Is it legal to disable DRL's
Discussion
I hate DRL's as I think they look like some form of chav neon.
My new car has DRL's and you cannot turn them off without hooking up a diagnostic machine and disabling them. Even though the car has auto lights with an optional early setting.
My question is, IS it legal to disable them, in light of recent European law?
The concern would be with some idiot not simply looking and pulling out in daylight ( I had this a few years back) but using the lack of DRL's as an subsequent 'excuse'.
Opinion probably is that it's OK, but those pesky Belgian civil servants can be gits.
My new car has DRL's and you cannot turn them off without hooking up a diagnostic machine and disabling them. Even though the car has auto lights with an optional early setting.
My question is, IS it legal to disable them, in light of recent European law?
The concern would be with some idiot not simply looking and pulling out in daylight ( I had this a few years back) but using the lack of DRL's as an subsequent 'excuse'.
Opinion probably is that it's OK, but those pesky Belgian civil servants can be gits.
A bit O/T but I’m still in the last century re DRL Question – When using DRL only – does the dash light up ? and should the rears be on?
Reason I ask – as the mornings are getting darker there seems to be an increase in cars appearing to be running without lights (or rear lights at least)
Reason I ask – as the mornings are getting darker there seems to be an increase in cars appearing to be running without lights (or rear lights at least)
Hol said:
I hate DRL's as I think they look like some form of chav neon.
My new car has DRL's and you cannot turn them off without hooking up a diagnostic machine and disabling them. Even though the car has auto lights with an optional early setting.
My question is, IS it legal to disable them, in light of recent European law?
The concern would be with some idiot not simply looking and pulling out in daylight ( I had this a few years back) but using the lack of DRL's as an subsequent 'excuse'.
Opinion probably is that it's OK, but those pesky Belgian civil servants can be gits.
DRLs were only a legal requirement to be fitted to vehicles type approved from Feb 2012 onwards. If the car was type approved before this date, then you can just switch them off no problem.My new car has DRL's and you cannot turn them off without hooking up a diagnostic machine and disabling them. Even though the car has auto lights with an optional early setting.
My question is, IS it legal to disable them, in light of recent European law?
The concern would be with some idiot not simply looking and pulling out in daylight ( I had this a few years back) but using the lack of DRL's as an subsequent 'excuse'.
Opinion probably is that it's OK, but those pesky Belgian civil servants can be gits.
If after this date, I am unsure whether they have to (legally) still be enabled after the vehicle has been registered or not.
Hol said:
I hate DRL's as I think they look like some form of chav neon.
My new car has DRL's and you cannot turn them off without hooking up a diagnostic machine and disabling them. Even though the car has auto lights with an optional early setting.
My question is, IS it legal to disable them, in light of recent European law?
The concern would be with some idiot not simply looking and pulling out in daylight ( I had this a few years back) but using the lack of DRL's as an subsequent 'excuse'.
Opinion probably is that it's OK, but those pesky Belgian civil servants can be gits.
That has nothing at all to do with the legality side of things that you're asking. An insurance claim is a civil matter and that excuse is unlikely to hold up as firstly the majority of vehicles don't have DRLs. Secondly, the argument is that you saw the vehicle and chose to pull out on it because it didn't have DRLs on. No chance of that holding up My new car has DRL's and you cannot turn them off without hooking up a diagnostic machine and disabling them. Even though the car has auto lights with an optional early setting.
My question is, IS it legal to disable them, in light of recent European law?
The concern would be with some idiot not simply looking and pulling out in daylight ( I had this a few years back) but using the lack of DRL's as an subsequent 'excuse'.
Opinion probably is that it's OK, but those pesky Belgian civil servants can be gits.
If the vehicle legally requires them, then there will be no mechanism to disable them. My Octy vRS has them fitted, however as the vehicle had received type approval a long time before the February 2012 there is a simply way of switching them off.
As far as I'm aware DRL's are not part of the current MOT test, so I'm sure you "could" disable them on a car where they are legally required.
As far as I'm aware DRL's are not part of the current MOT test, so I'm sure you "could" disable them on a car where they are legally required.
I used to think people treated them as the new 'front fog lights' and switched them on, because they chose to - not because they had no choice.
It's dangerous how many people seem to think their rear lights are on, just because the dash is lit up.
It's dangerous how many people seem to think their rear lights are on, just because the dash is lit up.
Edited by Hol on Monday 22 September 11:08
ReedyDS3 said:
The dash lights up on many cars, without having external lights on and have done since before there were DRL's... Idiots are still idiots!
My previous car (2005 Civic Type-S) always had dash lit up but did not have DRLs. My current 2012 Octavia vRS has DRLs (can be disabled) but the dash does not light up until main lights switched on.
ReedyDS3 said:
The dash lights up on many cars, without having external lights on and have done since before there were DRL's... Idiots are still idiots!
My 2006 Astra's dash lights up when the ignition is switched on. The only difference when the lights are switched on is a green symbol on the dash display.I seen an Audi the other day with only one working DRL. I wonder how much that would cost to repair? Probably a new headlamp unit. And would the police stop you if you have a faulty DRL?
fatboy b said:
New laws on their way mean the back has to be on too. My new XF does this. Also TPMS vavles will be law on new cars too.
News to me, can you share your source? I haven't seen anything in the lighting reg update proposals yet relating to rear lamps having to come on with DRL.Edited by Cyder on Monday 22 September 19:47
ch108 said:
I seen an Audi the other day with only one working DRL. I wonder how much that would cost to repair? Probably a new headlamp unit. And would the police stop you if you have a faulty DRL?
Most DRL's inside the headlamp can't be services so would have to replace the whole unit. If it wasn't covered under warranty I'd guess £800-£1000 to replace an LED or Xenon headlamp with DRL.Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff