I've seen "daylight styling lights" available on ebay. They can be wired as drl's (ie off when sidelights are on) -OR- on with sidelights etc.

So basically they act as additional sidelights.

I'd like to fit these as the existing sidelights are .. not very good.

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/227892-improve-sidelights/

however I cant find a clear explanation anywhere of the current UK law governing fitting of additional lights.

There seems to be a lot of confusion about HID kits, DRL's, side position lights, night styling lights etc.

There is some simple stuff about drl's here

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ACArticleDisplay?storeId=10001&langId=-1&articleId=809953&categoryId=245215

Can anyone explain simply (and accurately) just what the law allows in fitting extra lights to the car?

Wilfully disregarding your request for simple and accurate information about the legality of such things for just a moment, all you really need to know is they will make your car look rubbish. People will look at you as you drive by and feel a bit sorry for you. I think they are best avoided.

Nail. Head.

^^^^ +1

Any additional driving light / DRL that is legal will be E Marked for a specific use.

There are rules on positioning and amount of lights fitted (varies between cars and HGV)

So if it is E Marked as a DRL It officially cannot be used as a sidelight, so wiring it up to the sidelight circuit should not officially be done. A light can be E Marked for multiple uses such as DRL & side light only if it contains a dimming module / circuit to dim the DRL an exact amount to comply with light output regulations.

See pics, these DRLS are as bright & White as your going to get without going OEM (I've played around with LED's a lot in the last few years) and due to the reflector design you get a block of light not just bright dots

Edited 1 August, 201213 yr by xpower

Iv seen Skoda's were a set of aftermarket DRL's really work with the car, they look OEM+, not this tacky rope light stuff that people wrap around there headlight.

Its risky and very easy to get wrong, i was contemplated the idea but decided against it.

Want DRL's on your Octy, buy an FL vRS

Nail. Head.

Thwack + 1

Don't do it.

If it's not OEM it'll never look OEM no matter how long you look at them!

Every time I see a car with aftermarket DRL's I always think "what a...

Wilfully disregarding your request for simple and accurate information about the legality of such things for just a moment, all you really need to know is they will make your car look rubbish. People will look at you as you drive by and feel a bit sorry for you. I think they are best avoided.

Love it =) You said what everyone is thinking lol

It's always nice to see that when someone asks a styling question that the bulk of the comments are about how rubbish people think it'll look.

Personally I think 99.9% of lowered cars and those with spoilers on the back look pretty awful. (Ironic that those with spoilers think it'll make the car better, despite the extra weight.) But these things are done because the owner thinks they look good, and at the end of the day, that's the only person's opinion that matters. If we all had the same taste, the roads would be full of 1 make, 1 model, 1 colour. :|

I've seen "daylight styling lights" available on ebay. They can be wired as drl's (ie off when sidelights are on) -OR- on with sidelights etc.

So basically they act as additional sidelights.

On with sidelights? During the day? How would you turn them off at night? Why put the sidelights on in the day?

Can be set to go off when sidelights on with the addition of a simple relay.

From what I recal DRLs have to be in matched pairs and their outside edge no more than 40cm from the outside edge of the vehicle.

Wilfully disregarding your request for simple and accurate information about the legality of such things for just a moment, all you really need to know is they will make your car look rubbish. People will look at you as you drive by and feel a bit sorry for you. I think they are best avoided.

Agree don't do it.

Just don't do it.

If you need to be seen (bad weather, between sunset and sunrise, mist, etc.) turn on your headlights.

Ignore them all- go ahead if you want to

Any car I've seen so far with aftermarket DRLs just look naff and make my eyes bleed.

Edited 3 August, 201213 yr by DionJ

Trying again. I didnt ask for advice on styling, all I want to know is ..

Can anyone explain simply (and accurately) just what the law allows in fitting extra lights to a car?

Thanks FMF at least one sensible answer. What type are they?

I'm not interested in styling, I just want to make the car a bit more obvious because I'm fed up with numpties driving as if its not there.

Best answer - put blue and yellow overlay on it - but sometimes other people in similar cars take exception.

OK, Dingo: "put headlights on." Then everyone thinks "aggressive b***d I'll stay in front of him he's not passing me"

Or fit DRL's - they are lights you cant use at night, when you need to see and be seen.

Or DRL with night styling. And get flashed 'cos you've got your foglights on.

And if I wanted to pay more for my insurance and tax and fuel so I could drive faster than the law allows .. I still would'nt buy a VRS.

Edited 2 August, 201213 yr by john.errington

I'm not interested in styling, I just want to make the car a bit more obvious because I'm fed up with numpties driving as if its not there.

What a rubbish tosh. Sorry but fitting DRL will not change the way other road users behave near you.

What a rubbish tosh. Sorry but fitting DRL will not change the way other road users behave near you.

I think he's claiming they can't see him, but doesn't want to put his headlights on as he thinks that might be deemed aggressive and make people not let him past.

Can't say I understand the issue with headlights TBH but I the OP wants advice if this type perhaps try the 'traffic answers' forum which is visited by several members of the ES and technical types

I think he's claiming they can't see him, but doesn't want to put his headlights on as he thinks that might be deemed aggressive and make people not let him past.

Can't say I understand the issue with headlights TBH but I the OP wants advice if this type perhaps try the 'traffic answers' forum which is visited by several members of the ES and technical types

Quite so.

OP could also have a look at the Highway Code.

http://www.legislati...6/contents/made

As a vehicle examiner for the police, this is what I work to.

BTW, the blue and yellow battenburg makes no difference. If someone isn't looking, they do not see you...

Edited 10 August, 201213 yr by Metblackrat

Out of interest have I read this right to the letter of the legislation?

1. DRL's brightness must be capable of emitting white light to the front having an intensity of not less than 200 candelas and of not more than 800 candelas

2. They may do this when the engine of the vehicle is running, the obligatory position lamps (Side lights), but not the headlamps, of the vehicle are switched on or are switched off.

So With the engine running and the side lights [obligatory position lamps] the DRL's are allowed to be at full brightness (200 - 800 candela) ?

Their brightness MUST change (not saying they shouldn't) if the engine is switched off or the headlights are switched on)

I know there is a second contradictory statement about not dazzling other road users but on this, what do you think?

Running lamps fitted to satisfy regulation 18 shall be in the form of a matched pair of front lamps, each of which–

(a)

is fitted in a position in which an obligatory front position lamp may lawfully be fitted, and

(

is capable of emitting white light to the front having an intensity of not less than 200 candelas, measured from directly in front of the centre of the lamp in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, and of not more than 800 candelas in any direction.

The electrical connections to the obligatory dim-dip device or running lamps, as the case may be, shall be such that the light output specified in paragraph 1 or 2 above is emitted automatically whenever–

(a)

the engine of the vehicle is running, or the key or devices which control the starting or stopping of the engine are in the normal position for driving the vehicle, and

(i)

the obligatory position lamps, but not the headlamps, of the vehicle are switched on, or

(ii)

the obligatory position lamps are switched off.

Edited 10 August, 201213 yr by xpower

If I saw a car during the day with dipped headlights on I wouldn't think they were being aggressive.

To me they are doing it for the exact same effect you are after - to be more visible.

I may be putting my neck on the line here but I reckon the vast majority of people retrofit DRL's not because they become more visible but because they look modern and 'cool'.

No "neck sticking out at all". I'd actually have a little more respect if someone came along and said exactly that, rather than looking for an excuse. At least we can then explain why it shouldn't be done

I have seen numerous cars with obvious after-market DRL's and what I've noticed are:

Bad positioning. The OEM fits always look in the right place, after-market's are all over the place.

Colour. They are nearly all a shade of blue, whereas OEM are bright white.

"Cell" size. Harder to explain. On OEM the individual "cells" are large, whereas on after-market each "cell" seems to be the size of a standard LED.

Without fail I can 99.9% of the time tell that a car has after-market ones fitted and they look it. The .1% of error is with a Volvo I saw the other day which looked after-market but I can only assume were supposed to be OEM on closer inspection.

Either way, I've never seen after-market ones that look even remotely good.

EDIT:

Oh an d none of them dim at night (which legally they have to. Once headlights are switched on DRL's have to drop in light intensity by around a third. The after-market ones are too bright at night, another way of them sticking out like a sore thumb.

Edited 11 August, 201213 yr by Stoofa

As I've got an FL I'm lucky enough to have DRLs and I've had a number fo people comment how visible they are. I am also going to wire up the disconnected sidelights to the DRL's and insert orange LED's to give me "running lights" like a 5-Series. I reckon that will look pretty darn good!

There you go - I've doing it for looks!

I'm not convinced about the OEM DRL myself. They show up well enough but look a bit tacky.

I've got a pair of 1600 lumen LEDs on the bike, don't really care if it looks a bit naff as it's all about being seen by dopey drivers, but I've passed several MoT's with them fitted so I think the law is fairly relaxed about it.

Info from the police999 forum http://www.police999.com/forum/index.php/topic,9513.0.html is that the RVLR (1989) http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/1796/contents/made

permits fitting additional front position lights.

Specifically, Schedule 2 part 2:

Requirements relating to optional front position lamps

In the case of any other vehicle the only requirement prescribed by these Regulations in respect of any which are fitted is that in paragraph 7 of Part I.

"must be white"

so there is no limit on the position, size or intensity of additional front position lights. They are not even required to be E marked or in pairs.

Although that WOULD look tacky!