Since it no longer seems to be required to have two functioning headlights in Britain, which one do I need? It also seems that I can disconnect one parking light and both brakelights to leave just the center one - with at least one part not functioning. Is this how drivers get better mileage, or is it something I'm not understanding? I was 'done' in Germany some years ago for not having working back-up lights - even though they're not exactly essential. <br>Does it not matter now whether lights work or not - or can I just drive around at night with nothing more than blue washer jets, or even just one?
Well we're safe for now. Thank goodness we're in a bowling alley.
Best thing this time of year is to let your lights get a liberal coating of muck and salt, leave to dry to an opaque finish over night. Then drive crouched over the steering wheel as if you cannot see anything !
Taking the side and dipped beam bulbs out of one side will also make people think you're a motorbike. And if you realy want to confuse people, put your remaining main beam on full and have one side light and one main beam.
Just to make sure, keep your rear fog-lights on permanently this time of year. Even during the day
Was behind an Escort on way home yesterday which was indicating right. Both rear lights were flashing, his reverse lights flashed on and off as did his left indicator. But not his right one.
Originally posted by Roma: You only need the small blue LED lights on your windscreen washer jets. Mwahahahahahaha....
Be careful, because I've read reports on honestjohn.co.uk that use of neon lights can prevent the ebay resistors working effectively - instead of the acclaimed +25HP gain, you can end up with a blown ECU and -150HP.
not sure if this is just a joke post or not. but to answer with correct facts if you are driving in daylight you do not need any lights. that includes brakelights/indicators/hazzards/side lights etc. to be allowed to do this both headlights and rear position lights must be disconnected or masked with tape/paint. you are not allowed to drive like this at night/sevearly reduced visibility.
....... There's got to be a hundred reasons why i should listen to diesel owners, but right now, i can't think of any.
Originally posted by Roma: You only need the small blue LED lights on your windscreen washer jets. Mwahahahahahaha....
Be careful, because I've read reports on honestjohn.co.uk that use of neon lights can prevent the ebay resistors working effectively - instead of the acclaimed +25HP gain, you can end up with a blown ECU and -150HP.
the lights you need depend entirely on how old your car/bike is.
seriously...the first London buses I drove were kitted to 1948 standards..and this was 1972!
ie, one dip beam headlight, near side only....two full beams... one brake light, must be central or on offside.. wipers optional on windscreen if it can be opened...which they could...
my 1939 Morgan needs but one rear red light...but...I prefer to have the usual quota!
incidentally...with reversing lights, whilst no a legal requirement to have them fitted, if they are, they must work....thats what the Eu works to, anyways.
to remain legal..if a brake light goes...make sure you have at least the offside brake light working....
legally, its all a 'failure to maintain'..so you wont necessarily get done for a blown bulb...unless you get seen twice in one day?
you can have any car new or old. say you had a 2006 renault clio you can be legal having no lights connected at all. when it comes to the MOT you ask for it to be tested as daylight use only, this is then noted by the tester and he gives a Certificate pass. but if you do have front or rear position lights in use, and if you have any of the bulbs gone on any of the various types of light fitted on the car, you are not road legal. apart from reverse light which is not an MOT requirement. i needed to read the MOT manual for seeing what i can do to my fun/track car and keep it road legal.
....... There's got to be a hundred reasons why i should listen to diesel owners, but right now, i can't think of any.
Originally posted by beach: not sure if this is just a joke post or not. but to answer with correct facts if you are driving in daylight you do not need any lights. that includes brakelights/indicators/hazzards/side lights etc. to be allowed to do this both headlights and rear position lights must be disconnected or masked with tape/paint. you are not allowed to drive like this at night/sevearly reduced visibility.
No, it wasn't a joke, just my usual sarcasm. I reckon that as many as one in twenty cars has a blown headlight bulb these days - at least round here. Combined with the very bright or badly aligned lights of other vehicles it makes driving at night even more unpleasant than it already was. It all goes to show what happens when you don't enforce the law.
Well we're safe for now. Thank goodness we're in a bowling alley.
I got pulled over by a local plod a few years ago because one of the rear driving lights in the Punto I was using had gone. As well as the usual documents check, they made me take the car to an MOT testing station to confirm it had been fixed - which, it turned out, was only a slightly loose connection. Somewhat annoying, given how hard it was to get to the rear bulbs on a MkI Punto!
Strangely enough, they cars I most often see with duff lights these days are police cars. Wonder if I can force them to go to an MOT station??
apart from reverse light which is not an MOT requirement.
sure its not under 'if fitted, must work? altho' not an MoT requirement?
a bit like ABS on older cars? not a legal requirement...yet, if fitted, must work?
even if fitted it doesnt have to work as its not tested. other optional lights such as middle rear brake light or front fog lights are tested if fitted/connected , reverse light is an exception.
....... There's got to be a hundred reasons why i should listen to diesel owners, but right now, i can't think of any.
Up these parts the rule seems to be that as long as your front fogs are working and switched on day or night, rain or shine, you don't need any other lights or more than a single brain cell.
Originally posted by Wilko: "Best thing this time of year is to let your lights get a liberal coating of muck and salt, leave to dry to an opaque finish over night"
Do forget the number plate also needs to be covered in the same amount of muck as well. The lights for the plate should also be disfunctional as well.
This especially applies to MK4 Golfs for some reason.
even if fitted it doesnt have to work as its not tested. other optional lights such as middle rear brake light or front fog lights are tested if fitted/connected , reverse light is an exception
there is a difference in what I was saying, and what you have pointed out.
reversing lights aren't checked for Mot...mine haven't worked for at least 3 years.....
what I am referring to is the law...with regards to equipment on a vehicle....which includes items like, ABS, speedo, etc. and reversing lights.
if its not needed for MOT then you dont need it by law for driving on the road. having abs/reverse lights/speedo fitted but not working is still a roadworthy and legal car.
....... There's got to be a hundred reasons why i should listen to diesel owners, but right now, i can't think of any.
Originally posted by beach: if its not needed for MOT then you dont need it by law for driving on the road. having abs/reverse lights/speedo fitted but not working is still a roadworthy and legal car.
that's not totally correct.
by law every motor vehicle ( with the odd exception) is required to have a working speedo, correctly marked for miles per hour...and calibrated to an accuracy of between + or - 10% at any speed, unless its a tachograph, when the accuracy has to be + or- 2%..
if a vehicle is fitted with ABS, regardless of whether this is required by law due to the vehicle's age, then it MUST work.
etc etc...
this is all in the Road Traffic Acts, construction and Use regulations, amongst others.
an MoT tests the 'roadworthiness' of a vehicle, not whether it complies with construction and use regs.
although the two go hand -in-glove.
the responsibility for ensuring the vehicle complies with ALL relevant legislation rests with the driver.
For example, an MoT tester doesn't check that your lights conform to the required angles of vision, for example.
Mwahahahahahaha....
