Rear Reflector ?????

[Bludger]

Just been reading this thread:

The Beast

Nice car by the way - not sure about the blue on the wheels though.

I wanted to ask about the Clear Rear Lights and the need for a rear reflector.

You'll have to excuse my ignorance, as I'm Australian, and we never had to have fog lights, etc. on our cars.

What is the rear reflector, and why would I need one with the clear rear lights? Is the reflector wired up as a functioning light, or is it just a red disc that reflects another cars headlight when the car is parked?

The laws over here seem a bit strange to say the least.

While on the topic of lights and laws, I have another question.

I have some blue LEDs which I will be putting on the front grille, but I also fancied putting 2 on the front of each wing mirror as shown in the very amateurish picture below.

Is there any restriction on where lights can be positioned? i.e high level, width, etc.

I'll post some pic's when its all finished and I've washed the grease deposits off!!

[NFC]

Hi,

you need this: Lighting Regs

Scroll down to the SCHEDULES section, number 18 relates to reflectors.

[da SLUG man]

it's a reflector that reflects other car lights... usually just part of the cluster


i can't understand it really... my escort and mondeo (UK cars) don't have reflectors at all... so don't know where the rule is if manufacturers don't add them!

[Morr]

Reflectors are normally built into the cluster, sometimes not very evident as the same housing or lens that focuses the rear light, can also act as a reflector.

[Morr]

....I have some blue LEDs which I will be putting on the front grille, but I also fancied putting 2 on the front of each wing mirror as shown in the very amateurish picture below.

Is there any restriction on where lights can be positioned? i.e high level, width, etc.

I'll post some pic's when its all finished and I've washed the grease deposits off!!

There are restrictions on height and position etc, there are also restrictions on colour. You can only show white or amber to the front. Blue lights are illegal. Reflected blue light as opposed to directly visible light is permitted, but hard to prove. Plod may still nick you for reflected light which then has to be fought in the courts.
All the chavs you see with blue LED washer jets (aka w*nker lights), blue LED exhaust trims etc etc are all illegal.

[da SLUG man]

There are restrictions on height and position etc, there are also restrictions on colour. You can only show white or amber to the front. Blue lights are illegal. Reflected blue light as opposed to directly visible light is permitted, but hard to prove. Plod may still nick you for reflected light which then has to be fought in the courts.
All the chavs you see with blue LED washer jets (aka w*nker lights), blue LED exhaust trims etc etc are all illegal.

not so.

blue lights are ok as long as they don't flash... the only illegal thing is to have red on the front.

Q:Is it illegal to fit or use blue lights on my vehicle?A:The answer depends on the type of lights concerned. The law on this area is governed by the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989. It is worth expanding on some of these regulations:

• regulation 11(1) states; "No vehicle shall be fitted with a lamp which is capable of showing a red light to the front ...." (with certain exceptions, including side marker lamps and reflectors, some types of warning beacon, and others)
• regulation 11(2) deals with rear lights and states; "No vehicle shall be fitted with a lamp which is capable of showing any light to the rear, other than a red light ....." (again with exceptions including indicators, reversing lights, registration plate lights, warning beacons and others)
• regulation 16 restricts the fitting of blue lights of specific types; “beacons” which by definition rotate through 360 degrees, and “special lamps” which by definition are capable of emitting a blue flashing light
• regulation 27 states that lights should not cause undue dazzle or discomfort.

In simple terms this means a red light cannot be shown to the front but any other colour can (with restrictions and exceptions), and only a red light can be shown to the rear (again with certain exceptions). Therefore, showing a fixed light (other than a red light) to the front is generally not an offence under the current regulations unless it is bright enough to cause undue dazzle or discomfort.

We have also received queries on blue lights mounted under vehicles, with their light visible indirectly from a reflection on the road. A legal precedent has yet to be established, and we would advise any members of the public who are in doubt to seek their own legal advice on this particular type of light.

Members of the public should be aware that any lights that clearly contravene the Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations may be treated accordingly by the police.

[Morr]

not so.

blue lights are ok as long as they don't flash... the only illegal thing is to have red on the front.

Fair enough, man armed with proper knowledge shows the truth

I was going on info I had read on other forums, in particular thinking of a number of posts on a vauxhall one where some peeps were relating how they had been nicked for displaying a blue light to the front, ant one or two others who managed to fight it, succeding only because they proved it was reflected rather than direct light.

I sit corrected

[da SLUG man]

Fair enough, man armed with proper knowledge shows the truth

I was going on info I had read on other forums, in particular thinking of a number of posts on a vauxhall one where some peeps were relating how they had been nicked for displaying a blue light to the front, ant one or two others who managed to fight it, succeding only because they proved it was reflected rather than direct light.

I sit corrected

but knowing the police, they'd change their mind if you were wearing a hoodie!...

[Bludger]

All the chavs you see with blue LED washer jets (aka w*nker lights), blue LED exhaust trims.

Think I may get some white LED's instead. Now you mention it, those blue washer jets are always on cars driven by to**ers. Wouldn't want to be tarred with the same brush

So basically, I need to get a stick on red reflector to put on the rear of the car at each side to indicate the width of the car in the dark.

Yes? Thanks for the help.