# Black Motorcycle visors. Are they legal in the Republic of Ireland?



## askalot (21 Apr 2006)

I know that in the UK tinted motorbike visors are allowed but black visors are banned. Does anyone know the law as it applies here in Ireland?


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## vladamir (22 Apr 2006)

*Re: Black visors. Are they legal?*

sorry, cant answer the question.

can say, however, that i drove a motorbike for the last seven years with a 'black' visor - actually a tinted visor. i was stopped at checkpoints and on numerous other occasions by gardai and never once was the visor issue raised - so whether or not its legal - its not on the gardai's radar - i would regard a tinted visor as a requirement in summer time.

as an aside- garda motorcyclists wear their standard arai lids (cheap ones!) with sun glasses underneath - really really really really bad practice - if you have even a minor spill its quite possible that you'll do serious damage to your eyes - i.e. sun glasses driven through the ould eye balls - really stupid thing to do - no doubt that the poor gards are doing their best with their shoddy equipment improvising and buying the sun glasses so they can see during the summer - but its nonsense. impossible to drive a bike in the summer months without a proper visor.


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## tiger (22 Apr 2006)

*Re: Black visors. Are they legal?*



			
				vladamir said:
			
		

> as an aside- garda motorcyclists wear their standard arai lids (cheap ones!) with sun glasses underneath - really really really really bad practice - if you have even a minor spill its quite possible that you'll do serious damage to your eyes



I think the "cheap" arai lids are still considered very good helmets.  It's a bit unfair to suggest the boys in blue are being provided with inferior equipment.

Bit concerned about about the sun glasses statement, what about people who wear normal glasses? (like me!)


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## SOM42 (23 Apr 2006)

*Re: Black visors. Are they legal?*

The glasses worn by motorcycle gardai are actually shatterproof goggles which are specifically designed for the job..It would be impractical for gardai to have tinted visors as their vision would be reduced drastically at night..As to the original question AFAIK there is no prohibition on wearing dark or tinted visors.


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## vladamir (23 Apr 2006)

i'd say the 'cheap' arai lids are probably still great - fair point - unfair remark by me (that said i wouldn't wear one - i payed the extra money myself and bought a top of the range one - and i'm not loaded or anything - just made a decision that i'd buy the best helmet i could afford).

as for the shatter proof goggles, hmmmm - i've actually been stopped at traffic lights beside garda motorcyclists and would clearly see that they were wearing standard type sun glasses in summer.

granted, it would be impractical to drive at night with a tinted visor - hence they take about 5 seconds to change and gardai have panniers on their bikes - surely they could carry around a spare visor if they wanted? or at least be given the option, should they chose to do so?

plus, i dont think that many garda bikes are around at night time anyway are they? 

as for wearing normal glasses, sorry dont know!! as the other person said though - there's probably shatter proof type things available.


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