Legal Green, Purple, Yellow, Blue Headlight Bulbs Now?

Retrogamer

I know this sounds like a joke being first of April and all, but seen this today on the Philips website after a motoring store i use got them in stock.

It says they comply with European testing so although they would be read legal to use in the UK as far as i'm aware they would still be an MOT fail for the purple and green ones.

Would still prefer seeing these coming towards me than HIDs though

http://www.philips.co.uk/e/colorvision/street-legal.html

Strider590

Seeing as the MOT test comes down to the testers opinion, if the tester doesn't like them, then your going to have to remove them no matter what.

A while ago I had LED sidelights that were pure white, but they looked blue compared to the standard halogen headlights (which are slightly yellow) and I was told my car would fail if I did not change them.

AdrianC

Yellow has always been legal. But yellow and white are the only colours which are legal for headlights.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/1796/schedule/4/made
part I.7, same for
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/1796/schedule/5/made
part I.7

Retrogamer

I think the legislation and MOT guidance has been updated now to say as long as the light colour is either predominantly white or yellow then it's fine.

Hence HID lights with slight tints of blue leaving the factory that way being legal.

Strider590

In daylight, headlights may look white, at night the same lights will look blue.

If you have white LEDs next to normal halogen bulbs, the LEDs will look blue.
If you have HID headlights next to halogen main beams, the halogen will look yellow.

It's down to the way we perceive light and colour and our surroundings play a huge part in that. EXACTLY like that recent "what colour is this dress" debate, that went viral globally.

Joe_Horner

Regardless of the legality, and assuming it isn't an April Fool (I suspect it is), what sort of complete plonker would want to fit lights that meant carrying a card around to "prove" they were legit every time you got stopped (presumably that means they expect you to get stopped lots)?

Strider590

Joe_Horner wrote: »

Regardless of the legality, and assuming it isn't an April Fool (I suspect it is), what sort of complete plonker would want to fit lights that meant carrying a card around to "prove" they were legit every time you got stopped (presumably that means they expect you to get stopped lots)?

If it is, they've gone to A LOT of trouble over the last 12 months or so to make it believable... Including setting up hoax Youtube channels.

AdrianC

Joe_Horner wrote: »

what sort of complete plonker would want to fit lights that meant carrying a card around to "prove" they were legit every time you got stopped (presumably that means they expect you to get stopped lots)?

And why would you give your marketing advantage - the legality - away to any passing chav with hooky-colour-temp bulbs that can download the "They're legal, Officer, honest" card? After all, short of dismantling the front of the car to get to the bulbs, who's going to actually know whether the idiot-bulbs in use are Philips legal ones or eBay specials?

Joe_Horner

Fair enough, although these things do get more complex all the time (the joys of easy technology) and are relatively free advertising if you hit on the one that makes headlines (or even drives a load of people to your site to have a look).

If they are real, then I look forward to the complaints on various motoring forums from assorted hot hatch owners:

"I ahd them legal blue lights an the card an evrything to show theyr street legal but wen they stopped me an i showed them the card they started looking for all the other things wiv it an now they put a prohibition on it an have towed it and i have to pay the storage and a fine for the faults. can they do this?"

:rotfl:

Broadwood

I realise the thread is about headlight bulbs but the same rules on permitted colours apply to front marker bulbs too so my tale of woe is equally relevant.

I've just fitted my 3rd set of front LED side light bulbs in 3 years. The first set failed the MOT because they were too blue but weren't very bright either. The second set also failed an MOT for being too blue but at least were quite bright. One of these failed at about 11 months old just after I'd put them back in.

The 3rd set of LEDs are very white and very bright and with the next MOT due in a few months I'm hoping that the original filament bulbs can remain as spares.

So far I can thoroughly recommend these.... http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281529176657?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&var=580554238863&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT# and at only £4.79p for 2 including postage they were a bargain.

enfield_freddy

durite the UK company make some led sidelight bulbs that are defused , they are quite good , last time I got some trade they were about 72p each