Check your lights work

Trampas

As we move into winter can we all check out lights.

I know we should do this every week or 2 but people wont due to the long days but days are getting shorter so some cars might have their lights on for the 1st time in ages but everyone should check their lights cause a lot of cars on the road they don't work

guil

+1, anyone with a 05 on focus, ya have to take out the headlight to change the bulbs
one big screw on top and then slide the lot forward and take off the big cover on the back

CarMuppet

Good point OP. Lots of grey/silver cars here in ireland driving in 'stealth mode' in the autumn/winter evenings/mornings. I wish my commutemobile had radar or sonar to see these guys coming.



Can we talk about fog lights too? Sorry only joking.

Berty

I make the following comment every time I read these threads.

My previous boss, who was an asshole, had a headlight out on his Mondeo one evening so I said

"The headlight is gone there. I'll change it for you because i have tons of bulbs in the boot of my car"
"No you're grand"
"But its dark out and you're driving to Cork(this was in Limerick)"
"Its due for a service in 1.5 weeks so I will get it changed then"
"It will take 2 minutes to change and I WILL DO IT"
"No, whats the problem"
"Your missing a headlight"
"And........................."

*SIGH!!!

Each car should, by LAW, carry a spare bulb kit.

I carry a bulb kit, triangle and two hi viz jackets.

fletch

Was it a MkIII Mondeo? If so it's not just a 2 minute job. It involves taking off the front grill and removing the headlight. Just an fyi

slimjimmc

As your ex-boss has demonstrated there Berty, carrying a boot-full of spares won't make any difference when the attitude is wrong.

The sheer amount of people driving around with one broken headlight :mad:

Berty

I knew a guy with a Megane and he drove with 2 broken headlights because he didn't know how to change the bulbs. He said "I cant get my hands in there".

Obviously you MORON because If you RTFM you would realise that you access the bulbs through the wheel arch.

ARRRGGGHHH

EDIT In his defence. He didn't drive at night. IDIOT!

RobertM

I hate people that have blown bulbs (dipped beam) and switch to fog lights at dusk/evening. Even tonight going around the roads from Airport, someone in a 99 Octavia driving with no rear lamps. What are they thinking ?

bazzachazza

Thankfully my last three cars tell me when a bulbs blown or unit not working. Still doesn't stop me from checking every night whilst driving and stopped with a large vehicle behind that I can see both taillights are illuminating the vehicle behind.

Current car has a warning up that front left "fairy lights" have failed, they have indeed so I have turned them off and use the headlights instead day and night. Car is booked in monday for warranty repair.:rolleyes:

Easily 50% or cars during winter will have some issue bulb blown/lights badly aligned/not using headlights but using the other lights were not allowed mention etc etc etc.
FOLKS CHECK YOUR LIGHTS PLEASE DAILY

Berty

Oh the alignment is the one that gets me. The people replace the bulb thinking they are brilliant but shove it in any old way and blinds the feck out of me.

They have less light on the road but they wouldnt notice anyway. If they dont bother checking the light is mounted correctly I doubt they give a rats.

You just cannot win.

djimi

Yet another problem that comes down to lack of policing. From what I can gather in the States if you get stopped with a blown light you get a fine, and you will be stopped. In Ireland the guards couldnt be bothered dealing with something like this.

The amount of cars I see driving dark country roads with missing lights is frightening. I was driving down the M7 outside Naas (the stretch with no streetlights) last week and came across a car in front of me with both taillights blown; there was literally no lights on the back of the car at all. Honestly the only way I knew he was there was from the reflection of my lights in his rear view mirror. That car should have been pulled off the road and the driver forced to tow it to a garage to replace the missing lights.

Tropheus

As far as Ireland is concerned, you can drive with one headlight until your next NCT. We're so laid back in this country it's unbelievable.

CiniO

fletch wrote: »

Was it a MkIII Mondeo? If so it's not just a 2 minute job. It involves taking off the front grill and removing the headlight. Just an fyi

Taking of the grill is about 5 seconds, and removing the headlight is about 10 seconds.
I had one of these mondeos mk3, and surely it didn't take longer then 2 minutes to change the bulb.

ILA

The Gardai can only respond if they witness it or if there's a complaint. Most often than not, and everyone is guilty of this, you'll see a car in the opposite lane coming towards you with with one light, give out a little to yourself or passenger, and forget about it.

Anan1

ILA wrote: »

The Gardai can only respond if they witness it or if there's a complaint. Most often than not, and everyone is guilty of this, you'll see a car in the opposite lane coming towards you with with one light, give out a little to yourself or passenger, and forget about it.

Couldn't the Gardaí just turn around, follow the car, and pull them in?

kikel

+1

I rarely drive in the dark during the summer. Needed my lights for the first time last week to get home and was shocked that neither worked.

User Friendly

guil wrote: »

+1, anyone with a 05 on focus, ya have to take out the headlight to change the bulbs
one big screw on top and then slide the lot forward and take off the big cover on the back

i guess the lights need to be aligned after this

Berty wrote: »

I make the following comment every time I read these threads.

My previous boss, who was an asshole, had a headlight out on his Mondeo one evening so I said

"The headlight is gone there. I'll change it for you because i have tons of bulbs in the boot of my car"
"No you're grand"
"But its dark out and you're driving to Cork(this was in Limerick)"
"Its due for a service in 1.5 weeks so I will get it changed then"
"It will take 2 minutes to change and I WILL DO IT"
"No, whats the problem"
"Your missing a headlight"
"And........................."

*SIGH!!!

Each car should, by LAW, carry a spare bulb kit.

I carry a bulb kit, triangle and two hi viz jackets.

I belive it is law in France to carry extra bulbs.

TestTransmission

kikel wrote: »

+1

I rarely drive in the dark during the summer. Needed my lights for the first time last week to get home and was shocked that neither worked.

and what did u do?

CiniO

User Friendly wrote: »

i guess the lights need to be aligned after this

I belive it is law in France to carry extra bulbs.

No exactly.
The law is, that cars registered in France, need to have a set of spare bulbs as part of car equipment.

It doesn't apply though, to cars registered outside France.

User Friendly

CiniO wrote: »

No exactly.
The law is, that cars registered in France, need to have a set of spare bulbs as part of car equipment.

It doesn't apply though, to cars registered outside France.

:rolleyes:

I was TALKING about France....jesus wept:rolleyes:

CiniO

I was driving narrow dark country road recently in the middle of the night.
Car oncoming for the opposite side was driving with full beam headlights.
I flashed once to make him aware, but no reaction. I flashed once again (twice that time) - still no reaction. So I slowwed down and put my full beam. Then he turned his full beam off, but what I realised then, his dipped headlights were not working at all. He had to stop, and finally waited untill I pass him, without lights.
Then I understood why he was driving on the full beam. But I think one has to absolutely insane to drive during the night without both dipped lights working.

djimi

CiniO wrote: »

No exactly.
The law is, that cars registered in France, need to have a set of spare bulbs as part of car equipment.

It doesn't apply though, to cars registered outside France.

I think it applies to all cars in France, whether they are registered in France or not. Ive heard stories of people being pulled over driving off the ferry and being done for not having the necessary equipment (spare bulbs, warning triangle, spare glasses if needed etc) in their car.

Mint Sauce

nothing worse than driving down a pitch black road seeing a single headlight and thinking its a moterbike, get a bit closer and its actully an unlight drivers side of a car

:eek:

djimi wrote: »

I think it applies to all cars in France, whether they are registered in France or not. Ive heard stories of people being pulled over driving off the ferry and being done for not having the necessary equipment (spare bulbs, warning triangle, spare glasses if needed etc) in their car.

CiniO wrote: »

No exactly.
The law is, that cars registered in France, need to have a set of spare bulbs as part of car equipment.

It doesn't apply though, to cars registered outside France.

Try explaining that to the Gendarmerie when he suddenly cant speak or understand english

guil

User Friendly wrote: »

i guess the lights need to be aligned after this

i dont think so cause the lights can only go in one way and slide into clips, i never touched the screws for adjustment

CiniO

djimi wrote: »

I think it applies to all cars in France, whether they are registered in France or not. Ive heard stories of people being pulled over driving off the ferry and being done for not having the necessary equipment (spare bulbs, warning triangle, spare glasses if needed etc) in their car.

That comes form Vienna Convention about International Traffic which was ratified by lots of countries including all EU countries.

1.
Without prejudice to the provisions of Article 3, paragraph 2 (a) and
Article 39, paragraph 1 of this Convention any Contracting Party may, with respect
to motor vehicles which it registers and to trailers which it allows on the road
under its domestic legislation, lay down rules which supplement, or are stricter
than, the provisions of this annex. All vehicles in international traffic must
meet the technical requirements in force in their country of registration when
they first entered into service.

Here's more about Vienna convention.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vienna_Convention_on_Road_Traffic

And pretty much all over Europe, all that requirements (triangle, spare bulbs, fire extinguishers, first aid kit, etc) is part of car equipment stated in domestic regulations about technical requirements.
Only exception might be spare glasses (but as far as I know they are only required in Spain), and hi visibility vests, as these is usually stated in regulations, as required to carry by driver of the vehicle.

So in other words, French police can't issue a penalty to driver in Irish registered car, for not having that equipment (bulbs, triangles, extinguishers, etc).
Also on the other hand, Irish Gardai, can issue a penalty for French registered car for missing warning triangle, or missing first aid kit.
Because, even if that's not a requirement in Ireland, French registered car is required to have it, and without it is doesn't fulfill the technical requirements from the country of registration.

So these are the regulations.
But completely separate thing is police enforcing it, even from foreign registered cars, which sometimes happen (not very often)
Obviously you can not accept penalty and take it into the court, and you will most likely win the case. But the problem is, that being in the court in foreign country, taking solicitor, etc is a hell bit of hussle.

That reminds me of situation that occured between Poland and Germany in 2004 when Poland joined EU.
As cross border traffic increased extremally then, German police started pulling over Polish registered cars, and issued drivers with penalty for missing First aid kit, which is required in Germany, but not required in Poland. That was going for a while, so as kind of form of revenge, Polish police stared stopping German registered cars for missing fire extinguisher, as that is required in Poland, but not required in Germany.
Finally, after good few court cases, both countries stopped these practices, as it was stated to be illegal.

kikel

TestTransmission wrote: »

and what did u do?

Turned on my front fog lights and drove 5 miles home. Not the correct thing to do, I have the same feeling about fog lights as alot on this forum. Then I replaced all the front bulbs on the van.

slimjimmc

djimi wrote: »

Yet another problem that comes down to lack of policing. From what I can gather in the States if you get stopped with a blown light you get a fine, and you will be stopped. In Ireland the guards couldnt be bothered dealing with something like this.

The amount of cars I see driving dark country roads with missing lights is frightening. I was driving down the M7 outside Naas (the stretch with no streetlights) last week and came across a car in front of me with both taillights blown; there was literally no lights on the back of the car at all. Honestly the only way I knew he was there was from the reflection of my lights in his rear view mirror. That car should have been pulled off the road and the driver forced to tow it to a garage to replace the missing lights.

Overtook something one night last year on the same stretch only it was rigid truck that obviously had some work done to it, no rear relectors, no rear lights of any kind fitted, no body-side lights, no safety bar and everything painted jet black :eek:

Anan1 wrote: »

Couldn't the Gardaí just turn around, follow the car, and pull them in?

Not if they don't know about it which was ILA's point.

Atlantic Dawn

Could be a verble warning and note taken by Gardai first time its spotted, if spotted again and same light not working within 6 months and no proof to substantiate it was replaced it should be 2 penalty points.

ILA

Anan1 wrote: »

Couldn't the Gardaí just turn around, follow the car, and pull them in?

Not if they're not there. I've saw them pull in one lighted cars before. However, in most cases, it requires the public to take action by pulling over and phoning in a report to the local Garda station.

Mc Love

Call the guards before because the car in front had no rear lights at all. They waited for the car then pulled out and pulled it in a short distance later.

Have no idea what was said, but according to gardai mates of mine, they said its up to the discretion of the garda on duty whether to let them go with a fine, or no fine or to take the car off them altogether

Mc Love

Mc Love wrote: »

Call the guards before because the car in front had no rear lights at all. They waited for the car then pulled out and pulled it in a short distance later.

Have no idea what was said, but according to gardai mates of mine, they said its up to the discretion of the garda on duty whether to let them go with a fine, or no fine or to take the car off them altogether

Stupid as it is, I think that would be a bit overkill!
A warning to check and fix them would suffice no?

djimi

bluewolf wrote: »

Stupid as it is, I think that would be a bit overkill!
A warning to check and fix them would suffice no?

Why would it be overkill? If a car has no lights then its a serious hazard on the road. Why should a guard allow the driver to continue on their way, knowing full well they could cause a very serious accident?

Mc Love

When I was driving towards it, it was pitch black, you could hardly make out the front lights and only saw the car when the brake lights were pressed.

That to me is very dangerous driving. Would you call the gardai if they were driving with no front lights? I would definitely do!

djimi

djimi wrote: »

Why would it be overkill? If a car has no lights then its a serious hazard on the road. Why should a guard allow the driver to continue on their way, knowing full well they could cause a very serious accident?

Did you mean take the car off them permanently...?

Yawns

bluewolf wrote: »

Did you mean take the car off them permanently...?

If the car was taken from them and put in a yard where the owner would then have to get himself to the gardaí station with ID, insurance cert and money to cover costs of transport and a release fee. Well I bet the owner would be making sure his bulbs worked in future.

Yawns

Yawns wrote: »

If the car was taken from them and put in a yard where the owner would then have to get himself to the gardaí station with ID, insurance cert and money to cover costs of transport and a release fee. Well I bet the owner would be making sure his bulbs worked in future.

Oh fair enough, for some reason I had it in my head as a more permanent thing
No that's grand, it IS dangerous

djimi

bluewolf wrote: »

Did you mean take the car off them permanently...?

No not permanently but the car has a serious defect which means it is a dangerous hazard to other road users, and therefore it should not be on the road until the hazard has been rectified. The owner should be made to tow the car, at their own expense, to the nearest petrol station to get bulbs, or back to their house if they cannot get to a petrol station or fit the bulbs themselves.

djimi

djimi wrote: »

No not permanently but the car has a serious defect which means it is a dangerous hazard to other road users, and therefore it should not be on the road until the hazard has been rectified. The owner should be made to tow the car, at their own expense, to the nearest petrol station to get bulbs, or back to their house if they cannot get to a petrol station or fit the bulbs themselves.

In that case I agree