The Legality War!!

[Tintguy1980]

The variety of laws works in favor of the industry by way of keeping NHTSA from entering the fray. Discussions of today's glass performance can be found here on TD and if you get uniformity among all states, this would prompt the auto glass and automakers to petition for change of the Fed standards. If that happens all automotive glass would become high performing virtually ending the need for retrofit on new cars.

 

Keep it legal (I did for years and always sent those looking for dark to the known illegal installer). An astute business person can and will turn away business because as it has been said already, it builds credibility and character of their business practice, which will drive business to them rather than away.

 

If you want change to current state law you reside in you need look no further than the most recent Illinois law that was changed by tint shop owners doing the leg work. It must come from business owners and their local clients because those are the voters electing the officials into their govt who in turn fashion the laws of their respective states. The IWFA can be brought in on a consultant basis to assist, but they cannot do the work for the industry per state. They don't vote except where they are located which is VA. LLumar was instrumental in helping the state of VA come up with a law that pleased all parties because their taxes are paid to VA based on their mfg'ing site location.

 

Again if not already said, 'A waiver not matter how well written is a paper trail (evidence) right back to the person who is culpable.   

[BM-TINT]

I install whatever custy want to have installed. But I always point them in the right direction first. 

[Tint Eastwood]

We have 50 states with 50 different laws... and each jurisdiction is allowed to enforce them differently(their interpretation)... So yes the laws and regulations have issues. Some of the biggest vehicles on the road are allowed to be as dark as 5% legally in the rear.  There is no way to regulate every make and model to the same standards.  This is never going to change, only get more difficult.  

 

As for the installation of illegal film....  well... choices are what make us individuals.  We all choose one way or another..  If you don't like my choice,, fine,, I (ME, NOT  YOU) WILL DEAL WITH IT!! 

 

My choice is to let the individual make the final choice on his or her own safety.  You can argue the fact that they may or may not pull out and hit someone after they have their windows tinted in limo tint.  But you are not going to convince me that it is my fault they did so.  And I am not going to lose sleep over every limo tinted vehicle I do.  Fate is what it is.. so is Karma.. or whatever you believe in.  

 

Lets look at the vehicle side of things along with your worry of getting hit by someone with dark tint.  That very same person could be in a cargo van with only a driver and passenger window and nothing else(no rear windows at all).  They make these vehicles in all shapes and sizes with no windows whatsoever in the rear,, and you want to tell me dark tinted windows are worse.    Not to mention the blind spots in vehicles these days without tint on the windows.  

 

Also lets talk about vehicle wrapping..  These perforated window graphics impair vision but I don't hear anyone saying anything about that.  Ever tried driving one of those advertisements cars in the rain.  All those little perforations hold water and make it very hard to see.  Just sayin.  

 

Now as far as getting in trouble legally after installing tint.  If that ever happens I will deal with it.  BUT, any good lawyer can handle that argument.  Going back to my cashier statement.  Every store out there sells items that can be used illegally and regulating all of these products is absolutely impossible.  You can't make everybody sign a waiver when they buy a hunting knife at Wal-mart.  And Wal-mart is not going to get in trouble for selling said knife to a person who decided to slash someone with it.  And that cashier should not lose any sleep over the choice that customer made after coming thru their line.  

 

Now ....  if you have ever tinted a set of tail lights....Had an in-dash DVD player that would play while driving(that's a good one right there) ....had your bass music up past a certain Db...  Changed the exhaust or deleted a catalytic converter  to make it louder... added a different color light other than factory to shine while driving(glow kits,,strobes,,etc)  I could probably keep going.....    But all of these things are illegal and no different than choosing to have or install illegal window tint.  

 

 

But Bham, doesn't it still come down to legality?

 

I agree there are countless examples of other industries involved in similar things, and just as many reasons why people do tint darker. But at the end of the day it is still illegal and typically those that operate outside those regulations make it much harder for those legal only shops. People will go down the road where they are given the power of choice and then when that power is abused, the shops that keep it legal could be hit with tighter regulations to follow. Therefore restricting what they can offer to their legal only customer base. In the end, state required VLT's will probably get lighter and lighter therefore reducing the whole piece of the pie....for everyone

 

I see a big difference between the guy picking up the knife off the shelf, taking it to the counter, buying it then stabbing someone and a professional willfully and knowingly installing something that does not comply to state regulations. The cashier checking out the guy with the knife has no idea what his intentions are with this newly purchased merchandise, whereas the installer is actually aiding and abetting because he has direct knowledge of the person's intentions to exceed the state limits. 

 

 What if every tint installer had their "illegal" customers sign a petition instead of a waiver? Maybe we'd all have more money in our pocket in the end.....

[RecklessReflections]

Interesting to see the back in forth "yays and nays" of this topic. 
A scenario that comes to  mind is if an Florida man/woman got their vehicle fully tinted up to state regulations which I believe is 28% vlt on the front doors and 15% vlt on the rear section. If said person drives into another state and either gets a ticket/accident because of said tint even though it's so light they could still come back to you then?

Granted they got the vehicle tinted in that specific state and live there, but if they go to any other residing states that different in regulations and they get pulled over and hassled for it, or an accident and they blame it on the film for whatever reason, by them receiving that infraction or car incident in that state, will they then be able to go and hunt you down as well? Because I see something like this happening along the lines to anyone if it were to happen. It's just a thought really, because if someone goes to another state for whatever reason they must obey their laws and regulations. 

[RockyDaz]

Interesting to see the back in forth "yays and nays" of this topic. 

A scenario that comes to  mind is if an Florida man/woman got their vehicle fully tinted up to state regulations which I believe is 28% vlt on the front doors and 15% vlt on the rear section. If said person drives into another state and either gets a ticket/accident because of said tint even though it's so light they could still come back to you then?

Granted they got the vehicle tinted in that specific state and live there, but if they go to any other residing states that different in regulations and they get pulled over and hassled for it, or an accident and they blame it on the film for whatever reason, by them receiving that infraction or car incident in that state, will they then be able to go and hunt you down as well? Because I see something like this happening along the lines to anyone if it were to happen. It's just a thought really, because if someone goes to another state for whatever reason they must obey their laws and regulations. 

I can't see any comeback on the installer in this situation as long as he has installed according to the guidelines in the state he is operating in. No State laws have been broken. A true professional would probably advise his customer of neighbouring State laws if there is a different requirement there to remain legal.

[RecklessReflections]

Interesting to see the back in forth "yays and nays" of this topic. 

A scenario that comes to  mind is if an Florida man/woman got their vehicle fully tinted up to state regulations which I believe is 28% vlt on the front doors and 15% vlt on the rear section. If said person drives into another state and either gets a ticket/accident because of said tint even though it's so light they could still come back to you then?

Granted they got the vehicle tinted in that specific state and live there, but if they go to any other residing states that different in regulations and they get pulled over and hassled for it, or an accident and they blame it on the film for whatever reason, by them receiving that infraction or car incident in that state, will they then be able to go and hunt you down as well? Because I see something like this happening along the lines to anyone if it were to happen. It's just a thought really, because if someone goes to another state for whatever reason they must obey their laws and regulations.

I can't see any comeback on the installer in this situation as long as he has installed according to the guidelines in the state he is operating in. No State laws have been broken. A true professional would probably advise his customer of neighbouring State laws if there is a different requirement there to remain legal.

But still he/she is driving their vehicle to another state for whatever reason. If they choose to visit such state for whatever period they must obey their laws. The Tinter doesn't know of that person is going back and forth from one state to another. Unless specified by the consumer that they will be traveling to different states or between two in multiple occasions. By that time I could understand the Tinter informing them that these are the state laws for that region. But if you have an X amount of customers per day how many of them do you know are going to travel to the same neighboring states or something further? For whatever reason they may be doing so is none of our business nor how long. But soon as they enter state lines and their vehicle is violating any kind of law regarding their tints VLT then what is there to say?

[Ocala]

What difference does it really make if you are already installing illegal film in the state you and your customers reside in? Your argument is not legit as far as I'm concerned.

[RockyDaz]

Not a situation that you have any control over  Reckless,if other States have differing laws to the one that  you are operating in.

Follow your own state's laws and stay legal in your own State .

If you want, provide your customer with information on other State laws  and how they may be in violation of them.

You never know, your custy might prefer to have tint applied to the stricter neighbouring State standard.

[RecklessReflections]

What difference does it really make if you are already installing illegal film in the state you and your customers reside in? Your argument is not legit as far as I'm concerned.

There is no difference Ocala as I will install what the customer wants. However what you're obviously not seeing is me partaking in the debate and I'm presenting different scenarios and situations that can occur. It was a simple reply of curiosity. I'm sorry that you're still on my preference of dark film on a car

[tintcracker]

Cmon guys, chill