With all these interesting discussion points regarding Halogen headlights a thought occured as whether anyone had been stopped/cautioned/arrested for not adjusting their headlights for driving on the 'other' side of the road, this being equally relivant for British RHD car drivers abroad or LHD car drivers in the UK ?, and if so was it secondary to another percived offence ? and how did the 'authority' verify the non-adjustment ?

My thought on this is that if there is no obvious ( sticky bits of plastic on headlights ) adjustment made than a bloddy minded traffic cop might pull you over just for the hell of it.

I do realise at this point those with auto-adjusting Xenons can feel smug.

By auto adjusting, do you mean that when the car drives on the wrong side of the road the lights automatically adjust! Sorry, yes anything that eases adjustment of lights has got to be good. I can understand your cynicism concerning the enforcers.

I'v e not been stopped in France, Belgium or Holland and there was no outward sign my lights were adjusted. I always used to 'flat beam' the lights on my Octavia so I didn't need the sticky labels.

I always wondered how I'd prove my lights were legal if I did get stopped.

I've always used the thumb wheel to wind the lights right down. Rarely, if ever use my headlights abroad. Now I have DRL I should be visible to all!

I've always used the thumb wheel to wind the lights right down. Rarely, if ever use my headlights abroad. Now I have DRL I should be visible to all!

Do you not drive in the dark at all?

We go camping in the summer so tent is pitched and shopping done before dark. Evenings are for relaxation.

Dipped beams low are not a problem for very occasional short trips and there are always the main beams which can be used in quiet rural France.

I use the stick on "beam benders" that redirect the light rather than block out - pretty effective.

Whether you plan to only drive in the daylight is one thing, but remember you should use them on the motorway in the wet.

I tend to use mine on all roads - it's a deterrent to people pulling out of side roads on you.

I find it annoying when I get back to Blighty and none of the foreign motors seem to bother with adjusting their lights for the UK !

A few years ago I picked up a hire car from Schipol Airport and drove at night toward Amersfoort to meet up with friends.

On a small single carriageway road I was flagged down as I approached several Police vehicles. I wound down the window and the policeman started talking to me in Dutch.

After a few "I don't speak Dutch" - English??? etc, He then pointed at me to pull into a side road.

Fearing a fine etc, I pulled in and another policeman jestered to me to open the bonnet which I duly did. I was now expecting the full vehicle check over, chasis, tyres, registration etc etc......

But a few minutes later the bonnet was dropped down, and the policeman appeared with scrwdriver in hand and politely told me he had adjusted the headlights - the beam was set too high and he lowered it - and I could now proceed on my way.

I told this story to my friends when I joined up with them a little later. They were amazed at this "Customer service" from the Dutch police.

Headlight adjusting free of charge is something they - and I - hadn't heard of before.

Graham

Edited 24 February, 201016 yr by grahamar

I use the stick on "beam benders" that redirect the light rather than block out - pretty effective.

Whether you plan to only drive in the daylight is one thing, but remember you should use them on the motorway in the wet.

I tend to use mine on all roads - it's a deterrent to people pulling out of side roads on you.

I find it annoying when I get back to Blighty and none of the foreign motors seem to bother with adjusting their lights for the UK !

That would be probably because either there's so many badly adjusted UK cars' headlamps our traffic police can't tell the difference or our dear law enforcers can't cope with the hassle of attempting to ensure LHD car drivers comply with EC conventions.

On this note, do HGVs work to a different rule book because I've not experienced 'dazzling' effects from their lights.

A few years ago I picked up a hire car from Schipol Airport and drove at night toward Amersfoort to meet up with friends.

On a small single carriageway road I was flagged down as I approached several Police vehicles. I wound down the window and the policeman started talking to me in Dutch.

After a few "I don't speak Dutch" - English??? etc, He then pointed at me to pull into a side road.

Fearing a fine etc, I pulled in and another policeman jestered to me to open the bonnet which I duly did. I was now expecting the full vehicle check over, chasis, tyres, registration etc etc......

But a few minutes later the bonnet was dropped down, and the policeman appeared with scrwdriver in hand and politely told me he had adjusted the headlights - the beam was set too high and he lowered it - and I could now proceed on my way.

I told this story to my friends when I joined up with them a little later. They were amazed at this "Customer service" from the Dutch police.

Headlight adjusting free of charge is something they - and I - hadn't heard of before.

Graham

Maybe they had nothing better to do..............

Edited 25 February, 201016 yr by Barsteward