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Police Interest in LED Sidelights





Hi Guys

I have recently replace my sidelight bulbs with some of those white Prism LED bulbs. On the way to work this morning a police car past me the opposite direction, and I saw the driver look twice at the bulbs and look back at me.

Has anyone else had any problems with the law regarding these, or any other mod?
 
  Skoda Fabia vRS


ive never had a problem but i dont use em anymore

use PIAA sidelights instead, none LED normal bulb style
 
  Suzuki SV650


Ive got some prism sidelight bulbs on my 172, never had any bother or anyone look at me funny, Ive had people obviously notice that I had modded or changed my sidelights for white prism ones that look blue, and at night sometimes I get the odd arsewipe wanting a race or something.

I think I will get some PIAA ones like Brun suggests, if they are pure white rather than white-ones-that-look-more-blue it might help.
 
  Volvo S60 T5


NO bother with mine had them in for nearly a year now, to be honest Im rather suprised as the blue ones are rather blue indeed!

[Edited by Mike172sport on 26 April 2005 at 5:22pm]

Ile get stopped tonight now I said that!!:confused:
 
  RB 182


Quote: Originally posted by BRUN on 26 April 2005


ive never had a problem but i dont use em anymore

use PIAA sidelights instead, none LED normal bulb style
Have you got a link to these?

Gave my LED ones away.
 
  ST


Quote: Originally posted by benclelland on 26 April 2005


Quote: Originally posted by BRUN on 26 April 2005


ive never had a problem but i dont use em anymore

use PIAA sidelights instead, none LED normal bulb style
Have you got a link to these?

Gave my LED ones away.





Yeah id like some info on these too.....
 
  2008 Golf GTI Edition 30


I run a set of Mikes blue ones and Ive never had a problem, even with my 3/4 size front plate.

Ive followed numerous cop cars and nothing so far........
 

® Andy

ClioSport Club Member
  Illiad V6 255


Quote: Originally posted by Mike172sport on 26 April 2005

as the blue ones are rather blue indeed!
Mike ... yours are so blue that they probably think that youre on the force ;)
 
  BMW 320d Sport


Quote: Originally posted by 172 Exclusive on 27 April 2005

You can display any colour of light on the front of your vehicle as long as it is not RED..
Really? I was certain that blue sidelights were a big no no. Very cool, but totally illegal.

Ive had PIAA blue LED sidelights for quite a while and they are most definitely very blue. No way you can mistake them. The white ones are quality though, really proper white.
 


was pretty sure you couldnt display any blue as it could be mistaken for a cop car? have blue ones on mine and havnt had any bother from police as of yet. been pulled once and they never even mentioned them or the 3/4 size number plate!
 


Correct, Blue sidelights are not allowed as they are part of the MOT and as such they must be white.. As are headlights..

But you can display Blue on any other part of the vehicle (not the rear) as long as they do not flash.. ie like a cop car..

You can ONLY display Red on the rear.. and No other colour

Mind you the police may give you grief, but they have no power to force you to remove them..
 
  Skoda Fabia vRS


Quote: Originally posted by 16vClio on 26 April 2005


Quote: Originally posted by BRUN on 26 April 2005


http://www.piaa.co.uk/bulbs/bulbshow.asp?ID=swhitehttp://www.piaa.co.uk/bulbs/bulbshow.asp?ID=swhite

i use those, part number H151
Are they bright mate? What sort of colour are they? The ones i have in at the moment are the philips blue visions ones and they still give a yellow glow?
yup, they are bright, they are pretty white, not your normal yellow bulb, a lot better then your blue vision side lights etc
 


lol.

you can be summosed to court for having blue lights..

there is no case law as yet, and a test case is needed, as a constant blue led doesnt quite fit the definition of a lamp/ warning beacon...

standby whilst i link u to my old post :) which covers neons also:

rear reflectors

number required on rear of motor vehicle: 2.

colour required: red

must be vertical and facing squarely to the rear

requires approval mark of britich standards.

optional reflectors...: any number may be addedproviding they are red and not triangular.

rear lamps:

must be red and visable froma distance.

stop lamps:

number =2 colour = red. 15-36watts

rear fog:

number = 1 colour = red must have approval mark.

indicators must be amber

A LAMP SHALL NOT BE TREATED AS A LAMP IF:

PAINTED OVER AS NOT CAPABLE OF IMMEDIATE USE OR OF READILY BEING PUT TO USE,

NO WIRING SYSTEM TO ELECTRICAL SOURCE.

NEONS

ITS AN OFFENCE TO USE CAUSE OR PERMIT USE ON A ROAD A VEHICLE READILY AVAILIABLE TO SHOW A RED LIGHT TO THE FRONT.

IT IS AN OFFENCE TO USE CAUSE OR PERMIT USE ON A ROAD A VEHICLE READILY CAPABLE TO SHOW A LIGHT OTHER THAN RED TO THE REAR.

IT IS AN OFFENCE TO DISPLAY A FLASHING LIGHT.

SIDE MARKER LAMPS

ANY NUMBER CAN BE ADDED, BUT THEY MUST COMPLY WITH REGULATION COLOURING (AMBER) MUST BE ON SIDE OF VEHICLE)





the bulbs/leds must be emarked for legal road useage.
 
  ST


Quote: Originally posted by BRUN on 28 April 2005


Quote: Originally posted by 16vClio on 26 April 2005


Quote: Originally posted by BRUN on 26 April 2005


http://www.piaa.co.uk/bulbs/bulbshow.asp?ID=swhitehttp://www.piaa.co.uk/bulbs/bulbshow.asp?ID=swhite

i use those, part number H151
Are they bright mate? What sort of colour are they? The ones i have in at the moment are the philips blue visions ones and they still give a yellow glow?
yup, they are bright, they are pretty white, not your normal yellow bulb, a lot better then your blue vision side lights etc



Cool cool, where can i buy them matey?
 
  BMW e46 320 Ci Sport


seriously the blue ones i have off mike are stupidly blue! but i love them!

i think when the main lights r on theyre even better as u can see them but they make no light on the ground at all so the main beams just look white with blue centres!
 


I love the PIAA LED Blue/Blue ones I have, and frankly they are ridiculously bright blue- And the cops do look , but as they cant order them to be taken out, theres no issue, no one will bother taking you to court over a funky set of sidelights as the only offences that exist under the Road Traffic Act do not cover, nor mention LEDs or any blue (nonflashing) light to the front.

Incidentally, they set off the 100w "Offroad use only" Sportzblue eyeburners a treat. Now all I need is a set of 130w H1 fogs or similar & Im sorted with absolute blind-causing lighting at the front. At least I can see where Im going!
 
  ST


Quote: Originally posted by Dootchy on 28 April 2005


I love the PIAA LED Blue/Blue ones I have, and frankly they are ridiculously bright blue- And the cops do look , but as they cant order them to be taken out, theres no issue, no one will bother taking you to court over a funky set of sidelights as the only offences that exist under the Road Traffic Act do not cover, nor mention LEDs or any blue (nonflashing) light to the front.

Incidentally, they set off the 100w "Offroad use only" Sportzblue eyeburners a treat. Now all I need is a set of 130w H1 fogs or similar & Im sorted with absolute blind-causing lighting at the front. At least I can see where Im going!





Where can you get these ultra bright bulbs your talking about mate?

Cheers, Al.
 
  Polo + Micra


Quote: Originally posted by gunnergibson on 28 April 2005
lol.you can be summosed to court for having blue lights..there is no case law as yet, and a test case is needed, as a constant blue led doesnt quite fit the definition of a lamp/ warning beacon...standby whilst i link u to my old post :) which covers neons also:

stop lamps:

number =2 colour = red. 15-36watts



so does this include led rear lights? cos they probably only use 5-7 watts:D
 


Al- the H7 headlights you can get via A1- my bro works for them & gets them half price, handy as i have to admit they do seem to blow a bit more often Ive had 2 sets in 20,000mls- The LED sidelights I think someone has beaten me to it & added a link- I got mine direct from PIAA. They make Blue/White, Blue/Blue, White/White, and I think poss even better ones now. They look the bollox at night with no headlights!!

You can get the sportzblue offroaders in H3(?) poss H1, for the main torches too, so dipped or full beam = blindness for others. Topper!!
 
  ST


Quote: Originally posted by Dootchy on 28 April 2005


Al- the H7 headlights you can get via A1- my bro works for them & gets them half price, handy as i have to admit they do seem to blow a bit more often Ive had 2 sets in 20,000mls- The LED sidelights I think someone has beaten me to it & added a link- I got mine direct from PIAA. They make Blue/White, Blue/Blue, White/White, and I think poss even better ones now. They look the bollox at night with no headlights!!

You can get the sportzblue offroaders in H3(?) poss H1, for the main torches too, so dipped or full beam = blindness for others. Topper!!





Can i ask why your so intersted in blinding other drivers mate it seems a bit silly/childish to me. A mate of mine was nearly killed when someone came round a blind corner with a set of rally spec/off road bulbs on full beam which dazzled him causing him to swerve resulting in his passanger side wheels edging onto the grass/soft ground at the side of the road causing him to skid but luckily for him the tarmac was dry otherwise he couldve been seriously hurt!
 
  FF 182, K5 GSX-R1000


For all above who think that you wont be taken to court over a pair of blue bulbs check out case number 4349521 @ woodspring magistrates court way back in 1998 ;)
 

Ali

  V6, Trackhawk, GTS


I lasted all of a wk with led bulbs before plod told me to take them off! lol!
 
  ST


Quote: Originally posted by AJRMOTORSPORT on 02 May 2005

I lasted all of a wk with led bulbs before plod told me to take them off! lol!
Yup i got pulled n told to take em out too!
 

Da

  Less


never had any probs with mine, although theyre the white ones not those blue ones which I think are more obvious.
 
  FF 182, K5 GSX-R1000


Quote: Originally posted by Dansta on 02 May 2005

speaking from experience Paul? ;)
seem to have pulled that case number out quickly... lol
Oh yes, back when i was a student so £30 fine lol, prob cost a lot more to bring the case but they did!
 


ive got a set of the piaa blue/white LED sidelights, ie one white led and one blue led that make up the bulb, they are very blue at night lol tested them lastnite drove passed an oncoming police van (so no way could they have NOT noticed) and they did nothing

later on that night on the same drive, I went passed a parked up police van and again nothing from them, so either they are not bothered or they have more important matters to attend to than a set of bulbs

i think mine are blue enough, imagine the blue/blue ones are just ridiculous lol!!
 


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