UK focus headlights

In message , thomdk wrote

Did you find the headlight position adjustment on the dashboard?

yes, even at highest position I found the lighting poor. The brights were nearly acceptable, but the low beams were dismal.

The first version of focus, the one with H4 lights, had very poor lights. So they tried to fix it up with the new version, with separate lights for low and brights beam.

I have a 2001 spec 2.0 Zetec and have no complaints with the lights, dipped or otherwise. It's just possible (though unlikely) that the wrong bulbs were fitted to the one you drove - or maybe the lenses were grubby? Both this car and my previous 2.0 Sierra GLS have had excellent lights (Sierra's were a bit better). Now the current Mondeo headlights on the other hand are pretty poor...only just up to coping with the 130mph I've reached on numerous occasions (before anyone asks, that's a legal 130mph; the Mondeo I drive has certain distinctive markings...) and on dipped beam are especially disappointing.

Tim

I have to agree with Carlos on this the lights on my 2000 Focus were not good at all as the OP says the Main beam just about acceptable the dips were very poor. My new one has HID lights fitted as an extra purely because I needed something far better and they are certainly better.

Regards

Andy Lee

Tim are you a member of the constabulary? If so would you be willing to answer a question I have on vehicle lighting?

Regards

Andy Lee

In message , Tim wrote

If you are referring to normal roads and not a race track or off road rallying, are you sure that it's legal? I was under the impression that when the UK Government passed a law that it applied to _EVERYONE_.

The most criminally dangerous driving that I've seen on a normal road is by a certain group of people with distinctive markings on their cars.

Dipped it's fine, albeit full beam is a bit disappointing. There are those 55/60W H4 Osram +50% light bulbs mounted, unsure if it's really 50% better then the original ones, but it's mentionable. (1999 2.0 Zetec)

Ack, had a Sierra before too, full beam was great, but then the Sierra had extra full beam headlights, so you had 4 reflectors.

Like KEVLAR® paint and your KEVLAR® suit. Too bad you don't afford the same protection to the innocents who are forced to share the road with you.

My last 3 vehicles came with H4's, 55/60Watt rated.

After checking that the wiring and relays were rated OK, I changed to

80/100Watt lamps. I have used these in my '99 Focus from new and had no problems. The difference, especially on dip beam, is well worth the small (about 10 UKP IIRC) initial cost.

HTH

Chris

Problem is Chris that putting higher rated bulbs in is illeagal as I understand it. You can buy them but they usually have "for off road use only" marked on them.

I got stopped by the police as a young lad for having 130/100W halogens in my mini seemed they didn't like the brightness on Dip beam they were adjusted correctly but just too bright.

Andy,

The legal issues have been discussed here before. I believe the concensus was that although technically illegal to make *any* changes to original lighting specs, in practice a prosecution would be unlikely. These restrictions also apply to various other types of alternative bulb such as "All-weather" (which I've found useless BTW). I'm not aware of any prosecutions in my local area.

I've driven for about 100,000 miles using this power of bulb (though not always at night!) without a problem. I wonder if others with relevant legal expertise might comment?

Perhaps "young lad" and "Mini" may have been more the reason for your previous difficulty ;-)

Chris.

Oh right never seen a thread on the subject sorry. I guess a prosecution probably would be unlikely although I do know of people being done for using fog lights at an inappropriate time (one of my pet hates to be honest)

No comment in my defense it were 20 years ago but it was at night and I was following Mr Policeman for quite a while :-)

Regards

Andy Lee

[..]

Personally I find it quite annoying if people use 80/100 Watt H4, there's a reason it isn't allowed, others get dazzled by this, or are you alone on the roads?

Ask away and I'll see if I can help.

Tim

I thought there might be one or two comments. With regards to the law, you are right that it generally applies to everyone, but as with all things, there are exemptions. In this case, you should be aware that the law (Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 and Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 1994) makes 3 specific exemptions for vehicles being used for police, fire and ambulance purposes. They are: 1. speed limits; 2. red traffic lights and 3. keep left arrows. For instance, section 87 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 states; "No stautory provisions imposing a speed limit on motor vehicles shall apply to any vehicle on an occasion when it is being used for fire brigade, ambulance or police purposes, if the observance of the provision would be likely to hinder the use of the vehicle for the purpose of which it is being used on that occasion". Hence fire engines, ambulances and police vehicles are allowed to break the speed limit if the circumstances warrant it.

However, none of the exemptions absolve emergency service drivers from breaches of driving standards. In many ways, emergency services drivers are treated more severely under those circumstances than others as the organisation will come under close scrutiny.

It's a fair point - but in all walks of life you have good and bad. I would suggest that while there may be some or even many drivers of emergency vehicles that you consider drive dangerously, the majority do not. As a police driver, I am constantly aware of the fact that I must set a good standard to those around about and believe that, by and large, I do. I'm not perfect, by any means, but I try and I would sooner take a couple of minutes longer responding to an incident than put peoples lives at risk.

Tim

In message , Tim wrote

Here we must disagree. With the Police instigated road narrowing and the massive increase in the use of traffic lights with the approaches channelled with centre of the road bollards there is often insufficient road space for emergency vehicles drivers to drive safely unless they obey the driving rules adopted by other road users.

Pulling over to make way for Police cars and damaging wheels on the high curbs or driving forward to give way at traffic lights and getting photographed and fined for 'running the lights' is not acceptable for many ordinary motorists so the emergency services are now taking silly risks on our roads.

Often you see the emergency service drivers driving with a total disregard for the safety of fellow road users, especially pedestrians. They drive on the same side as the oncoming traffic disregarding the many red lights installed in the interest of our road safety.

The Police authority local to where I live are claiming that the large increase in their motor vehicle maintenance costs is due to damage caused by road calming! Perhaps this is an admission that their drivers are driving too fast for the 'improved and safer' road conditions.

Did you install HID lights as an after market option? or when you bought it? I went to ask some car dealers but they didn't want to tell me the price of the after market HID light (with everything included) Too much work, they said, for something pretty expensive :-( Very professional.