Damn police

[Dodd89]

So I got pulled the other night and was told I had illegal mods. He said my pressed plates are illegal even though I pointed out to him that they were made by autostyling, "that's their post code and here's the British standards number (bs au 145d)" wouldn't accept it, then he said my headlights were illegal. Said he could give me a 400 pound fine for them. Checked with an mot tester for plates.... He had some to go on his car that day from the same place :/ checked online and I'm aloud them. As far as yellow bulbs go after some Google searching they are legal too. I'm I wrong with these too?

[Krzys]

Headlights can be yellow as far as I'm aware, just not blue.

 

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/1796/regulation/11/made

Colour of light shown by lamps and reflectors

11.—(1) No vehicle shall be fitted with a lamp which is capable of showing a red light to the front, except–

(a)a red and white chequered domed lamp, or a red and white segmented mast-mounted warning beacon, fitted to a fire service control vehicle and intended for use at the scene of an emergency;

(a side marker lamp or a side retro reflector;

©retro reflective material or a retro reflector designed primarily to reflect light to one or both sides of the vehicle and attached to or incorporated in any wheel or tyre of–

(i)a pedal cycle and any sidecar attached to it;

(ii)a solo motor bicycle or a motor bicycle combination; or

(iii)an invalid carriage; or

(d)a traffic sign.

(2) No vehicle shall be fitted with a lamp which is capable of showing any light to the rear, other than a red light, except–

(a)amber light from a direction indicator or side marker lamp;

(white light from a reversing lamp;

©white light from a work lamp;

(d)light to illuminate the interior of a vehicle;

(e)light from an illuminated rear registration plate;

(f)light for the purposes of illuminating a taxi meter;

(g)in the case of a bus, light for the purposes of illuminating a route indicator;

(h)blue light and white light from a chequered domed lamp fitted to a police control vehicle and intended for use at the scene of an emergency;

(i)white light from a red and white chequered domed lamp, or a red and white segmented mast-mounted warning beacon, fitted to a fire service control vehicle and intended for use at the scene of an emergency;

(j)green light and white light from a chequered domed lamp fitted to an ambulance control vehicle and intended for use at the scene of an emergency;

(k)blue light from a warning beacon or rear special warning lamp fitted to an emergency vehicle, or from any device fitted to a vehicle used for police purposes;

(l)amber light from a warning beacon fitted to–

(i)a road clearance vehicle;

(ii)a vehicle constructed or adapted for the purpose of collecting refuse;

(iii)a breakdown vehicle;

(iv)a vehicle having a maximum speed not exceeding 25 mph or any trailer drawn by such a vehicle;

(v)a vehicle having an overall width (including any load) exceeding 2.9 m;

(vi)a vehicle used for the purposes of testing, maintaining, improving, cleansing or watering roads or for any purpose incidental to any such use;

(vii)a vehicle used for the purpose of inspecting, cleansing, maintaining, adjusting, renewing or installing any apparatus which is in, on, under or over a road, or for any purpose incidental to any such use;

(viii)a vehicle used for or in connection with any purpose for which it is authorised to be used on roads by an order under section 44 of the Act;

(ix)a vehicle used for escort purposes when travelling at a speed not exceeding 25 mph;

(x)a vehicle used by the Commissioners of Customs and Excise for the purpose of testing fuels;

(xi)a vehicle used for the purpose of surveying;

(xii)a vehicle used for the removal or immobilisation of vehicles in exercise of a statutory power or duty;

(m)green light from a warning beacon fitted to a vehicle used by a medical practitioner registered by the General Medical Council (whether with full, provisional or limited registration);

(n)yellow light from a warning beacon fitted to a vehicle for use at airports;

(o)light of any colour from a traffic sign which is attached to a vehicle;

(p)reflected light from amber pedal retro reflectors;

(q)reflected light of any colour from retro reflective material or a retro reflector designed primarily to reflect light to one or both sides of the vehicle and attached to or incorporated in any wheel or tyre of–

(i)a pedal cycle and any sidecar attached to it;

(ii)a solo motor bicycle or motor bicycle combination; or

(iii)an invalid carriage;

®reflected light from amber retro reflective material on a road clearance vehicle;

(s)reflected light from yellow retro reflective registration plates;

(t)reflected light from yellow retro reflective material incorporated in a rear marking of a type specified in Part I Section B of Schedule 19 and fitted to–

(i)a motor vehicle having a maximum gross weight exceeding 7500 kg;

(ii)a motor vehicle first used before 1st August 1982 having an unladen weight exceeding 3000 kg;

(iii)a trailer having a maximum gross weight exceeding 3500 kg;

(iv)a trailer manufactured before 1st August 1982 having an unladen weight exceeding 1000 kg;

(v)a trailer which forms part of a combination of vehicles one of which is of a type mentioned in a previous item of this sub-paragraph;

(vi)a load carried by any vehicle; or

(u)reflected light from orange retro reflective material incorporated in a sign fitted to the rear of a vehicle carrying a dangerous substance within the meaning of the Dangerous Substances (Conveyance by Road in Road Tankers and Tank Containers) Regulations 1981(1) or the Road Traffic (Carriage of Dangerous Substances in Packages etc) Regulations 1986(2)

[fyfie5]

ive had my yellow headlights for around 3 years now and only had a the police comment on them once (that wasn't the reason they pulled me over) but they didn't do anything about them. as far as I know they are perfectly legal as long as they aren't HID's.

[Krzys]

Not to mention a standard halogen bulb or a standard 4300k HID has a yellow tinge to them anyway.

[Grant]

Nothing more than a jobsworth mate.. Unfortunately there are loads of them. 

 

You havent said he fined you, so im guessing he didnt. Which means he's smart enough to know that he actually cant as nothing you have is illegal. 

 

Did you get his badge number? If so, I'd be logging a complaint personally. 

[Dodd89]

Thanks krzys I just needed a second opinion. They didn't fine me. The cars standard apart from bulbs and plates so a bit peed off. I didn't get a badge number unfortunately because they get even arsier if you start answering back :/

[Grant]

You are well within your rights to ask for their badge number mate. They didnt fine you becuase there were no grounds for a fine as what you have on the car is perfectly legal. 

 

Take it from someone who knows (my old man was a policeman for 27 years) there are plenty of them out there unfortunately who just like to throw their weight around and its not on! If you went in to complain, the ICC have to investigate your complaint. 

[Roj]

I have the same Autostyle pressed plates. Passed my MOT with them and I've never had any police bother about yellow bulbs either (although mine are fog lights!).

 

As others have said, probably a cop that's trying to throw their weight around. File a complaint even if you dont have a badge number or anything.

[Dodd89]

I was told by a tester after strongly sticking to it about the plates being legal, he said change the headlight bulbs and he will stamp the ticket. So I'll do that, get it stamped, give it a week of two and put yellow bulbs back in. Then I'm lowering it with an exhaust so they will probably pull me again. I'm just going to have to keep an eye on my mods to make sure they are legal and declared and then they can't really say s**t I spose I'll put in a complaint though. Barstools!

[Dougie]

According to to krzys' post we should all have amber beacons on our cars seeing as they are purpose built B road testing machines! (Ivi)