoken to my local mp,who,by the way is big in westminster and explained the situation,he is going to write today to the dep. of transport asking about the ggf report,i have also told him that i will not back down on this,i am willing to see this through. i also contacted the manager of johnsons uk to ask for his back up,he's phoning me on monday to talk things over. HELP NEEDED!--- what i need is every tinter from the uk (leo,get jed to write me something!) to write me a supporting letter (headed paper if possible!) telling me that you support the ggf report of a 30% vlt limit! also,get your suppliers to write me a letter supporting my actions in trying to get this law updated properly! i need back up,without it,i'm on my own and this won't go as far as it could! it's easy to spend some time doing a letter! DO IT! i've already got onto johnsons, but i need other uk suppliers to put there name to this! remember this is your jobs in the end!!! please send all correspondence to me-- barry fimister, 8 cumbrae terrace, kirkcaldy, fife ky2 6sf. together at least we'll make a noise,or if you just get on with tinting and ignore this, then given time this WILL catch up on you and shut you down! hope to hear from you's all soon!

Fimmo I'll try to do something. I'll contact Jed - he like organizers work I'll try to move BSF (I don't know other players in UK market ) I'll try to spek with EMAP Publishing house - MAX POWER, REV's, PRACTICAL CLASSIC. CLASSIC CARS mags - some years ago they wrote cover stories about me So I'll try to do my best... But I really don't understand why other UK lad's are so passive

Fimmo, I have contacted BSF and am to discuss - will let you know the outcome.

Think they can do something. Mother company Bekaert have very strong positions in Europe...

Lil' Tony's been a naughty boy...

When Bush say "JUMP", Blair ask "HOW HIGH?"

Give me the address of the dep of transport and i will send them a letter too. Letter of support will be on its way to you too Barry.

bfimister@hotmail.com - Barry's e-mail

like i said do anything that you think will help! but please, send me a headed letter saying that you support the ggf report! that way if i have letters from all you guys from every corner of the uk it'll help give this some clout!!

I am also located in europe.

But in flat glass only.

Does,nt the European law over rulls your British law ?????

Just a hint, I think that one reads 30% vlt on rear side and back window

whats the address of the ggf and the ministry of transport its time i got stuck in aswell ,since this law has been out i have tinted 2 cars yep 2 cars in 2 months its rediculous we need to do something ,il get a letter typed up tomorow and get it in the post to all parties

Tough call Brits but your situation is self-inflicted by every one of you and your brethren tinters who tinted beyond 35% VLT or whatever statute requirement your country had in place.
More appropriately, add to that every film wholesaler/distributor who allowed 20% and darker to go out the door for automotive use unconditionly and you now reap the recipe for that disaster.

Too late to cry wolf now and it is so unfortunate that those of you who tried to do the right thing and are caught in the net as well. These laws will be very hard to change once they are enacted and any effort to alter from now on in is going to cost heaps of time, money and lobbying resources you probably don't have.

This situation is not new around the world but it takes a wakeup call like this to hit the fan. As I said, go no further for answers than within your own industry.
Devil

leo

what do we need to do you have done this before , i havent got a clue where to start

devil our tint law states that we could put no darker than 70% on the front drop glass n what ever we wanted in the rear (b pillar backwards) so its not the suppliers fault that some :asshat decided to tint there whole car in 5% now thats not our fault

what about all da 4x4 with factory tint and people carriers

can some1 scan the article and post it for us all to read as its a bit late to get a copy of the paper now

I see if I can scan it in low enough quality and size to upload.


Tint Bob

We have the same laws. That's why I want to help brits. I did it here - 80% of cars in latvia are tinted and 95% tinted outlaw. Only don't know what will be after 01.05.2004 after we will be in EC

In Latvia is quite different situation we are very small country and everybody now everybody in their level. You can't imagine You drinkin with Blair, I sometimes with our vice-premier minister. So what we do first - WE TINTED ALL GOVERNMENT CARS . In reality we have long time the same law like You, but our police are not so serious like Yours (our have much less official wage ).... After government start to drive tinted cars NO POLICEMANS STOP TINTED CARS. Believe me. But, of course it's halfly legal. I think TINT LAWS it's ALL OVER THE WORLD TINTERS PROBLEM, not only UK or Europe. And we have to make all these ...WFA's to decide this problems.

customkay got your letter today!! thanks,if only everyone else was as quick as you hey dapaa,can you get your supplier to send me an official letter also a letter from you? i need some support here! it's going to look pretty bad if i go and see my mp again with 'letters of support' and i only have one or two? so much for the industry worrying about it? once agian cheers kay!!

Fimmo, my letter is in 1st class post mate.

cheers dapaa! can you get onto your supplier and tell them whats happening? like i said,i need all the back up i can get! great to see you and customkay are behind me and haven't wasted any time!! come on all you uk tinters where are you?? also i've asked my suppliers for a letter to help me,but surprise the managing director wasn't in and he's gonna phone me today! wait to see if that happens?

fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!got a phone call from johnsons uk this morning and they agree with what i am doing and are going to send me a letter backing the report and what i'm doing!!!!!!! also they are going to contact all the people they supply and get them to back me!!! i still need more back up but this is the start i needed!!!

an article from Channel4.com - DIY??

Crackdown on tinted windows
The vehicle inspectorate is to launch a national crackdown on DIY tinted windows. Spot checks will be carried out by inspectors with light meters to ensure that cars with blacked-out screens meet the minimum legal requirements, which state that front windscreens must let in 75 percent of light and side windows 70 percent. Cars belonging to offenders could be declared unroadworthy and prohibited from the roads until the tint is removed, or even towed away.

They start to understand....

NAME AND SHAME TIME!!! I JUST SPOKE TO THE DEP. FOR TRANSPORT AND WAS TOLD THE BEST WAY TO CHANGE THE VLT LIMIT IS TO GO THROUGH MY MP AND ALSO TO GET A LOT OF BACK UP!!! IT'S ALREADY COSTING ME A LOT THROUGH PHONE CALLS ETC.!! ALSO SO FAR TODAY I'VE SPENT OVER 4 HOURS ON THIS! SO THE LEAST YOU'S CAN DO IS BACK ME UP I'M DOING THIS FOR ALL OF US AND AT THE MOMENT I'M FEELING VERY ALONE!!!! THANKS TO CUSTOM KAY FOR HER LETTER AND THANKS TO DAPAA,LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING YOURS! NOW I WANT HEADED LETTERS FROM ALL UK TINTERS SAYING WHY YOU WANT THE VLT CHANGED,HOW IT AFFECTS YOU OR WILL, AND THAT YOU AGREE THE GGF REPORT OF RECOMMENDIN 30% IS WHAT YOU WANT!! COME ON- SDAUTOTINT, NAUGHTYDOG, BOOKER-33, RCS TINTING, TINTR, TINTWIZ, AUTOSHADES, TINT BOB, COOL AND ANYBODY ELSE I'VE NOT MENTIONED ALSO, DOES ANY ONE NOW THE E MAIL FOR NIK SANDERS? FROM BEKAERT? I NEED COMPANY'S TO BACK ME UP TO SO WHERE ARE CP FILMS,FTI-BONWYKE,MADICO, ANGLIAN AND LLUMAR??? JOHNSONS ARE NOW BEHIND ME IF I DONT GET ANY RESPONSE I'LL JUST GIVE UP AND LET YOU FIGHT YOUR OWN BATTLES, I'M DOING THIS FOR ALL OF YOU'S NOT JUST FOR ME!!


PLEASE SEND ALL CORRESPONDENCE TO- BARRY FIMISTER, 8 CUMBRAE TERRACE ,KIRKCALDY,FIFE, KY2 6SF, DONT JUST THINK ABOUT IT,DO IT!!! THIS IS YOUR LIVELYHOOD,WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WHEN THIS FINISHES US????

I'll get on it this week. Do you have a basic content you feel we need to include to give it some impact?

Naughty

Hey Fimmo i went to see my old teacher at cp films at runcorn the other week and spoke to him about the VLT ,and he said the only way to get it changed was if we went to Europe he said the government will not change their minds ,as they have just renewed this or reworded the stupid LAW,will do what i can me pal.
Had a customer in on sunday and she had a EVO LANCER 7 and she said her club web site have a petition up to surrport us you will get my letter soon as my computor is up and running for my business as it got a virus and crashed and lost all my files and so on

il get my letter typed up this week and sent out to ya

i emailed my pm last week aswell but as yet havent had a reply i also posted on a few cruise websites looking for support but the overall enthusiasm to help was basicly none , i also emailed about 50 tint shops in the uk and asked them to all log onto tintdude.com a few came a few didnt ,but il get the letter typad up this week i promise

stevie (sdautotint)

hi guys sorry not replied earlier...this situation sux! i will draft up a letter this week and get it to you by end of this week hopefully filmo. i will ring Nik Sanders at Bakaert or Oakley and see what they are doing about it.
even if we could get the VLT raised to 50% i would be happy but this 70% is just ridiculous. Tony Blair wants business to suceed in this country but he has a funny way of supporting this when they are going to shut us auto tinters down.
looks like until this is resolved im going to have to put my prices up to compensate the loss of doing the two front windows on any car.


BTW had an arse of a customer came back complaining that the edge of the film on his backscreen was not straight!!! argued with him and finally re-did it to get rid of him.....he then says his mates want their cars doing so i tell him im not interested in any car he recomends for me....wot an arse
cool_tints@hotmail.com

Have any of you bitching about the new laws ever tinted illegally? Be honest. If you have and even just once, then why do something about it after the horse has bolted? Crapped in your own bed.
Devil

hey devil,i for one have never,ever tinted darker than 35% on the front,as i've said before i'm not going to just to earn a bit of cash,totally not interested. but what i have noticed is that most of the uk tinters on this board are starting to wake up and do something about it,this 70%limit sux but unless we try whats the point? not wanting to have a go at yourself or captain tinter but so far all you's have done on this post is put up negative comments! believe me i know how hard this is going to be,and i know it wont be overnight but i'm on my own doing this and i can do without negative comments at the moment!

received a letter from dapaa this morning!! cheers! so far thats 2! i'm thinking i need more? also received a letter from my mp to say that he has been in contact withmr DAVID JAMIESON MP,PARLIAMENTARY UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE AT THE DEP. OF TRANSPORT seeking to clarify the position of the report on the subject to which i referred(vlt limit) and to establish the departments position on changing the vlt limits. now thats the ball rolling but i'm not holding my breath! it would help,rather than e mailing your local mp,taking some time out(if you dont you'll have a lotof time out soon!)and going to see your mp face to face and getting him to do the same! get them to contact DAVID JAMIESON MP if this guy gets more and more mp's asking him the same question then eventually he'll wake up? what do you guys think? so far i've spent almost 2 days on the phone and computer speaking to people at the dep. for transport,local mp's as i'm currently unemployed i can spend the time but i cant stay this way for long and funnily enough there doesnt seem to be much tint work going? is it because there is a lot more info going around about the new vlt limits that are scaring people off? we all need to do something! :booga

I am doing something In few days will be some results.... But I see we are most active in this BADLY ...........

OK you might not have tinted darker than 35 on the fronts but what about the rears? Anyway that doesn't matter now.

The problem you are going to face is that the window film industry in the UK employs only a tiny amount of people (like all countries) and the continual misappropriation of the existing laws in relation to auto window tinting applications has been bent beyond redemption.
I'm not saying that you Fimmo are singularly responsible for it but the actions of many illegal tinters and those on the edge affect the whole of the country. ie. millions and this you'll find very difficult to change.

Where you are at is where most countries have been before when this has happened. Your better course of action is to lobby the EWFA and have all the film distibutors in your country now do the dirty work to try and alter the new laws. Private individuals mean Jack all to authorities. I presume your distributors are not sitting on their hands are they, for the ball lies on their side of the court?
If you haven't got a British Window Tinting Association or variant, then you'd be better off adopting one asap to fight this. This is what Australia has done with the IWFAA (Australasia) when our shiot hit the fan about 10 years ago.


Devil

Where you are at is where most countries have been before when this has happened. Your better course of action is to lobby the EWFA and have all the film distibutors in your country now do the dirty work to try and alter the new laws.

EWFA and IWFA is strange (of course 4 me) teams. From one side they have to struggle for tinters rights. From other - it depends who are the leaders of this association - I mean monsters of manufacturing. They will lobby their product. I don't know if You know about huge government contracts when monsters are eating each other... How they can be united? Like told american Leo:"Like scorpions in closed box".... Union were will be simple installers like meet here - that will be force interested in moving delZ... EWFA of IWFA interesting in annual member fees... IMO....

Yr welcome Barry. Ask your supplier to send out a letter to all the UK tinters asking for their support and getting them to send you a letter. I just had a lovely salesman in from Anglian films and he said he would happily send a letter of support to.

I also have a laywer friend who is looking in to it, he is gonna see what our best options are, if the law was instigated correctly(???) and if we can appeal or lobby against it. Will let you know the outcome of this But his profesional advice was TINT B POST back.

i know this sort of thing take time to get moving but what the hell are you's all up to???????????????????????????????????????????????????? apart from one or two,and i mean that,only one or two of you! have bothered to send me a letter to back me up!!! HAVE ANY OF YOU READ 'REDLINE' MAGAZINE PAGE 20!!! headline 'WINDOW tint NOW ILLEGAL' now i know thats not 100% true but this magazine is one of,if not the best car mag on the market just now, and a lot of propective customers read this, and i can guarantee that after reading the article (which is a full page!!) they wont bother getting their windows tinted! i received a letter from my mp saying he's been in contact with the dep. for trans. to see what can be done,i've also e mailed redline to se if they can do another article helping us?? hopefully they will print something!! this is taking up a lot of my time and effort ARE YOU'S ALL SO RICH THAT IF YOUR BUSINESS FOLDS THEN 'WHO CARES' i for one am not, get off your backsides and help me!! it's too bl##dy easy to post a reply saying 'ooh, this isnt fair' but when one of us does something,do you's honestly think i can do this full time on my own? NO,I CANT,currently i'm unemployed,about to start up my own tinting shop but i'm starting to think it's a bad idea! if i did get the law changed would you's all remember who i am and give me the credit for all the work i'm doing?? no,didnt think so. i'm going to give this a month then thats it. if your a tinter then help me,if you know other tinters in your area get them to help me? this is for all of you's! give this the backing it deserves or find another job!

That would be right Fimmo.....apathetic!
At least you have tried to do something.
Devil

I dont understand! - what is everyone thinking?

No customers = no tinters = no suppliers = no tint industry

you dont need to have a degree to understand this equation!!

When the CLK's are being replaced with three wheeler's, uk tinters and suppliers might get the message, but then it will be too late.

i've just ordered a 100 ft roll of 70% film!! i also have 50%,35%,20% and 5% so i should now be able to cover all angle's! i'm going to advertise that i can install 100% legal tint either using the 70% film on the front or use clear security film!! don't know how much people will go for film that is soooo light but at least i've got it!!