Driving without sunscreen...that's a ticket.

[Unamused Cat]

It's not even officially summer, and, apparently, the tanning police already are busy.

"I got a ticket last week (admit to speeding on the downside of a bridge — gotta brake in those places!)." wrote Vanessa Gerondale.

"And the officer also added a charge of 'no sunscreen label,' " she added.

Gerondale knew, even if I didn't at first, that this wasn't about the sunscreen that runs into your eyes when you're stuck in line at the Bolivar Ferry with the top down.

This was the kind that can prevent drivers from seeing the road clearly in bad light and can prevent police from seeing into the passenger compartment — for instance, when they stop you for speeding on the downside of a bridge.

Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Tela Mange said she asked her "gurus" at DPS, who cited Section 547 of the Texas Transportation Code.

This goes into the topic of sunscreens in detail, but summing it up, Mange said, it appears that "a label is only required when a sunscreening device, such as a film or tint, has been added to a window."

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/5801562.html

[Dakota Valkyrie]

Ok - what the hell are the contents of the window tint label supposed to say? SPF15?

It is illegal to have tint here that blocks beyond a certain amount of light but that doesn't seem to stop the multitude of tint shops or sales of do-it-yourself kits. Some factory tints even exceed the level here. I suppose if one slams into something on a dark night they might write you up.

Just curious what that "truth in labeling" law is that Texas has... If you have the wrong thing on your label will you get a ticket? If not, why the label? Or am I totally missing something??

[w8ng4msrgt]

My recollection is that a certain amount of light had to pass through and that it had to be anti-reflective.

I had a Suburban with factory privacy glass and got a ticket for it. I had to go to court and it got dismissed.


Edit: When I lived in Tx

[Unamused Cat]

It's against the law in Texas to have your car windows tinted too dark. You can get the illegal (darker) tint in some places, but they will not give you a sticker.... and it's your ass if you get stopped.