Lights on your vehicle

[Thunder02]

Just an interesting read:
http://weg.netwerk24.com/Toerusting/8-o ... s-20160803" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[ChrisF]

So this is what the article says :

8 onwettige ligmodifikasies
Deur Charles Thompson Woensdag, Augustus 03, 2016 09:57


Ligstawe is nie die enigste ligte waaroor die spietkops jou moeilikheid kan gee nie. Lees wat sê Piet van Niekerk en Marius Schütte van Dekra Automotive oor die ander redes waaroor die ligte op jou 4x4 dalk nie aan die wet voldoen nie:


1. As enige van die hoofligte nie op 150 m duidelik sigbaar is in situasies waar voetgangers en voertuie nie op dié afstand gesien kan word nie (bv. in die donker).

2. As enige enkele lig 75W oorskry.

3. As enige van die ligte gedeeltelik of heeltemal deur ’n deel van jou voertuig versteek word. Jy kan dus geen ligte só rondom jou sierrooster monteer dat hulle net halfpad agter jou bosbreker uitsteek nie.

4. As enige van jou ligte laer as 450 mm of hoër as 1,4 m van die grond af is. As jy jou voertuig gelig het, sal jy dus weer moet gaan kyk of jou ligte se hoogte steeds binne die regulasies val.

5. As enige van jou hoofligte verder as 500 mm van die voorkant van die voertuig sit, of meer as 400 mm van die kant af.

6. As jy meer as drie ligte aan elke kant van die denkbeeldige middellyn van jou voertuig het.

7. As jou hoofligte nie teen dieselfde intensiteit skyn nie.

8. As enige van jou ligte se lense of glas/plastiekbedekkings gebreek of selfs net los is.

9. As jou ekstra ligte saam met die hoofligte gekoppel is.


I often see a Hilux driving along Suikerbossie street - coming from the opposite direction. Dims + fogg lights + LED running lights mounted very low (one strip was dead last week). Dude, it looks cr@p ! (sorry if it belongs to a forum member, but really, it does not look good) The vehicle lights are "white", the LED's looks a faded yellow ... And as it does not have a proper deflector that small light is blinding to oncoming traffic.

Back to the article :
3) this may be a problem for many with bullbars that has riser pipes that at some point could be construed as partially covering a light.

4) ... uhm ja ... the Etios has its fogg lights 350mm off the ground, and it is hardly a "low car". There are many cars currently being sold that have lights lower than 450mm, in standard trim.

5) 400mm from the side ... uhm ja ... that is all the lights fitted above the number plate (inside the bull bar hoop)

9) I was under the impression that it IS legal to switch extra lights with the high beam, PROVIDED that you have a manual over ride to switch it off

There is (was?) also a rule regarding the use of yellow lights - I know it applied to motorcycles, not sure if it applied to cars - you MAY have white OR amber lights on the forward lights, BUT you may only have ONE colour on at any given time (thus never white and amber at the same time)

[ThysdJ]

I think we must not get confused. There are standard "as designed and produced" lights that the vehicle comes out of the factory with, which has gone through rigorous design and testing phases and was approved by all safety standards bodies (SABS etc). And then we get the aftermarket lights, which can include everything from highly sophisticated very expensive units to something a tinkerer put together in his garden shed....

This article is aimed at after market lights. Also the "spotlight laws" are aimed at these aftermarket lights. And there are very specific regulations as pointed out where and how these lights may be mounted on your vehicle, and how they must be switched..

[lukestoyzx]

We have to put up with all that crap here too and if ya ask me it's all BS! How does it really affect anyone else how and where you mount your after-market lights! If you get seen blinding oncoming traffic with them then yes you should get fined but other than that who really cares! Check this one out that came through my shop!



Now this guy should be put down for thinking up this idea because this would take a kids head off! But if its properly mounted and wired then why should it matter, just another reason and excuse for the traffic authorities to raise revenue from us supposedly doing the wrong thing.

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[Mud Dog]

I think the biggest factor being considered by the authorities besides visibility (see and be seen) is the blinding of on-comers. If this validates the rules / regs, then I'm all for it, but if it's ridiculous and not based in sound reasoning, then well, ..... (expletive withheld).

[ChrisF]

I think we must not get confused. There are standard "as designed and produced" lights that the vehicle comes out of the factory with, which has gone through rigorous design and testing phases and was approved by all safety standards bodies (SABS etc). And then we get the aftermarket lights, which can include everything from highly sophisticated very expensive units to something a tinkerer put together in his garden shed....

This article is aimed at after market lights. Also the "spotlight laws" are aimed at these aftermarket lights. And there are very specific regulations as pointed out where and how these lights may be mounted on your vehicle, and how they must be switched..

Thys spot on.

What I was pointing out is that people should be carefull of mounting spots where "standard lights" are fitted on other vehicles, ie standard fog lights are typically lower mounted than what after market lights may be fitted.

[ChrisF]

I think the biggest factor being considered by the authorities besides visibility (see and be seen) is the blinding of on-comers. If this validates the rules / regs, then I'm all for it, but if it's ridiculous and not based in sound reasoning, then well, ..... (expletive withheld).

Would LOVE some more roadblocks - not only on the highways, but in town.

MOST of the "blinding lights" relate to poorly maintained vehicles and miss-alligned lights. Then off course the drivers using high beams ....

[Mud Dog]

Can't agree more. I have so often encountered what I call "one-eyed jacks" along the roads at night, where it appears that the only remaining working lamp is a single high beam. If it's the driver's side one at least you can see where the vehicle is in relation to the width of the road, but as is so often the case, it's the other side lamp and you only see if the driver's side is encroaching the centre line when you're really close and have to do some adrenalin inspired evasive action whilst being partially blinded.

[lukestoyzx]

My new roof rack I've been working on completed, topped of with over 900w of lights! For offroading only of course



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[Mud Dog]

Smart! I would have used plain flat material for the mountings instead of chequer plate, but that's just me.

[ChrisF]

Luke that is a nice looking roof rack !!

some serious labour to get all those round bars contorted into that structure ....

respect

[miagi]

Hi guys I do not often post but learn a lot from those who do - thank you for your participation.

While I see the indignation of some to controlling lights, I have several times been blinded by people with LED bars especially those mounted in the roof region. Or flashed with these fro the rear so one thinks a UFO has just got you, to move over into the yellow line so they can pass me - Zululand thing it appears, this of course blinds the oncoming traffic as well. If we were all well mannered and law abiding we would not need these rules - but the authorities seem to have to use this for the above drivers.

I have been tempted to fit and LED bar for night bush driving, but then do not want to run foul of the authorities.
Perhaps and Isolator on the lights so they don't work unless in the bush might be an answer (or simply remove the relay), this might appease the authorities.

[Stef]

Would LOVE some more roadblocks - not only on the highways, but in town.

MOST of the "blinding lights" relate to poorly maintained vehicles and miss-alligned lights. Then off course the drivers using high beams ....

These have been increased on the road I use to work...more of an annoyance than anything else and not in the safest locations either; I think road blocks should NOT be done on highways.
Had an uniformed idiot getting cocky with me over a fused brake light the other day, going on about K53 blah blah blah. Clearly they need to revise the stupidity questions on the application form...

Not a word about the misaligned headlight in the front that I AM aware of so I very much doubt if any so called officer would be able to apply the regs correctly. You just ask for the fine and go to court with the RWS

[ChrisF]

Stefan yes there certainly are officers in dire need of basic training ... but that is a different topic.

The need for competant law enforcement is clearly visible all around us

[Stef]

Don't disagree there, with the key words being competent and enforcement. One could add integrity as well but it seems to be a swearword in SA these days

I also agree with Andy, rules should make sense and IMO be reasonable and readily available so that motorists could comply