They dont have to be on , the wording is "fitted" . If they are blue then not a real problem , however they flash so deffo illegal use by you as a member of Joe public .
If you want a more definitive answer I suggest you post a pic as above and ask the question on UK Police Online - Home another forum I visit! They are a very friendly bunch and are happy to help with questions from the public .

DiscoPol said:

Get out of the way "cock end" coming through,

unless you a legal right to use those on the public highway then you are indeed a cock sir!

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so please tell me how I am wrong in any of the things I posted earlier?

As for knuckle dragger, personally I dont find that offensive, but then I have always been proud of my superior knuckles

Knuckle Shuffler more like it!

LOL - no offence meant.

crowmann said:

Knuckle Shuffler more like it!

LOL - no offence meant.

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by just having those stupid blue lights on your landy you have offended me but accusing me of being a ****er, well thats not too far from the truth.

you are still a cock though.:doh:

I note it says in the bit you pasted that they can be used for escort duties
Thats defo wrong as the escort/wide load people have been trying for years to use blue lights because everyone ignores amber beacons
Or is it the OTHER sort of escort duties:hysterically_laughi
I can imagine it now the stealth defender on an emergency call up a hill flat out at 60mph:doh:



Lynall

a lot of old fire trucks and police cars that are not in service anymore have just a bag or cover over the blue light that they remove when off roads and don't seam to have a problem, so as long as you don't use them on the road and the switch is not in a silly place and they don't appear blue I don't see it being a problem.

mark-d said:

a lot of old fire trucks and police cars that are not in service anymore have just a bag or cover over the blue light that they remove when off roads and don't seam to have a problem, so as long as you don't use them on the road and the switch is not in a silly place and they don't appear blue I don't see it being a problem.

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Preserved emergency vehicles are not officially permitted to have blue lights attached to them when on the road, even if they are completely covered up and inoperable. Usually common sense prevails and if there is no way of being able to see the blue light unit then the police are happy.

I have no issues with people fitting whatever they like to their own vehicle but, I don't understand why you would want to fit lights like these if you're not going to use them?? Or do you intend to use them as an off-road emergency vehicle?

RichyB said:

Preserved emergency vehicles are not officially permitted to have blue lights attached to them when on the road, even if they are completely covered up and inoperable. Usually common sense prevails and if there is no way of being able to see the blue light unit then the police are happy.

I have no issues with people fitting whatever they like to their own vehicle but, I don't understand why you would want to fit lights like these if you're not going to use them?? Or do you intend to use them as an off-road emergency vehicle?

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Looking at the pic in post #1 it looks like it is all show and no go dosen't look like it's been off road or in a mud pit to purddy, Maybe the pimp my ride just wants the look of someone special , hey sweet checks

dont see the point

Common fallacy that. Blue lights dont mean get out of the way they are only to warn that there is an emergency vehicle on the road. Otherwise the highway code would tell you to get out of the way and it would be a legal requirement to do so. Nobody is legally required to do anything to aid the passage of an emergency vehicle but most people will do the decent thing. In some extereme cases drivers have been charged with "driving without due care and attention" if they deliberately impeded emergency vehicles.

Vets using blue lights - I dont think so.

Blood transfusion service drivers using blue lights - currently a grey area but not legal after October 2011. This also includes private paramedics and ambulances not affiliated to a NHS trust or other recognised emergency service. Same with Doctors using green lights.

Only people allowed to legally use blue lights after October 2011 must be registered on the official "high speed driving" database held by the home office and be able to evidence current blue light driving competences as detailed in the pending ammendments to the road traffic act. Maximum five yearly competence re-assessments must also be evidenced. At this time only police driving instructors can assess or evidence high speed competency. So no private firms can provide the service or gain inclusion to the database.

How do I know this? I am a police response driving instructor and retired traffic cop. Its not illegal to own them or fit them but if they are operational by the flick of a switch then chances are your motor will be impounded. Quoting "I only use them off road" wont cut it. They also come under the construction and use lighting regs and as such there are strict requirements as to where they can be fitted to a vehicle. These include height and width restrictions as well as flash patterns and intensity. Many of the American units do not meet the strict EU regulations.

Dont believe me. Take a drive down to your local police station and ask a traffic cop. Feeling brave then show him the motor but take enough for bus fare home.

My advice - wire them up in your shed and use them for parties.

Well Well that is clever isnt it? NOT!

I once had someone do this to me whilst doing the legal speed limit but when i pulled over soon realised it was some chav so i followed him and we had words!

I just hope someone gets you too and is as kind as me! because you m8 deserve it!

LR90 said:

Well Well that is clever isnt it? NOT!

I once had someone do this to me whilst doing the legal speed limit but when i pulled over soon realised it was some chav so i followed him and we had words!

I just hope someone gets you too and is as kind as me! because you m8 deserve it!

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Official vehicles will have grille lights + single dash light + roof light or light bar and blue side fend-off repeaters (for exiting junctions) as well as rear facing blue/red flash, so anyone showing just grille lights is a chancer.

Best thing to do is get their index number and tell the police who will pay them a visit. Even better get a piccie of them in operation if you can and show it to the police. Guess thats why the index plate is blacked out then? Maybe he's not so sure after all?

Landy chav chic :doh:

from doing my theory test... vets and doc's have green light. although im sure i have never seen one!

Only pricks have blue llights on their motors..

redhand said:

Only pricks have blue llights on their motors..

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true story

Mine are pink! :hysterically_laughi

Mainly cos my rear lenses have faded and need changing for the MOT next week.

Oh dear, oh dear! Another wannabe! Does he drive around in S95's with an imitation AR10 or GPMG?

OSD

crowmann said:

They are Whelen blue LED strobe units.

Same as plod, vets and ............ (your name here).................

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They aint strobes. They are whelen TIR3 LED's.

Unless you have permission to use them on the public highway they are illegal to have them fitted even if not wired up. It is also an offence to have an item that could be misconstrued as being blue lights fitted.

I had to remove a set of LED's that could flash either amber or blue as one of em kept re-setting itself to show blue.

Funnily enough it is also an offence to use other colour flashing lights too unless you fall into a category and circumstance that allows their use.

I just read the link posted about blue light use. Maybe im boring,but that was a good read,i learned some more info that i'll probably never need or use AND after reading it,im wondering if you (crowmann) have read it yourself. Theres a couple of glaringly obvious bits but i'll just give you one direct quote.

Summary of Lighting Rules
In the regulations, lights, reflectors and reflective material are all classed as lights on cars (this means that the public cannot have blue reflective graphics for example).

Any colour light is OK to be on a vehicle if it is covered up or not connected up (excluding blue).

Only emergency vehicles can be fitted with a blue flashing light, or anything that looks like a blue flashing light, whether working or not.

Take Shiftys advice and "wire them into your shed".