Archive for May, 2009
To Tint Or Not To Tint
You want to keep the interior of your car protected or maybe you want privacy to keep the suns glare off of you there are numerous reasons people opt to have their car windows tinted. The question is what is legal and what kind of tinting should you look for.
To start many vehicles come with tint built in to the windows. Each states laws regarding tinting will be different and vehicles that are registered out of state are usually exempt from the laws of the state they are in while traveling. If you are thinking of getting tint added to your windows your local body shop should know your states laws.
What is window tint? Tint is created when tinting film is bonded onto a piece of window glass. Tinting film is usually made out of clear polyester film with a very thin and even layer of tinting agents such as dyes and/or metals deposited onto the film.
Unlike sunglasses that do impair your ability to drive at night tinting film is designed to reduce glare and not impede nighttime driving. Another misconception is that window tint is bonded onto the outer surface of auto glass. Window tint is applied on the inner surface which also protects the film itself from flying debris outside the car.
Normal auto glass without tint reflects around 5 of visible light known as VLR absorbs another 5 known as VLA and transmits 90 of visible light known as VLT into the car.
Depending on the type and quality of tinting film applied to a window these percentages change dramatically. Some tint is more reflective and others absorb more light. The number you will most commonly see is the VLT Visible Light Transmittance. Almost all the official names of films include the VLT within it like Johnson Executive PBC30 or Madico Charcool CH55. VLT tells you how much visible light is allowed to shine into the car and also indirectly how dark the tint looks.
Tinting film doesn’t just block visible light. It also blocks harmful cancercausing ultraviolet UVA and UVB rays as well as infrared IR rays that cause heat to build up in your car; however how effective a film is in blocking these rays depends on the type of film the manufacturer and the quality of installation.
Make sure the company you choose has numerous brands of tint to choose from and arent pushing one or two brands. You want choice that is based on your budget and needs along with the quality you are willing to pay for.
With a professional tint the benefits are not only those mentioned above but can also make your car appear sharper and classier.
About the writer: Greg Chapman of Greg Chapman Motors is a knowledgeable and leading provider of used cars trucks and SUVs. Since 1959 Chapman motors has supplied reliable used cars in Austin and the surrounding area and is known as one of the bad credit car dealers in Austin. For more information please visit http://www.gregchapmanmotors.com.
Three Ways To Prevent Accidents When Driving A Minibus
Nobody wants to be involved in a traffic accident especially when you could be transporting up to 16 other people in a minibus.
This article identifies three ways of minimising the chance of an accident and therefore saving you money on your minibus insurance by reducing the need for making claims.
1. Be aware of other road users.
This may seem obvious but surprisingly this advice is often overlooked. Many road users are not as responsible as we would like them to be. For instance some drivers still feel the need to use their mobile telephone even though it is now against the law. If you are following a driver using a mobile phone give them extra space as there is a higher risk their actions may cause an accident.
If a motorist is driving to close to the back of your minibus don’t react aggressively to their poor judgement. It is easy to get wound up by tailgating but if you can take a deep breath stay calm and let the vehicle pass your chances of being involved in an accident are greatly reduced.
2. Driver Training
The Community Transport Association CTA is the lead UK body for voluntary and community transport. They oversee two minibus driver training schemes MiDAS and CommunityDriver which are recognised by the majority of insurance providers.
MiDAS Minibus Driver Training Scheme covers all areas of driving a minibus safely. It is suitable for an individual or for companies that operate a fleet of vehicles. The test helps to increase a driver’s confidence and passenger safety is improved.
The CommunityDriver scheme helps a minibus driver obtain a D1 licence. This is now required for all driving licences issued after 1st January 1997. To obtain a D1 licence a driver must pass a theory test a hazard perception test and then undertake a full medical. The CommunityDriver scheme provides all that is needed to obtain the licence including locally based trainers and learning materials. Tests are arranged at convenient locations for the driver.
Driver training will greatly reduce the risk of an accident. And evidence of such training may result in a discount on your minibus insurance.
3. Passenger Awareness
Transporting passengers is the main reason for driving a minibus. But in many instances their behaviour can be the cause of an accident.
Don’t start chatting with any of the passengers. If a passenger comes up to the front of the minibus and tries to engage you in conversation remind him or her that there is a safety issue.
Try to keep all passengers in their seats at all times. If passengers are moving about or if there are more at one side of the vehicle than at the other it can cause instability.
Ask passengers to fasten their seat belts. It is now law for seat belts to be used at all times by the driver and passengers. Children below 135cm in height need to wear a child restraint in addition to a seat belt.
If your minibus is fitted with a microphone do not use it while the vehicle is moving unless in an emergency. It may seem perfectly normal to point out places of interest to your passengers but it will be a distraction that could cause an accident.
And don’t allow passengers to drink alcohol on a minibus. Alcohol is actually illegal on buses going to and from sporting fixtures.
If you are unfortunate enough to be involved in an accident then the best advice is to stay calm. Losing your temper however angry you may feel will not help an already difficult situation. By taking a controlled approach to the situation you will help ensure your passengers’ safety. And be sure to collect as much information at the scene as possible. It may help resolve any legal or minibus insurance issues that may follow.
About the writer: The Minibus Club is a specialist minibus insurance provider and has offered UK minibus insurance quotes since 1997. Visit their website for minibus driving advice and to receive a free online quote for minibus insurance or telephone 0845 609 0323.
These Is Why You Should Be Using Kenwood Car Audio System
There are many Kenwood car audio systems and they include car stereos car speakers car receivers Cd changers car subwoofers and so many other car accessories. You can go online to view the amplifiers as well as see other products. There are very many authorized stores that sell Kenwood car audio. However knowing these stores can prove to be very hard and some people are out to take money from unsuspecting customers. You should therefore take a step to make sure that the store you decide to buy from is firstly a legal entity and that it is authorized to sell Kenwood products. Kenwood car audio systems are made in very high quality and you can therefore trust their products to deliver the kind of quality you need.
Before purchasing any system have the kind of products you want on your fingertips. You can admire the many models in the market but do not go out of budget. Your focus will be knowing the features and functions of that particular system. Chances are that you will find something that will catch your eye. This might be a new addition to a system or a new product altogether. For the amplifiers you need to be keen on the compatibility do not get amplifiers that do not go with your system. If possible you should get systems from one brand to make sure that everything functions well together. This means that you should get Kenwood subwoofers for Kenwood stereo systems.
The subwoofers need to be just right for your car and you will get information on how to make the perfect enclosure boxes for your car. If you feel you need to get the manuals for making the boxes they are very much available. You can get them from online stores or you can get them from your local dealer or from where you bought your Kenwood car audio product. You will also find help if you do not know the right fit for a system in your car. Online stores usually have product advisors where you can ask all your questions and receive the answers. The staff in your local store will also play a major role in determining the kind of Kenwood car audio system you buy. If you find that some staff do not have the slightest idea of what they are talking about you are better off buying from a store with qualified staff.
Installation of Kenwood car audio is always a huge topic. This is because so much information is needed to achieve the success one wants. A good place to begin is finding manuals that you can refer to. If you prefer to watch there are so many DVDs that you can watch on particular installations. It is always advisable not to start the process if you know that you do not have enough knowledge on this. You can pay somebody to install the systems for you. Alternatively you can spare some time and teach yourself how to install. Unlike rocket science car audio installations are simple to grasp. Without any doubt you will find Kenwood systems that are affordable. You will find them by finding cheap and legal dealers and going for discounts and offers. You will have a non stop blend of good sound and music in your car to enjoy as you ride.
About the writer: Peter Gitundu is a web administrator For more information on Kenwood Car Audio System visit his site at Kenwood Car Audio SystemI Will Highly Appreciate Your Views On Kenwood Car Audio System On My Blog Here
