Discussion
At this time of year I become annoyed by the number of cars with dud lighting. I don't like driving in the dark at the best of times, perhaps a concomitant of age, though I wasn't that enthusiastic when I was young either. Anyhow, back to the topic, bulbs are not that expensive, so fix them, or get them sorted. I hate having a bulb go and carry spares - my old Mercedes is an easy fix and I like to be able to see where I'm going and know that others can see me too.
This is something for which the motor manufacturers must take some responsibility. It should be made a requirement that any bulb can be changed quickly and easily by the motorist at the roadside. The fact that on many vehicles bumpers and panels need to be removed just to access a lamp which is required to be working is just ridiculous.
On the subject of driving on sidelights, in heavy, city or town traffic is it not better to be on sidelights than have bright headlights blinding drivers who are only going at walking pace?
On the subject of driving on sidelights, in heavy, city or town traffic is it not better to be on sidelights than have bright headlights blinding drivers who are only going at walking pace?
DrDeAtH said:
The attitude of most motorists is that it will all be fixed at the MOT
This must be a special kind of thing, as I thought it was just a test...
For so many people that's the only time they assume anyone actually looks the car over on their behalf. One dizzy bint I used to work with assumed they serviced it when it went for an MOT - this only came to light after the engine seized due to lack of oil and no service in the 3 years she'd owned it......it was an MOT only centre and she was paying £50 or less.This must be a special kind of thing, as I thought it was just a test...
I also get annoyed at lack of bulb checks - particularly if there's more than 1 out. Some cars will bleat at you until you do something about it, but a surprising number give no dash warning at all, which doesn't help those visually challenged enough that they never wonder why it's so hard to see where they're going, or never walk around their car with the lights on 'just to check'
I have the delights of a long haul journey tomorrow so am sure I'll see the full selection of lighting cretins, including FOG lights in RAIN and any amusing combination of blown bulbs. Plus all the folk who never drive on the motorway except for the annual relative visit <shudders>
Christmas was so yesterday, I'm ready for a rant!
or using fog lights because the head lamp is out.
The police should be clamping down on this big time.
The number of vehicles with the whole front and rear out on one side, that more than a fuse
at least four lamps.
Its an offence to use an un- roadworthy vehicle so fix it or don't drive it.
If you cant fix it pay someone who can.
The police should be clamping down on this big time.
The number of vehicles with the whole front and rear out on one side, that more than a fuse
at least four lamps.
Its an offence to use an un- roadworthy vehicle so fix it or don't drive it.
If you cant fix it pay someone who can.
Noticing a light out and getting it fixed are two different things. Last time I had a bulb out I had to wait a week for a garage appointment to put a new one in. As I have other cars I just didnt use that one but other people are not as fortunate and dont have a choice.
And just to try and maintain my bloke/PH cred , this bulb change required a significant amount of underbonnet gubbins to be dismantled , some I believe requires special tools which I dont have in my toolkit and I didnt really fancy trying to do it in the dark.
On the TVR its best to jack it up and remove the wheel before bulb changing although it can be done at home with a normal toolkit.
And just to try and maintain my bloke/PH cred , this bulb change required a significant amount of underbonnet gubbins to be dismantled , some I believe requires special tools which I dont have in my toolkit and I didnt really fancy trying to do it in the dark.
On the TVR its best to jack it up and remove the wheel before bulb changing although it can be done at home with a normal toolkit.
kwittery then perhaps we might like them. 
Had a side light bulb blow on the Range Rover. Could not get one of the screws undone to remove the headlight.
Took it to Halfords. First chap could not do it either, but one other their he said was a freak. So he turned out to be able to contortion his hand at all sorts of odd angles....
Took it to Halfords. First chap could not do it either, but one other their he said was a freak. So he turned out to be able to contortion his hand at all sorts of odd angles....
Years ago I had a Disco 1 and spent half an hour plus taking the skin off my knuckles trying to change a headlight bulb in the limited space behind the headlight unit.
When the other side went, I Goolged it before attempting it and found the whole headlight came out with a hefty thump and the bulb changing then only took 30 seconds
When the other side went, I Goolged it before attempting it and found the whole headlight came out with a hefty thump and the bulb changing then only took 30 seconds
swerni said:
How many people can honestly say that they check their bulbs on a semi regular basis?
I do. I check the headlights when I park in front of the (half) garage and the rear lights when I reverse up to it (every few days) I also know when an indicator bulb has gone by the frenzied flash rate but many seem not to understand what this is telling them...my Dad told me.Used to annoy me too. Recently though, just through circumstance, I've not been driving any distance in the dark and when I have been out after dark it's been under street lighting. To my shame the wife had to tell me I had a headlight and a tail light out.
I found half an hour to change them last week, started with taking the bust tail light out to see what type I need to get, noticed it didn't look bust, swapped it over and it wasn't, got to the auxiliary fuse box behind the glovebox, found the manual didn't match the layout of it at all, posted on Pistonheads asking if anyone had a diagram for it, eventually found one myself, swapped the right fuse over, having already swapped the fuse over that means I now need fascia keys to get at the serial number for the radio so I can put a code into it.
Now the tail light is working at least, but I still have the headlight to do. The tail light was supposed to be the easy one. Maybe today if it's not raining again.
I found half an hour to change them last week, started with taking the bust tail light out to see what type I need to get, noticed it didn't look bust, swapped it over and it wasn't, got to the auxiliary fuse box behind the glovebox, found the manual didn't match the layout of it at all, posted on Pistonheads asking if anyone had a diagram for it, eventually found one myself, swapped the right fuse over, having already swapped the fuse over that means I now need fascia keys to get at the serial number for the radio so I can put a code into it.
Now the tail light is working at least, but I still have the headlight to do. The tail light was supposed to be the easy one. Maybe today if it's not raining again.
swerni said:
Pothole said:
swerni said:
How many people can honestly say that they check their bulbs on a semi regular basis?
I do. I check the headlights when I park in front of the (half) garage and the rear lights when I reverse up to it (every few days) I also know when an indicator bulb has gone by the frenzied flash rate but many seem not to understand what this is telling them...my Dad told me.Forums | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff