[Article] Shock in store for motorists over 'safe' lights

Victor

To be honest, I'm much more worried about people with 'white' indicators.

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Shock in store for motorists over 'safe' lights
From:The Irish Independent
Monday, 3rd February, 2003

Treacy Hogan Environment Correspondent
MORE than 400,000 motorists could fail the car test first time round under stringent new car headlight regulations.

If the lights are not properly aligned they will be failed and the car will have to undergo a re-test. Up to now, not meeting the requirements in most cases entailed an "advisory failure".

From June, however, the matter will become an automatic failure and drivers will have to have them fixed and pay a re-test fee. The problem centres on an apparent difference in calibration and measurement used by most garages and by the NCT testing stations.

Around 75pc of all cars - over 400,000 a year - being tested are found to have inadequate headlights, the Irish Independent has also learned.

The "fail advisory" under which the problem has been categorised has meant motorists being told only to rectify the problem as soon as possible. Subject to Government approval, this stance will be toughened as of June.

The change, part of the Government's road safety strategy following the introduction of penalty points, is certain to give rise to "strong reaction" from the 400,000 motorists affected, and from garages.

Garages nationwide do not have the state-of-the-art equipment necessary to meet the new requirements.

Many of the 400,000 drivers will find themselves failing the test - even though garages have given them the all clear. Last year the NCT tested 536,071 cars, of which only 53pc had a full pass rate. Some 244,673 were re-tested, and 90pc of these passed.

A joint circular drawn up by the Department of Transport, the NCT and the Society of the Irish Motor Industry has been sent to garages in the past three weeks telling them they will have to install special computer-operated systems for testing the lights, perfectly level floors at the garages and personnel properly trained in headlight testing.

Obtained by the Irish Independent, the circular anticipates strong public reaction to the move. It says "considerable customer interest can be expected" in the way lights are checked by the motor trade and tested by the NCT.

From the start of the summer three items will become grounds for "fail refusal". These cover performance of shock absorbers, light alignment and type approval markings on windscreens.

The changes on windscreens and shock absorbers are not expected to cause major problems for motorists. The National Safety Council has warned that defective or improperly aligned lights can cause fatal crashes.

Poor headlights dazzle oncoming drivers, while dim lights cause pedestrians and cyclists to get knocked down.

The NCT is investing significant resources to upgrade their systems through the introduction of additional technology and enhanced training for vehicle inspectors. Arrangements are in place for consultation by individual garages with their local test centre to ensure uniform standards for light testing.

sceptre

I'd tend to agree - I was behind some idiot with RED indicators the other night

DMC

Thats good news, its good to see that coming in. I'd like them to nab the guys in jeeps over this.

Borzoi

As far as I'm concerned this couldn't happen any sooner. AS if anybody actually fixed any of the NCT 'fail advisory' items.

sutty

Not sure about this, but does that cover them light blue head lights? Those things always give me a pain in my eyes when I see them.

leeroybrown

While forcing NCT'd cars to have their lights to a high standard will be good for road safety it seems a bit harsh to test compliance to such a strict level that it's not feisable for most drivers to prepare.

After all if they plan to test head light alignment to milimetric precision and a car owner can just reach into the housing and adjust the light by hand and knock it off seems a bit too tight.

Victor

Originally posted by leeroybrown
a car owner can just reach into the housing and adjust the light by hand and knock it off seems a bit too tight.

Then don't!

Kell

Originally posted by DMC
Thats good news, its good to see that coming in. I'd like them to nab the guys in jeeps over this.

I have given that much thought too. I think the main problem with jeeps headlights is that they are level with your eyes when approaching and level with your rear view when behind. Maybe there should be a campaign urging Jeep drivers to dip the beams on the jeep? I am sure that by now the same feature that allows you adjust the level of your beam to compensate for load should be available in jeeps too?

dcGT

My NCT is due next month and I'm just curious, has anyone been to a garage and had this headlight alignment procedure carried out? If so, where and how much did it cost?

Cheers,

DC

Gmodified

well, I went to test my car and guy didn't have clue how to check the headlights .
Test took 45min, where headlights check took 16min.

On the end guy said to me:

I think the lights are off as I couldn't get any reading and will give you pass this time but you have to get somebody to check them out.

dcGT

Well that sounds like they're organised and that they know what they're doing! :-)
What NCT test centre was that?

DC.

Gmodified

Near Airport,

Car failed anyway on Rear Trailing Arm Bushing . Well I had a look at the parts and don't think they need replacing.

dcGT

Ah right, well that's the centre I'm going to. I wonder if my lights will cause the machine to take a bad reading :-)
I was told that some brand new cars don't even get their headlights aligned as accurately as the NCT requires....does anyone know about this?

Cheers,

DC.

Tommy Vercetti

I got a fail/advisory thing for my left light last time around (2002), I'm going for it again in a couple of weeks. Guess I'll just wait and see what happens. I had to change the bulb in the same light since last test, dunno what the story is with it.

MadsL

So when are the Guards gonna start doing spot fines for the aul one eyed monster. Typical thing I see every day. One light bust or weak, the other practically on high-beam. Fogs on to 'compensate'...

Not nice on the eyes after 11 hours at a puter screen...

dcGT

Yeah, it seems to me that a hell of a lot of people are gonna be done for this headlight alignment....even new cars ('00). A friend said he saw an ad in a car shop (dunno if it's true) for 'Headlight alignment' on a special offer for €25! So that's 48 yoyos for the test, at least 25 for the headlights (if that's all you fail on) and a nice little 27 yoyos for the re-test.

DC.

rymus

Now wouldnt it be great if the NCT threw in a little pop quiz about when to use your fog lights? I'm guessing 70% of drivers would answer "A. On all the time".

Fog light adjustment would be marvellous. Adjusted in a way that they don't completely fry the retinas of an oncoming motorist.

I'll have to find ma hammer and begin a wave of fog light vigilante(ism)

dcGT

ah yeah ...good oul fog lights....but don't forget, having your fog lights on makes the car look 'cool' :-)

DC.

ando

Well I got my headlights aligned at the Red cow. There's a place on the left side just before the M50 and Red cow (outbound). Yellow sign on the side of the road... "something autos" I think.

I had to get them aligned as I had opened and sealed the headlight units so I knew it was going to be off a bit...
Passed nct on monday

dcGT

Good to hear ando.... what was the damage?

DC.

MadsL

I'll have to find ma hammer and begin a wave of fog light vigilante(ism)

I'm with you. I have fantasies of me and six mates jumping out of a van. Saying nothing, smashing the fog lights and then giving the guy a card that says "Your fog light privileges have been removed. Keep them gone or you be gone".

ZENER

Here here on the fog lights ! All pugeot owners take note !!!!

Here's something else to think about, my car (Alfa 156) like many has a control for adjusting the tilt of the headlights, I wonder how many people dont have a clue how this works and have their lights tilted up all the time. Have to admit I've been guilty of this myself where the control got moved while cleaning the dash and was then neglected.

The Alfa will not aloww the fog lights be turned on without the headlights being on first, how come a lot of cars I see have fogs on without headlights, which method do you think is better? Also the switches for the fogs on the Alfa reset once the headlight are turned off or the car is turned off thus preventing them being left on all the time by forgetful drivers, a good idea ?

Tinky

dcGT

Yeah that 'no fogs without full lights' is definitely a good idea. Perhaps some people have the fogs on without full lights because they fit after market fog lights running off an independent switch. If they're going to be so strict in the NCT on headlights, it's pretty futile if people misuse fogs as they can be as dazzling as a badly aligned headlight

DC.