Legality of clear indicators ? UK

[sfj642]

In the UK and I think in the USA we must show orange flashing for our indicators. The current craze seems to be to fit clear holders with orange or silvered orange bulbs.

I've just tried out one front one on my Compact - a clear lens with orange bulb - visually great. But compared to the stock one on the other side, flashing visibility in daylight seems to be much reduced, although it is not too bad at night.

In daylight, instead of the whole area of the orange lighting up as the stock indicator, I only see a bright orange bulb shining through a clear lens. Visibility seems to be much reduced.

The point is this - as the car is modified and under certain conditions at least, the turn signals are less visible - is the car still legal and should my Insurance Company be informed of the modification from stock ?

Thanks

[GalNa]

Coincidentally ive done the exact same thing this weekend (with smoked corners).

I used the chromium bulbs and the orange bulbs, but both dont seem to cut it when it comes to visibility. So i put the orange corners back on.

I personally wouldnt be worried about the legality (fines wouldnt be too much and for the MOT you could put the orange ones on again), id be more worried about someone seeing your precious TI on time when you turn the indicator on, instead of them saying, after having crashed,: "im sorry i didnt see your indicator".

But thats just me

[sfj642]

Couldn't agree more

But I was also interested in that - if you DID have an accident - could the insurance company (upon whose generosity you will rely at this point ) point to the clear indicators and question the fact that they were not original equipment and refuse to pay out ?

Would you risk it ?

[lazoh]

Originally Posted by sfj642

Couldn't agree more

But I was also interested in that - if you DID have an accident - could the insurance company (upon whose generosity you will rely at this point ) point to the clear indicators and question the fact that they were not original equipment and refuse to pay out ?

Would you risk it ?

We in the US rik it everyday, at least the majority of us TI drivers. The corner light change is one of the first mods that people do here. As of today I have not heard the argument that I did not see your indicator as a win/lose situation. Matter of fact is that if you are making a turn (left or right) is your responsability to be cleared of oncoming traffic, unless you have a green light and someone runs a red light. Cheers!!!

[sfj642]

Over here in the UK there is an insurance "War" - due to internet connectivity, premiums have been tumbling in the last year or so. I now pay around 60% of what I did before.

But with margins cut right back, the insurance companies have been looking for any "out" to save them paying out.

We are asked the question "is the car modified" - which in the old days would have meant hotter cam, supercharger etc - but today smart lawyers could consider any change from stock to be a "modification".

Any change doesn't have to be the reason for the accident either - I have heard of insurance companies not paying out because of a bald tyre even when it wasn't the cause of the accident - on the grounds that the car was unroadworthy

So I shall play it safe and won't now fit my nice new smoked front quarter lights - just in case !

Regards

[Philly]

well, id say if someone crashed into you and said 'i couldn't see your indicators', feel free to go home and install the orange bulbs back in... too bad, too sad if they are blind enough that they cannot pick up on a slighty dimmer light.

or another option, buy genuine OEM lights and squash the arguement.

and not paying out because of a bald tire? lol thats nuts, if that happened to me and they said my car wasn't roadworthy, id say 'look at that inspection sticker on my window, shes legal and roadworthy until xx/08'

[sfj642]

Think you have a different system over there - over here the Tax Disc doesn't prove the car is roadworthy.

You may think it daft, but we have a case here of an insurance company refusing to pay out on a heart attack because "it is the wrong sort of heart attack" - believe me, they will wriggle out of almost anything.

You may take the risk of a $1,000 damage to your car - but what if you hit someone or caused an accident with personal injury - you could be looking at $250,000 - and arguing that the bald tyre had nothing to do with the accident would look a little silly when the Insurance Company has closed its doors on you.

Maybe I am being paranoid - but from the Insurance Company point of view they need to know exactly what they are insuring - stock or modified - and base their premiums on the information you give them.

My wife had an accident in her Peugeot - not serious for either party I am pleased to say - but the assessor was round checking out that our vehicle was exactly what we said it was.

May be different over there of course !

[L84THSKY]

Talk about weird coincidences...........

I got a ticket for "failing to signal when switching lanes". The cop accused me of deliberately doing this, as some kind of defiance. He thinks people wanna get tickets for fun

Anyway, I have to appear in traffic court tomorrow at 2:00pm.
I always use my turn signals, should I say maybe he didn't see it? This was on the Long Island Express Way, and he was a good 8-10 cars back, during the day. I have the clear corners with the silver bulbs that glow orange.

I think I'm gonna ride my motorcycle to court.

Originally Posted by lazoh

We in the US rik it everyday, at least the majority of us TI drivers. The corner light change is one of the first mods that people do here. As of today I have not heard the argument that I did not see your indicator as a win/lose situation. Matter of fact is that if you are making a turn (left or right) is your responsability to be cleared of oncoming traffic, unless you have a green light and someone runs a red light. Cheers!!!

[sfj642]

Good luck tomorrow - if the Magistrate is helpful then you could say that obviously the Officer did not see your indicators (which puts him in the right) - and that you would be reverting to stock at once and telling your friends. Might save a $ or two ?

When I tested out, the one in the shade looked not too bad, but the one in the sun was all but unnoticeable. Presumably the units fitted to current cars are a better design - anyone comment on this ?