When are those lights going to be banned.

robertxxx · 02-12-2013 12:47AM #1

Those cool blue looking headlights are such a disaster to other road users are they even legal? They cause nothing but a glare and should be instantly banned and the driver fined or set to the lock up for a long time.

CiniO · 02-12-2013 12:48AM

I hope soon.

Ireland is probably the only EU country where they are legal (I'm only guessing).

obezyana · 02-12-2013 12:48AM

Damn I was just about to buy bulbs like that

MuppetCheck · 02-12-2013 12:48AM

I'm assuming you mean the knob ends sticking HID kits into badly aligned reflector headlights?

Stheno · 02-12-2013 12:49AM

They are only a distractor imo if they are incorrectly aligned or too bright.

My car is very low to the ground and I have difficulty with normal headlights, 4wds, trucks, and vans, and notice no additional distraction from "most" blue HIDs

Interslice · 02-12-2013 01:01AM

Getting more and more common. I had someone tailgaiting me for about 20 minutes the other night with blue dips and fog lights. Seriously annoying. I would have pulled over or sped off only there was some aul wan in front of me and I didn't want to inflict it on her.

This type of ****e. The sooner bans, points and fines are introduced the better IMO.

JP 1800 · 02-12-2013 01:09AM

Those HID lights are not road legal and will not pass an NCT. Only factory spec lamps with washing units are road legal (section 30 nct manual), but as usual the finer details of the road traffic act are not enforced in this country.

Mycroft H · 02-12-2013 01:16AM

Those blue lights are seriously irritating.

Interslice · 02-12-2013 01:17AM

JP 1800 wrote: »

Those HID lights are not road legal and will not pass an NCT. Only factory spec lamps with washing units are road legal (section 30 nct manual), but as usual the finer details of the road traffic act are not enforced in this country.

Not passing an NCT is useless as they can be just wapped out for the regullar ones. Needs a clamp down from the traffic corp.

CiniO · 02-12-2013 01:20AM

JP 1800 wrote: »

Those HID lights are not road legal and will not pass an NCT.

Does fact that they won't pass NCT make their usage illegal?

timmy4u2 · 02-12-2013 01:27AM

robertxxx wrote: »

Those cool blue looking headlights are such a disaster to other road users are they even legal? They cause nothing but a glare and should be instantly banned and the driver fined or set to the lock up for a long time.

Bad enough when you meet them on a car but when you are faced with six of them appearing over the brow of a hill on top of the cab of an artic you are really in trouble.

delthedriver · 02-12-2013 01:53AM

robertxxx wrote: »

Those cool blue looking headlights are such a disaster to other road users are they even legal? They cause nothing but a glare and should be instantly banned and the driver fined or set to the lock up for a long time.

Agreed, bring out the car crusher!

More effective than wasting Court time , and possibility of a slap on the wrist and a €50 euro fine

Kristopherus · 02-12-2013 01:56AM

timmy4u2 wrote: »

Bad enough when you meet them on a car but when you are faced with six of them appearing over the brow of a hill on top of the cab of an artic you are really in trouble.

Well at least the artic driver will dim, unlike some of the morons in cars:mad:

timmy4u2 · 02-12-2013 03:05PM

Kristopherus wrote: »

Well at least the artic driver will dim, unlike some of the morons in cars:mad:

My experience is that yes many will dim when face to face with you but often the lights on the cab will appear over the brow before the cab comes into view and because they make their own glare the truck driver will not even notice your lights until he has direct sight of you.notwithstanding the legal side of it

Mandzhalas · 02-12-2013 03:14PM

JP 1800 wrote: »

Those HID lights are not road legal and will not pass an NCT. Only factory spec lamps with washing units are road legal (section 30 nct manual), but as usual the finer details of the road traffic act are not enforced in this country.

Bull****.o have them in my e39 and passed nct month ago

keithclancy · 02-12-2013 04:43PM

CiniO wrote: »

I hope soon.

Ireland is probably the only EU country where they are legal (I'm only guessing).

They are f*cking rife over here as well.

Every single night there's some rehab with these stupid things and the inside of my car is like a german nightclub.

ardle1 · 02-12-2013 07:31PM

robertxxx wrote: »

Those cool blue looking headlights are such a disaster to other road users are they even legal? They cause nothing but a glare and should be instantly banned and the driver fined or set to the lock up for a long time.

I meet more cars with full beams than I do with those particular HID's, so I don't have a problem with them....
.

fryup · 02-12-2013 07:41PM

its hard to tell if there on full or dim

keithsfleet · 02-12-2013 07:51PM

They are only bad if they are installed on the big reflective style headlights. Thankfully slowly dying out.

They are grand on projector style headlights. Have had them on numerous of cars and once correctly aligned pose no problem.

My Big issue lately is those poxy k11 1992-2003 Nissan Micras with the overly bright fog lights, blind the fcuk out of anyone within a 1000 foot radius.

wotswattage · 02-12-2013 08:15PM

Mandzhalas wrote: »

Bull****.o have them in my e39 and passed nct month ago

I do know that they pass them, but the NCT regs state they should fail...

http://www.ncts.ie/NCT%20Manual%20Revise%20May%202012.pdf

Section 30 (page 47)

4. HID headlamps must be installed as a complete type-approved system. The system will include automatic
cleaning. HID headlamps can be recognised by:
a) the light having a bluish tinge,
b) the light taking a few seconds to reach full intensity,
c) the headlamp having an igniter module/inverter behind the headlamp,
d) the headlamp having ”DC” (for HID dipped beam), “DR” (for HID main beam), or “DCR” (if both are HID)
marked on the lens. This marking should be visible from the exterior of the vehicle but in some cases
the markings may be hidden under the bonnet and this may need opening to obtain a clear view.

ITEM REASONS FOR FAILURE
15 HID bulb fitted in a non-HID headlamp.
16 Automatic headlamp levelling device not operating or manual headlamp levelling device cannot be operated from driver’s seat.
17 Mandatory headlamp cleaning device not present.
18 Mandatory headlamp cleaning device not operating.

Tropheus · 02-12-2013 08:21PM

That may be in the NCT manual, but how would they check that the headlight auto-levelling that's required for HIDs is working? My allroad went through the NCT earlier this year. It has factory HIDs and I didn't see them testing the headlamp washers either.

My father-in-law's B5.5 Passat is due an NCT in a couple of weeks. It has properly adjusted HIDs in reflector housings and cause no problems. I'm in two minds whether to swap them out for the NCT or not.

timmy4u2 · 02-12-2013 08:23PM

keithclancy wrote: »

They are f*cking rife over here as well.

Every single night there's some rehab with these stupid things and the inside of my car is like a german nightclub.

The Lighting of vehicles Regulations state that you can only show a white or yellow light to the front.
Those hid lights over 7000k show a blue tinge to the front so are illegal.
Also most of those bulbs can only be fitted to projecture headlamps otherwise they cannot be focused.
There is an EU directive stating that these bulbs cannot be fitted without fitting a washing system.
The NCT tester is obliged to fail a car if the lights do not comply with the RTA or the EU directive.
Of course the RTA also states that spot/driving lights cannot be fitted where the centre is higher than 1200mm and that fog lights, those with a centre under 500 can only be lit in fog, heavy rain and falling snow.
For all the notice that is taken of these regulations.

wotswattage · 02-12-2013 08:33PM

Tropheus wrote: »

That may be in the NCT manual, but how would they check that the headlight auto-levelling that's required for HIDs is working? My allroad went through the NCT earlier this year. It has factory HIDs and I didn't see them testing the headlamp washers either.

My father-in-law's B5.5 Passat is due an NCT in a couple of weeks. It has properly adjusted HIDs in reflector housings and cause no problems. I'm in two minds whether to swap them out for the NCT or not.

I'd say they are just not checking at all...

A self levelling system isn't required, just a manual adjustment dial within reach of the drivers seat.

jdee99 · 02-12-2013 08:34PM

wish they would start and pull people over for driving with their fogs on at night when there is no need

joujoujou · 02-12-2013 08:35PM

As long as lights are properly aligned - they don't care at all.

wotswattage · 02-12-2013 08:49PM

One of the achilles heels of the NCT is peoples refusal to have issues dealt with until the NCT is due...

For example joe soap has a bulb go in his car but waits till the NCT service to have it replaced, or puts it in himself ar$eways and doesn't go for an alignment until after he books his test...

dingus12 · 02-12-2013 09:40PM

What happens when a honda integra dc5 goes for the nct test? They have factory fitted hid's but no auto leveling or washers.

Gumbo · 02-12-2013 09:57PM

dingus12 wrote: »

What happens when a honda integra dc5 goes for the nct test? They have factory fitted hid's but no auto leveling or washers.

And reflector housings (although the actual bulb is behind a small metal surround so it doesn't glare)

Tropheus · 02-12-2013 10:08PM

There are factory fitted reflector HIDs. Volvo use them. The letter at the end of the bulb type determines if should be used in projector or reflector housings. S is for projector housings, e.g. D2S and R is for reflector housings, e.g. D2R. The R bulbs have small shield on them to reduce glare.

Healy Rae Permit Holder · 02-12-2013 10:18PM

I find the vw bora the boy racer favourite the worst car ever to have hids, they are seriously blinding and annoying, and sure they take them out for the nct so long live the problem for other road users.

Mint Sauce · 02-12-2013 10:24PM

Are these different/same as night breakers, as was considering getting a pair of them (night breakers).

When are those lights going to be banned.

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