What's the law regarding side lights?

yes

Probably, but most police would perhaps stop you if they could be bothered and let you know. It would be rare for you to get done for it. Just be nice to Mr Plod and you can get away with quite a lot if you're lucky ;)

Hint - What you call a side light the law calls an Obligatory Position lamp with the stress on the word Obligatory. Probably be OK if you have dim-dip.

It's illegal to drive a car on anything other than dip or main beam headlamps if the conditions require lights - during hours of darkness or reduced visibility. Both lamps are required, asymmetric lighting is illegal on cars. Dip and main on both lamps have to work at all times when lighting required and the vehicle is in use on the public highway.

Usually you would only get a "get it fixed" from the police unless they really took a dislike to you and found a whole list of stuff wrong.

Oddly it is legal to ride a motorbike on certain lit roads during hours of darkness on just front and rear position lamps without a headlamp.

-- Peter Hill Spamtrap reply domain as per NNTP-Posting-Host in header Can of worms - what every fisherman wants. Can of worms - what every PC owner gets!

I thought you could use sidelights only, "except on restricted roads (those with street lights not more than 185 metres apart and which are generally subject to a speed limit of 30 mph)".

The only reason I mainly use headlights on such roads is because nowadays everyone else does so it is expected. IMO if the road is well lit, everyone would benefit from just using sidelights as all the motor vehicles would be equally visible but there would be greater visibility of pedestrians and other unlit things in the road and less dazzle.

Unless you want to park of course...

Not according to HWC:

*All* obligatory lamps must work at all times to remain legal.

...but possibly suicidal :-)

Chris

Wrong way round surely?

There were lots of arguments about this back in the 70's, with the concensus being marginally in favour of headlights.

I'd be happy if the average motoring muppet turned headlights on when required, and fogs off when not!

Chris

The message from Peter Hill contains these words:

Not so. Highway Code rule 93...

93: You MUST

• use headlights at night, except on restricted roads (those with street lights not more than 185 metres (600 feet) apart and which are generally subject to a speed limit of 30 mph)

On roads that fit within the description above you may use sidelights only. I don't, 'cos I think it's stupid, but you can if you wish.

They could be bothered if it gave them an excuse to look for something a bit more - like a breath test. My wife was breathalysed simply for having a tail light out. Of course she hadn't been drinking anyway, but that's not the point.

A few years ago I got stopped by Mr Plod because I was a 17yr old driving a relatively quick (fathers) car at an unearthly hour. I had got used to this very quickly as it was a regular event, one morning I was driving home after having a night out with some friends who had left some empty bottles of booze in the car. I don't drink - im daft enough as it is.

Needless to say Mr Plod breathalysed me (again totally understandable) but is face as it came back negative was a picture, so pissed (pun intended) was he that he filled in the producer wrong!

Tom

Disagree about it being stupid. In a lot of cases the only result of having dipped headlights on as opposed to sidelights is that you dazzle other drivers. Headlights are designed to help the driver see and sidelights are all about being seen. Ergo sidelights are compulsory at night and headlights are only needed when you can't otherwise see where you're going. The only bad thing about not using headlights with regard to being seen is when people assume that you're not there because of the absense of a flood of light on the road which is very irritating.

One thing I'm sure of is that if people always reverted to sidelights on well lit roads everyone would be able to see *better* (unless they had crap low light vision) due to the lack of dazzling. I for one don't need a bright light shone into my eyes to realise there's something coming the other way, a dim one will do fine.

Peter.

The message from Peter Spikings contains these words:

Except that sidelights vanish into the glister of shop windows, bollards, wet pavements etc. Correctly adjusted dipped headlights won't dazzle except on very bumpy terrain.

The sidelights on my Fiesta don't do that. The light first gets bounced off the whole headlight interior so from the front it looks like dim headlights, not a point source.

Another thing that annoys me is when the car behind rises up when it hits a speed bump and it's lights shine straight into my eyes via the rear view mirror. Besides, a lot of people can't be bothered to keep their headlights adjusted right or just don't care. Like a lot of things in this country, when people have a choice between doing the right thing for everyone or giving themselves a slight advantage they plump for the latter so we all end up worse off. Slight example I know but still true :)

Peter.

Another thing that annoys me is when the car behind rises up when it

Headlights get checked once a year - at the MOT. So the should 'never' be maladjusted - in theory. I usually drive mine down a bit if carrying a load in the back, and if i see them in the rear window of the car in front, dive them down again.

Graham

Me too, however I often get dazzled from behind. I suppose with the advent of lights you can adjust yourself depending on how much weight you've got in the boot people forget to put them down when they load up.

I guess it's also because I do often drive with just sidelights hence am more adjusted to the dark than most hence are more susceptible to being dazzled. Doesn't make it right to just use dipped lights by default though!

Give sidelights a go, I was suprised how much further I could see (when there's no-one with bright / too-high headlights coming the other way, then you can't see anything).

Peter.

The only issue with that is other road users will have difficulty seeing you or judging your speed and distance and its also an offence to drive only on side lights at night

Why not read the rest of the thread before you post? If you did, you would see that it is *not* illegal to drive on sidelights under the correct circumstances.

Chris

WRONG! This seems to be a popular misconception!

Go see

rule 93. Rule 95 says you must use dipped headlights if they are needed to ensure you can be seen but this is not 100% of the time by any means. I'd suggest it's an assumption of yours that drivers have difficulty seeing a car with just sidelights on.

Peter.

Why not read my post correctly i clarified my point by saying at night

Yes.......... but it's not always illegal to drive using sidelights only at night. Read the thread!