Interlude: Window Tint
A critique of a trend, and a request
Last time, while talking about intersections, I note ‘complex I note the feeling that in a growing percentage of ‘later’/new/currently-being-brought-to-market vehicles, the window tint grows increasingly dark.
It is very common now to not be able to see what direction a driver’s head is pointed, even in full sunlight, sometimes even with light behind the vehicle. I note this acutely as a pedestrian and scooter rider in a city, but even as a car driver, it is perceivable and troubling.
As roads and intersections function right now, this tint causes way more danger for every road user, including other vehicle drivers who have a heavy tint.
Lots of mature driving requires/is improved by telegraphing and negotiating with others, regardless of if you see them or not. If you’re rolling across a sidewalk in your vehicle, as you exit a parking lot, it’s reasonable for people passing along the sidewalk from your left or right to be able to perceive if it is possible that you have perceived them, or if you obviously have not.
On my scooter, I always look to see where the heads of other people are pointed, especially if I’m relying on them to keep their foot pressed on a brake while I pass in front of them. It feels like Russian roulette, if I cannot see their head1.
I’ll update this post soon with video and timestamps of some spots I’ve interacted with this phenomina, personally, on my scooter.
I found some 360 video footage on my camera from a few months ago, traveling along Speer, that in the first few seconds I mention this post, and highlight a few vehicle window tints.
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It’s screamingly obvious, what is happening, if you find yourself in the right exchange or position relative to a vehicle like this, but it feels difficult to write about and capture the right energy.
Yesterday on 70, repeatedly, different giant pickup truck bearing down on the car I was in, with just the driver’s knuckles visible through the windshield, in an overtly unpleasant, unsafe way, all with a giant, too-bright-even-during-the-day, LED headlight ‘light harness’ washing out visibility even more. Check out what some/enough truck people sound like on reddit.
The tint encourages emotional distance, dissociation, and objectification.
Just because they’re looking in your direction, or they’re looking away from you, means they’re perceiving anything in particular, of course. It’s just useful data, so I resent when a vehicle is so tinted, even during the day, that I cannot see the driver, or see the driver very well.
It’s risky for everyone, and absolutely relies on a militaristic, ‘creating emotional distance and a sense of being watched’ vibe.
The militarization vibes all remind me of themes from: About Face: Death and surrender to power in the clothing of men. I associate heavy window tint, and many other stylistic features of modern american vehicles, especially those of the “pickup truck” class of vehicle, with supremacy thinking and a willingness to dominate2.
The Request
Next time you’re out and about, note if you’re able to see the head of the drivers of vehicles you’re negotiating with, and appreciate when it’s helpful to see the direction their head is pointed.
That’s all. Just note if it’s helpful or not. And when buying a vehicle next, consider making sure it’s not heavily tinted.
Other Times Tint Matters
Dusk/night time. Even the barest tint can prevent otherwise being able to see a person’s head. This is particularly important when walking in cities at night, and determining if a driver stopping for a stop sign or checking for incoming traffic also sees that you are also using the intersection.
When traveling along-side a vehicle. a head move will often indicate a lane change is coming, even if they don’t use a turn signal. You might use their side view mirror to see where their head is, but you cannot if it’s tinted. It’s dangerous to be around vehicles where the driver is invisible/difficult to see.
When the driver is trying to visually communicate to someone else outside the vehicle. I’ve been in cars and seen the driver stop and motion for someone to proceed in front of them, and when the person hesitates to step in front (and hurry along) sometimes the driver gestures even more, with a “hurry up and go can’t you see I’m able to see you and waving you ahead?” and though I don’t see anything, I note that the vehicle operator might not appreciate how invisible they might be to someone passing by, especially if the person is not able to see well, or there’s rain, etc.
Patrolling/Policing Energy. When a vehicle is parked, the engine is running (or not) and there are obviously people inside, if you cannot see them, even if they’re not intrusively staring at you continuously, the threat-detecting part of your brain notes that it cannot be sure it’s not happening. Also, often-enough, it is happening. People how drive in heavily tinted cars cause some of the emotional energy that’s associated with Bad Things being done in vehicles with heavy tint to be spread, even if they, personally, would not do those Bad Things.
I do not presume that they see me just because a head is pointed at me, of course. Compounding variables would be if the sun is behind me, or I’m moving through dark shade in the bring day, or they seem to be rushing, or in their field of view I am close to or behind a front column of the windshield (left or right), if they have a dirty windshield, relative speed, time of day/if headlights are in use or visible, blah blah blah.
If I make eye contact, and they nod or otherwise gesture at me (rather common, if you don’t know) I will obviously make different assumptions about their awareness of me.
or if the person isn’t intentionally willing to dominate, heavy window tint represents a person being co-opted into that energy. I ride a scooter/moped-type vehicle, I don’t own a car, so I drive many different cars when I borrow friend’s cars. Any time I drive a car with heavy front window tint, I feel self-conscious about it.