I could have made 190 Euro this evening in under 10 minutes

peasant

...had I charged a tenner for every car I met on my 8 km journey into town that had either faulty or inappropriate lighting.

I know we've been through this before ...but seriously ...19 cars with broken or wrong lights in under 10 minutes ...WTF.

This was a normal road, no dual carriageway, not too heavy traffic either. As I was driving and had to concentrate, I couldn't count the total amount of cars ...but it couldn't have been more than a hundred.

If this is the same everywhere, we could bloody well fine ourselves out of this recession.

On the spot fines, cash in hand ...the first three tenners go to the patrol ..the rest to SVP or the Simon Community ...sign me up!

Plug

Lots of people are too mean to get bulbs replaced. No recession excuses, a bulb only costs a few quid.
I hate driving towards motorbike cars, you know the ones, with only one light on the offside:mad:

Cionád

Plug wrote: »

I hate driving towards motorbike cars, you know the ones, with only one light on the offside:mad:

Sometimes made even worse by 'The Compensator' who full beams his good light so he can see where he's going.

alias no.9

I've seen two cars in the last week without any tail lights, driving at night :eek:

testicle

Plug wrote: »

Lots of people are too mean to get bulbs replaced. No recession excuses, a bulb only costs a few quid.

Lots of people don't knwo they're gone! Rear ones especially...

Danbo!

From what Ive seen this happens every winter. I used to flash, but like foglight folks, they usually dont know why they're being flashed at. Last week I blew a headlight and was pleasantly suprised to be flashed 2 or 3 times driving home, thanks folks! I've started flashing again, but I doubt it makes too much of a difference.

Midnight_EG

I saw a damned 09 M3 today.....one headlight.....and it was the damned full beam!

JHMEG

And here was me thinking this was some recession busting thread...

unkel

Midnight_EG wrote: »

I saw a damned 09 M3 today.....one headlight.....and it was the damned full beam!

Inexcusable. The car actually tells you if a light isn't working.

mike65

I thought peasant had nipped over to the Emergency Services forum, borrowed a uniform and was imposing on the spot fines.

/mmmmm

Midnight_EG

unkel wrote: »

Inexcusable. The car actually tells you if a light isn't working.

Nah, didn't you know, like indicators they come optional on that model.

TheBazman

It really is amazing how many there is out there - however worse still on the way home on the N7/M7 from Dublin to Kildare a bloody motorbike with a light which a candle would outshine. You indicate, look in your mirror...nothing..prepare to pull out and suddenly there it is. Talk about having a deathwish

L1011

I'd guess this is not down to people not being willing to pay 5 quid for a bulb, its people unwilling to learn how to replace them themselves and not being willing to pay 65-125 to a garage to replace it. Seeing as most Irish people don't ever learn what foglights are for or lane control, changing a bulb is well beyond them...

Tipsy Mac

A bulb can go at anytime but I have seen cars driving around for months with headlights out, simple because they can get away with it. Gardai should give you a suspended fine of €100 for the first sighting of a light out, you then have 10 days to have it fixed and if you are spotted again with the same light out it's a €100 fine.

johndaman66

unkel wrote: »

Inexcusable. The car actually tells you if a light isn't working.

It might have being just after blowing to be fair though as in, the guy got out of work turned on his lights to find one blown and he had not passed a filling station yet. Not saying that is the case but it could be also. Amazing too that a lot of filling stations don't even sell bulbs.

johndaman66

MYOB wrote: »

pay 65-125 to a garage to replace it.

Anyone willing to give a garage 65-125 to replace a fricking bulb are either an inexcusably lazy spoon fed so and so or have away more money than sence in my opinion. Are there actually garages that will charge you that kind of money to replace a bulb though??

avalon68

MYOB wrote: »

pay 65-125 to a garage to replace it.

My local garage only charged me 5 euro to replace one of mine last week....

vw4life

johndaman66 wrote: »

Anyone willing to give a garage 65-125 to replace a fricking bulb are either an inexcusably lazy spoon fed so and so or have away more money than sence in my opinion. Are there actually garages that will charge you that kind of money to replace a bulb though??

depending on make and model,its not just a 5 minute job and time is money,on some cars you'd need to put the car up on a ramp,maybe remove the complete lamp or remove covers around the lamp

Midnight_EG

vw4life wrote: »

depending on make and model,its not just a 5 minute job and time is money,on some cars you'd need to put the car up on a ramp,maybe remove the complete lamp or remove covers around the lamp

Because 4 bolts requires a car to go on a ramp.......

vw4life

Midnight_EG wrote: »

Because 4 bolts requires a car to go on a ramp.......

on some cars,yes.gettin near the lamp is half the problem on certain cars

Midnight_EG

vw4life wrote: »

on some cars,yes.gettin near the lamp is half the problem on certain cars

What car would require you to have to go under it to change a bulb or a lamp.
That's completely and utterly ridiculous, especially if some poor sod has to change a bulb and suddenly they need an airlift.

rainbowdrop

avalon68 wrote: »

My local garage only charged me 5 euro to replace one of mine last week....

My garage just charges me the price of the bulb, he never charges me for changing it.

I was reading the other thread on this subject a few days ago, and agreeing with everything that has been written, there does seem to be LOADS of cars on the road with only one bulb working.

Anyway, I noticed this morning that one of MY bulbs has blown, but it definitely wasn't like that 2 days ago. So, I'm apologising to you all..... at the moment I'm one of the tools that everyone is complaining about:o The difference is, I'l be getting the bulb replaced tomorrow, I won't be driving around for weeks like a lot of the inconsiderate fcukers that are out there!!

L1011

avalon68 wrote: »

My local garage only charged me 5 euro to replace one of mine last week....

Thats called honesty. Many main dealers don't have that and have minimum hourly rates...

My sister's been unable to get at the passenger side light in her car and gone to her dealers with the bulb she's bought and had it changed for free, but I also know someone that was quoted a full hours work to change a bulb that required no special knowledge at all!

vw4life

Midnight_EG wrote: »

What car would require you to have to go under it to change a bulb or a lamp.
That's completely and utterly ridiculous, especially if some poor sod has to change a bulb and suddenly they need an airlift.

front sidelight bulbs and foglamp bulbs on most modern merc's

Del2005

vw4life wrote: »

front sidelight bulbs and foglamp bulbs on most modern merc's

Sidelights aren't important and the more blown front fogs the better.

Evolute

vw4life wrote: »

front sidelight bulbs and foglamp bulbs on most modern merc's

Mainly because the car companies are money grubbing little f**ks and want you to pay for everything. Had to jump start a car last week and 4 different types of jump leads it took to get it to fit on the battery because the car companies dont want you to do anything because they want to charge you for it.

Midnight_EG

vw4life wrote: »

front sidelight bulbs and foglamp bulbs on most modern merc's

Del2005 wrote: »

Sidelights aren't important and the more blown front fogs the better.

As I was about to say, people only really use their sidelights when it's a tad hazy, such as dusk or dawn, foglights are just a no.

unkel

johndaman66 wrote: »

It might have being just after blowing to be fair

Both just after blowing? How likely is that?

tudlytops

testicle wrote: »

Lots of people don't know they're gone! Rear ones especially...

Why don't the cars worn you about then, the same way you get the warning for the indicators, surely they could had something to tell you your tail lights aren't working.

Also you know those cars with for lights at the from, don't know what they are called, sorry, but i hate the damn things, how many lights does one need to see?:mad:

vw4life

Evolute wrote: »

Mainly because the car companies are money grubbing little f**ks and want you to pay for everything. Had to jump start a car last week and 4 different types of jump leads it took to get it to fit on the battery because the car companies dont want you to do anything because they want to charge you for it.

do you think they have a special set of jump leads or what

vw4life

Del2005 wrote: »

Sidelights aren't important and the more blown front fogs the better.

true but they get sick of looking at the warning signs on the dash

Calhoun

I saw an old banger today at around 7PM travelling with one light gone on the front and back and the front light looked like it was nearly gone as it was like a parking light. So crazy and dangerous as you could barely see it coming towards you.

johndaman66

unkel wrote: »

Both just after blowing? How likely is that?

Ah, fair enough after reading the post again.

Midnight_EG wrote: »

I saw a damned 09 M3 today.....one headlight.....and it was the damned full beam!

But could it not be the case that both dipped lamps were in fact working and the full beams had one blown. I know they are different bulbs in my car anway. The amount of people who do not dip their lights for me or are inexcusably slow to do so is just unbelieveable. Perhaps M3 driver was another of those.

Darwin

Have to confess to having a headlight gone myself with just the sidelight working (without realizing). I got absolutely b*cked out of it by a cop directing traffic at a roundabout, so I had it changed the next day. I had to get someone to do it as it was absolutely impossible to get at the bulb. For some cars, the front bumper has to be removed! Lesson learned for me anyway

Midnight_EG

johndaman66 wrote: »

Ah, fair enough after reading the post again.



But could it not be the case that both dipped lamps were in fact working and the full beams had one blown. I know they are different bulbs in my car anway. The amount of people who do not dip their lights for me or are inexcusably slow to do so is just unbelieveable. Perhaps M3 driver was another of those.

*Ahem*

P.C.

If you have the incorrect lights on/working, and you have the misfortune of driving behind me, you might just get the oportunity to meet me.

bazz26

unkel wrote: »

Both just after blowing? How likely is that?

Happened me on Sunday evening as a matter of fact, within 10 mins of each other. Bloody daytime running lights and cheap ebay bulbs, only lasted 3 months. Thankfully replacing front bulbs on the S40 is child's play, you can take the hole light unit out and replace the bulbs indoors.

I bought a car bulb replacement kit in Lidl a couple of weeks ago for €7 and keep it in the glove box. 2 parking 501 bulbs, 2 diped H7 bulbs, 2 indicator bulbs and 2 spare fuses in the kit, good value.

Midnight_EG

P.C. wrote: »

If you have the incorrect lights on/working, and you have the misfortune of driving behind me, you might just get the oportunity to meet me.

I get the feeling you mean we get to go up your arse :eek:

P.C.

Midnight_EG wrote: »

I get the feeling you mean we get to go up your arse :eek:

No. I do not do that, it is dangerous.

I stop, come over to your vehicle, and 'educate' you.

It works a treat.

tudlytops

P.C. wrote: »

No. I do not do that, it is dangerous.

I stop, come over to your vehicle, and 'educate' you.

It works a treat.

That is a very dangerous thing to do.:eek:

Top Dog

alias no.9 wrote: »

I've seen two cars in the last week without any tail lights, driving at night :eek:

I've seen 9 vehicles (2 vans & 7 cars) in the space of the last week that had, at most, the number plate lights working on the rear. And of those 9 a further 4 didn't have functioning brake lights either.

Not nice to come across them on a country road doing 50mph when all of a sudden your own lights catch the poxy little red reflectors giving you just enough time to ensure that you don't end up welded to their rear :mad:

I guess if your dash lights are on and you've light in front of you then who cares about whats behind you :rolleyes:

tudlytops

Top Dog wrote: »

I've seen 9 vehicles (2 vans & 7 cars) in the space of the last week that had, at most, the number plate lights working on the rear. And of those 9 a further 4 didn't have functioning brake lights either.

Not nice to come across them on a country road doing 50mph when all of a sudden your own lights catch the poxy little red reflectors giving you just enough time to ensure that you don't end up welded to their rear :mad:

I guess if your dash lights are on and you've light in front of you then who cares about whats behind you :rolleyes:

i don't think its about who cares, some realy just don't know the lights are gone.

Do most people keep records of this? cause I've seen cars with no lights etc, but I have no idea of how many or when.

Rovi

I've heard it said somewhere that approximately 5% of the vehicles on Irish roads have faulty lights of some sort.
That's 1 in 20.

Do a count in your head on the lights meeting you at night.
You'll often not get to 20 for a good while, and only occasionally get much past 40 or 50 before you have to restart.

unkel

peasant wrote: »

If this is the same everywhere, we could bloody well fine ourselves out of this recession.

It would bring in a couple of million within weeks for sure if the GTC staff were directed from above to dole out on the spot fines for faulty lights

People would take the point and ensure their lights are working. Just like in the rest of Europe.

Del2005

Rovi wrote: »

I've heard it said somewhere that approximately 5% of the vehicles on Irish roads have faulty lights of some sort.
That's 1 in 20.

Do a count in your head on the lights meeting you at night.
You'll often not get to 2 for a good while, and only occasionally get much past 4 or 5 before you have to restart.

FYP:D

Victor

johndaman66 wrote: »

It might have being just after blowing to be fair though

peasent should keep away from that town then, given its ability to blow bulbs.

high horse

Midnight_EG wrote: »

What car would require you to have to go under it to change a bulb or a lamp.
That's completely and utterly ridiculous, especially if some poor sod has to change a bulb and suddenly they need an airlift.

Just be glad that you don't own a Megane...

Cabaal

I drive 400miles a week and I honestly can't figure out how anyone drives with only one light, I've had two bulbs go in two years and each time I've had them replaced the next day which took perhaps 3-5min and cost me only few euro.

Honestly there is no excuse for driving with broken lights.

Last month I saw the local Gardai car with a light out, 10 days later they still hadn't replaced it when I saw it again :rolleyes:

macplaxton

I seen a couple of garda cars the other night.

Panda car: n/s brake light out
Traffic car: both brake/tail light bulbs back-to-front. (They didn't get brighter when brake, only the centre brake light gave any clue)

h3000

johndaman66 wrote: »

It might have being just after blowing to be fair though as in, the guy got out of work turned on his lights to find one blown and he had not passed a filling station yet. Not saying that is the case but it could be also. Amazing too that a lot of filling stations don't even sell bulbs.

That happend to me a few weeks ago. I was leaving work and just started up my car, turned on the lights and noticed that one bulb blew there and then. So I decided I would head in the oppisite direction of home and pick up a bulb. I drove less then half a mile and was pulled over by a Garda doing a speed trap. I told him what just happend and he started laughing, I think he taught I was pulling his leg.

Guy:Incognito

Always wondered why more manufacturers (and why Renault got rid of it) dont use the same or some variation of Renault and others indications for bulbs gone.

It's fairly universal that the indicators flash rapidly when one of the bulbs is gone but for other bulbs most cars have nothing. I got used to my Safranes and my dads Laguna 1 tellign me as soon as a bulb went and whic one it was. I change my bulbs when I notice them but for people that dont it would possibly annoy them into changing it if everytime they use their lights the voice comes on to tell them a bulb is gone.