wondering about people with suv's, wagons, anything with storage space exposed to the window. did you tint the windows as a precaution to the opportunistic passerby?
Before I moved to south Texas, I would have [said] no. The potential for theft was not high enough to warrant tinting my windows in northern Minnesota. I'm still not sure that I would in south Texas just to prevent theft... but it's basically a necessity down here to cut down on the summer heat. Now, I must admit, there is an added peace of mind knowing people can't see what is in the back of my Outback.
I have a small suv and tinted every window except the windshield. Actually in California it's illegal to tint the front driver and passenger windows as well, but I went with a slightly less dark tint on those. The other windows are pretty close to blacked out. It serves two purposes here in LA... keeps the car a lot cooler in the summer and makes everything inside invisible.
My Explorer has one of those covers that pulls across the trunk area, which makes me feel a bit more secure with the gear in my car, but I usually don't leave much in my car to begin with. I'm way more worried about people on the streets trying to snatch my camera out of my hands or steal my bag if I set it down more than 5 feet away from me.
I think tint is a must on ANY car, regardless of what is inside. Maybe it's because I live in AZ, but whenever I see a car without tint I immediately think of a fish bowl.
I used to tint my windows, but I got tired of getting pulled over. NYC used to be pretty bad about this. I don't know what it's like now because I just go with whatever the factory factory tint is. I recently picked up a Mini Cooper and my entire wedding kit fits in the tiny space behind the back seats (I don't carry much). It also has the little shelf thingy so nothing can be seen from the outside. Works for me...
MN_Migrant wrote:
Before I moved to south Texas, I would have [said] no. The potential for theft was not high enough to warrant tinting my windows in northern Minnesota. I'm still not sure that I would in south Texas just to prevent theft... but it's basically a necessity down here to cut down on the summer heat. Now, I must admit, there is an added peace of mind knowing people can't see what is in the back of my Outback.
Total agreement.. but I also had windows tinted in Missouri.. No need to tempt the honest passerby..
just sharing since this topic about car and camera.
if you guys going for holiday or for oversea job, especially in Malaysia. please be careful with your belonging.
if you driving alone and you need to put ur handbag,camerabag,briefcase at the passenger seat,
place it on the floor and set the seat to the most forward. so it will prevent this from happening.
WOW, that video is crazy! Imagine that happening to you-would be scary. Whatever tool the thieve(s) used to break that window so easy I think they use them in Boston to steal GPS units. Has happened to me twice Sucks, but luckily they only got $100 GPS units and not my very expensive gear. It's good to make sure your insurance coverage is international as well if you'll be shooting overseas. I have Hill & Usher's Package Choice for Photographers and they're great.
Couple of years back during the Christmas season I saw something similar unfold in our work parking lot. It was quite impressive, the car parked next to a suv and the guy came out and opened his hood like he was having car poblems then bam, he broke the suv window and took the ladys purse which he had spotted. Then he drove away. It was smooth fast and I didn't get the license plate by the time I realized what he had done.
Back to tinting, in Arizona we tint everything, I mean everything.
Bostongreg, they used a cracked piece of ceramic from a spark plug. Very hard and very sharp, which translates to a relatively large amount of force per unit area being applied to the window.
Sucks, but luckily they only got $100 GPS units and not my very expensive gear. It's good to make sure your insurance coverage is international as well if you'll be shooting overseas. I have Hill & Usher's Package Choice for Photographers and they're great.