Lights

[I_M_Weasel]

Are green headlights legal?

 

[ubersonic]

Are green headlights legal?

no, yellow or white only

 

[I_M_Weasel]

Saw a car with very bright green ones last night and did think that you just must be asking for a cop car to pull you and give you the points and fine, not as if you can say you accidentally did it.

 

[mjt]

I was told that it is actually LEGAL to drive in an area that is lit by permanent street lighting (and this is the bit I am unsure on) either with no lights on or just sidelights just cant remember which it was now.

In the UK you can drive around in built-up areas with only your sighlights on. Or at least you used to be able to.

Everywhere else in Europe it's either dipped beam or nothing.
Some places it's mandatory to have your headlights on during the winter, and others all year round.

I'm all for the new EU regs as I think it's a good thing, but why can't they just wire up the headlights to turn on with the ignition rather than using these stupidily bright LEDs on the new Audis, Citroens, Volvos and the like?

 

[AJK]

The legal requirements (selected rules from the Highway Code):
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_070302

113
You MUST
ensure all sidelights and rear registration plate lights are lit between sunset and sunrise
use headlights at night, except on a road which has lit street lighting. These roads are generally restricted to a speed limit of 30 mph (48 km/h) unless otherwise specified
use headlights when visibility is seriously reduced (see Rule 226)

(Night (the hours of darkness) is defined as the period between half an hour after sunset and half an hour before sunrise).

114
You MUST NOT
use any lights in a way which would dazzle or cause discomfort to other road users, including pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders
use front or rear fog lights unless visibility is seriously reduced. You MUST switch them off when visibility improves to avoid dazzling other road users (see Rule 226)
In stationary queues of traffic, drivers should apply the parking brake and, once the following traffic has stopped, take their foot off the footbrake to deactivate the vehicle brake lights. This will minimise glare to road users behind until the traffic moves again.

115
You should also
use dipped headlights, or dim-dip if fitted, at night in built-up areas and in dull daytime weather, to ensure that you can be seen
keep your headlights dipped when overtaking until you are level with the other vehicle and then change to main beam if necessary, unless this would dazzle oncoming road users
slow down, and if necessary stop, if you are dazzled by oncoming headlights

116
Hazard warning lights. These may be used when your vehicle is stationary, to warn that it is temporarily obstructing traffic. Never use them as an excuse for dangerous or illegal parking. You MUST NOT use hazard warning lights while driving or being towed unless you are on a motorway or unrestricted dual carriageway and you need to warn drivers behind you of a hazard or obstruction ahead. Only use them for long enough to ensure that your warning has been observed.

226
You MUST use headlights when visibility is seriously reduced, generally when you cannot see for more than 100 metres (328 feet). You may also use front or rear fog lights but you MUST switch them off when visibility improves (see Rule 236).

236
You MUST NOT use front or rear fog lights unless visibility is seriously reduced (see Rule 226) as they dazzle other road users and can obscure your brake lights. You MUST switch them off when visibility improves.

 

[Westyfield2]

The legal requirements (selected rules from the Highway Code)

<Insert obligatory comment about the Highway Code being advice whereas the Road Traffic Act is law>

 

[ubersonic]

<Insert obligatory comment about the Highway Code being advice whereas the Road Traffic Act is law>

*Ahem*

Many of the rules in the Code are legal requirements, and if you disobey these rules you are committing a criminal offence. You may be fined, given penalty points on your licence or be disqualified from driving. In the most serious cases you may be sent to prison. Such rules are identified by the use of the words ‘MUST/MUST NOT’.

Sorry to burst your bubble

 

[Scania]

a lot of modern cars & trucks illuminate the dashboard regardless if the headlights are on or not, giving the impression to the driver that the lights are actually on.

The fact its dark outside the vehicle & they can't see sod all seems to pass them by.....

My theory anyway.

 

[mjt]

a lot of modern cars & trucks illuminate the dashboard regardless if the headlights are on or not, giving the impression to the driver that the lights are actually on.

The fact its dark outside the vehicle & they can't see sod all seems to pass them by.....

My theory anyway.

If you're in a very well lit built-up area then sometimes it's not that easy to notice.
I've done it a few times in the V50 as the dash lights up.

Managed to do a 20 minute journey through towns and on the motorway last week on my sidelights and fogs Felt like a proper **** when I realised my sidelights were on. Not quite sure why I turned on the fogs though :/

 

[Westyfield2]

*Ahem*



Sorry to burst your bubble

I know that some of the Highway Code is based on law, hence the smiley .

It's just that people treating the whole of the highway code as gospel annoys me, lots of it is simply recommendations.

I guess it's the RVLR that's the legal bit regarding lights.

 

[LukeTW]

People that drive with there fogs on and it isn't foggy is so annoying

If it isn't foggy don't use them

 

[Scania]

I've done it a few times in the V50 as the dash lights up.

I do it all the time myself in my Scania, I assume the lights are on even though when I actually turn on my headlamp, I have my dashboard set to go quite dim - suits the driver.

 

[paradigm]

Try going to Egypt, all the nutters drive round there with their lights off, at mach-10, whilst slaloming camels.

 

[The Edge]

I normally drive a Volvo. On the occasions i drive the C3 I always forget to turn the lights on and always find myself being flashed by people.

In the C3 you can see all the instruments perfectly in the dark, and unless you need to adjust the climate control there is no in-car differance between lights and no lights. Obviously in the Volvo i have the running lights (Dipped beam on the S60) on automatically and therefore don't have to do anything.

Whether people get irate I don't know. I always say thank you with a quick flash of the indicators, this will always be a problem for me with my particular car situation.

 

[DiG]

Thing that got me was that it was foggy a couple of days back, enough to warrant rear fogs on the unlit dual carriageway. First time I've turned the fogs on in this car, and you can only have front fogs only, or front and rear fogs! Annoying as front fogs where not appropriate, but I had to have them on grr