[BlueEyes]

Getting into the Christmas spirit I have bought a little snowman that's plugs into the car USB and sits on the dashboard of my 2008 ... the snowman changes colour red, blue, white and green, someone has told me it's illegal to put anything in the front windows of a car that is a coloured light, does anyone know if this is correct ?

 

[allan40alt]

I think you'll find that is correct, but it is open to interpretation.

Only police, fire, ambulances and other emergency vehicles are allowed to have coloured lights, but there are a lot of exceptions:

Flashing amber lights are allowed on :
<br style="color: rgb40, 40, 40; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;"><br style="color: rgb40, 40, 40; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">a road clearance vehicle
<br style="color: rgb40, 40, 40; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">a bin lorry
<br style="color: rgb40, 40, 40; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">a breakdown vehicle
<br style="color: rgb40, 40, 40; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">a vehicle with a 25 mph top speed
<br style="color: rgb40, 40, 40; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">a vehicle wider than 2.9 metres
<br style="color: rgb40, 40, 40; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">a roadworks vehicle
<br style="color: rgb40, 40, 40; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">an escort vehicle
<br style="color: rgb40, 40, 40; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">a Revenue and Customs vehicle
<br style="color: rgb40, 40, 40; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">a surveying vehicle
<br style="color: rgb40, 40, 40; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">a clamping or tow truck vehicle
<br style="color: rgb40, 40, 40; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">airport vehicles
<br style="color: rgb40, 40, 40; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.3999996185303px;">any other specially authorised vehicle



....and so on.



It sounds silly but I'd check with the local police or highways.



NB: Here's some light reading for you (pun intended

):



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





PS: I must admit I've seen dozens of HGVs with fairly large trees adorned with coloured lights.










Edited by: allan40alt

 

[BlueEyes]

Thanks allan40alt .. I have seen those HGVs with some actually very stunning light displays .. I don't suppose it's worth the motorway police bothering to stop a huge truck because of pretty lights .. ˜‰
I shall just have to plug Mr Snowman into the computer for now, or get a gutter sweeping attachment fitted to the 2008 ....

 

[Frank Bullitt]

I suspect the 5-0 could also stop you as a light on top of the dashboard would be a distraction at night unless it was properly shielded from view (and thre reflection in the screen).

Personally, I think the 5-0 should pull truckers with the inside of their cabs looking like mobile christmas trees, there's little chance it doesn't a affect their visibility at night.

 

[BlueEyes]

The Coco Cola truck is in trouble then ...

 

[burty]

Theoretically you can show any light to the front of a vehicle so long as it is not in place of any mandatory lights, is not Red, and is steady (i.e. not flashing). Yes, even Blue. That said, I wouldn't want to have the conversation with the police over it myself.
Edited by: burty