What's with all the tinted car windows? Ghetto?! (Newton, Medford: buy, luxury)

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by bostonguy1960

Not sure of the law in MA or nationwide for tinting -- or level of tinting allowed on car windows -- but I don't wish to live in a world where my fellow motorists have tinted windows of any type.

It seems ghetto and anti-social.. and possibly dangerous. Can't be the most savory types behind those windows.

Yes, I realize limos often have then for their A-list clients, and I suppose that's legal in most places.

But everyday vehicles? It's creepy (to me at least).

I'm too lazy to research the requirements in MA, but I seem to notice more and more window tinting services.

Do fancy folks in Wellesley, Newton, Weston, Dover, etc. tint windows? Likely not.

Would you like a motorist to pull up next to you, asking for directions, but the first thing you notice is tinted windows -- with blasting rap music, at night? You'd likely be frightened.

Am I being prejudice?

And can't police issue tix for extreme tinting? Do they?

No, I wouldn't be frightened. Why would I?

And why would I care what someone else does with their windows? Not my business.

[Cape Cod Todd]

After market Tinting is a way to customize your vehicle and used to be the rage but now most cars come with it from the factory. I saw a mini van the other day that didn't have any tint and it looked odd. It must have been ordered when new not to have tint.

If window tint is too dark and you are stopped by the Police you might have a problem. They can ticket yo, have your car towed or if the cop isn't in a rush might allow you to remove the tint right there to avoid the ticket.

A few years back I went to my local inspection sticker station and there was a not very happy young guy peeling the tint from his front windows. The inspector deemed it too dark so he had to remove it for his vehicle to pass.

Tinting car windows is like someone wearing sunglasses indoors, our minds flip to suspicious mode and think "what is that person up to?"

[lrfox]

Originally Posted by Cape Cod Todd

Tinting car windows is like someone wearing sunglasses indoors, our minds flip to suspicious mode and think "what is that person up to?"

... Except that your car is outdoors and one of the benefits of tinted windows is protection from the sun. Are people really so paranoid that tinted windows make them suspicious?

[sal1181]

We have more important issues in the world to worry about than tinted windows. What someone drives is not my business. When I'm driving I'm just hoping I make it to my destination safely

[BostonMike7]

Originally Posted by bostonguy1960

Would you like a motorist to pull up next to you, asking for directions, but the first thing you notice is tinted windows -- with blasting rap music, at night? You'd likely be frightened.

Sounds like you are prejudiced against a certain stereotype.


I assure you when I ride around in my car with tinted windows, with two toddlers strapped in the back seat, and "The Wheels on the bus" playing over my stereo, I am of no threat to you at all.

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by BostonMike7

Sounds like you are prejudiced against a certain stereotype.

There is a lot of this on this forum, and these prejudices against "inner city" residents are pretty much allowed to go unchecked by the forum moderators. It's a super conservative site overall.

[vtecluder617]

Originally Posted by BostonMike7

Sounds like you are prejudiced against a certain stereotype.


I assure you when I ride around in my car with tinted windows, with two toddlers strapped in the back seat, and "The Wheels on the bus" playing over my stereo, I am of no threat to you at all.

Unless its this version of wheels on the bus


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SA_MH3g1oQ

[Whatsnext75]

A lot of police officers also have tinted windows. This thread is silly.

[Parsec]

As others have said, the law in MA is 35% tint. Cops aren't going to pull you over just to test the tint level unless you are committing a primary offense like speeding or run through a red light. Many cars come straight from the factory with privacy glass that's the equivalent of 35-40% tint, so I don't see what the big deal is. It serves 2 purposes: privacy and keeping the interior cool during the summer.

Now if you're talking about tint so dark that you can't even see the figure of the driver through the window, that is probably 5% or 10% tint which is kinda ghetto. You rarely see tint that dark in MA because you'll only go a few weeks before getting pulled over for something that dark. Many cops will give you a blade to scrape it off right in front of their eyes before they let you go.

[BostonMike7]

Originally Posted by bostonguy1960

Do fancy folks in Wellesley, Newton, Weston, Dover, etc. tint windows? Likely not.

Actually yes...yes they do.


When I stroll into my office park, you see plenty of newer cars with tinted windows. Mercedes, BMW's, Infiniti's, etc etc.

Driver's are usually 30's aged professionals. Car seat in the back, golf clubs in the trunk. Laptop in the back.