32 replies to this topic

[blackbelt1990]

Thats because you have your lights covered on black tape.

No... they were covered in black tape because they were rubbish...

[sprintmini]

Before everyone goes off an sticks black insulating tape across their headlights think about this.
For years I have been running classic cars and as I live out of the cities I tend to need my lights working as good as they can.
I have had cars pull out in front of me during the day whilst I have been running headlights simply because they see a classic and automaticially think SLOW car.
I now drive with my headlights on most of the time so drivers will take a second look before they pull out.
Putting tape across the beam is limiting the headlight quite a lot and should you hit someone,or have someone pull out in front of you and you hit them then the police will look at your car in minute detail.
First thing they will see is partially obscured headlights so you will be looking at being reported for that and maybe driving without due care and attention.
If I was going to fit tape it would be just for show use when the car is on private land.

Edited by sprintmini, 11 March 2009 - 09:03 PM.

[daemonchild]

Doesn't the tape get all hot and gooey?

[captainjack15]

Thats because you have your lights covered on black tape.

No... they were covered in black tape because they were rubbish...

Why cover them up more to make them worse??

[minidan]

i agree, do it for shows etc.

what sprintmini said is perfect sense. use your headlights so people can SEE you. dont wreck your beloved mini for the sake of 'retro' looking headlights.

(although i think they look good its not for the road)

[blackbelt1990]

Doesn't the tape get all hot and gooey?

Yeah, it does leave a resedue when you take it off... WD40 and a cloth gets rid of that tho

Why cover them up more to make them worse??

When they are as bad as mine are.. nothing made them worse... havn't had the tape on for a while now tho... because everyone's doing it!

Lens covers ftw....

[mymini007]

I've been running a mixture of these... never had any trouble with the Rozzers

My lights are fairly bad anyway without covering half of them in tape......looks cool though

[blackbelt1990]

Lol...

Wipac Quadoptics = fail

they are pannnts... only got to use them for a few more weeks though... then pay day

[Jackman]

From this thread

[Dan]

Before everyone goes off an sticks black insulating tape across their headlights think about this.
For years I have been running classic cars and as I live out of the cities I tend to need my lights working as good as they can.
I have had cars pull out in front of me during the day whilst I have been running headlights simply because they see a classic and automaticially think SLOW car.
I now drive with my headlights on most of the time so drivers will take a second look before they pull out.
Putting tape across the beam is limiting the headlight quite a lot and should you hit someone,or have someone pull out in front of you and you hit them then the police will look at your car in minute detail.
First thing they will see is partially obscured headlights so you will be looking at being reported for that and maybe driving without due care and attention.
If I was going to fit tape it would be just for show use when the car is on private land.

It is however also illegal to use your lamps during the day, until the day running lamp law comes into force and even then it will only be legal to use running lamps which are dimmer than dipped beam lamps. 'No driver shall cause or permit to be caused the use of vehicle lighting during the hours of daylight' or something along those lines. That applies to bikes too, despite the government telling bikers to drive with their lights on. Why they rarely enforce that law I can't say but it is law, or was. Maybe they've changed it. Just an interesting technicality though because as you say there are times when it's very sensible to draw attention to yourself on the road. This is also why the day running lamps law has caused an increase in deaths and crashes among bikers and Volvo drivers wherever it's been introduced, when everyone has their lights on you don't notice them any more.

[blackbelt1990]

Wow Dan.. thats quite interesting really... never knew that...

I always have my lights on for that very reason! lol

It's like the law that says you can't drive with sidelights on... because if it's dark enough for that... you should have dipped beam on? or something like that!

Edited by blackbelt1990, 11 March 2009 - 11:15 PM.

[mymini007]

Before everyone goes off an sticks black insulating tape across their headlights think about this.
For years I have been running classic cars and as I live out of the cities I tend to need my lights working as good as they can.
I have had cars pull out in front of me during the day whilst I have been running headlights simply because they see a classic and automaticially think SLOW car.
I now drive with my headlights on most of the time so drivers will take a second look before they pull out.
Putting tape across the beam is limiting the headlight quite a lot and should you hit someone,or have someone pull out in front of you and you hit them then the police will look at your car in minute detail.
First thing they will see is partially obscured headlights so you will be looking at being reported for that and maybe driving without due care and attention.
If I was going to fit tape it would be just for show use when the car is on private land.

It is however also illegal to use your lamps during the day, until the day running lamp law comes into force and even then it will only be legal to use running lamps which are dimmer than dipped beam lamps. 'No driver shall cause or permit to be caused the use of vehicle lighting during the hours of daylight' or something along those lines. That applies to bikes too, despite the government telling bikers to drive with their lights on. Why they rarely enforce that law I can't say but it is law, or was. Maybe they've changed it. Just an interesting technicality though because as you say there are times when it's very sensible to draw attention to yourself on the road. This is also why the day running lamps law has caused an increase in deaths and crashes among bikers and Volvo drivers wherever it's been introduced, when everyone has their lights on you don't notice them any more.

So what will happen to me, the lights on my volvo are on all the time, you cant turn them off?

[blackbelt1990]

I think that's fine... as they're driving lights Not just dipped beam?

[Dan]

Yes and Volvo have never bothered to make a different wiring harness for any country outside Scandinavia, despite nearly every market they are sold in requiring lamps to be off during the day at one time or another over the years. They simply refuse to do it when they are told to, it's now considered a quirk! However nothing you did yourself caused or allowed the lamps to be on strictly speaking, due to the construction of the vehicle you can't use it with the lamps off so it's not directly your fault.

And yes you mustn't drive with just your sidelights on at night, that's why they tried to bring in the dim-dip requirement for the UK all those years ago. It wasn't just to prevent you forgetting to turn the lights on but was meant to give you an extra dim set of lamps to use in town at night and prevent dazzle. Great idea. Then the manufacturers complained that they didn't want to make a special wiring system for the UK only and the EU agreed, saying that Britain couldn't come up with our own rules. Despite there being special lighting requirements for Germany, Italy, Spain and France at that time. That was when the C&U regs un-officially gave way to European type approval for all new cars. Then a few years later the EU insist that we all have day running lamps that are more or less exactly as bright as UK spec dim-dip lighting. Stupidity.

[Lloydie Boy]

Before everyone goes off an sticks black insulating tape across their headlights think about this.
For years I have been running classic cars and as I live out of the cities I tend to need my lights working as good as they can.
I have had cars pull out in front of me during the day whilst I have been running headlights simply because they see a classic and automaticially think SLOW car.
I now drive with my headlights on most of the time so drivers will take a second look before they pull out.
Putting tape across the beam is limiting the headlight quite a lot and should you hit someone,or have someone pull out in front of you and you hit them then the police will look at your car in minute detail.
First thing they will see is partially obscured headlights so you will be looking at being reported for that and maybe driving without due care and attention.
If I was going to fit tape it would be just for show use when the car is on private land.

It is however also illegal to use your lamps during the day, until the day running lamp law comes into force and even then it will only be legal to use running lamps which are dimmer than dipped beam lamps. 'No driver shall cause or permit to be caused the use of vehicle lighting during the hours of daylight' or something along those lines. That applies to bikes too, despite the government telling bikers to drive with their lights on. Why they rarely enforce that law I can't say but it is law, or was. Maybe they've changed it. Just an interesting technicality though because as you say there are times when it's very sensible to draw attention to yourself on the road. This is also why the day running lamps law has caused an increase in deaths and crashes among bikers and Volvo drivers wherever it's been introduced, when everyone has their lights on you don't notice them any more.

So what will happen to me, the lights on my volvo are on all the time, you cant turn them off?

i always thought there was actually a way to turn them off. can't remember now. but someone i know at work wo had a volve said he used to turn them off.

i miht be talking total rubbish here lol so might be worth checking.