Are blue sidelights legal in the UK?

[MX7]

Nickyboy said:

Wrong on so many levels.

If its not difficult then you should have found the correct information.

You can show any colour to the front as long as it isn't red

However, there are certain lights that have to be white and replacing them with other colours would be an MOT failure. Sidelights are one. Have your normal sidelights and add extra blue or green lights and you would be perfectly legal.

I don't think that's even remotely true.

[Mr2Mike]

Toltec said:

They are are an MOT fail since the new rules came in earlier this year.

AFAIK, lamps showing an incorrect colour has always been a reason for MOT failure (or at least for a very long time).

philmots said:

What you need are Philips Bluevision sidelight bulbs.. Available on eBay for around a fiver.

Don't be put off by the name or the look.. They're a normal filament bulb with a deep blue coating on. This cancels out the yellowy light from standard

What it does is reduce the light output at the red end of the spectrum, which is where filament lamps have the greatest output. This means the total light output will be significantly lowered unless they have increased the lamp power to compensate.

[Troubleatmill]

Answer is here.
You can only have a steady white light to the front and a steady red light showing to the rear of your vehicle.

Source
http://www.ukemergency.co.uk/index.php?option=com_...

[mybrainhurts]

http://s608.photobucket.com/user/thisisnumbereleve...


How to get pulled by the fuzz without really trying....

[trashbat]

I think Nickyboy might be right, at least based on a quick read of RVRL. He has a particularly unpleasant way of expressing it though, so fk him.

[Nickyboy]

trashbat said:

I think Nickyboy might be right, at least based on a quick read of RVRL. He has a particularly unpleasant way of expressing it though, so fk him.

Unpleasant in what way?

Someone posting that it was simple to find the correct regulations but posting something that was completely wrong.

I would have thought people would prefer to know the actual law so they know whether they are legal or not instead of peoples opinions.

UK Lighting Regulations said:

Colour of light shown by lamps and reflectors:

11.—(1) No vehicle shall be fitted with a lamp which is capable of showing a red light to the front, except–

(a)a red and white chequered domed lamp, or a red and white segmented mast-mounted warning beacon, fitted to a fire service control vehicle and intended for use at the scene of an emergency;
(b)a side marker lamp or a side retro reflector;
(c)retro reflective material or a retro reflector designed primarily to reflect light to one or both sides of the vehicle and attached to or incorporated in any wheel or tyre of–
(i)a pedal cycle and any sidecar attached to it;
(ii)a solo motor bicycle or a motor bicycle combination; or
(iii)an invalid carriage; or
(d)a traffic sign.
(2) No vehicle shall be fitted with a lamp which is capable of showing any light to the rear, other than a red light, except–

(a)amber light from a direction indicator or side marker lamp;
(b)white light from a reversing lamp;
(c)white light from a work lamp;
(d)light to illuminate the interior of a vehicle;
(e)light from an illuminated rear registration plate;
(f)light for the purposes of illuminating a taxi meter;
(g)in the case of a bus, light for the purposes of illuminating a route indicator;
(h)blue light and white light from a chequered domed lamp fitted to a police control vehicle and intended for use at the scene of an emergency;
(i)white light from a red and white chequered domed lamp, or a red and white segmented mast-mounted warning beacon, fitted to a fire service control vehicle and intended for use at the scene of an emergency;
(j)green light and white light from a chequered domed lamp fitted to an ambulance control vehicle and intended for use at the scene of an emergency;
(k)blue light from a warning beacon or rear special warning lamp fitted to an emergency vehicle, or from any device fitted to a vehicle used for police purposes;
(l)amber light from a warning beacon fitted to–
(i)a road clearance vehicle;
(ii)a vehicle constructed or adapted for the purpose of collecting refuse;
(iii)a breakdown vehicle;
(iv)a vehicle having a maximum speed not exceeding 25 mph or any trailer drawn by such a vehicle;
(v)a vehicle having an overall width (including any load) exceeding 2.9 m;
(vi)a vehicle used for the purposes of testing, maintaining, improving, cleansing or watering roads or for any purpose incidental to any such use;
(vii)a vehicle used for the purpose of inspecting, cleansing, maintaining, adjusting, renewing or installing any apparatus which is in, on, under or over a road, or for any purpose incidental to any such use;
(viii)a vehicle used for or in connection with any purpose for which it is authorised to be used on roads by an order under section 44 of the Act;
(ix)a vehicle used for escort purposes when travelling at a speed not exceeding 25 mph;
(x)a vehicle used by the Commissioners of Customs and Excise for the purpose of testing fuels;
(xi)a vehicle used for the purpose of surveying;
(xii)a vehicle used for the removal or immobilisation of vehicles in exercise of a statutory power or duty;
(m)green light from a warning beacon fitted to a vehicle used by a medical practitioner registered by the General Medical Council (whether with full, provisional or limited registration);
(n)yellow light from a warning beacon fitted to a vehicle for use at airports;
(o)light of any colour from a traffic sign which is attached to a vehicle;
(p)reflected light from amber pedal retro reflectors;
(q)reflected light of any colour from retro reflective material or a retro reflector designed primarily to reflect light to one or both sides of the vehicle and attached to or incorporated in any wheel or tyre of–
(i)a pedal cycle and any sidecar attached to it;
(ii)a solo motor bicycle or motor bicycle combination; or
(iii)an invalid carriage;
(r)reflected light from amber retro reflective material on a road clearance vehicle;
(s)reflected light from yellow retro reflective registration plates;
(t)reflected light from yellow retro reflective material incorporated in a rear marking of a type specified in Part I Section B of Schedule 19 and fitted to–
(i)a motor vehicle having a maximum gross weight exceeding 7500 kg;
(ii)a motor vehicle first used before 1st August 1982 having an unladen weight exceeding 3000 kg;
(iii)a trailer having a maximum gross weight exceeding 3500 kg;
(iv)a trailer manufactured before 1st August 1982 having an unladen weight exceeding 1000 kg;
(v)a trailer which forms part of a combination of vehicles one of which is of a type mentioned in a previous item of this sub-paragraph;
(vi)a load carried by any vehicle; or
(u)reflected light from orange retro reflective material incorporated in a sign fitted to the rear of a vehicle carrying a dangerous substance within the meaning of the Dangerous Substances (Conveyance by Road in Road Tankers and Tank Containers) Regulations 1981(1) or the Road Traffic (Carriage of Dangerous Substances in Packages etc) Regulations 1986(2)

If showing blue/green/orange lights to the front of your vehicle was illegal then 90% of trucks on British roads would be running illegally.

[LooneyTunes]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

[e21Mark]

I must admit I've never even considered that my sidelights might have a bit of a yellow tinge to them?

I'm guessing the OP is quite young, going by car type and engine size, and is trying to individualise his Polo in some way? Be a real individual fella and don't follow the herds that fit tat like blue sidelights, or drive around with every light possible switched on.

[anonymous-user]

elephantstone said:

Because its hard to put yourself in the mind of someone who forks out on a nearly new 1.2 shopping cart and then think it would be a good idea to put blue bulbs in the lights? Oh yeah the person who thinks you can only buy a new car in white.

And your opinion is worth what to him? No they're not the last word in subtlety but neither is your barnet.

[Busterbulldog]

The Moose said:

Erm...

I'm not so sure I agree with you there.

A bit like those bulldogs in the bad parking thread...

This opinion really matters ...keep spewing the garb you will soon hit your 10 thousandth post here.

[elephantstone]

yonex said:

And your opinion is worth what to him? No they're not the last word in subtlety but neither is your barnet.

My barnet is far from following the crowd. Really gets on my goat that people abit younger than me are becoming clones of eachother. Haircut, clothes, white german cars...

[nottyash]

Welsh Ash said:

RCBRG said:

because they look ridiculous

Well they look good on my polo

Do they?

[VinceFox]

Aftermarket blues are a convenient way of colour coding. It shows at a glance which cars have aholes in them.

[Toltec]

Mr2Mike said:

Toltec said:

They are are an MOT fail since the new rules came in earlier this year.

AFAIK, lamps showing an incorrect colour has always been a reason for MOT failure (or at least for a very long time).

Only came up this year and the car has been tested at the same place twice before with the leds fitted. Probably a different tester though.

[Pommygranite]

The OP is obviously young and asked a straightforward question - no need for some of the tool-like answers. We were all young once and he's just into his car albeit in a way we wouldn't be.

There's a reason this place has the reputation it does and this thread is another example.

Just be civil. Its not hard.

[James_N]

Maybe he needs to be on Barryboys rather than here?!

[Pommygranite]

If it was Gulzar we'd be licking his balls but for some reason because its a young bloke and a small car we feel the need to scoff,laugh and mock - he doesn't know any different, no need be a tool about it. And we mock the Daily Mail for readers responses :rollseyes:

[kambites]

My understanding is that it's perfectly legal to show blue light to the front of a car in the UK as long so they aren't an "emergency light".

However, I think it's also the case that side-lights must be white?

[GTIR]

They look da bom.

[crazy about cars]

jimmy156 said:

I can't think of a worse "look" then a white car with blue sidelights (no headlights) and fog-lights on.

That's exactly what I am thinking too...

Granted some LED bulbs have slight blue tint but this one looks OTT blue.