Tinted Windows-Driving Test

plastic-man

Hey, so my test is coming up and loads of things are going through my mind. I want the car to seem safe and road-worthy for the tester. Its a 7 year old Polo, in good condition. My passenger seat seatbelt needs a new retractor, which I'm getting.

One thing is bothering me though. I got the windows tinted a few months back. They're not fully 'blacked out' like a limo. You can see through them and so can people outside. I'm unsure of the % tint which they are. They are on all four windows and the back and a sun strip at the front.

I got them done professionally and asked if they were legal. The owner of the garage said all the tints they did were legal and that he'd throw in the sun strip for free. I felt a bit dodgy about that, but he said that you were allowed 6inches of a strip on the top of your windscreen. So I took it! He's a trustworthy client of my father, and I know he wouldn't lie.

The car looks great, and IMO the black complements the silver (body colour) very well. I've been driving 6 months and would see the gards everyday, and have never got a funny look about the tints, I've even gone through a checkpoint where they could see the sunstrip.

My instructor thinks I should take them down for the test. I really don't want to as I paid good money for them and I like the way they make the car look. Plus, I couldnt afford to get the done again! However, I am aware of some people's perception of them and would not want the tester to be like "oh his windows are tinted, he must be a dangerous driver". I would like to believe that I present myself in a respectable manner so this would overcome that.

What are your opinions?
Please don't comment saying "they are knackery and all that ****e"!

Beau x1

I have no idea what I'm on about, but ah y'er grand.

Alanstrainor

This thread might be of interest to you. "Tinted windows!"

Gonzales

Do your test in another car, the driving instructors for example.

Richie15

It all depends on what the tester considers to be "unduly tinted". I'd say use another car.

JimmytheLips

Richie15 wrote: »

It all depends on what the tester considers to be "unduly tinted". I'd say use another car.

If the tester cant see your eyes when you're sitting in the car when hes looking at you from outside he wont let you use the car.
No doubt you dont want to remove the tints so the safest bet really is use an instructors car.
I'm an instructor and hire my car out for driving tests I'll PM you my details.

Wishbone Ash

JimmytheLips wrote: »

If the tester cant see your eyes when you're sitting in the car when hes looking at you from outside he wont let you use the car

That seems a bit arbitrary! A 4ft 6in tester will see a lot more of the drivers eyes than a 6ft 6in tester!


OP - has/would the car pass an NCT? If it has/would, I can't see how a tester could refuse to continue the test.

JimmytheLips

I hear what you're saying,but unfortunately thats the way they do it.I've seen it happen to a few people at various test centres around Dublin.

giddybootz

Regarding your upcoming driving test, as stated in the leaflet you would have received with the notification of your test date,

”The windscreen should be clean and free from visual obstructions, including excessive cracks. In addition, the windows of the vehicle must not be unduly tinted” (Source final checks before your driving test RSA.)

Under Health & Safety in the workplace the interpretation of “must not be unduly tinted” is up to the individual tester. We would recommend that you wait until your test is completed before you have the tints applied.

from http://visionfx.ie/index.php?loc=11

I would always advise people to either wait until after their test to tint their car or sit their test in another untinted car.

The_Conductor

Gonzales wrote: »

Do your test in another car, the driving instructors for example.

+1

driverite

has the car passed an nct with the tint? When i was testing we use the rule that the person in the other car must be a ble to see you through the tint.

I would siggest that you call into to the test centre and ask them will the car be ok for a test. I would do it the week of the test as the testers with rsa move around a bit

brian076

driverite wrote: »

has the car passed an nct with the tint? When i was testing we use the rule that the person in the other car must be a ble to see you through the tint.

I would siggest that you call into to the test centre and ask them will the car be ok for a test. I would do it the week of the test as the testers with rsa move around a bit

This could help but you may find that 1 tester might take the car out while another mightn't.

A couple of years ago I had a driving school car which had a roof sign with a large L front and back, but had no L plates, as I had been advised that they weren't necessary with the roof sign.

It had been used on at least 30 tests without a problem, until one day in Rathgar a tester refused to take it out as it didn't have official L plates, ie they weren't 15cm high and rectangular, eventhough Stevie Wonder could have seen that it was a driving school car.

So I'd be reluctant to take the word of a tester that everything was ok unless your're sure that you get the same tester on the day of your test.

Richie15

brian076 wrote: »

...Stevie Wonder could have seen that it was a driving school car.

Am I the only one in stitches thinking of a Braile L-plate? :P

marion.t

Hey I just passed my driving in jamestown in finglas , I had the same worries about my tinted windows , but havin spoke to my instructor I found out that it's entirely @ the testers discretion whether to carry the test out or not , but the fact that der only slight tints i'm sure you'll be fine ! <SNIP> Best of luck with your test !

plastic-man

marion.t wrote: »

Hey I just passed my driving in jamestown in finglas , I had the same worries about my tinted windows , but havin spoke to my instructor I found out that it's entirely @ the testers discretion whether to carry the test out or not , but the fact that der only slight tints i'm sure you'll be fine ! <SNIP> Best of luck with your test !

Hey, Congrats on passing your test! That's my test centre too! My driving instructor rang the RSA and they said get rid of them, which is annoying! I'm thinking of going back up to the company who did them and asking for a partial refund. They told me that they were 100% legal and that I would definitely be allowed to do my test in them.

I hate seeing money go down the drain! Did the tester even question the widows?
How did you get to speak to the tester before your test?

Richie15

plastic-man wrote: »

They told me ... that I would definitely be allowed to do my test in them.

In the unlikely event that you got that in writing, I'd say you could push for a 100% discount and they'd have to remove them at their own cost.

plastic-man

Richie15 wrote: »

In the unlikely event that you got that in writing, I'd say you could push for a 100% discount and they'd have to remove them at their own cost.

Yeh I will try for that initially, see how it goes. I really wanna do the test in my own car though, not my testers.

The_Conductor

To be honest- while it is at the testers discretion, why would you willingly put yourself in the situation where you could fail the test, purely on the whim of the tester, before you ever leave the test centre?

plastic-man

its because Id just be losing 170E which i payed for the tints. and a resit is a lot cheaper!

The_Conductor

plastic-man wrote: »

its because Id just be losing 170E which i payed for the tints. and a resit is a lot cheaper!

And who is to say you don't get the same tester again (they often cover more than one test centre......) or that a second tester doesn't have the same attitude and fails you straight off too....? Testers love to see people in driving school cars- they know its serviced properly, unlikely to suffer mechanically, and very often they have dual controls, just in case some fool who hasn't a clue makes it out of the centre and onto the road with the tester......

You will be doing yourself a favour on many different fronts by using your driving teachers car.

driverite

Guys, its not an automatic fail in situations like the one above, the test is just not conducted.
SGS for example do not get paid for any test that is not conducted.

sunnyside

plastic-man wrote: »

its because Id just be losing 170E which i payed for the tints. and a resit is a lot cheaper!

Well I know nothing about tinted windows and modified cars BUT I wouldn't advise you to remove them because you paid a lot for them and you like them. If necessary hire an instructors car or take a chance on it and reapply if you have to. Advise your friends of the problem and suggest they wait until after passing test to tint windows.

Richie15

driverite wrote: »

Guys, its not an automatic fail in situations like the one above, the test is just not conducted.

Well it's not a pass, and you don't get a refund, so from the learner's point of view, what's the difference?

The_Conductor

Richie15 wrote: »

Well it's not a pass, and you don't get a refund, so from the learner's point of view, what's the difference?

As you have not officially taken a test, you do not automatically qualify for a renewal of your learners permit. Thats the difference.

Richie15

smccarrick wrote: »

As you have not officially taken a test, you do not automatically qualify for a renewal of your learners permit. Thats the difference.

But you do have the letter saying you got a date for your test, that would let you get a one-year permit.

The_Conductor

Richie15 wrote: »

But you do have the letter saying you got a date for your test, that would let you get a one-year permit.

I thought that had changed last year- that you had to actually sit the test, and either pass or fail- prior to renewing your learners permit, or exchanging it for a full licence.

S.

Richie15

I can't see them changing that. What if you're on your second and your test is after it expires?

The_Conductor

Richie15 wrote: »

I can't see them changing that. What if you're on your second and your test is after it expires?

You are not allowed to take your test on an expired learners permit, full stop. Potentially you could end up having to reapply altogether. There was leeway given initially- where you could do the test if your permit expired less tha 4 months previously. I'm not a driving tester though- ring one of the test centres- they will tell you what the current situation is.

Richie15

Of course you can't do the test with an expired permit, you'd be driving without a licence. You couldn't do that any more than you could do it with no tax or reg plates. But if you've applied for a test, you can apply for a third or subsequent Permit for one year (two years if you fail the test before it runs out). At least that's how it used to be, and I don't see why they'd change it.

If your second one runs out and you haven't applied for a test, you have to wait five or six years and be treated as a first-time applicant.

Sunjammer

Richie15 wrote: »

If your second one runs out and you haven't applied for a test, you have to wait five or six years and be treated as a first-time applicant.

Surely it would simply be a case of applying for a test and he/she could get a 12 month 3rd or subsequent L.P by producing evidence of the forthcoming test

Richie15

Sunjammer wrote: »

Surely it would simply be a case of applying for a test and he/she could get a 12 month 3rd or subsequent L.P by producing evidence of the forthcoming test

That's my point. Smccarrick seems to be saying this is not the case.