Aftermarket HID and the Police.

[amccan10]

Just found out, the expensive way, that after market hids are illegal. Bugger

[TVR MAN]

Do tell...

[paul450]

amccan10 said:

Just found out, the expensive way, that after market hids are illegal. Bugger

thought they where not illegal till jan2012 ?
thats when the mot changes for them.

[amccan10]

Unless the headlamp is specifically designed for HID, in otherwise e marked then aftermarket kits are illegal. Oh and the traffic cops are "stopping people al the time for them" myself included. :-(

The below was taken from the dept for transports website:

"In summary it is not permitted to convert a halogen headlamp unit for use with hid bulbs..... The entire headlamp unit must be replaced with one designed and approved for use with HID bubs"

Edited by amccan10 on Monday 21st November 23:47

[Nigel Worc's]

I'll let you know how I do, what kit did you fit, what reflectors do you have, and what penalty were you given ?

[amccan10]

The manufacturer is Ultra, 6000k H4 in the standard scooby headlights. £30. Fixed no points but still a pain in the ass

Edited by amccan10 on Monday 21st November 23:53

[Nigel Worc's]

We had a discussion on here a couple of weeks ago, and I've bought some.

Mine are 8K, although I've not put them on yet (busy), but I have BMW projector lights, so after a LOT of discussion, some of us decided they are legal for me.

[DAVEVO9]

amccan10 said:

The manufacturer is Ultra, 6000k H4 in the standard scooby headlights. £30. Fixed no points but still a pain in the ass

Edited by amccan10 on Monday 21st November 23:53

There is your problem..

6k is too blue and that's what got you pulled!

HID kits in reflector headlights give too much glare.

[Kieranrob]

This really sucks!! One of my winter projects was to do the HID conversion because the normal beam on a Monaro is pants!!

[onlynik]

I must be the only person that is happy to see the police clamping down on this. Folk with incorrect lights dazzling other motorists, honestly I wish the fine was higher.

[null]

I'm happy to see it stopped. He's got the message, I don't see the need for a higher fine.

[y2blade]

amccan10 said:

Unless the headlamp is specifically designed for HID, in otherwise e marked then aftermarket kits are illegal. Oh and the traffic cops are "stopping people al the time for them" myself included. :-(

The below was taken from the dept for transports website:

"In summary it is not permitted to convert a halogen headlamp unit for use with hid bulbs..... The entire headlamp unit must be replaced with one designed and approved for use with HID bubs"

Edited by amccan10 on Monday 21st November 23:47

Very Welcome and great news

I ditched the Aftermarket HIDs on my car last winter, I Only had them on it for a few days.....Despite reading that my headlight units (2002 Volvo S60) would give a good beam pattern and solid cut-off on the other forums, this turned out not to be the case and it was obvious as soon as I'd fitted and tested them on the road. I had to have the headlights pointing so low that any "benefit" was lost...they had to be positioned so the cut-off was about 6foot from the front of the car, thus putting main-beam about 10foot up the road (separate bulbs for dipped and main but housed in a single unit, with only one horizontal adjuster than moves them both together).

With Normal bulbs my headlights give good illumination and nice clean beam pattern but the HID kit was bloody awful, I only went for them as I do a great deal of rural driving so thought they'd be of some benifit during the winter months.


Live and learn.

[Daston]

Fingers crossed the local idiot in his prelude will be caught on this as well. It like he has fitted 2 helicopter spot lights as head lights.

[IT1GTR]

I had 8000K ones in my Mitsubishi and got a £30 fine for them.

That was after 18 months of usage so wasent too bothered.

[Trif]

Good to hear the police are cracking down on this. I've noticed a lot of cars running HIDs in projectors and all I can see is a blue glare moving towards me.

[loomx]

If people didnt fit the stupid high K bulbs, it would be alot harder to tell if you have xenons, but for some reason. People like the blue look rather than the better light output of the lower K.

[rolando]

onlynik said:

I must be the only person that is happy to see the police clamping down on this. Folk with incorrect lights dazzling other motorists, honestly I wish the fine was higher.

You're certainly not alone.
I am totally and utterly pi$$ed off with the idiots who drive around dazzling other road users.
For example, yesterday evening, country B road, good visibility, I was nearly driven off the road by a fking great truck with about 6 lights at normal level and at least that number again on top of the cab. All shining blue rather than white light.
I doubt the driver's parentage.

[littleredrooster]

I'd be interested to know what the exact charge was on the sheet. AFAIK, there's no proven case law which stops HID conversions; the section lifted from the DfT's website is their opinion, not fact.

[Goaty Bill]

rolando said:

onlynik said:

I must be the only person that is happy to see the police clamping down on this. Folk with incorrect lights dazzling other motorists, honestly I wish the fine was higher.

You're certainly not alone.
I am totally and utterly pi$$ed off with the idiots who drive around dazzling other road users.
For example, yesterday evening, country B road, good visibility, I was nearly driven off the road by a fking great truck with about 6 lights at normal level and at least that number again on top of the cab. All shining blue rather than white light.
I doubt the driver's parentage.

+1 =~ .5 million

Lighting is about safety for all drivers (and passengers), not just one person's improved vision and 'street cred'.

[993AL]

More here http://www2.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roadsafety/drs/hidheadl...