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Author Topic: Blue Lights  (Read 14228 times)

funtimefrankie

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Blue Lights
« on: January 11, 2009, 09:32:10 pm »
What's the attraction having blue lights on the front or your car or truck?

I thought it was against the law unless it's an emergency vehicle. :police:

Now if I see a blue light in the rear mirror I ignore it until I sure it's an ambulance etc.


rant over. {:-{
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chingdevil

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Re: Blue Lights
« Reply #1 on: January 11, 2009, 09:38:11 pm »
I think it down to a lack of brain cells, one moron does it everyone else follows. I can also not understand having hub caps that keep spinning after you have stopped, and the point is?? >:-o >:-o >:-o >:-o >:-o


Brian
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DickyD

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Re: Blue Lights
« Reply #2 on: January 11, 2009, 09:50:26 pm »
Quote from: funtimefrankie on January 11, 2009, 09:32:10 pm
What's the attraction having blue lights on the front or your car or truck?

I thought it was against the law unless it's an emergency vehicle. :police:

Now if I see a blue light in the rear mirror I ignore it until I sure it's an ambulance etc.


rant over. {:-{
Quite right it is illegal, but where are the coppers to nick them ?
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tonyH

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Re: Blue Lights
« Reply #3 on: January 11, 2009, 09:54:09 pm »
Is it illegal or is it just if they're flashing?

Tony
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Stavros

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Re: Blue Lights
« Reply #4 on: January 11, 2009, 10:35:31 pm »
Both
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Ghost in the shell

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Re: Blue Lights
« Reply #5 on: January 11, 2009, 10:46:39 pm »
speaking about blue ligts, a lot of new cars seem to have, not blue lights in the side lights but blue-tint headlights that even when on dipped seem to be able to dazzle the people in the next village because they are THAT brght
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Umi_Ryuzuki

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Re: Blue Lights
« Reply #6 on: January 11, 2009, 10:52:01 pm »
Most of the time these "blue" lamps are twice the wattage of the standard headlamp bulb.
The people that install these are often after the brightest lamp possible. However, they
take no time to consider that the bulbs will not aim properly when stuffed into the stock lamp reflector...

 {:-{
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Ghost in the shell

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Re: Blue Lights
« Reply #7 on: January 11, 2009, 10:53:51 pm »
thanks umi :) you come up with the goods again

also front FOG LIGHTS in broad daylight, thats another pet hate
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gingyer

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Re: Blue Lights
« Reply #8 on: January 11, 2009, 11:00:53 pm »
the blue head lamps are brighter because blue
light is the nearest in the spectrum to natural daylight

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Reade Models

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Re: Blue Lights
« Reply #9 on: January 11, 2009, 11:11:55 pm »
Quote from: gingyer on January 11, 2009, 11:00:53 pm
the blue head lamps are brighter because blue
light is the nearest in the spectrum to natural daylight

Most cars currently use halogen bulbs in their headlights. The new blue-ish headlights are using a different technology called High Intensity Discharge (HID). We normally see HID lamps in the form of mercury vapor and sodium vapor lights used as street lamps and as outdoor lighting for stadiums. These lamps are popular because they are efficient. In the case of sodium vapor, they are twice as efficient as normal fluorescent bulbs.

Full article at http://auto.howstuffworks.com/question387.htm

Malc

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catengineman

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Re: Blue Lights
« Reply #10 on: January 11, 2009, 11:13:46 pm »
The lamps are HID

High  Intensity  Discharge as fitted to Fords VW and BMW and just about all the new top range motors better than halogen and 4 times the cost!

As for the legality if its a manufacturer's fitting then it would have passed the required laws if its been retro fitted then it is subject to the road traffic act and relevant law/rule bit of a grey area even for the old jam sandwich chaps and chapesses. but hey go figure this is the UK and at one time it was illegal to have a "brake light in the rear window of any vehicle" now what do we have ?  eye level brake lights?


just piped at the post  :}
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tigertiger

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Re: Blue Lights
« Reply #11 on: January 12, 2009, 01:26:57 am »
There are HID which are expensive. And I am not sure an HID unit can be plugged into a normal headlight socket.

And for those who cannot afford it there are the blue tinted bulbs, which are illegal.

The latter have been made popular by films like 2fast 2furious
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Umi_Ryuzuki

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Re: Blue Lights
« Reply #12 on: January 12, 2009, 01:43:58 am »
Quote from: Ghost in the shell on January 11, 2009, 10:53:51 pm

also front FOG LIGHTS in broad daylight, thats another pet hate


When I used to drive a Fiat Spyder 2000, I drove with the headlights on all the time.
I figured in such a small car, I wanted people to see me, and not pull out in front, or cut me off.
When I switched to an economy hard top I kept the "driving lights" on all the time for the same reason.
I just replaced that car after twenty years, and 200k miles, and the new car has an automatic
Daylight set up that drives the high beams at low power. Probably for my original reasons,... but
there is no way to turn them off short of pulling the fuse, or cutting a control wire.  %)
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tigertiger

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Re: Blue Lights
« Reply #13 on: January 12, 2009, 02:13:17 am »
Hi Umi

Fog lights in Europe are different. They are an additional set of lights that are higher intensity and flood lights, so no beam to aim away from people.
This is a major bugbear for many motorists, especailly motorcyclists.


The front fogs dazzle, even in daylight. In newer EU cars the front fogs cannot operate unless the headlights are already on. On som cars they will not operate unless high beam was on.

Rear fogs are the same but red. However they are a real hazard for motorcyclists, as any smears or scratches on the Helmet visor and they 'light up', so to speak. Some drivers put on rear fogs in the rain. It is even more of a hazard, as every driver with smears on the windscreen is now dazzled. Also rain drops act like little magnifying glasses. Very dangerous for motorcyclists.

In the UK it is technically illegal to drive with fog lights on unless the visibility is low (I think less than 100m). I don't have a highway code so I cannot check.
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Roger in France

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Re: Blue Lights
« Reply #14 on: January 12, 2009, 07:57:42 am »
Is it me and my eyes.....but some headlights seem blue at a distance but as they approach they become white?

Roger in France.
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Proteus

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Re: Blue Lights
« Reply #15 on: January 12, 2009, 08:03:10 am »
  They are High Intensity Discharge (HID) they give a cleaner light and can be fitted to any car now in fact there is a firm who have a mobile service to do it , BUT they are  expensive

 Proteus
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tigertiger

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Re: Blue Lights
« Reply #16 on: January 12, 2009, 08:14:19 am »
Quote from: Roger in France on January 12, 2009, 07:57:42 am
Is it me and my eyes.....but some headlights seem blue at a distance but as they approach they become white?

Roger in France.

thank goodness those awful yellow lights have now gone.
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barriew

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Re: Blue Lights
« Reply #17 on: January 12, 2009, 10:00:47 am »
In some countries in Europe it is the law to drive with diipped headlights at all times. Scandinavia started this and all Volvos and I think Saabs do this even in the UK. The EU is trying to make this the law across the Union, but the UK is arguing against. I know France tried to introduce this, not sure of the current status.

Barrie
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Martin (Admin)

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Re: Blue Lights
« Reply #18 on: January 12, 2009, 12:30:13 pm »

Quote
   What's the attraction having blue lights on the front or your car or truck?   

Bling!    ;D
                             My car is covered with them..... and I wear flares!
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Colin Bishop

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Re: Blue Lights
« Reply #19 on: January 12, 2009, 12:36:57 pm »
Quote
and I wear flares! 

You'll have the Coastguard on your back Martin!
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JohnneyBoy

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Re: Blue Lights
« Reply #20 on: January 12, 2009, 12:39:48 pm »
Quote from: Colin Bishop on January 12, 2009, 12:36:57 pm
Quote
and I wear flares! 

You'll have the Coastguard on your back Martin!

Male of Female
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malcolmfrary

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Re: Blue Lights
« Reply #21 on: January 12, 2009, 01:10:49 pm »
Seems to be some confusion about fog lights - they are only useful in conditions of poor visibility where the upward scatter from normal headlights, main or dipped, destroys forward vision by providing a dazzling curtain of light.  Having the main lighting on at the same time destroys their purpose.  A spot light, on the other hand, provides a well defined long range beam.  Since the development of modern (post 1980-ish) headlights they are both largely redundant.
Generally, the extra decorative lights are there to let the rest of us know the type of person in charge of that car, and act as a warning.
The rear fog lights were introduced to let anybody following know that there was a vehicle present in conditions of poor visibility.  If the light caused dazzle, it was a sure sign that the follower was too close.
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dreadnought72

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Re: Blue Lights
« Reply #22 on: January 12, 2009, 01:34:30 pm »
What gets my goat about rear foglights is that they're there to warn other drivers of your presence at a reasonable distance in bad visibility.

Useful in fog, not so useful (read: damn annoying) on the M8 in rush hour when we're all nose-to-tail anyway, and we can all SEE there's traffic ahead. In five years of owning my Nissan, I've used mine - err - never.

Andy #1963#
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tigertiger

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Re: Blue Lights
« Reply #23 on: January 12, 2009, 02:55:24 pm »
Quote from: malcolmfrary on January 12, 2009, 01:10:49 pm
  If the light caused dazzle, it was a sure sign that the follower was too close.

I have to disagree there.
Fog lights cause flare when a windscreen or visor is smeared. This is a known hazard. Even at prescribed safe distances there is flare. This dramtically reduces visibility. The driver behind may hit another road user they cannot see. Even if they avoid you.
It also make overtaking (a legal manoeuvre) hazardous.
Driving with rear fogs on in the rain is inconsiderate, potentially dangerous to other road users, and I believe illegal.
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catengineman

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Re: Blue Lights
« Reply #24 on: January 12, 2009, 04:09:28 pm »
While I have a lean to agree with you TT there is a few point I can mention,
If your windscreen is smeary then the wipers are NOT doing the job required (change them) of you have allowed the film on your screen to dry and that has left you with a refraction problem, use your screen wash with the proper detergent.
As for a motorcyclists visor regular replacement is a good thing (its your life)
Driving in rain with the rear Fog lamp on is I believe illegal, and if you are in poor visibility (fog/heavyrain/snow) ask yourself IS IT REALLY necessary to "overtake" even if it is a perfectly legal operation.
 :-)
Just wondering like  :-)
 :-)
R,
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