blacked out rear lights...........legal or not?

[scorcher]

I've got them on the back of my black TVR Griffith as have many other cars....but after watching Police Camera Action I'm wondering whether they are actually illegal or just "frowned upon" by the BIB.I used a tinting spray but they turned out darker than what I wanted them to ( look completely black ).I have used brighter bulbs throughout because there is not much fun in being rear ended and after asking a few people whether they have seen my lights/brake lights/indicators during the sunny summer months they have said "yeah no problem".Not put them through an MOT yet but all the colours are as they should be and the reflectors work ok aswell.Legal/illegal or grey area ?

[andy_quantum]

I had smoked rear lights on an old 3 series and got a pull for it. They just asked me to clear them up and left it at that. It'd been through 2 MOT's with them on without a problem, so I think it really depends on the mood that day

[VtecLover]

Abit grey area.

The reflectors mustnt have any paint on them, its usally a block 2 inch by 1 inch on the rear lights.

Also you must be able to see white light for the reverse, amber for indictors and red for brake.
If the tint is dark, this may make the colours appear different.

[Derek Smith]

scorcher said:

I've got them on the back of my black TVR Griffith as have many other cars....but after watching Police Camera Action I'm wondering whether they are actually illegal or just "frowned upon" by the BIB.I used a tinting spray but they turned out darker than what I wanted them to ( look completely black ).I have used brighter bulbs throughout because there is not much fun in being rear ended and after asking a few people whether they have seen my lights/brake lights/indicators during the sunny summer months they have said "yeah no problem".Not put them through an MOT yet but all the colours are as they should be and the reflectors work ok aswell.Legal/illegal or grey area ?

I don't know whether you view this as off-topic or not, but the higher wattage bulbs might well be illegal.

Edited by Derek Smith on Saturday 27th October 07:30

[EDLT]

Bear in mind that in that particular episode of Police Camera Action they called a BMW 730d a high powered sports car. Maybe he was still drunk from his drive to work.

[wasted years]

As long as the relevant colours come through clearly then there are no issues with smoked lenses.

[TPS]

The safest thing to do is to buy the proper smoked tail lights from a shop that are road legal and come with the correct kite mark/bs approved.

[crackthatoff]

if its only a weekend car, sod it !

[ganglandboss]

Why would you tint your lights anyway?

[Mr2Mike]

crackthatoff said:

if its only a weekend car, sod it !

Can't you get pulled for illegal lights at the weekend then?

[crackthatoff]

Mr2Mike said:

crackthatoff said:

if its only a weekend car, sod it !

Can't you get pulled for illegal lights at the weekend then?

[evolution666]

ganglandboss said:

Why would you tint your lights anyway?

shot in the dark here, but im guessing its cos he wanted to tint them, yeah???

[scorcher]

derek smith said:

I don't know whether you view this as off-topic or not, but the higher wattage bulbs might well be illegal.

Technically perhaps but who is likely to check them and for what reason?The bulbs appear as normal brightness through the tint.

TPS said:

The safest thing to do is to buy the proper smoked tail lights from a shop that are road legal and come with the correct kite mark/bs approved.

Would of done but not much around for the Griffith.Ocassionally get GSI tinted lenses come up on Fleabay.

Ganglandboss said:

Why would you tint your lights anyway?

Why buy a 4x4?Why buy a car that goes faster than 70MPH?.Its called freedom of choice!
Still not sure whether they are illegal or not though

[DBSV8]

crackthatoff said:

Mr2Mike said:

crackthatoff said:

if its only a weekend car, sod it !

Can't you get pulled for illegal lights at the weekend then?

interesting if someone hit you up the chuff......because they couldnt see your blacked out lights

claim sir !!
illegal sir !!

sorry sir !!

[Paulle]

I used to know a lad who "tinted" his rear lights using a pair of black tights that he'd cut up

[bimsb6]

Paulle said:

I used to know a lad who "tinted" his rear lights using a pair of black tights that he'd cut up

his own tights ?

[Swoxy]

Got pulled several times in this and the rear lights were never mentioned.
Didn't have any problems during the MOT either ...

Edited by Swoxy on Sunday 28th October 14:22

[LivinLaVidaLotus]

Not often you see a Baleno, got rid of mine recently, bit of a rarity on the roads.

[Scraggles]

tend to blank the number plates of any cars I photograph and upload on the net

not had the urge to black out lights, seems fairly pointless

[Swoxy]

LivinLaVidaLotus said:

Not often you see a Baleno, got rid of mine recently, bit of a rarity on the roads.

Had it.
Loved it.
Bought two gearboxes for it.
Got p****d off and sold it.