Discussion
Hi, what you are calling sidelights are technically known as position lights. They are part of a group of lights known as obligatory lights, namely front and rear position lamps, rear registration plate lamps, side marker lamps and end-outline marker lamps.*
The obligatory lamps need to be lit if the vehicle is in motion between sunset and sunrise, or in seriously reduced visibility between sunrise and sunset.
If the vehicle is stationary on a road between sunset and sunrise then all** the obligatory lamps need to be lit and unobscured except in certain proscribed circumstances.
Said circumstances relate to types of vehicle and places where vehicle can be parked without lights at night.
The obligatory lamps need to be lit if the vehicle is in motion between sunset and sunrise, or in seriously reduced visibility between sunrise and sunset.
If the vehicle is stationary on a road between sunset and sunrise then all** the obligatory lamps need to be lit and unobscured except in certain proscribed circumstances.
Said circumstances relate to types of vehicle and places where vehicle can be parked without lights at night.
- * There are other lights which can be considered obligatory lights eg headlamps but the rules there more complex and your question was about sidelamps/position lights hence not commented on that.
- **Note ALL the obligatory lights need to be lit, ie the old single bulb parking lights that drivers used to hang over the door windo are not allowed nor the one side only lit scenario you get with VAG group cars. I'd argue that the setup on Fords is also dodgy, ie when light switch set to park F&R position lights but no number plate lights.
Side lights are there so that other cars can see you better in slightly adverse conditions. Headlights (dipped beam and main beam) are there so you can see the road ahead when it is dark.
Use side lights around dawn or dusk when you don't need headlights, or when headlights could dazzle oncoming traffic. The half light of dusk is the worst time to drive as even dipped beams from oncoming cars can be too bright for your eyes to see the rest of the road.
Don't use them in daylight, says my fairly old copy of the highway code. Drivers behind you are less likely to spot your brake lights if your tail lights are on in daylight hours.
Use side lights around dawn or dusk when you don't need headlights, or when headlights could dazzle oncoming traffic. The half light of dusk is the worst time to drive as even dipped beams from oncoming cars can be too bright for your eyes to see the rest of the road.
Don't use them in daylight, says my fairly old copy of the highway code. Drivers behind you are less likely to spot your brake lights if your tail lights are on in daylight hours.
smart51 said:
Side lights are there so that other cars can see you better in slightly adverse conditions. Headlights (dipped beam and main beam) are there so you can see the road ahead when it is dark.
Use side lights around dawn or dusk when you don't need headlights, or when headlights could dazzle oncoming traffic. The half light of dusk is the worst time to drive as even dipped beams from oncoming cars can be too bright for your eyes to see the rest of the road.
Don't use them in daylight, says my fairly old copy of the highway code. Drivers behind you are less likely to spot your brake lights if your tail lights are on in daylight hours.
Wow, congratulations, you got it totally wrong. Use side lights around dawn or dusk when you don't need headlights, or when headlights could dazzle oncoming traffic. The half light of dusk is the worst time to drive as even dipped beams from oncoming cars can be too bright for your eyes to see the rest of the road.
Don't use them in daylight, says my fairly old copy of the highway code. Drivers behind you are less likely to spot your brake lights if your tail lights are on in daylight hours.
HellDiver said:
smart51 said:
Side lights are there so that other cars can see you better in slightly adverse conditions. Headlights (dipped beam and main beam) are there so you can see the road ahead when it is dark.
Use side lights around dawn or dusk when you don't need headlights, or when headlights could dazzle oncoming traffic. The half light of dusk is the worst time to drive as even dipped beams from oncoming cars can be too bright for your eyes to see the rest of the road.
Don't use them in daylight, says my fairly old copy of the highway code. Drivers behind you are less likely to spot your brake lights if your tail lights are on in daylight hours.
Wow, congratulations, you got it totally wrong. Use side lights around dawn or dusk when you don't need headlights, or when headlights could dazzle oncoming traffic. The half light of dusk is the worst time to drive as even dipped beams from oncoming cars can be too bright for your eyes to see the rest of the road.
Don't use them in daylight, says my fairly old copy of the highway code. Drivers behind you are less likely to spot your brake lights if your tail lights are on in daylight hours.
Sidelights are there so that others can see you. They do not emit enough light for you to see by.
My highway code does tell you not to use tail lights in daylight because of the reduced visibility of your stop lights.
Dipped beam at dusk can cause glare to oncoming drivers where side lights do increase the vehicle's visibility to others.
I'm largely in agreement with what Smart51 says, except that I don't think the use of tail lights in daylight is sufficient to mask the appearance of brake lights, especially bearing in mind that most vehicles now have a third brake light placed well away from tail lights.
Best wishes all,
Dave.
Best wishes all,
Dave.
When i took my test (4yag) my instructor told me that "if it was talk enough to have your side lights on, you should have you headlights on" when moving. And that they where for parking only.
However personal agree that there is a time of day, between dusk and dark, where side lights only are prefrable. As a way of making cars more visable, without harming the vision of oncoming cars.
Daniel
However personal agree that there is a time of day, between dusk and dark, where side lights only are prefrable. As a way of making cars more visable, without harming the vision of oncoming cars.
Daniel
They won't - but I do find that oncoming dipped beam lights used during daylight hours make it harder to judge the speed of vehicles if I'm looking for an overtake.
In low light conditions, dipped lights might reduce your "night vision" and make it harder to spot the numpties who don't turn their lights on until they can no longer see where they're going.
My IAM observer said that they are parking lights only. He also said "if you put your wipers on, put your lights on too."
In low light conditions, dipped lights might reduce your "night vision" and make it harder to spot the numpties who don't turn their lights on until they can no longer see where they're going.
My IAM observer said that they are parking lights only. He also said "if you put your wipers on, put your lights on too."
Syd knee said:
Ralz that is even more wrong than smart51
He isn't wrong actually.If at night the fog the fog is so dense that the reflection from dipped beams would all the way down on the load adjusters is too bright then it can be that front fogs plus side gives better vision. The foglights shine in the few inches above the road surface where the fog is less dense.
However for this situation to be the case the fog is so dense that 10-15mph is about max safe speed. The only situation when front fogs are of any use.
Ralz said:
And my main beams seem to be very very dim for some reason, dimmer than the dipped beams on my dads MG, and every other car I've seen.
Time for new bulbs I think.....
Getting significantly dimmer over time was a problem on old non-halogen bulbs where a layer of evaporated tungsten could build up on the inside of the glass. It should not happen with halogen bulbs unless they are being undervolted anyway and not running hot enough for the tungsten-halogen cycle to work properly.Time for new bulbs I think.....
Check and clean all the connections from the bulb itself backwards... make sure both male and female parts of the connector are clean and uncorroded, and that the metal parts fit tightly together.
F i F said:
If at night the fog the fog is so dense that the reflection from dipped beams would all the way down on the load adjusters is too bright then it can be that front fogs plus side gives better vision. The foglights shine in the few inches above the road surface where the fog is less dense.
However for this situation to be the case the fog is so dense that 10-15mph is about max safe speed. The only situation when front fogs are of any use.
Agreed. Only time I've ever found mine of any use is at crawl speed down a back road in dense fog... headlights off, fogs on. My mate following, however, did not find it so useful, as he no longer got such a clear silhouette of my car against the lit-up fog to give him advance notice of where the road went.However for this situation to be the case the fog is so dense that 10-15mph is about max safe speed. The only situation when front fogs are of any use.
Once or twice encountered some unusual conditions on the flat land north of York... bright moonlight night with a layer of fog three feet deep or so, above the lights but below the windscreen. At 3am on the back roads with no other cars about, the best vision was obtained by having no lights on at all... the lights shone horizontally into the fog layer and lit it up obscuring everything at road level, but with the lights off the bright moon penetrated it from above and it was possible to see the road far enough ahead to do 30mph with plenty of margin (including allowing for someone else having had the same idea). However those rather special conditions do not occur very often
F i F said:
Syd knee said:
Ralz that is even more wrong than smart51
He isn't wrong actually.If at night the fog the fog is so dense that the reflection from dipped beams would all the way down on the load adjusters is too bright then it can be that front fogs plus side gives better vision. The foglights shine in the few inches above the road surface where the fog is less dense.
However for this situation to be the case the fog is so dense that 10-15mph is about max safe speed. The only situation when front fogs are of any use.
Actually, situations in which front foglights are any practical help to a driver are very rare, and dense fog in the dark accounts for almost all of them, I would say.Best wishes all,
Dave.
smart51 said:
Side lights are there so that other cars can see you better in slightly adverse conditions. Headlights (dipped beam and main beam) are there so you can see the road ahead when it is dark.
Use side lights around dawn or dusk when you don't need headlights, or when headlights could dazzle oncoming traffic. The half light of dusk is the worst time to drive as even dipped beams from oncoming cars can be too bright for your eyes to see the rest of the road.
Don't use them in daylight, says my fairly old copy of the highway code. Drivers behind you are less likely to spot your brake lights if your tail lights are on in daylight hours.
I disagree. I always put my dipped lights on as soon as the light is less than perfect.Use side lights around dawn or dusk when you don't need headlights, or when headlights could dazzle oncoming traffic. The half light of dusk is the worst time to drive as even dipped beams from oncoming cars can be too bright for your eyes to see the rest of the road.
Don't use them in daylight, says my fairly old copy of the highway code. Drivers behind you are less likely to spot your brake lights if your tail lights are on in daylight hours.
Next time you are out on the road and you are followed by a car with sidelights on, see if you can notice it in the corner of your eye with your rear view mirror. Chances are you won't be able to notice the car.
Then repeat for a car with dipped beam. You'll see the difference.
I quite often have my sidelights on when the ambient light is dull as I find my instrument panel etc can be quite dark without the dash lights on (I'm not aware of a way in which you can just turn on the dash lights!).
Personally I find it useful for people to have them on during dull/rainy/drizzly conditions particularly on the motorway as I find it a lot easier (read quicker) to establish the location and speed of cars behind (and to a lesser extent in front). i.e. conditions where having dipped lights on do not facilitate forward vision of the road and surroundings.
Personally I find it useful for people to have them on during dull/rainy/drizzly conditions particularly on the motorway as I find it a lot easier (read quicker) to establish the location and speed of cars behind (and to a lesser extent in front). i.e. conditions where having dipped lights on do not facilitate forward vision of the road and surroundings.
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