Guess what I fitted?
- Thread starter t-tony
- Start date
Could be interpreted as imitating a police car - red sequenced flashing lights. Not that they use Z4's but the effect could be interpreted that way.
Having said that, you see loads of cars sporting blue LEDs.....
I would maintain that if it gets the attention of an approaching driver before it hits you then it can't be a bad thing. You see cars with no front number plates and obviously mis spaced number plate letters etc. and till they get an automated system to send you a pre determined fine through the post for a light out I'll take a chance. At worst I'll get a "producer" and a visit to a testing station to get the ticket stamped. Its not a hanging offence.
Tony.
Tony.
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On a lot of modern cars the brake lights flash when the vehicle abs is activated to warn drivers behind vehicle is doing an emergency stop.I thought if you braked hard with a Z4 the brake lights flashed anyway
Any kind of flashing red lights is a big no no.
Defect forms and "producers" are a thing of the distant past. If, you are unfortunate to get stopped by a cop with any sort of interest in traffic, you'll be given an offence report form and then someone in an ivory tower will send out an offer of a fixed penalty at £100 or the offer of a court appearance.
I quite fancied one of these until I read your post, think I'll give it a miss
It’s the hazard flashers not the brake lights isn’t it?
It is on lorries
And that, is the point I make Keith. Regarding number plates, photographic evidence would prove non compliance with regulations. but my feeling is it's more trouble than it's worth, so the Authorities place the onus for Policing that on MOT testers and then they do not back them up. Cars are common place with illegally spaced number plates (look at cars on here?) and also cars running with no front number plate. If you have a dash cam tell me what you see when following a car with the 3rd brake light on, what you see is a flickering row of lights when you download the video.
Tony.
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The only reason the video looks like that is because all led pulse ( you just cant see it with the naked eye ) camera picks it up because of the frame rate.
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Vauxhall it's the brake lights.
Newer bmw models have ' dynamic brake lights ' which allows them to flash on an abs stop.
Pretty sure vag group is also this way.
Can you point me to where I can read this for myself Keith please? Regarding the MOT Test, if the 3rd brake light does not work then it's an advisory item, not even a failure.
From the MOT manual,
4.3.1. Presence, condition and operation
You must inspect all stop lamps fitted.
Stop lamps must show a steady red light.
It does NOT state that the light has to show a steady red light immediately?
Tony.
Exactly the point I'm making Steve, cameras don't pick this up, they just show flickering lights. How is this proved then?
Tony.
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Looking like you've cracked open a can of worms with this Tony 
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On you video the high level flickers ( but that is only on the video ) to the naked eye it doesn't.
As you are fitting this to the high level lamp ( as a still active mot tester) it would be an advise .
Just to add a comment ( to keep things right ) on your post above ( extract from mot manual)
There is a second part which also comes into play
The section on switching does say they must come on immediately
That in conjunction with the steady red light would make it a fail if attempt to fit to the 2 mandatory stop lamps
Like I said the high level would Not fail for this as it is not classed as a mandatory lamp
What the police may say about it is another matter all together ( as I do not know if that would contravene the road traffic act in any way )
As you are fitting this to the high level lamp ( as a still active mot tester) it would be an advise .
Just to add a comment ( to keep things right ) on your post above ( extract from mot manual)
There is a second part which also comes into play
The section on switching does say they must come on immediately
That in conjunction with the steady red light would make it a fail if attempt to fit to the 2 mandatory stop lamps
Like I said the high level would Not fail for this as it is not classed as a mandatory lamp
What the police may say about it is another matter all together ( as I do not know if that would contravene the road traffic act in any way )
Absolutely Steve, this is, and always has been the problem with the disparity between regulations and the MOT test. Most Police Officers out on the road do not know the MOT regs. but they can try to prosecute drivers on a different set of rules that they THINK is right.
I had an Officer telling me my tyres were illegal some years ago and I stood my ground saying that they were legal and when it came to the crunch I showed my MOT Tester's card and said "Where do we go from here?". Result was we went our separate ways, but it is still an issue.
WHY can't they at least agree on a set of rules?
Tony.
My understanding that not everything that constitutes an MOT fail is automatically a road traffic offence. Here's the regulation that specifies that lights have to be constant, with a few exceptions.
The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989
Lamps to show a steady light
13.—(1) Save as provided in paragraph (2), no vehicle shall be fitted with a lamp which automatically emits a flashing light.
(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply in respect of–
(a)a direction indicator;
(b)a headlamp fitted to an emergency vehicle;
(c)a warning beacon or special warning lamp;
(d)a lamp or illuminated sign fitted to a vehicle used for police purposes;
(e)a green warning lamp used as an anti-lock brake indicator; or
(f)lamps forming part of a traffic sign.
The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989
Lamps to show a steady light
13.—(1) Save as provided in paragraph (2), no vehicle shall be fitted with a lamp which automatically emits a flashing light.
(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply in respect of–
(a)a direction indicator;
(b)a headlamp fitted to an emergency vehicle;
(c)a warning beacon or special warning lamp;
(d)a lamp or illuminated sign fitted to a vehicle used for police purposes;
(e)a green warning lamp used as an anti-lock brake indicator; or
(f)lamps forming part of a traffic sign.
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You naughty boy fitting one to your car, you should know better been an ex MOT tester!
Had one on mine for a while, take it off for the MOT just incase. I am wary when the cops are around, but they would do well to prove it's something I've fitted and it's hidden. Could just say it's a faulty wire, a video camera wouldn't pick it up correctly anyway as all lights flash on video. But the amount of cars around here they don't use indicators, have lights out and even people on mobile phones is a joke. They never seem to bother with them so I doubt a flashing brake will do much harm. Like you say, they probably get the attention of the car behind a lot more than a normal brake light.
Had one on mine for a while, take it off for the MOT just incase. I am wary when the cops are around, but they would do well to prove it's something I've fitted and it's hidden. Could just say it's a faulty wire, a video camera wouldn't pick it up correctly anyway as all lights flash on video. But the amount of cars around here they don't use indicators, have lights out and even people on mobile phones is a joke. They never seem to bother with them so I doubt a flashing brake will do much harm. Like you say, they probably get the attention of the car behind a lot more than a normal brake light.