Illegal indicators

Alex · Post by **Alex** » Tue Oct 10, 06 9:42 pm

Matt, I thought you could have orange lamps facing forwards (i.e. front park lamps) as long as the primary lamps are white, for instance if he has his headlamps on as well as the orange lamps that was OK?

Mick70RR · Post by **Mick70RR** » Tue Oct 10, 06 9:57 pm

I don't use my indicators when the police are around.

Post by **MattH** » Tue Oct 10, 06 9:58 pm

I will double check tomorrow, but my current understanding is white only. Side marker lights can be orange(new Volvos have them).

latil · Post by **latil** » Tue Oct 10, 06 10:00 pm

My VOSA mate said noo to orange sidelights,they must be white.So into the headlights they went

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Wed Oct 11, 06 6:53 am

That's what I thought. And I think they even flash brighter for indicators, as per original spec for our cars?

My dad reckons front sidelights can be white or amber, but he is probably working from 40-year old information...

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Thu Oct 12, 06 7:41 pm

IVE JUST HAD MY 65 NEWPORT (9/4/65) MOT DONE AND THE MOT MECANIC DIDN'T KNOW WHETHER I HAD TO CHANGE THE COLOR OF THE LENSES... AND A PAL WHO IS IN THE TRAFFFFIC PLOD SAID MOST POLICE WOUDENT BOTHER TO PULL ME IF THEY DID ITS ONLY TO LOOK AT THE CAR !!!! IF IT PASSED A MOT IT MUST BE GOOD..

Rogue Trooper · Post by **Rogue Trooper** » Thu Oct 12, 06 8:30 pm

What a game eh

This is something i`ll be doing aswell before my next MOT,

latil · Post by **latil** » Thu Oct 12, 06 9:00 pm

Bear in mind that reverse lights are not mot able or a legal requirement then they are the place for amber bulbs.On the front use the headlights with the clear area in the reflector and move the sidelight to there using the converter kit from MossEurope(A standard headlight connector with attached bulb holder) Total cost for me was around £10,how much does it cost to fail the mot these days? £45 most places

latil · Post by **latil** » Thu Oct 12, 06 9:07 pm

Not too hard this wiring lark,made a new loom for my L/R amongst others.

Post by **MattH** » Thu Oct 12, 06 9:30 pm

Here we go then!
I looked long and hard at this today, in a very big heavy dusty book at work.
I originally thought the orange lamps would class as position lamps therefore must be white BUT there is also in the lighting regs the following :-

'Running Lamp' A lamp (not being a front position lamp, an end outline marker lamp, headlamp or front fog lamp) used to make the presence of a moving motor vehicle readily visible from the front.

No running lamp is obligatory at all that I can find, and there are specs for obligatory running lamps such as they must be a pair and have a particular output.

For OPTIONAL running lamps and I quote " There is no requirement relating to an optional dim-dip device (dont worry about that, Volvo stuff) or an optional running lamp."

Now reading this , it reads to me that provided you have a pair of front position lamps in white (sidelights in the headlamps) then you can have as many optional running lamps as you like on the front and there are no requirements for them at all. Meaning that orange, green, or even (dare I say it) blue running lamps are legal. So trucks lit up like Christmas trees are OK etc.

This is all found in the Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations , schedule 3 Part I and Part II, and regulation 18.

So in summary, Alex, you're right, provided there is a pair of white sidelights, you can keep the orange running lamps, and I cant find anything that says they can't be part of the indicator.

Monaco - your Dad is right, 40 years on or not !

And also as I have proved to myself, not every police officer knows the law inside out, even Traffic Officers.

Hope that helps muddy the waters a bit more!