Monkey241:
Lights fitted to the front must be white or yellow with a few listed exceptions.
Sec 16 explicitly precludes blue warning lights etc… that isn’t the same as saying other blue light is lawful
The legislation is quite clear. Section 11 of the Regs (which is helpfully listed in the index as being all about colour of lamps) clearly states that (subject to the list of exemptions and exclusions) no red lamps may be shown to the front, and only red lights to the rear. There are requirements, listed in the relevant Schedules, for obligatory headlamps, front fog lamps, outline marker lamps and position lamps to be white (or in some cases yellow), but you can fit whatever additional pretty fairy lights you like as long as the general “no red to the front, only red to the rear, no flashing lights, no undue dazzle to other road users” principle is observed. This sort of thing must surely be bread-and-butter to a (ex-)Monkey?
No ‘device’ which ‘resembles’ a blue warning beacon or special warning lamp.
It’s clear enough that means a blue lamp.
Good luck when a law car makes space or stops at a green traffic light having confused the blue lights on the front of a truck with a fire fighting vehicle on call, from a distance at night.At least in Suffolk. ukemergency.co.uk/blue-light-use/
If it’s not flashing, it does not resemble. Simple.
Next you be saying cars can’t use xenon headlamps because of the slight blue tinge to them
Only from wiki, but a reasonable interpretation “Vehicular beacons are rotating or flashing lights”
Carryfast:
Good luck when a law car makes space or stops at a green traffic light having confused the blue lights on the front of a truck with a fire fighting vehicle on call, from a distance at night.At least in Suffolk. ukemergency.co.uk/blue-light-use/
If it’s not flashing, it does not resemble. Simple.
Next you be saying cars can’t use xenon headlamps because of the slight blue tinge to them
Only from wiki, but a reasonable interpretation “Vehicular beacons are rotating or flashing lights”
The law rightly definitely doesn’t use ‘flashing’ as the being definition of ‘resemble’ a ‘blue light’.
‘‘Its an offence if your vehicle has ANY lighting - system emitting a blue light’’.
Multi-colored lights on Trucks & Buses are very much an Asian & Arabian thing, with all the immigration into the UK and Facebook Videos of Asian & Arab trucks it’s no surprise it has taken off here.
Way back in the mid 70s I took my young son on ME runs and he called the trucks & buses in Syria: Clown Buses & Clown Trucks.
Clown Truck is still the best description for a Multi Coloured Truck
What about a name for the *lowns that drive them ■■
From what I can tell, as long as the lights appear to be constantly ON, they can be any color you like as long as they are not red to the front or white to the rear.
Why this hasn’t been addressed yet, I have no idea.
There is no authority that gives permission to use blue lights. Drivers and owners are simply required to operate their vehicles within the law.
Only emergency vehicles can be fitted with blue flashing lights, or anything that looks like a blue flashing light, whether working or not.
The only times when blue lights can be used are when responding to an emergency, at the scene of an emergency, when wanting to let people know you are there or wanting to let people know that there is a hazard on the road.
References
Fitting blue lights: The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 Part II Section 16
Use of blue lights: The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 Part II Section 27(3)(6)
Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made).
Restrictions on fitting blue warning beacons, special warning lamps and similar devices
No vehicle, other than an emergency vehicle, shall be fitted with–
(a)a blue warning beacon or special warning lamp, or
(b)a device which resembles a blue warning beacon or a special warning lamp, whether the same is in working order or not.
Monkey241:
All LEDs flash (it’s a simple fact[emoji6]) nor does the law state what that frequency of flash must be.
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Or rather, it doesn’t state what the rate of flash is permitted to be. If it came to it, a court would decide whether the light emitted appeared to be flashing or steady.
Not that this as any bearing at all on your assertion that blue lights are unlawful.
LEDs appear to flash when seen in the mirror camera of the new Mercs.
Monkey241:
All LEDs flash (it’s a simple fact[emoji6]) nor does the law state what that frequency of flash must be.
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Or rather, it doesn’t state what the rate of flash is permitted to be. If it came to it, a court would decide whether the light emitted appeared to be flashing or steady.
Not that this as any bearing at all on your assertion that blue lights are unlawful.
LEDs appear to flash when seen in the mirror camera of the new Mercs.
That’s because the do “flash” but at rates cameras can pick it up not the naked eye.
Monkey241:
All LEDs flash (it’s a simple fact[emoji6]) nor does the law state what that frequency of flash must be.
No, it’s not a fact at all (simple or otherwise). A LED driven from a simple DC source (eg a battery) doesn’t flash. The flashing/strobing is an artefact of the Pulse Width Modulation typically used to control the voltage (and brightness). In most automotive applications this is used to provide two levels of brightness; High brightness for DRLs, the same LEDs at low brightness for sidelights, or high brightness for stop lamps, lower brightness for rear position lamps. Rather than switching the PWM out completely, it is simpler to operate the PWM at two different mark:space ratios to achieve the desired brightness levels. Most LED “bulbs” have this PWM circuitry built-in, as without it they’d be too bright for the intended use (and also wouldn’t last as long as they’d burn out due to the excessive voltage). I have a couple of LED devices that run their LEDs at full DC voltage for their highest brightness levels. Neither of them shows any “strobing” effects on camera although they do when running at lower brightness (when the PWM is active).
Monkey241:
PWM cuts power to the LED and does indeed induce flicker.
Imperceptible but there nonetheless [emoji6]
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But not used with all LEDs. Which was my point.
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And it’s my understanding that all LED have a level of flicker.
You raised DC and PWM…flicker is still present to some degree. It may be imperceptible to the human eye and most camera lenses . .but nonetheless.
Personally to return to the main topic I would be leery of displaying blue light to the front of a vehicle. I tend to avoid attracting police attention unnecessarily
Personally to return to the main topic I would be leery of displaying blue light to the front of a vehicle. I tend to avoid attracting police attention unnecessarily
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But if you’re doing it to attract attention ( I can’t think of any other reason) blue light would be the most attention attracting legal colour.
Monkey241:
PWM cuts power to the LED and does indeed induce flicker.
Imperceptible but there nonetheless [emoji6]
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But not used with all LEDs. Which was my point.
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And it’s my understanding that all LED have a level of flicker.
You raised DC and PWM…flicker is still present to some degree. It may be imperceptible to the human eye and most camera lenses . .but nonetheless.
Personally to return to the main topic I would be leery of displaying blue light to the front of a vehicle. I tend to avoid attracting police attention unnecessarily
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Your understanding is mistaken. A LED connected to a smooth DC power source (such as a battery) does not flicker. At all.
But yes, return to the main topic by all means. You’ve already stated that blue lamps on vehicles are unlawful. Now you appear to be back-pedalling somewhat to say that they may not be advisable as they might draw police attention to you. Why do you think they are unlawful? Which part of the RVL Regs do you think would make them unlawful?
Monkey241:
PWM cuts power to the LED and does indeed induce flicker.
Imperceptible but there nonetheless [emoji6]
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But not used with all LEDs. Which was my point.
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And it’s my understanding that all LED have a level of flicker.
You raised DC and PWM…flicker is still present to some degree. It may be imperceptible to the human eye and most camera lenses . .but nonetheless.
Personally to return to the main topic I would be leery of displaying blue light to the front of a vehicle. I tend to avoid attracting police attention unnecessarily
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Your understanding is mistaken. A LED connected to a smooth DC power source (such as a battery) does not flicker. At all.
But yes, return to the main topic by all means. You’ve already stated that blue lamps on vehicles are unlawful. Now you appear to be back-pedalling somewhat to say that they may not be advisable as they might draw police attention to you. Why do you think they are unlawful? Which part of the RVL Regs do you think would make them unlawful?
Ok…perhaps I was wrong.
It was my understanding blue light to the front was illegal.
Apparently as an ex monkey Etc etc…not sure what that comment was aimed at to be fair.
I really wouldn’t get too excited about it. [emoji16]
Carryfast:
Good luck when a law car makes space or stops at a green traffic light having confused the blue lights on the front of a truck with a fire fighting vehicle on call, from a distance at night.At least in Suffolk. ukemergency.co.uk/blue-light-use/
If it’s not flashing, it does not resemble. Simple.
Next you be saying cars can’t use xenon headlamps because of the slight blue tinge to them
Only from wiki, but a reasonable interpretation “Vehicular beacons are rotating or flashing lights”
The law rightly definitely doesn’t use ‘flashing’ as the being definition of ‘resemble’ a ‘blue light’.
‘‘Its an offence if your vehicle has ANY lighting - system emitting a blue light’’.
Alas you’ve picked a poor example who have mis-quoted the regulations. Static blue lamps are not prohibited to the front. A static blue lamp does not resemble a WARNING beacon or SPECIAL warning beacon (Reg 16).
Acorn:
Alas you’ve picked a poor example who have mis-quoted the regulations. Static blue lamps are not prohibited to the front. A static blue lamp does not resemble a WARNING beacon or SPECIAL warning beacon (Reg 16).
Then you can fit some over 4200 K bulbs in your headlights and you’ll be legal so long as they stay on permanently and don’t flash.
This Scottish Operator posted a question a bit ago about blue lights.