Roof bar lights - legal?

I think they will be too high to be used legally as extra main beam / spotlamps / driving lamps on the public highway (certainly in the UK), but mine are on a separate switch and a relay which is "armed" only when on main beam, giving me the choice to have them on or not, but ensuring they will extinguish as I dip the lights. There is a max height limit for driving lamps, but I can't remember what it is off the top of my head. If the police really wanted to enforce it then they'd need to make every lorry driver comply as well!! Cue input from Austin on this one...? Badger.

Hi Dave,

I'm pretty sure that they are illegal for road use, there's a document somewhere about how high, far apart lights are supposed to be.

However, for off road use they are brilliant because they are at a high angle you can see dips etc off road, until you catch them on a branch that is.

Also handy I guess for remining people who forget to dip their lights

Dave

There is a stipulation in the Construction and Use regulations about the maximum permissible height for headlamps, I can't remember what it is, memory says to me 1.2metres, but the roofline of a landrover is certainly above it.

Note also that for driving in certain EU countries, headlamps above the specificied height must be covered when the vehicle is in use on-road, and not to do so is an offence. These countries also specify that such lights must not be connected via the main lighting switch.

Alex

On or around Wed, 22 Mar 2006 11:00:13 +0000, Alex enlightened us thusly:

AFAIK in the UK, main beam lights can be anywhere provided they don't show a white light to the rear and provided all headlamps bar for 2 dips extinguish when you dip. This is a good argument to use with the twunts who say that their foglamps are "driving lamps" - OK, if they're driving lamps, then they shouldn't be on at the same time as dipped beam.

'ere y'go - the bit about optional main beams is at the bottom.

PART 1 REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO OBLIGATORY MAIN-BEAM HEADLAMPS AND TO OPTIONAL MAIN-BEAM HEADLAMPS TO THE EXTENT SPECIFIED IN PART II

1. Number-

(a) Any vehicle not covered by subparagraph (b), (c) or (d): Two

(b) A solo motor bicycle and motor bicycle combination: One

(c) A motor vehicle with three wheels, other than a motor bicycle combination, first used before 1st January 1972: One

(d) A motor vehicle with three wheels, other than a motor bicycle combination, first used on or after 1st January 1972 and which has an unladen weight of not more than 400 kg and an overall width of not more than

1. Position-

(a) Longitudinal: No requirement

(b) Lateral- :-

(i) Where two mainbeam headlamps are required to be fitted- :-

(A) Maximum distance from the side of the vehicle: The outer edges of the illuminated areas must in no case be closer to the side of the vehicle than the outer edges of the illuminated areas of the obligatory dippedbeam headlamps.

(B) Maximum separation distance between a pair of mainbeam head-lamps:No requirement

(ii) Where one mainbeam headlamp is required to be fitted:

(a) On the centreline of the motor vehicle (disregarding any sidecar forming part of a motor bicycle combination), or

(b) At any distance from the side ofthe vehicle (disregarding any sidecar forming part of a motorbicycle combination) provided that a duplicate lamp is fitted on the other side so that together they form a matched pair. In such a case, both lamps shall be treated as obligatory lamps. (c) Vertical:No requirement

1. Angles of visibility

No requirement

1. Alignment

To the front

1. Markings-

(a) Any vehicle not covered by subparagraph (b), (c) or (d): An approval mark or a British Standard mark

(b) A motor vehicle first used before 1st April 1986: No requirement

(c) A threewheeled motor vehicle, not being a motor bicycle combination, first used on or after 1st April 1986 and having a maximum speed not exceeding 50mph: No requirement

(d) A solo motor bicycle and a motor bicycle combination: No requirement

1. Size of illuminated area

No requirement

1. Colour

White or yellow

1. Wattage-

(a) A motor vehicle, other than a solo motor bicycle or motor bicycle combination, first used on or after 1st April 1986:No requirement

(b) A motor vehicle, other than a solo motor bicycle or a motor bicycle combination, first used before 1st April 1986:30 watts minimum

(c) A solo motor bicycle and a motor bicycle combination- :-

(i) having an engine not exceeding 250 cc: 15 watts minimum

(ii) having an engine exceeding 250 cc: 30 watts minimum

1. Intensity

No requirement

1. Electrical connections-

(a) Every mainbeam headlamp shall be so constructed that the light emitted there- from- :-

(i) can be deflected at the will of the driver to become a dipped beam, or

(ii) can be extinguished by the operation of a device which at the same time either- :-

(A) causes the lamp to emit a dipped beam, or

(B) causes another lamp to emit a dipped beam.

(b) Where a matched pair of main-beam headlamps is fitted they shall be capable of being switched on and off simultaneously and not otherwise

1. Telltale-

(a) Any vehicle not covered by subparagraph (b):A circuitclosed telltale shall be fitted

(b) A motor vehicle first used before 1st April 1986:No requirement

1. Other requirements-

(a) Every mainbeam headlamp shall be so constructed that the direction of the beam of light emitted therefrom can be adjusted whilst the vehicle is stationary.

(b) Except in the case of a bus first used before 1st October 1969, where two mainbeam headlamps are required to be fitted they shall form a matched pair.

1. Definitions-

In this Schedule-

? approval mark? means-

(a) a marking designated as an approval mark by regulation 5 of the Designation of Approval Marks Regulations and shown at item 12 or 13 or 17 of Schedule 4 to those Regulations; or

(b) a marking designated as an approval mark by regulation 4 of the Designation of Approval Marks Regulations and shown at item 1A or 1B or 1F or 5A or 5B or 5F or 8C or 8D or 8E or 8F or 8M or 8N or 20C or 20D or 20E or 20F or 20M or 20N or 31A or 31D of Schedule 2 to those Regulations; and

?British Standard mark? means the specification for scaled beam headlamps published by the British Standards Institution under the reference BS AU 40: Part 4a: 1966 as amended by Amendment AMD 2188 published in December 1976, namely ?B.S. AU40?.

PART II REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO OPTIONAL MAIN-BEAM HEADLAMPS

Any number may be fitted and the only requirements prescribed by these Regulations in respect of any which are fitted are those specified in paragraphs 7, 10 and 12(a) of Part I and, in the case of a motor vehicle first used on or after 1st April 1991, paragraph 5 of Part 1.

Mine are wired via the dip switch to a seperate switch, so that when they are on, legally or not, they will at least extinguish when I dip. Not had a problem getting through MOT with that set up as they are seperately switchable like the work lamp on the rear.

I suspect the only time you will get trouble is if you are caught out using them on a main road.

I don't think it is having the lights that is illegal so long as they do not automatically come on with the main beam, but how you use them.

Is that from the C&U regs? Any chance of a copy of the complete lot?

Alex