anyone know the law on rear lights

[rugbyken]

after i fitted my box to the rear a major concern was lighting i fitted a trailer connector simply to make it removable when i offered it up to the bottom of the runner it was immediately obvious that it would be vulnerable there i checked various scources and confirmed that visible from 5 meters away was the essential rule , i have seen overhangs under lorries etc where the light clusters are not on rear of veh so happy that mine are less than 500 from rear and easily visible but have just been told that my triangular reflectors must only be used on a trailer? i can easily remove them and have round one on all four corners of the box but is this really an issue???

 

[wildebus]

A good question. I was actually going to ask a similar question as I am in the process of setting up a rear carrier that extends 700mm from the rear and was wondering the same thing as the lights that comes with it are very exposed as well. I'd be interested in any replies.

The bit about the triangular reflectors is correct - only for a trailer. And to be pedantic (doesn't matter to me, but a person in authority can often be pedantic), where you have the board at present ... if it was in use there, the foglight would be illegal if used.

 

[St3v3]

Butcher the board and fit the lights to the box doors

 

[mark61]

Still in pedant mode, I'm pretty sure reflectors shouldn't be fitted on boots bonnets and doors. Not that I'd worry about it though.
See it all the time.

Are the lights necessary to be legal, or just additional?
If necessary, the light board is too high, if additional, no problem, apart from fog light as already mentioned.
Slimline LED's would fit nicely down the sides. Not that that helps regarding reflectors.

Slimline LED

 

[cronkle]

Scedule 18 of the Road Vehicle Lighting Regs 1989 say:

'8. Other requirements–
(a) Except in the case of a motor vehicle first used before 1st April 1986, any other vehicle manufactured before 1st October 1985 and a motor bicycle combination, where two rear reflectors are required to be fitted they shall form a pair. Where four rear reflectors are required to be fitted they shall form two pairs.
(b) No vehicle, other than a trailer or a broken-down motor vehicle being towed, may be fitted with triangular-shaped rear reflectors.
(c) A rear reflector shall not be fitted on a boot lid or other movable part of the vehicle.'

Difficult to see why you would be prosecuted for it though.

 

[cronkle]

You might also have an issue with the position of your lights ie distances from sides and height. Have a look at http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/1796/schedule/10/made and http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/1796/schedule/7/made

 

[rugbyken]

thanks for that i will remove the reflectors the original lights are still visible from 5 mts the board set are just an aid , the box in general has been a great success so when i’m home will remove it and have it sprayed instead of the vinyl i have at present i am toying with stripping the board down and refitting the individual elements but the min height 350 would prob exclude fitting it on the board under the doors i will have to see,