glare on the windscreen

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Back to the question of the legality or otherwise of roof mounted spotlights. I'm afraid you need to read the relevant Act in detail, this one

The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989

No where does it prohibit the use of roof mounted spotlights.
Call them what you like ( not dipped headlights, or fog lights) there is absolutely nothing to stop you using them provided they are used as I described earlier.

Just out of interest, does anybody actually know of a case of anybody being prosecuted for the use of roof mounted spotlights on the public highway?
 
nicedayforit said:
Back to the question of the legality or otherwise of roof mounted spotlights. I'm afraid you need to read the relevant Act in detail, this one

The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989

No where does it prohibit the use of roof mounted spotlights.
Click to expand...

Unless you're even more of a short arse than me. then you're going to have great difficulty reducing the roof height of your defender/disco etc, to 1100mm (assuming you use 4" lamps)
 
Ok lets do this logically??

Is there an positional restriction on foglamps

ditto to front markerlamps ?

and to main headlamps and dipped headlamps?

what restrictions are there on when you can use foglamps?

How many mainbeam headlamps are you allowed to have fitted to your vehicle?

How many dipped headlamps are you allowed to have illuminated at any one time?

If you fullfill all the above restrictions how do you managed to fit rooflights without breaking the law.

As you seem to have trouble grasping the fundamentals of this subject. I'll give you a couple of clues.

A landy roof is higher than 1200mm.
The law does not recognise the term spot lamps or driving lamps.
They are either headlamps or foglamps
(I'll exclude marker lights as the regs for these exclude any possiblity of claiming that fog/driving lamps are marker lights)

I await your answers with bated breathe.
 
not wanting to add to the argument/descussion but if people want to fit roof lights and have them fitted on a seperate switch so not in use when the headlights are on and are used off road on private land there is nothing the law can do about it. but as far as i'm aware with regards to spot lights/fog lights you are allowed 2 x spots above the bumper which can be wired in to the main beam of your lights and 2 x fog lights below the bumper to be used in conditions of poor visability as per their title (FOG) but that was the law when i passed my test which was going back 15 years ago now so the law may have changed abit since then.
 
SHORT ROUND said:
not wanting to add to the argument/descussion but if people want to fit roof lights and have them fitted on a seperate switch so not in use when the headlights are on and are used off road on private land there is nothing the law can do about it. but as far as i'm aware with regards to spot lights/fog lights you are allowed 2 x spots above the bumper which can be wired in to the main beam of your lights and 2 x fog lights below the bumper to be used in conditions of poor visability as per their title (FOG) but that was the law when i passed my test which was going back 15 years ago now so the law may have changed abit since then.
Click to expand...

Nope you just hit it right on the head. No one said it was illegal to have them fitted. Just illegal to use on a public highway, That obviously includes greenlanes.
 
Fog lights yes
Front marker lamps yes
Main beam head lights no height restriction
Dipped beam head lights 1200mm height restriction
Fog lights there are restrictions but not relevent to roof mounted spotlights
Theres no restriction on the number of main beam head lights as long as they are in pairs. There is a facility in the act for supplementary main beam head lights.
Two dipped head lights
I agree spot lights and driving lights are not mentioned in the act, however "other lights" not covered by Section 24 are allowed without height restriction .
Lights do not have to be heasd lights or fog lights, they can be "other lights " the act allows them to be used.

Time to breath out
I've read the Act in detail, have you?
 
nicedayforit said:
Fog lights yes
Front marker lamps yes
Main beam head lights no height restriction
Dipped beam head lights 1200mm height restriction
Fog lights there are restrictions but not relevent to roof mounted spotlights
Theres no restriction on the number of main beam head lights as long as they are in pairs. There is a facility in the act for supplementary main beam head lights.
Two dipped head lights
I agree spot lights and driving lights are not mentioned in the act, however "other lights" not covered by Section 24 are allowed without height restriction .
Lights do not have to be heasd lights or fog lights, they can be "other lights " the act allows them to be used.

Time to breath out
I've read the Act in detail, have you?
Click to expand...

yes as well as the 2008 schedule 4 ammendments have you?
 
Is there an positional restriction on foglamps
Fog lights yes
ditto to front markerlamps ?
Front marker lamps yes

and to main headlamps and dipped headlamps?
Main beam head lights no height restriction
Dipped beam head lights 1200mm height restriction

what restrictions are there on when you can use foglamps?
Fog lights there are restrictions but not relevent to roof mounted spotlights

How many mainbeam headlamps are you allowed to have fitted to your vehicle?
Theres no restriction on the number of main beam head lights as long as they are in pairs. There is a facility in the act for supplementary main beam head lights.How many dipped headlamps are you allowed to have illuminated at any one time?
Two dipped head lights

agree spot lights and driving lights are not mentioned in the act, however "other lights" not covered by Section 24 are allowed without height restriction .
Lights do not have to be heasd lights or fog lights, they can be "other lights " the act allows them to be usedRVLR 1989

definition of a headlamp.
Headlamp" A lamp used to illuminate the road in front of a vehicle and which is not a front fog lamp.

REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO OBLIGATORY MAIN-BEAM HEADLAMPS AND TO OPTIONAL MAIN-BEAM HEADLAMPS TO THE EXTENT SPECIFIED IN PART II


1. Number- (a) Any vehicle not covered by sub-paragraph (b), (c) or (d): Two
 
Theres no height restriction on main beam head lights in the Act.
"Any number of optional main beam headlights may be fitted"
Schedule 5 : Part 2 : REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO OPTIONAL MAIN BEAM HEAD LIGHTS.

Spot lights,driving lights, auxillary lights etc meet the definition of a main beam headlight under the Act.

As for "Any other lights" in Section 27, you can do what you like as long as they go out on main beam and meet the BS.
Again there is no height restriction stipulated.
 
Personally I think through reading schedule 5, would suggest roof mounted 'main beam headlights' so long as they are matched pairs and only illuminate from the main beam switch are acceptable. MOT wise they are not testable, i checked this first!

I have 4 x 100W lamps mounted on my roof bar, wired via a relay controlled by a feed from the main beam switch but also with an isolating switch on the dash. If i ever get a pull for them I will find out for sure!

Having said that, my bike has a loud exhaust, slightly small plate (lettering remains legal size, but not on a full size background) and dubious legality for the rear indicators. I am aware of the implications if i get a pull but will continue to use them... ;)
 
Lerk,
I agree with what you say but be careful about the use of 100W bulbs on the public highway.
For your roof lights to be legal on the road the bulbs and lamp fittings have to be E marked to indicate compliance with the BS. For vehicles first used after 1 April 1991.
As I understand it E marked 100W lamps are not available and although they can be used off road they are illegal when used on the road.
As far as I know the maximum wattage available E marked is 60W, which are road legal.
Having said that I doubt you would be prosecuted but you never know.
 
Taffy said:
why?? lorries have more lights and they use them soft spotlights onwhile driving.
Click to expand...

Not necessarily, standard fit minimum legal requirement front lighting for trucks is no different than that for cars.
Same wattage bulbs too, although 70W is allowed for main beam.
As for the light bars you see on trucks they are effing expensive (£500+ plus the lights/fitting/VAT) and are often more for show than for actual use, although some companies/owner drivers fit them because they actually need the extra light if they travel in remote areas alot.
 
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