Spot lights/light bar. Pulled by police

Colthebrummie said:

I still don't get it. I'm 61 and my night vision ain't what it was but I can still drive in the dark on unlit country roads with just my ordinary headlights. Why do folk need need football stadium lights to see where they are going? Also. I thought there were rules about how high and how far apart addition lights such as fog light needed to be, so how do light bars get around that.

Col

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No regulation on height. Only that they must automatically extinguish when dip beam is selected.

The only grey area I can see in the OP is you can't use lights to dazzle other road users.

With standard lights a quick flash is generally considered acceptable as a warning, a 3 second flash would probably be taken as an attempt to dazzle.

If your lights can burn a hole through cardboard at 10 paces then a 1/2 second flash could be as well.

Its up to the coppers opinion and they can give you a ticket which you can then challenge in court if you wish.

You'll probably just get a larger fine though.

Colthebrummie said:

I still don't get it. I'm 61 and my night vision ain't what it was but I can still drive in the dark on unlit country roads with just my ordinary headlights. Why do folk need need football stadium lights to see where they are going? Also. I thought there were rules about how high and how far apart addition lights such as fog light needed to be, so how do light bars get around that.

Col

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I use mine for all sorts of reasons, not just driving on the road in the dark. I shoot quite a bit, so I’m around old farm tracks that have zero light, I use them for lighting machinery when doing maintenance, not just on the farm. I don’t tend to green Lane at night, so can’t say I use them there. I also like to see further than the 30-40meters the standard lights can illuminate.

Mine are also switcheable from the cab, so I can turn them off when main beam is selected, but not on independently.

As for the regulations, as they are auxiliary driving lights, so long as they are symmetrical, extinguish with dip beam, I’m sure there is little else to govern them.

blue beasty said:

No regulation on height. Only that they must automatically extinguish when dip beam is selected.

The only grey area I can see in the OP is you can't use lights to dazzle other road users.

With standard lights a quick flash is generally considered acceptable as a warning, a 3 second flash would probably be taken as an attempt to dazzle.

If your lights can burn a hole through cardboard at 10 paces then a 1/2 second flash could be as well.

Its up to the coppers opinion and they can give you a ticket which you can then challenge in court if you wish.

You'll probably just get a larger fine though.

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It all depends on the “flash” that was given. A quick blip of the main beam is quite different to a sustained illumination. All we have is what was said in the OP.

I have been known to give a quick flash, as in on and off, to several road users who either don’t have lights on, or are on main beam. In thoses circumstances, I would argue the toss with the officer, because his/her opinion isn’t law. Most police vehicles have some form of video recording equipment, as do most police officers nowadays, so I would use there own video evidence of my “flash” as my defence.

Claiming these led light bars as auxilarly lights is an eggscuse to get round the rules on a technicality.

I dun't like it when they're fitted and wired to headlights. Tis wrong to add so much more light power to a raised beam like that. If peeps want to fit them they should do so with a switch independent of the headlights. That allows yer to power them independently. The rules may allow yer to link them in with head lights but that dunt mean yer have too. A high beam headlight flash is bright enough. Yer dun't need 3 foot of Chinese fire risk adding hundreds of watts to a high beam permanently. When yer want to use yer light bar switch it ont with a separate switch.

Light bars have become the "look at me" glitter fer c*cks. Corsa's with them fitted to add stance to lowered suspension. Take a flash oft someone with xenon's... Then think how much brighter led bars are.

edit: additional lights must switch oft when yer switch the high beam oft

Hippo said:

Claiming these led light bars as auxilarly lights is an eggscuse to get round the rules on a technicality.

I dun't like it when they're fitted and wired to headlights. Tis wrong to add so much more light power to a raised beam like that. If peeps want to fit them they should do so with a switch independent of the headlights. That allows yer to power them independently. The rules may allow yer to link them in with head lights but that dunt mean yer have too. A high beam headlight flash is bright enough. Yer dun't need 3 foot of Chinese fire risk adding hundreds of watts to a high beam permanently. When yer want to use yer light bar switch it ont with a separate switch.

Light bars have become the "look at me" glitter fer c*cks. Corsa's with them fitted to add stance to lowered suspension. Take a flash oft someone with xenon's... Then think how much brighter led bars are.

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So you haven't really got an opinion on this Mr @Hippo? I bought @bankz5152 old Light Force spots, now I'm terrified to apply power to em

doriz said:

So you haven't really got an opinion on this Mr @Hippo? I bought @bankz5152 old Light Force spots, now I'm terrified to apply power to em

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Power them via a separate switch and suitable fuse int correct position and yer be ok.

Blinding peeps with led light bars tis annoying. Eye dun't like it.

edit: additional lights must switch oft when the high beam switches oft

Hahaha they are really good and not overly blinding likd leds!

Those lights are merely bling and don't need wiring in, tbh it's a bit like the Drover in so far as its never been in anything other than a puddle during my ownership shoulda bough a Ippo

Hippo said:

Claiming these led light bars as auxilarly lights is an eggscuse to get round the rules on a technicality.

I dun't like it when they're fitted and wired to headlights. Tis wrong to add so much more light power to a raised beam like that. If peeps want to fit them they should do so with a switch independent of the headlights. That allows yer to power them independently. The rules may allow yer to link them in with head lights but that dunt mean yer have too. A high beam headlight flash is bright enough. Yer dun't need 3 foot of Chinese fire risk adding hundreds of watts to a high beam permanently. When yer want to use yer light bar switch it ont with a separate switch.

Light bars have become the "look at me" glitter fer c*cks. Corsa's with them fitted to add stance to lowered suspension. Take a flash oft someone with xenon's... Then think how much brighter led bars are.

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Not really an excuse or technicality. They quite clearly come under aux light regs.

I'm not a fan myself but opinions vary on what's practical or what looks good. Nothing make me cringe more than a Hippo with a light bar bodged onto the bonnet. That even makes those god awful badly moulded bonnet light pods look reasonable

I disliked being dazzled and one of my pet peeves is people who flash at night to say thank you on dark rural roads especially if they have HIDs and I wouldn't appreciate it from an led light bar either.

blue beasty said:

That even makes those god awful badly moulded bonnet light pods look reasonable

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Oh,No it doesn't.

^^^^ +1

I don’t have any street lighting on my roads, they’re rougher than a badger’s arse and there are dark ponies / cows waiting jump out at me around every bend. Having a light bar tastefully placed on the grille means that I can recklessly drive away excessive speed at night and at least identify the species of the animal before I hit it.

I had a switchable bank of spots on the roof of my Disco and found this hazardous because you have to flick to low beam and also reach for an independent switch to turn off the spots - often resulting in dazzling an oncoming driver or not paying attention to the road. Much better to have them linked to high beam if you require them for road driving.

It’s all very well saying that ‘we’ve alway gotten by in the past blah blah’ ... but then I always managed before the invention of the computer, mobile phone and butt plug; but use them all on a daily basis now - some things improve our lives, for me a light bar makes driving across the moors at night waaaaaay way way way way much safer.

Just sayin’

Dartmoor Navigator said:

I don’t have any street lighting on my roads, they’re rougher than a badger’s arse and there are dark ponies / cows waiting jump out at me around every bend. Having a light bar tastefully placed on the grille means that I can recklessly drive away excessive speed at night and at least identify the species of the animal before I hit it.

I had a switchable bank of spots on the roof of my Disco and found this hazardous because you have to flick to low beam and also reach for an independent switch to turn off the spots - often resulting in dazzling an oncoming driver or not paying attention to the road. Much better to have them linked to high beam if you require them for road driving.

It’s all very well saying that ‘we’ve alway gotten by in the past blah blah’ ... but then I always managed before the invention of the computer, mobile phone and butt plug; but use them all on a daily basis now - something improve our lives, for me a light bar make driving across the moors at night waaaaaay way way way way much safer.

Just sayin’

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That is exactly the point. Illegal lighting enables idiots to drive too fast at night, endangering other people, and animals.

I for one hope you get nicked.

I think, with the exception of the odd use for farm work etc, they appeal to younger drivers. When I was a teenager, I fitted multi pipe air horns to my escort. It did exactly the same job as the original horn but with a lot more drama. There is a young bloke near me whose disco wouldn't look out of place in a thunderbird 2 pod. It's kitted out for extreme off roading but I've never seen a speck of dirt on it. I might start offering packets of mud on eBay for such drivers for that authentic he-man look.

Col

I would not be without my bumper spot LEDs. Defender headlights are just awful and I dont really want LED headlights, so spots are the best option.

The roads i drive to and from work are pitch black, tight and overgrown in places and I can barely see with just the defender headlights.

Wired up to the main beam with an "off" switch.

@Colthebrummie

Mate, you’ve missed the marketing opportunity, you can already get spray on mud.

I take it you’m a bleddy townie.

Colthebrummie said:

I think, with the exception of the odd use for farm work etc, they appeal to younger drivers. When I was a teenager, I fitted multi pipe air horns to my escort. It did exactly the same job as the original horn but with a lot more drama. There is a young bloke near me whose disco wouldn't look out of place in a thunderbird 2 pod. It's kitted out for extreme off roading but I've never seen a speck of dirt on it. I might start offering packets of mud on eBay for such drivers for that authentic he-man look.

Col

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I'll take 2 bags please

In fact make it 3 an I'll treat @Hippo to a bag anorl

doriz said:

I'll take 2 bags please

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Dartmoor Navigator said:

@Colthebrummie

Mate, you’ve missed the marketing opportunity, you can already get spray on mud.

I take it you’m a bleddy townie.

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Blast! I was a towney but I live small rural Berkshire place now. We do have street light though, led ones.

Col