8 replies to this topic

[x.Millie.x]

Where does the law stand on angel eyes? I'm guessing there's no problem with just having regular ones, but how legal are the different coloured filters?
Surely it can't be legal to have red ones, for example?

[cobblers]

You're right, it's not legal. White or yellow on the front only.

Both the normal police and the style police are upset by it!

Edited by cobblers, 05 November 2009 - 01:34 PM.

[minimadjonesy]

as long as they are e marked then they are fine but you cannot have the coloured filters as they are illegal.

The only colour lights allowed on the front of cars is White for your head lamps/ sidelights/ fogs/ spots and yellow for your indicators!

[Darkscamp]

i have been informed by my local bobby that blue ones are legal as long as they are constant and dont flash.

red ones are definately illegal for 'road use' as i found out but there is nothing to say you cant just have the angel eye part on a seperate switch for when your 'off road'

[redhotminilewis]

This all boils down to the debate about what coloured lights you have on the front of your cars.

Iv'e asked my local bobby about blue lights and all others colours and they are said to be fine except red. Some also say that only white and yellow. Although one bobby said that red is fine, but i really dont trust him

so i think from this it really all comes down to what police person you have that is trailing your tail thinks.

The law is very vague around this sort of thing and think should really be made clear once and for all.

[mini-man-dan]

I always thought blue was illegal, as there was one story a while ago who had a mini xmas tree in their car window with blue lights on and they got done for it. But then the newer HID type lights have a blue tinge anyways. I prefer super-bright white as blue angel eyes do look a bit on the chavvy side...

[POWER5LAVE]

ive got the red filters on mine havent had any trouble from the law yet. and i did follow a policeman the other night on my way home so im not to sure myself lol will let you know if i get pulled over laughing my ass off

[Jake Blues]

I did a bit of research on this as Jake has blue lights on the front grille and blue tinged angle eyes on the bottom spots.
The UK Police website is fairly helpful in that it says you must not be able to see any colour other than red/orange/white from behind the vehicle ie underside neons. Unfortunately it says nothing about from the front.
Other lighting regs say that lights should be set not to dazzle, mine face inwards so that would appear to be ok. When you see big trucks with loads of lights on the front, they are usually blue and as pointed out...constant and not flashing.
A friend, who is a traffic Cop also says Jake's lights are ok.

Back to angel eyes tho.....you can't really see the surroundy bit when the headlights are on anyway so it's a moot point unless you drive round with just those on......which is pointless.. surely?

[Dan]

The law is very vague around this sort of thing and think should really be made clear once and for all.

The law is not vague, it's all written down in the same place. The Road Vehicles (Lighting) Regulations.

Part 2, regulation 11 : No vehicle shall be fitted with a lamp capable of showing a red light to the front except: (various reflectors and emergency vehicles are listed).

Part 2, regulation 16b : No vehicle, other than an emergency vehicle, shall be fitted with a device that resembles a blue warning beacon or a special warning lamp, whether the same is in working order or not.

So if in the opinion of whoever is arresting you the blue or green light makes the car resemble a Police car or a Doctor on call car or anything like that then it is illegal. What you think the car looks like isn't relevant, if anybody might think it was an emergency vehicle it's illegal. There is much legal precedent for this. It would also cover an amber light that made the vehicle look like it was a service vehicle as opposed to an amber indicator.

In the case of Angel Eye type lamps though, if they are wired up as a front position lamp the law is more strict:

Schedule 2, part 1 (obligitory and optional front position lamps), paragraph 7,

Colour : White, or if incorporated in a headlamp which is capable of emitting only a yellow light, yellow.

That means that unless you have headlamps with completely yellow lenses, like older French cars had, if your angel eyes are wired to come on with the sidelights and are in the correct position to count as sidelights they must be white. If you had Angel eyes around some driving lamps in the centre of the car, where they can't be considered as position lights (as far as I know), they could be any colour except red unless they made it look like the car was showing a warning lamp or special beacon from an emergency vehicle.

That is the technicality of the law and it is written down quite clearly. All in the same place. It is true however that as shown above, many Police aren't all that clued up on the details (although a force vehicle inspector would be) and not many people would enforce this law all too closely. It's up to you what you do but these are the rules.