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| MGCarr Member Since: 18 Nov 2016 Location: Lancashire Posts: 59   
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James
I am reasonably confident that there is an easy answer to your question; because of the mounting height, there is NO way of making a light bar mounted above the windscreen legal to use on the public highway in the UK or indeed anywhere in the EU, sorry. It does not matter how many e-marks or how you switch them they are above the maximum height allowed for headlights/driving lights/spot lights etc and, in theory, they should be wired so that they cannot be illuminated when the engine is running. In practice, I do not use mine when driving on the road but they do illuminate whether the engine is running or not, if I was ever queried about this my answer would be something along the lines of " they are only ever used to illuminate the work site when recovering a vehicle, after dark, using my front mounted winch, Officer, but I need to be able to run the engine to provide sufficient power to the winch" |
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11th Mar 2017 12:11am |
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| MGCarr Member Since: 18 Nov 2016 Location: Lancashire Posts: 59
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James
Sorry, I omitted to answer the very last part of your question, Additional driving/spot lamps can be fitted in matching pairs as long as the following conditions are met:- 1) They must be e-marked and use the manufacturers original specification of bulb if fitted to a vehicle first used after April 1st 1986. 2) The highest part of the illuminated surface must not exceed 1200mm from the ground - That is what rules out roof mounted light bars, unless you have a very low slung Defender. 3) The lowest part of the illuminated surface must not be less than 500mm from the ground, lights lower than this are classed as fog lights and can only be used in conditions of fog, rain or falling snow. 4) They must either i) be fitted with dip and main beam lamps and be adjusted as headlights are and dip AUTOMATICALLY when the head lights are dipped. or ii) be fitted in a permenantly dipped position. (Why would you?) or iii) if fitted in a high beam position they must AUTOMATICALLY extinguish when the headlights are dipped or turned off. Note - the AUTOMATICALLY bit in paragraph 4 - i) and iii) sounds a bit fancy but in practice means that you need to wire them via relays from your headlights rather than from separate switches although you can have a switch to override them completely. It is also worth noting that where fitted, even as extras, they become MOT test items. Before some bright spark say that they have seen Council and Highways Agency gritters using driving lights fitted higher than these figures, there are specific exemptions for vehicles used for snow clearance but the high level lights should only be used when a snow plough is fitted. Hope this helps John |
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11th Mar 2017 12:55am |
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| LandRoverAnorak Member Since: 17 Jul 2011 Location: Surrey Posts: 11324
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The restrictions you've described only apply to obligatory dipped beam headlights. Optional main beam lights (spot lights, light bars, etc.) can be any height that you like as long as they are wired such that they go off with the main beam.
Schedule 5, Part 1 of the Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/1796/schedule/5/made Schedule 4, Part 1 is where the 1200mm figure comes from. Darren 110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak "You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia |
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11th Mar 2017 2:01am |
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| zsd-puma Member Since: 09 Aug 2016 Location: Kent Posts: 2720 
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Having just read the road Vehicle lighting regs I'm with Landroveranorak on this one, it pretty clearly states there is no restriction on optional main beam driving lights providing they go out with the main beam headlights.
So long as they point forwards they can go where ever you like. |
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11th Mar 2017 3:39am |
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| jimmyslr Member Since: 12 Feb 2017 Location: Farnham Posts: 4 
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Thanks gents. I will have a read. It doesn't sound clear cut. Howeve, given loads of folk have various forms of lights fitted and you don't hear stories of people being picked up for it then I assume in real life it's ok.
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11th Mar 2017 8:13am |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17390 
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The situation MGCarr descrbes is that which used to exist under traditional UK legislation, before it was harmonised with EU law. The situation prevailing now is that described by LRA.
One of the few useful changes that Europe has brought about. The downside is that morons can now drive about with front foglights on all the time. |
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11th Mar 2017 8:40am |
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| leeds Member Since: 28 Dec 2009 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 8581
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Jimmy, it is perfectly legal to have non road legal items fitted to a vehicle as long as they are NOT used on the public highway.
So the light bar fitted to our green 110 is not road legal as it is not E marked, not switched through the main beam switch. As long as I only use it off the public highway It is 100% legal. Using non legal lights on the road, yes you stand a good chance of getting away with it. However have a serious accident at night time, lights get mentioned, insurance assessor or police go over your vehicle with a fine tooth comb and you could well be in the sticky stuff. Vehicle Lighting Regulations or VLR are 30 years old and have not kept pace with changes in vehicle technology. The regulations covering equipment fitted to vehicles are the UNECE regulations Now these regulations are kept up to date with the various committees meeting on a regular basis and issuing amendments. These are highly detailed regulations and do cover such items as minimum and maximum light outputs, covers LED and laser headlights which were not known about when the VLR were drawn up Brendan |
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11th Mar 2017 9:28am |
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| zsd-puma Member Since: 09 Aug 2016 Location: Kent Posts: 2720
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Although not legally if they're fog lights. What it does do is make the definition of a fog light a little vague - but if theyre facory fitted and operated by a switch with a fog light symbol on them it makes it pretty clear cut. The problem arrises when people fit aftermarket "cruise lights". Even then it's still an offence to use lights in such a way as to dazzle other road users.
Not quite true, they were originally drafted 30 years ago, but have been ammended since, the last amendment i can see is in 2005. Among other things it legalised flashing lights on pedal cycles. http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2005/2559/contents/made |
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11th Mar 2017 2:31pm |
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| zsd-puma Member Since: 09 Aug 2016 Location: Kent Posts: 2720
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It's very clear cut, MGCarr has just misread the section on "optional dipped beam headlights", so long as your light bar is wired to the main beam, the dipped beam regs become irrellevant. |
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11th Mar 2017 2:33pm |
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| MGCarr Member Since: 18 Nov 2016 Location: Lancashire Posts: 59
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LandRoverAnorak
Thanks for the correction, obviously my information is somewhat out of date - it's probably an age thing  |
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11th Mar 2017 8:40pm |
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| custom90 Member Since: 21 Jan 2010 Location: South West, England. Posts: 20382
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Same here too. Many people over worry far too much. Obligatory lights however, are applicable to 'E' marking. Spotlights etc are additional non obligatory lighting similar to the reverse light in use and purpose. You can also have HID spots, but not HID headlights. $W33T $0U7H3RN $UG4R 🇬🇧🏴🏴🏴🇮🇪🇺🇸⛽️🛢️⚙️🧰💪 |
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11th Mar 2017 8:49pm |
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