H.I.D LIGHTS

[jeffdub]

I was working on the van today at my brothers house (he's got a garage full of tools) and the bloke down the road from him was fitting an h.i.d light kit to a mini , its just a plug and play kit , im sure I read somewhere that these aren't legal , anyone ever fitted one ?

[R0B]

Worth a read http://www.powerbulbs.com/blog/2010/03/ ... kits-legal" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[jeffdub]

interesting read rob thanks, so they're not legal and could invalidate your insurance ! wonder how many people are driving with these fitted not knowing that ?

[itchyfeet]

I suspect most know they are illegal but don't care
Just like heavy tints up front and modified numberplates they are 'kool' and you are unlikely to get stopped

[AdrianC]

and could invalidate your insurance

So, according to some, could farting in the wind.

Read your insurance papers. Mine only say the van must be "roadworthy". No definition thereof.

Yes, they will fail the MOT.
Yes, they are illegal under the Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations and the Construction & Use Regulations, unless they're fitted in conjunction with lenses and reflectors type-approved for HIDs, along with self-levelling and washing.
Yes, you will look like a teenage tosser in a Corsa that's been ram-raided through Halfrauds.

But "unroadworthy"? It's a bit of a stretch.

They might have a case if the guy who hit you head-on claimed that your HIDs blinded him so badly that he had no choice but to hit you head on. Possibly. Maybe. But that'd be about it.

[Mocki]

they are bloody damn dangerous to other road users .
even in vehicles they are designed for they are dangerous.

[billybigspud]

they are bloody damn dangerous to other road users .
even in vehicles they are designed for they are dangerous.

They will be standard in all cars one day me thinks.

[California Dreamin]

Adrian....as an MOT is primarily concerned with vehicle safety and whether the vehicle is safe for the road I would say that 'anything' that makes the vehicle 'unsafe' to be driven on the road by it's very definition makes it 'unroad worthy'.
I agree, HID's don't make the vehicle 'unsafe, however the kits we are taking about, do make the vehicle unsafe/unroadworthy to other road users including pedestrians.

Please let me make it clear that I am not talking about cars coming from manufacturers with HID's fitted, just ill fitted aftermarket kits.

Martin

[CycloneMike]

So in summary when incorrectly retrofitted

Don't comply with Type Approval
Don't comply with MOT
Don't comply with Road Vehicle Lighting Regs
and could get you a prohibition notice because they are likely to cause dazzle when use of dipped beam is obligatory

A fairly reasonable argument of being un roadworthy?

It won't automatically invalidate your insurance but may/highly likely to be used to mitigate any claim.

[AdrianC]

Adrian....as an MOT is primarily concerned with vehicle safety and whether the vehicle is safe for the road I would say that 'anything' that makes the vehicle 'unsafe' to be driven on the road by it's very definition makes it 'unroad worthy'.

A car fails the MOT on a numberplate light out. It's broad daylight. Is it unroadworthy?

The MOT certificate itself explicitly states there is no direct relationship between MOT & roadworthiness.

B'sides, the only HID section in the MOT is whether any self-levelling and washing fitted works. Fitted, doesn't work. Fail. None fitted. Pass. The fact that they are required to be fitted is not an MOT issue, it seems.
http://www.motinfo.gov.uk/htdocs/m4s01000701.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[California Dreamin]

Adrian....as an MOT is primarily concerned with vehicle safety and whether the vehicle is safe for the road I would say that 'anything' that makes the vehicle 'unsafe' to be driven on the road by it's very definition makes it 'unroad worthy'.

A car fails the MOT on a numberplate light out. It's broad daylight. Is it unroadworthy?

The MOT certificate itself explicitly states there is no direct relationship between MOT & roadworthiness

Adrian....you note that I said 'primarily concerned with safety' as there are items that have crept into the MOT that have been added with pressure from the legislators and number plates as you have noted are one.

Martin

[HarryMann]

they are bloody damn dangerous to other road users .
even in vehicles they are designed for they are dangerous.

I agree and many more legal lights today are highly questionable..

The law says it's the DRIVER's responsibility not to blind other road users with their light I believe..

I also find that that clear indicator lenses are nothing like as easy to see and obvious as proper ones, another
contentious area reducing road sfaety IMHO... that's if anyone uses indicators today, its becoming the norm
to expect everyone else to guess where you are going. Is this the advent of computer driving tests where the road
part is as as good as a formality... yes you didn't hit anything or cause an accident, you've passed!

all these lighting changes seem to be for fashion and not utility; the basic
requirements fior visibility were worked out many years ago.. do we need brake lights that blind you at night,
for instance? Lorries looking like fairground rides coming towards you?

[lloydy]

i don't know why it takes nearly a page of 'arsing about' to decide if a vehicle is unroadworthy with illegal HID's. It doesnt matter if its day or night if they are illegal your unroadworthy. Really don't get the pages of wasted bandwidth arguing over stupid things lately

[itchyfeet]

At a guess id say those for have them fitted and those against don't