"Tinted windshield need to go..." 'James "Kimo" Rosen'

"Tinted windows on motor vehicles most go before more people are killed and injured..."This blog also appeared as an  opinion article in today's (04-12-12) Kaua'i Garden Island News,"Tinted windows."

http://thegardenisland.com/news/opinion/mailbag/letters-for-thursday-april/article_0c1cfdae-8478-11e1-9424-0019bb2963f4.html

 Motor vehicles are a major obstacle to pedestrians and bicyclists on Kaua'i. There's minimum shoulder and sidewalk area's where bicyclists and pedestrians can feel safe, therefore it is most important to maintain eye contact with drivers, especially crossing intersections with no signals or crosswalks.

Most cars and pick-up trucks on Kaua'i  these days have tinted windows and are running AC, with all windows rolled up, making it impossible to establish eye contact for a right of way from a bicyclists or pedestrians vantage point.

The reason many have tinted windshields is so law enforcement cannot see them texting, talking on cell phones, no seat-belts, or at times  smoking pot and alcohol consumption while driving.

Those with tinted windows as a common courtesy should at least drive with windows open in populated bicycle and pedestrian areas.

Tinted windshields are as much a problem as any other traffic violation. It's imperative that law enforcement start ticketing for windshields that are to dark to see the driver, otherwise we are sure to see future injury and deaths.