[gqdavee]

i recently bought a set of cheap lights from repco for $20 (ziel) and put them on the roof rack on my trol. mate at work says where i have them is wrong. he said they have to be behind the b pillar. i have them mounted in between the a and b. whats the go? also whats the law say because i cant find anything on vicroads about it being illegal except for the fact if you have more than 6 lights its unroadworthy (or something along those lines).

from what i have read on a few other forums if you have them its a automatic cop magnet (sounds like BS)

 

[Troyyyy]

i recently bought a set of cheap lights from repco for $20 (ziel) and put them on the roof rack on my trol. mate at work says where i have them is wrong. he said they have to be behind the b pillar. i have them mounted in between the a and b. whats the go? also whats the law say because i cant find anything on vicroads about it being illegal except for the fact if you have more than 6 lights its unroadworthy (or something along those lines).

from what i have read on a few other forums if you have them its a automatic cop magnet (sounds like BS)

anything over 1.2 cant be conected well in nsw anyways

 

[the evil twin]

If they are forward facing Driving Lights as opposed to work lights...Theres a few different rules that vary from state to state and may or not apply.

One of them (in some states) is that roof bar mounted lights cannot be where light interferes with the Driver IE so far back that they shine thru the rear window on Utes etc or so far forward that they reflect up off the bonnet or Roo Bar (if it is polished) etc.

Best to email the Transport mob in your State and get a reply in writing from 'The One True God' on his letterhead/email

 

[GanG]

In Vic I believe the rules state they can be no higher than 1 meter off the ground, must be spaced equally and in even numbers. I seem to recall there was also something about no more than 6 forward facing white lights. Will see if I can find a reference for you mate..............but I surely got pinged by the coppers years ago for the roof mounted lights on my slow lux.

Cheers

Greg

 

[GUTourer]

Same, local Mansfield coppers pulled me over when I have 4 lights mounted on my rollbar on a lux. Gave me a canary.

 

[truckster]

anything over 1.2 cant be conected well in nsw anyways

I think you are correct.
as far as I know from several dozen other threads on this, this is pretty much everywhere. 1200mm from the ground.

 

[GanG]

Division 2—Headlights
77 Headlights to be fitted to vehicles
(1) A motor vehicle must be fitted with—
(a) one low-beam headlight if it is a moped,
motor cycle, or motor trike with one front
wheel; or
(b) a pair of low-beam headlights if it has 4 or
more wheels or is a motor trike, except a
moped, with 2 front wheels.
(2) If a motor vehicle built after 1934 can travel at
over 60 km/h—
(a) each low-beam headlight mentioned in
subclause (1) must be able to work in the
high-beam position; or
Sch. 2
Road Safety (Vehicles) Regulations 2009
S.R. No. 118/2009
260
(b) the vehicle must be fitted with—
(i) one headlight that can work in the highbeam
position if the vehicle is required
to have one low-beam headlight; or
(ii) a pair of headlights that can work in the
high-beam position.
(3) A motor cycle may be equipped with a headlight
modulation system that—
(a) varies the brightness of its high-beam
headlight or low-beam headlight, but not
both, at a rate of at least 200 flashes a minute
and at most 280 flashes a minute; and
(b) is designed to operate only in the daytime.
(4) Additional headlights may be fitted to a motor
cycle or motor trike, or a motor vehicle with 4 or
more wheels that was built before 1970.
(5) Additional pairs of headlights may be fitted to a
motor vehicle with 4 or more wheels that was
built after 1969.
78 How headlights are to be fitted
(1) The centres of low-beam headlights fitted as a pair
on a motor vehicle with 4 or more wheels must be
at least 600 millimetres apart.
(2) Subclause (1) does not apply to a motor vehicle
built before 1970 if the centres of its low-beam
headlights—
(a) were under 600 millimetres apart when the
vehicle was built; and
(b) are not nearer than they were when the
vehicle was built.
Sch. 2
Road Safety (Vehicles) Regulations 2009
S.R. No. 118/2009
261
(3) Each low-beam headlight of a pair on a motor
trike (except a moped) with 2 front wheels must
not be over 400 millimetres from the nearer side
of the vehicle.
(4) The centre of a low-beam headlight fitted to a
motor vehicle built after June 1953 must be—
(a) at least 500 millimetres above ground level;
and
(b) not over 1⋅4 metres above ground level.
79 How single headlights are to be fitted
(1) A motor cycle or trike with a single headlight
fitted must have the light fitted in the centre.
(2) Subclause (1) applies to a motor cycle with an
attached sidecar as if the sidecar were not
attached.
80 How additional headlights are to be fitted
If 2 or more additional headlights are fitted to a
motor vehicle with 4 or more wheels, the
additional headlights must as far as possible be
fitted in pairs.
81 Performance of headlights
(1) When on, a headlight, or additional headlight,
fitted to a vehicle must—
(a) show only white light; and
(b) project its main beam of light ahead of the
vehicle.
(2) Headlights must be fitted to a vehicle so their light
does not reflect off the vehicle into the driver's
eyes.
Sch. 2
Road Safety (Vehicles) Regulations 2009
S.R. No. 118/2009
262
82 Effective range of headlights
(1) This clause applies to a headlight that is on at
night.
(2) A low-beam headlight must illuminate the road
ahead of the vehicle for at least 25 metres.
(3) A high-beam headlight must illuminate the road
ahead of the vehicle for at least 50 metres.
(4) However, a low-beam headlight fitted to a motor
vehicle built before 1931, or a moped, need only
illuminate the road ahead of the vehicle for
12 metres.
83 Changing headlights from high-beam to low-beam
position
(1) A motor vehicle built after 1934 that can travel at
over 60 km/h must be fitted with—
(a) a dipping device enabling the driver in the
normal driving position—
(i) to change the headlights from the highbeam
position to the low-beam
position; or
(ii) simultaneously to switch off a highbeam
headlight and switch on a lowbeam
headlight; and
(b) for a vehicle built after June 1953, a device
to indicate to the driver that the headlights
are in the high-beam position.
(2) A headlight fitted to a vehicle not fitted with a
dipping device mentioned in subclause (1)(a) must
operate in the low-beam position.
(3) When a headlight fitted to a vehicle is switched to
the low-beam position, any other headlight on the
vehicle must operate

105 Front fog lights
(1) A pair of front fog lights may be fitted to a motor
vehicle with 4 or more wheels.
(2) A pair of front fog lights, or a single front fog
light, may be fitted to a motor cycle or trike.
(3) A pair of front fog lights fitted to a motor vehicle
with 4 or more wheels must have the centre of
each light not over 400 millimetres from the
nearer side of the vehicle unless the centres of the
lights are at least 600 millimetres apart.
(4) If the top of the front fog light is higher than the
top of any low-beam headlight on the vehicle, the
centre of the fog light must not be higher than the
centre of the low-beam headlight.
(5) A front fog light must—
(a) when on—
(i) project white or yellow light in front of
the vehicle; and
(ii) be a low-beam light; and
(b) be able to be operated independently of any
headlight; and
(c) be fitted so the light from it does not reflect
off the vehicle into the driver's eyes.

You can get the act HERE

Hope that helps

 

[Nissan Kid]

One of the manny....
http://www.patrol4x4.com/forum/general-patrol-discussion-17/roof-lights-37937/

 

[Roachie]

Here in SA, the way Bulla Bryant (member on this forum and a SA Police Officer who does liaison work on this type of topic) explained it was this:

Driving lights cannot be placed in a position where they will obstruct the driver's forward vision....meaning you cannot bolt them onto the top rung of your bullbar so they are above bonnet height.

All forward-facing lights need to be mounted on the FRONT of the vehicle.....meaning you cannot mount them on the roof...(UNLESS you drive a cab-over vehicle such as an OKA or cab-over prime mover etc I guess). This would explain why you often see large trucks with lights up quite a bit higher than their headlights....but they are still in front of the grille and DO comply with the SA regs.

 

[WarioGF]

The post above by GanG can be easily mis-read. Have a good read of it again & it actually tells you how to get around the problem of mounting; a) As many lights as you like & b) Mounting them on the roof.

"Road Safety (Vehicles) Regulations 2009
S.R. No. 118/2009
261
(3) Each low-beam headlight of a pair on a motor trike (except a moped) with 2 front wheels must not be over 400 millimetres from the nearer side of the vehicle.
(4) The centre of a low-beam headlight fitted to a motor vehicle built after June 1953 must be—
(a) at least 500 millimetres above ground level; and
(b) not over 1⋅4 metres above ground level.

79 How single headlights are to be fitted
(1) A motor cycle or trike with a single headlight fitted must have the light fitted in the centre.
(2) Subclause (1) applies to a motor cycle with an attached sidecar as if the sidecar were not attached.
80 How additional headlights are to be fitted
If 2 or more additional headlights are fitted to a motor vehicle with 4 or more wheels, the additional headlights must as far as possible be fitted in pairs."

Section 261 (4) above refers to the lights being at least 500mm off the ground & not more than 1.4m off the ground. However it qualifies in the first few words that this specifically refers to "EACH LOW-BEAM" light!

Therefore any high beam light (or any light that operates when the real headlights are on high beam) is NOT restricted & can therefore be lower than 500mm & higher than 1.4m!

Secondly there appears to be NO statement in the reg's governing the number of lights only that they MUST be fitted in pairs!

So as long as they're fitted in pairs & only operate on high beam then you're ok. A wise idea would be to crab a printout from the Act & carry it in the car so you can show Mr. Plod. Oh, btw I'm an ex-Mr. Plod & can't see any of them arguing with the logic above as it's in black & white from the Act.

This is obviously only for Victoria & you should check your local laws but it's worth a shot I reckon!

Disclaimer: WarioGF strongly advises members not to legally rely upon this advice & encourages them to seek their own clarification! through their own experts!

 

[the evil twin]

I hear ya WarioGF... to me, the extract from the Vic Regs being quoted refers to Headlights not Driving and Auxiliary Lights.

I would still closely check the definitions section of the Act before taking on Constable Plod... just to make sure.

Last time I checked there is no height restriction per se in W.A. for Driving lights (it is only Headlights that must be below 1400 mm) and the Regs here are similar to what Roachie has stated for S.A.

Bottom line remains... opinions are like rrseholes and in this case the two that count are the dude writing the Canary and the dude who will take it off... whether they are right or wrong ROFL

 

[Fat Guts]

Roachie, Wario, Evil & are correct. Auxillary driving lamps are different to the dipped/main beam lamps but the requirements for them are the same.

I'm not going to look at the state regs but here is a cut & paste from ADR 13/00:

6.1.5. In addition to the main beam headlamps in paragraph 6.1 of Appendix A,
a further two or four driving lamps may be installed as long as they
comply with clause 7.3 of this standard.

&

7.3. DRIVING LAMPS
7.3.1. Presence: Optional on motor vehicles. Prohibited on trailers.
7.3.2. Number:
7.3.2.1. Two or four.
7.3.2.2. To be used in conjunction with headlamps.
7.3.3. Arrangement:
No individual specifications
7.3.4. Position:
7.3.4.1. In width no individual specifications.
7.3.4.2. In height: no individual specifications.
7.3.4.3. In length: at the front of the vehicle and fitted in such a way that the light
emitted does not cause discomfort to the driver either directly or
indirectly through the rear-view mirrors and/or other reflecting surfaces
of the vehicle.
7.3.5. Geometric visibility:
No individual specifications.
7.3.6. Orientation:
Towards the front.
7.3.7. Electrical connections:
The driving lamps must be able to be lighted only when the main-beam
headlamps switch is in the “lamps on” position.
7.3.8. Tell tale: No requirement.
7.3.9. Others:
The aggregate maximum intensity of the main-beam headlamps as
specified in paragraph 6.1.9.1 of Appendix A, can be exceeded with the
fitment and illumination of driving lamps. Driving lamps do not have to
comply with ADR 46/….

 

[the evil twin]

Yep... from Fatguts post... and discussed earlier. This is the bit the Police and Mermaids work on in W.A. specifically for Roof Bar positioning.

7.3.4.3. In length: at the front of the vehicle and fitted in such a way that the light
emitted does not cause discomfort to the driver either directly or
indirectly through the rear-view mirrors and/or other reflecting surfaces
of the vehicle.

Just about every second vehicle over here has roof driving lights (love 'em or hate 'em), which in itself doesn't make them legal but the 1400 mm height for "main lights" is not an issue.