Privacy Glass in cars

My last few cars have had tinted rear screens and rear side windows. They came as standard but I would have paid a bit extra to have them if needed. They help keep the car a bit cooler in summer but the main reason I like them is that moronic drivers that you inevitably come across these days can’t see exactly who’s driving the car, but you can see them. I’m pretty sure this has de escalated a few incidents over the years. I find some of the negative comments on here quite laughable if I’m honest. If you hate them that much just buy something else or get the screen replaced because as said most drivers seem to like them or the manufacturers wouldn’t fit them!

Tinted windows is a must have in Australia to help cool the car in summer, especially when the temperature outside is 40+ Celcius. We even put on our house windows.

If you find yourself needing to view through the car in fronts windscreen to see the road, you should probably slow down a bit, put a bit of distance between your car and the car in front and use your own windscreen to view the road.

We had a couple of Renaults that came with heat reflecting windscreens - normal (light) tinted but UV reflective - if you see one coming towards you in the sunshine the screen will look bright blue.

Glass like this would answer the questions about heat build up without a dark tint perhaps??

You don't do it to see the road.

You do it to see what is happening in or near the road, so you're ready for the car in front slowing down, turning off, pulling out, swerving out of the way of a pothole or any of the other things that can seriously ruin your day.

Most things that surprise drivers are visible if they're paying enough attention and looking far enough ahead!

Drivers should be leaving enough space between them and the vehicle in front that they don't need to see past (or through) it to drive and stop safely. The only thing that you see through the other car's rear window that helps safety is a high level brake light. Privacy glass does not stop you seeing those.

If you can't see enough, past the vehicle in front, for any reason, just back off.

Hi, the two second rule springs to mind here 2 second rule (Wikipedia) in the link, some places suggest that you should use a three second rule, the most important thing is to kept a safe distance between your own vehicle and the vehicle in front of you, in accordance to the speed you a doing, the higher the speed the longer the distance should be.

Regards Nick.

Looking around, or through if possible, is in addition to that not instead of it. Looking further ahead and being more aware of what is happening all around you is the basis of any driving training that goes beyond just getting your license - whether that's driving larger vehicles, motorcycles, racecars or emergency vehicles. There are a number of 'commentary driving' videos on Youtube that show just how unaware most drivers are.

I have no problem with the tinted glass in my or anyone elses cars. I like the added privacy and heat reduction it affords. I drive in a manner allowing me to stop in an emergency rather that run into the car in front. I can see brake lights & indicators through the rear window of the car in front even when they are tinted. As said before "you cannot see through the solid rear doors of most vans" so what is the difference ?

regards

I agree with Nicholas: it's safer when drivers read the road in front. It's why traffic lights often have high repeaters that can be seen over the roofs of vehicles from some distance away. Also helpful to see brake lights coming on beyond the car immediately in front, because the 2 second rule only works if the clot in front is paying attention and his lights are working. Looking ahead buys the time needed to reduce the chance of getting into a pile-up. It's done in addition to normal driving.

Tinted rear windows might add to another problem, which is the class of drivers blissfully unaware of what's going on behind them! We all do it a bit, but some folk pay no attention whatever. Gigantic queues allowed to build up behind caravans, drivers unaware of overtaking cars and especially motorbikes, and getting in the way of ambulances and fire-engines. Yesterday I was in a queue of cars slowing down as we approached traffic lights at the end of a dual carriageway, when we were overtaken and carved up by a sports car. No doubt the owner thinks he's an excellent driver, but his stupidity caused everyone behind to brake sharply. No-one skidded but the fool came close to causing an accident. He probably boasts about how often the accelerator gets him out of trouble.

I don't count myself a good driver: I just avoid getting in the way and being in or causing 'accidents'!

Dave

Edited By SillyOldDuffer on 09/12/2022 11:04:00

Many years ago I was driving home from work in my Caterham 7. I had just crossed a set of traffic lights with other traffic when a guy in car going the opposite direction turned his head to look at my car. He looked for a little too long!! The cars in front of him had stopped for the traffic lights. He rammed the car in front of him. Problem was the five cars behind him who were not watching the road properly either. Ended up with a 6/7 car pileup with all cars travelling at about 15 to 20 mph.

Colin

QED

Hi Nicholas, QED? Sorry, it wouldn't have made any difference if all the cars ahead were open topped, those not looking where they should be while driving, have only themselves to blame.

Regards Nick.

When I learned to drive (including one or two lessons at the Police Driving School) the admonition for safe driving was to look well down the road to monitor changing traffic/other conditions .... not just myopically limiting your attention to your stopping distance.

Much easier in those days; almost impossible now with current traffic volumes. Pretty much a necessity to look through the vehicle in front. Mercedes white vans have a lot to answer for.

As far as leaving large amounts of room from the car in front - nice motherhood but around here if you do that you can be certain that someone(s) will jump in and fill up the gap.

The police used to teach the practice of running commentary and I believe the conventional phrase for what you describe was "search ahead".

How far behind the car in front are you? country road, twists and turns 45~50mph safe travelling speed, how far behind the car in front would you be?

Far enough that I can see in front of it. That can also be done by moving the position of the car in your lane. And yes, it often requires adjusting to a slower speed than I would use if the road were clear. It takes practice and patience which is the bit that rules out lots of drivers road users achieving this. As I think this thread shows...

It's perfectly possible to drive through the rush hour traffic on the M25 without touching the brakes by looking at all the traffic.

So if you can see sufficiently, what difference does tinted rear windows make?

Edit, I was looking for a measurement of distance? As safety is clearly subjective given the driving behaviour I witness nearly every time I go anywhere in my car, clearly people have very different ideas about what is safe. 

Edited By Pete. on 12/12/2022 23:12:26

Hi, well in the last few days when I've been driving, I had a go at looking through the car in front, and to be honest, while I was at what I believed to be travelling a safe distance behind, I found it trying to look through a letter box, is that tunnel vision or what? I get better judgement looking round the outside of the car and looking at the traffic ahead in general. I can say that I never got any advice about looking through the car in front during my driving lessons, and yes I did go to a very reputable driving school, and yes, I did pass my test first time, and my examiner was well known for not allowing minor mistakes to pass, I knew many people that he failed for silly little things, and he failed my younger brother, just for proceeding when someone clearly flashed him to proceed first, Yes I know you should ignore those that flash you to go, but I'll bet most people don't ignore others that flash, but I do wave others on myself if and or when it is safe to do so. Like others have said, you can't see through the likes of lorries or buses or cars full of people on the larger size or cars towing box trailers or caravans.

Regards Nick.

Having had these windows in cars for many years, I certainly wouldn't want a car without them. I have no problem with rear vision and I don't drive looking through other cars in front! (can't believe that one!) Sideways vision is not compromised either; security is enhanced, and the car stays cooler in summer! I also prefer the look of them, but that is a personal choice of course.

Maybe a thread on the increasing use of high power LED running lights would be more useful. To me, these seem to be an adornment which is now spreading all over the car, front and rear, and not just the safety aid they were intended to be.