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Just Been Pulled! Legal Eagles?


Bison
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Just been pulled by the Fuzzy Muff,

Pulled up at Crossroads, traffice lights were green, so I continued over, coming from my left, sat at the red lights was the 5-0. It was dark and I only had my side/running lights on. (As I think it looks cool) :P

As I have an LS400 my side lights look like my indicators, (even though my indicators are below my sidelights.) and the fact that I have amber bulbs in them make them stand out. Basically I have gone for the American look Amber runners.

So went past with just my Amber Runners on, and funnily enough they followed me. So I was waiting...... And waiting ....... and finally on come the blues.

Pulled over, Sat there all Gangsta looking and the officer came up to me and as I'm only 23 I knew what he was gonna say! "This your car sir!" lol.

Yes I said, as his partner checked out my Amber runners. Whats going on with your indicators then he said? "are they stuck on" No i said and explained that they were my side lights, I even put my hazards on to show him my indicators were below.

He said he had l lexus as well and his didn't do that, but his was a IS200 so explained they are a little different, he loved my car but said well I pulled cos I thought they were stuck on or you were F**king P*ssed. (Didn't know they were allowed to swear lol) but he was having a laugh etc.

Anyway he let me go, but before he did, he added well, "This is the first time I have been baffled in all my years as a traffic cop" I'm not sure if Amber Side Lights are legal or not? So he let me go on with my business.

Well are they legal or not???

I reckon it makes the car look lush though! I like the American Look!

Bison :zee:

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You are supposed to have" white " side lights. Technically I think you could be nicked. I know that is also a nickable offence to have your spots/fogs on when weather doesn't require them to be on i.e. a normal day. But it depends who pulls you and if they want to stick to the letter of the law.

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hey - as long as it looks cool

who cares if you can see.

I could see, it was a lit up area. This wasn't why he pulled me, as it is not against the law to have just side lights on in a lit up area.

Bison :zee:

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I could see, it was a lit up area. This wasn't why he pulled me, as it is not against the law to have just side lights on in a lit up area.

never said it was against the law - just stupid.

do you know how many kids were wandering around last night dressed all in black?

and your driving around with no light on.

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Not wanting to get into a slagging match but my kid was run over last year at night time by someone who had side lights on. There were many other factors such as she had a black coat (school requires black uniform including coat but I now make her wear reflective arm bands things - much to her disgust) and it was foggy but none the less, side lights in the dark are not appropriate regardless of how 'cool' the car looks.

I think my IS200 looks much better with only its side lights than full lights and I tend to have them on as soon as its not completely light but as soon as required, full lights go on. Its not just about where I'm going, its so other people see me.

Personally, I'd vote that we are like Sweden and compulsory to have side lights on all the time.

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Bison,

Don't forget to post these kind of issues in our legal advice forum, found in my signature.

As far as I am aware, the side lights don't have to be white, and orange will suffice - as Volvo are selling cars with orange lights.

It is an offence however "to display other than white lights to the front of the car" and/or "to display other than a standard red brake light to the rear"

This can apply for those stupid blue lights that are used as windscreen washers, neons ... etc etc !! - not that I hope any Lexus owner has blue windscreen washers !!

As per the your main lights, the highway code states, head lights are to be used when visibility drops below 100 meters.

So, technically, everyone who drives on a normal 30mph road, with side lights - aren't actually commiting an offence, so long as the street lighting are a certain amount of distance between each other (don't know the exact measurement off head)

I will however look it up today .... what the exact offence if any ... for displaying orange side lights ... and i'll update this thread accordingly.

Hope this helps ....

Regards.

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never said it was against the law - just stupid.

do you know how many kids were wandering around last night dressed all in black?

and your driving around with no light on.

I'll have to disagree with you, For a start I did have a light on, in fact I had 6 lights on if you count my sidelights rear lights and rear number plate lights. i've done this for 7 years and even managed to stop when a black cat ran in front of me, in the dark.

And I don't appreciate being called stupid, because that's one thing i'm not. If what I was doing is so stupid, surely it would be illegal. To be honest with you, I don't care what you think and will carry on regardless.

I am a very safe and sensible driver. And I have good reactions and good brakes, in case any unsupervised kids are out wearing black, late at night and not looking before they cross over. (which if they are they are probably out nicking your Gold Lexus Badges anyway and deserve to be run over!)

Bison :zee:

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if you dont like being thought of as stupid, stop acting stupid !!

just because something is not illegal it doesnt make it sensible

no child deserves to be run over !!

no driver needs the thought of running a child over to be with him either

the fact that you felt you could see properly is not a great problem, the fact that pedestrians and children can not see you properly is a problem

stop trying to look cool in your car,

and think of others

the car is cool, make sure the driver is

by the way my jap import van has amber and white sidelights

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about 15 years ago I had a child jump out in front of me.. luckily enough I stopped just in time as it just knocked him on his bum... the boy then legged it...but I can tell you that from that point I have always made sure I am visible at all times. Motorways I will run with my lights.. So at night time I would want people to see me... it stop them from colliding with me.

Lets say a motorcycle was at a junction... and pull out in front of you because you did not have your full lights on and you killed him... would you still think it was cool to run with side lights? I think not.. it would prolly put you in a short term mental hospital.

So.. just cos you can see.. make sure other people can see you.. Never assume that they can!

Oh BTW.. I was knocked off my bike on a roundabout by someone running side lights! So yes it is important as I did not see the knob.

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And I have good reactions and good brakes, in case any unsupervised kids are out wearing black, late at night and not looking before they cross over. (which if they are they are probably out nicking your Gold Lexus Badges anyway and deserve to be run over!)

The word 'stupid' comes into a whole new context with these comments. My child was run over during late afternoon last December. Unfortunately, once the clocks go back, its practically dark at this time. All she was doing was walking home from school which I think is something she has to do and not out nicking things. She wears black because its the school uniform and I can assure you that my children don't go out nicking things so stereotyping all children as they must be nicking if out after dark is unfair or maybe what happens where ever you live!!

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Think everyone of us reckons there a good driver with good reactions and good brakes and good tyres and good ***....what did i just hit...

personally i think side lights can easily blend into the background of a town centre from a distance, Also just cause yougot lights on doesnt mean a kid or adult alike will register that its a car...

Only last night i encountered that advert on the radio in real life, where this woman is saying "this is what a bus sounds like to a 70 year old" "this is what a bus sounds liek to a small child" and "this is what a bus sounds liek to a teenager on the phone to here boyfriend" as she steps out in the foad in front of me in a busy town with my HID's on and her back to me... so maybe it was the projected beam of light from my headlights that made here realise i was there,, something that side lights would not have done..

never said it was against the law - just stupid.

do you know how many kids were wandering around last night dressed all in black?

and your driving around with no light on.

. And I have good reactions and good brakes, in case any unsupervised kids are out wearing black, late at night and not looking before they cross over. (which if they are they are probably out nicking your Gold Lexus Badges anyway and deserve to be run over!)

Bison :zee:

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geez guys dont all get personal now.. Bottom line is that during dusk or anytime when a driver consider that HIS CAR may not be seen, he should put appropriate amount of lights to be seen by both pedestrians and other motorist. Think about this....Consider the small amount of time it takes you to glance in your rear view mirror would you see sidelights or head lights better? This should then tell you if headligts are required

And show some love.. its just a discussion

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geez guys dont all get personal now.. Bottom line is that during dusk or anytime when a driver consider that HIS CAR may not be seen, he should put appropriate amount of lights to be seen by both pedestrians and other motorist. Think about this....Consider the small amount of time it takes you to glance in your rear view mirror would you see sidelights or head lights better? This should then tell you if headligts are required

And show some love.. its just a discussion

Sorry but emotion does get caught up when your defending the circumstances in how my child got hit by a car and thrown into the path of oncoming traffic!!

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Sorry but emotion does get caught up when your defending the circumstances in how my child got hit by a car and thrown into the path of oncoming traffic!!

I know exactly how you feel.. my son was knocked off his bike as he tried to cross the street. Funnily enough it was daylight and the car had just started to move off after being parked. Which goes to show that all moving vehicles should have some indication that they are on the move. So I DO believe all motorist should do all they can so they can be seen..If it means headlights at 2pm onwards during the winter then so be it.

But I just think that for the sake of the discussion we should avoid any personal attacks. Lets hope none of us has any incidents during the winter where we wish we had use our headlights

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you can have orange sidelights (oem fit on landrover discovery & volvo s40 etc)as long as there are another set of sidelights that are white. ok cars like volvo s40 have orange sidelights but they also have white sidelights as well. but if its just orange sidelights you can get stopped for it. i use to have PIAA sidelights on my old mazda ---plasma fx, cant remember exact name, that was only little(unnoticebly) bit blue but got stopped and fined for it. as far as i know sidelights have to be white.

in countries like NZ & US it is legal to use orange sidelights, thats why lots of grey import MR2 has them & lots of owners dont bother changing it as is not required to change them by law there.

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