Flashing Brake Lights, Regulations say no, or do they??

[Petrolhead_Rich]

Just found this section in the Road vehicles lighting regulations.....

The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 said:

1989 No. 1796PART IIRegulation 13

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.

So are they a "a warning beacon or special warning lamp" as per point (c) or not? Surely this applies to your big flashy yellow arrows and flashing amber warning lamps only??

If not, then according to part (e), they should be green????!!!

[HellDiver]

You do realise European Type Approval supercedes any UK laws, don't you? That's how DLRs, factory fit Xenons, etc are legal in the UK while breaking the UK laws.

[john_p]

Are they permitted under EC regs - in which case they override national law

e: beaten

[Petrolhead_Rich]

Why am I not surprised!

Does anyone have a linky to the EU regulations then????

[john_p]

This is the original directive 76/756/EEC and all its amendments:

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/automotive/...

This is the UNECE thing they mention which goes into the detail

http://www.unece.org/trans/main/wp29/wp29regs/r48r...

e: 6.23 is the emergency stop stuff ( "All the lamps of the emergency stop signal shall flash in phase at a frequency of 4.0 ± 1.0 Hz .. when the vehicle speed is
above 50 km/h and the braking system is providing the emergency braking logic signal defined in Regulations Nos. 13 and 13-H [ by the application of the service braking system at a deceleration of or above 6 m/s2 .. [or] when the service braking system is applied at a speed above 50 km/h and the antilock system is fully cycling ] " )

Edited by john_p on Wednesday 23 February 10:28