Headlight failure whilst driving

gaz_jones

I was having a discussion earlier about what you should do if one of your headlight bulbs blow whilst driving, and wondering if you guys could give a definitive answer. I've had a google but didn't come across much.

Obviously best practice is to keep spare bulbs in your car, but if you don't have a spare bulb, what should you do?

One of the joys of xenon bulbs, I haven't had to replace one in ages

Pew_Pew_Pew_Lasers!

You should replace it at your earliest convenience. Simple.

Mankysteve

A cop could give you a ticket that gives you a certain number of days to replace, or a fine.

gaz_jones

Pew_Pew_Pew_Lasers! wrote: »

You should replace it at your earliest convenience. Simple.

Yes obviously you must replace as soon as possible, but on the remaining trip home (or to the shop to get a bulb) should you just drive with one headlight? Someone said they heard you should drive with your fog lights on but didn't have a source so I don't know how true that is.

I haven't got a Highway Code to hand either so can't look in there

Cheers for the replies guys.

Kilty_2

Of course what you should really do is continue to drive with one bulb working for as long as you can get away with it.

Seems to be what most people do anyway :rotfl:

jackieb

My last car had to be taken to the garage for a front bulb change! Not had one go in this one yet. I'm hoping this car isn't the same.

gaz_jones

Kilty wrote: »

Of course what you should really do is continue to drive with one bulb working for as long as you can get away with it.

Seems to be what most people do anyway :rotfl:

Don't get me started! People seem to think it's acceptable to drive around with one headlight. The amount of taxis around here that drive around like that too! I wonder how they get away with it.

jackieb wrote: »

My last car had to be taken to the garage for a front bulb change! Not had one go in this one yet. I'm hoping this car isn't the same.

:eek:What car was it? Megane by any chance?

jackieb

No, an A4. We could get the back lights out to change the bulbs, but the front ones were a no-no. Apparently Audi used to charge £20 to change a bulb (not including the bulb!) but eventually realised that it was ridiculous and they started charging £6 instead. We just used to take it to the local garage.

Are Megane's bad? My sister's not long got one. I don't think a bulb's gone in it yet.

vikingaero

gaz_jones wrote: »

Yes obviously you must replace as soon as possible, but on the remaining trip home (or to the shop to get a bulb) should you just drive with one headlight? Someone said they heard you should drive with your fog lights on but didn't have a source so I don't know how true that is.

I haven't got a Highway Code to hand either so can't look in there

Cheers for the replies guys.

Driving with your fog lights on (with a failed dipped beam) is good practice these days. I'd argue that driving around "panda style" is far more dangerous as oncoming traffic may have problems judging the width of your vehicle or mistake you for a motorbike and cut in too close.

The reason is that the days of dipped beams and fog lights is much more blurred with daylight running lights and the use of fog lights as cornering lamps on some vehicles.

somech

our local cops fine you £30 for using front fog lights

jackieb

You're told that you should keep spare bulbs in the car - but what if you're driving out of town and it's dark and one goes. Is it safe to stop and replace a bulb at the side of the road? What should you do if you don't want to be stopped and fined by the police? Is there any instance where it's unreasonable to get a fine when there's not much you can do about it?