Is this a thing now? (always on indicators)

[ukaskew]

hondansx said:

Are you lot actually enthusiasts? Can you not think back to your youth and remember how much of a daft twit you were following some kind of fashion at some point?

Yes, and nope. In my younger years I had a standard Clio 172 Cup, standard Sportka, standard Ignis Sport (arrived with bright yellow rally mudflaps, removed them!) I did have a Phase 1 172 that had the wheels and badges repainted black, but only because it came like that and it was the best car I found at the time. Even at a young age we spent our money on hiring airfields and circuits (the little one at Haynes Motor Museum was awesome).

By all means attach silly wings, stickerbomb your wing mirrors, add fake diffusers etc. But there is, in my opinion, no excuse for modifying safety features in any way that makes them even slightly less usable/visible than standard. They may as well be uninsured.

[f1nn]

Without jumping on the anti modding/scene bandwagon...I think it's obvious to most people that (potentially) making your indicators less easy for other road users easy to understand isn't the brightest thing to do.

I see a lot of motorbikes with similar mods...integrated chrome finished rear lights and indicators that for the life of me I couldn't work out what was going on and I knew whee the guy was supposed to be going, flush mounted tiny indicators that can only be seen from some angles, black headlight covers to look cool, and my personal favourite, a friend fitted a strip of LED's at the base of his mirror mounted indicators that were so bright, it made the indicators invisible at night.

Obviously the consequences to dicking about with the lights on a bike are potentially far greater than a car, but making your intention that you are about to under steer off the road as you've stances and cambered the st out of your rusty Polo less obvious to other road users is probably not clever even in a car.

[HD Adam]

tigger1 said:

HD Adam said:

Just like tinted windows, missing front plates and anything else of that ilk.
Let the Police deal with it and concentrate on your own st.

These are all good indicators that there are other things wrong with the car usually I guess? Just a shame that there aren't more police on the road to regularly stop and check all the cars belonging to tosspots who do these things.

See? You're getting aggravated by what someone else is doing.
Do you drive at exactly 70mph in the outside lane of a dual carriageway to enforce the speed limit? I'll bet you do.

I've had tinted windows and no front plate. None of your business and there wasn't anything else "wrong" with it.

Worry about what you do, not anyone else.

[Jaguar steve]

HD Adam said:

tigger1 said:

HD Adam said:

Just like tinted windows, missing front plates and anything else of that ilk.
Let the Police deal with it and concentrate on your own st.

These are all good indicators that there are other things wrong with the car usually I guess? Just a shame that there aren't more police on the road to regularly stop and check all the cars belonging to tosspots who do these things.

See? You're getting aggravated by what someone else is doing.
Do you drive at exactly 70mph in the outside lane of a dual carriageway to enforce the speed limit? I'll bet you do.

I've had tinted windows and no front plate. None of your business and there wasn't anything else "wrong" with it.

Worry about what you do, not anyone else.

Whats wrong with that attitude is not actually the missing plate but the general fkuc the law mindset that permits it. That self centered attitude affects everybody else so yes, it's very much everybody else's business.

If you deliberately choose to not display a front number plate or deliberately tint windows beyond legality then either you're entirely ignorant of the law or breathtakingly arrogant in assuming the law doesn't apply to you. And for what exactly? It can't be anything more important than identifying and conforming with a sub set of humanity who thinks their own personal weirdo needs and desires to make some sort of trendy fashion statement are a much more important priority to them than any obligation to conform with the requirements in place for the benefit of everybody else.

Ignorance and arrogance. Nothing appealing about either. Nor is there anything remotely appealing about strutting about like a self important Cockwhisk telling everybody else to mind their own business when by your own admission it's clearly you that's out of order.

I'll wager you're exactly the type of sanctimonious little tosser whom should you become involved in a situation that required you to positively identify another vehicle but you couldn't because it had a missing number plate or you got T boned at a junction because the other driver couldn't see you through excessively tinted windows syou'd be absolutely outraged at the injustice of it and cry loudest and longest of all.

[HD Adam]

Jaguar steve said:

HD Adam said:

tigger1 said:

HD Adam said:

Just like tinted windows, missing front plates and anything else of that ilk.
Let the Police deal with it and concentrate on your own st.

These are all good indicators that there are other things wrong with the car usually I guess? Just a shame that there aren't more police on the road to regularly stop and check all the cars belonging to tosspots who do these things.

See? You're getting aggravated by what someone else is doing.
Do you drive at exactly 70mph in the outside lane of a dual carriageway to enforce the speed limit? I'll bet you do.

I've had tinted windows and no front plate. None of your business and there wasn't anything else "wrong" with it.

Worry about what you do, not anyone else.

Whats wrong with that attitude is not actually the missing plate but the general fkuc the law mindset that permits it. That self centered attitude affects everybody else so yes, it's very much everybody else's business.

If you deliberately choose to not display a front number plate or deliberately tint windows beyond legality then either you're entirely ignorant of the law or breathtakingly arrogant in assuming the law doesn't apply to you. And for what exactly? It can't be anything more important than identifying and conforming with a sub set of humanity who thinks their own personal weirdo needs and desires to make some sort of trendy fashion statement are a much more important priority to them than any obligation to conform with the requirements in place for the benefit of everybody else.

Ignorance and arrogance. Nothing appealing about either. Nor is there anything remotely appealing about strutting about like a self important Cockwhisk telling everybody else to mind their own business when by your own admission it's clearly you that's out of order.

I'll wager you're exactly the type of sanctimonious little tosser whom should you become involved in a situation that required you to positively identify another vehicle but you couldn't because it had a missing number plate or you got T boned at a junction because the other driver couldn't see you through excessively tinted windows syou'd be absolutely outraged at the injustice of it and cry loudest and longest of all.

Here we go. Another tt concerned about what someone else is doing.

You don't know me mate so I suggest you mind your own business as well.

Run along now.

[NickCQ]

Jaguar steve said:

Whats wrong with that attitude is not actually the missing plate but the general fkuc the law mindset that permits it. That self centered attitude affects everybody else so yes, it's very much everybody else's business.

If you deliberately choose to not display a front number plate or deliberately tint windows beyond legality then either you're entirely ignorant of the law or breathtakingly arrogant in assuming the law doesn't apply to you. And for what exactly? It can't be anything more important than identifying and conforming with a sub set of humanity who thinks their own personal weirdo needs and desires to make some sort of trendy fashion statement are a much more important priority to them than any obligation to conform with the requirements in place for the benefit of everybody else.

Ignorance and arrogance. Nothing appealing about either. Nor is there anything remotely appealing about strutting about like a self important Cockwhisk telling everybody else to mind their own business when by your own admission it's clearly you that's out of order.

I'll wager you're exactly the type of sanctimonious little tosser whom should you become involved in a situation that required you to positively identify another vehicle but you couldn't because it had a missing number plate or you got T boned at a junction because the other driver couldn't see you through excessively tinted windows syou'd be absolutely outraged at the injustice of it and cry loudest and longest of all.

Well said. A depressingly rare attitude though.

[vrod]

Read with interest, as I'm guilty!

A different MOT tester did my American car a few weeks ago and after pondering a while 'looked up' the front light requirements as I only have headlights and orange indicator lenses. With no lights the front indicators are off, and flash accordingly. When on sidelights the indicators are dim, then flash bright accordingly.

He found a test section that states its legal provided it was housed in an orange lens, so there is no option to change the configuration. Obviously mine is an American import designed as such rather than some 'trend', but I would imagine with modern LED lighting and making it configurable for UK, USA markets is a way of manufacturers standardising their design, albeit now allowing people to configure them how they want. I also had 'white' indicators on an old 1938 hot rod that were 'legal' due to its age.

[hondansx]

Jaguar steve said:

HD Adam said:

tigger1 said:

HD Adam said:

Just like tinted windows, missing front plates and anything else of that ilk.
Let the Police deal with it and concentrate on your own st.

These are all good indicators that there are other things wrong with the car usually I guess? Just a shame that there aren't more police on the road to regularly stop and check all the cars belonging to tosspots who do these things.

See? You're getting aggravated by what someone else is doing.
Do you drive at exactly 70mph in the outside lane of a dual carriageway to enforce the speed limit? I'll bet you do.

I've had tinted windows and no front plate. None of your business and there wasn't anything else "wrong" with it.

Worry about what you do, not anyone else.

Whats wrong with that attitude is not actually the missing plate but the general fkuc the law mindset that permits it. That self centered attitude affects everybody else so yes, it's very much everybody else's business.

If you deliberately choose to not display a front number plate or deliberately tint windows beyond legality then either you're entirely ignorant of the law or breathtakingly arrogant in assuming the law doesn't apply to you. And for what exactly? It can't be anything more important than identifying and conforming with a sub set of humanity who thinks their own personal weirdo needs and desires to make some sort of trendy fashion statement are a much more important priority to them than any obligation to conform with the requirements in place for the benefit of everybody else.

Ignorance and arrogance. Nothing appealing about either. Nor is there anything remotely appealing about strutting about like a self important Cockwhisk telling everybody else to mind their own business when by your own admission it's clearly you that's out of order.

I'll wager you're exactly the type of sanctimonious little tosser whom should you become involved in a situation that required you to positively identify another vehicle but you couldn't because it had a missing number plate or you got T boned at a junction because the other driver couldn't see you through excessively tinted windows syou'd be absolutely outraged at the injustice of it and cry loudest and longest of all.

I have tinted windows, on a 6 month old car. Don't think that it's therefore an indicator that my car is a rolling MOT failure...

Likewise, i imagine a lot of the 'scene' people actually spend a disproportionate amount of money on their cars versus total worth.

Your opinion is just that - an opinion. No need to be so rude about it, not to mention invent possible scenarios just to validate your theory.

Unlike yourself, most police officers are quite pragmatic in my experience. I've been pulled over for having no front plate before and they commented on the fact the car wouldn't be picked up on ANPR (from the front, anyway) or by average speed cameras. So where's the real issue? I have neither stolen my own car, and this ain't the Minority Report; having no front plate doesn't mean i intend to get away with speeding fines.

That was a rhetorical question, by the way. If you better about yourself for following every law to the letter, then good for you. I would love to watch you drive around for a day and see how often you display 'breathtaking arrogance' in breaking 30mph on your commute.

[loose cannon]

Ah the favourite mod for the chaved up e46, see e46 zone for details......

[TooMany2cvs]

hondansx said:

Jaguar steve said:

Whats wrong with that attitude is not actually the missing plate but the general fkuc the law mindset that permits it. That self centered attitude affects everybody else so yes, it's very much everybody else's business.

If you deliberately choose to not display a front number plate or deliberately tint windows beyond legality then either you're entirely ignorant of the law or breathtakingly arrogant in assuming the law doesn't apply to you. And for what exactly? ...

Ignorance and arrogance. Nothing appealing about either. Nor is there anything remotely appealing about strutting about like a self important Cockwhisk telling everybody else to mind their own business when by your own admission it's clearly you that's out of order.

Your opinion is just that - an opinion.

No, it really isn't. It seems much more like a basic statement of fact.

[tomjol]

TooMany2cvs said:

hondansx said:

Jaguar steve said:

Whats wrong with that attitude is not actually the missing plate but the general fkuc the law mindset that permits it. That self centered attitude affects everybody else so yes, it's very much everybody else's business.

If you deliberately choose to not display a front number plate or deliberately tint windows beyond legality then either you're entirely ignorant of the law or breathtakingly arrogant in assuming the law doesn't apply to you. And for what exactly? ...

Ignorance and arrogance. Nothing appealing about either. Nor is there anything remotely appealing about strutting about like a self important Cockwhisk telling everybody else to mind their own business when by your own admission it's clearly you that's out of order.

Your opinion is just that - an opinion.

No, it really isn't. It seems much more like a basic statement of fact.

Seems much more like a load of unnecessary hyperbole to me. Breathtakingly arrogant? Seriously?

I assume, Mr Jaguar Steve, that you follow every single law of the land down to the letter?

[jonwm]

Its quite an "in" mod on the VW, Seat front at the moment, its easily changed in VCDS setting, just as easy as setting rear DRL to be illuminated all the time but that never seems the get ticked.

[Gareth79]

vrod said:

Read with interest, as I'm guilty!

A different MOT tester did my American car a few weeks ago and after pondering a while 'looked up' the front light requirements as I only have headlights and orange indicator lenses. With no lights the front indicators are off, and flash accordingly. When on sidelights the indicators are dim, then flash bright accordingly.

He found a test section that states its legal provided it was housed in an orange lens, so there is no option to change the configuration. Obviously mine is an American import designed as such rather than some 'trend', but I would imagine with modern LED lighting and making it configurable for UK, USA markets is a way of manufacturers standardising their design, albeit now allowing people to configure them how they want. I also had 'white' indicators on an old 1938 hot rod that were 'legal' due to its age.

I think they were being charitable - the wording is
"e. shows a light other than red to the rear and white to the front (or yellow if a front position lamp is incorporated in a yellow headlamp)"

The problem is it's incorporated into the indicator, not the headlamp, and it needs to be yellow (ie. a French headlamp) not amber.

I had a 1992 Caprice that had dual-filament amber bulbs in the same way, but it had blanked out unused side lights (presumably for certain states or Canada) so I drilled them out and fitted a lampholder. Another option would be to drill out the headlight and fit a small clip-in 5W lampholder.

[93DW]

Jaguar steve said:

I'll wager you're exactly the type of sanctimonious little tosser whom should you become involved in a situation that required you to positively identify another vehicle but you couldn't because it had a missing number plate or you got T boned at a junction because the other driver couldn't see you through excessively tinted windows syou'd be absolutely outraged at the injustice of it and cry loudest and longest of all.

Why do people think that tinted front windows are completely black and cant be seen out of? The front windows on my Lexus are at 50% and I can still see reg numbers etc perfectly at night, Ive also enabled the USA marker lights on it because it makes me more visible which is never a bad thing on a black car (and obviously it makes me super cool and gives me all the attention I seek, Everyone knows girls get weak at the knees for marker lights)

JS you sound unbelievably pedantic as others have said we're assuming you never break any laws ever? I bet you're the type who does the full Tax/askmid/mot history checks every time a car parks on your street

[DS197]

hora said:

Why can't scene people move out of their parents homes and start becoming adults? Bit creepy.

Sorry, just look at them. They all look like people who struggle to grow up.

How else are they going to be able to dump £5000 in to a £800 car

[hondansx]

I thought this was a car community - should we instead be selling up and investing in bricks and mortar instead?

I think i'm going to have to declare my retirement for the General Gassing forum. The pedantry and resulting aggression is just off the scale these days.

[Jimmy No Hands]

My MK5 GTI had these on permanently, set at 8% brightness or something. I didn't have access to VAGCOM to turn the bd things off.

To be honest, they weren't hugely bright and definitely distinguishable from the indicating itself. I actually kind of grew to like it.



So if you saw a black GTI with these on around West Yorkshire last year, I am not a scene prick, I just couldn't afford vagcom. So I apologise.

[TooMany2cvs]

Jimmy No Hands said:

My MK5 GTI had these on permanently, set at 8% brightness or something. I didn't have access to VAGCOM to turn the bd things off.

To be honest, they weren't hugely bright and definitely distinguishable from the indicating itself. I actually kind of grew to like it.

So if you saw a black GTI with these on around West Yorkshire last year, I am not a scene prick, I just...

...bought the car from a sceneprick.

[Oilchange]

I seem to remember that tinted windows are legal provided that they are only tinted to a certain degree which the police can check using some sort of light device. So it all depends on how dark the tint. It is entirely possible that your car is an MOT failure, or indeed a pass but until you determine the tint we won't know. (At least that's if my understanding of the law is correct)

hondansx said:

I have tinted windows, on a 6 month old car. Don't think that it's therefore an indicator that my car is a rolling MOT failure...

[TooMany2cvs]

Oilchange said:

I seem to remember that tinted windows are legal provided that they are only tinted to a certain degree which the police can check using some sort of light device.

70% VLT on front side windows, 75% VLT on windscreen.

Standard tint's not normally far off that. So, basically, anything added (unless it's a clear security film) is going to take it past legality.