Just took the mini out for a quick drive, and sitting at the lights some wanka next to me proceeds to tell me I shouldn't have them on. I figure if it's dark then when else would I use them? If I turn thm off my visability becomes quite poor, and am less visable to others. They aren't fog lights, just low mounted, low intensity driving lights.

I also drive with these on all the time. Statistically, 70% of car crashes occur because somebody didn't see somebody else, also cars are 50% more noticable in the daylight with lights on too. Some countries make it manditory to drive in the daylight with light on.

I figure since I'm in such a little car, usually surrounded by large vans, trucks and 4WDs thse days, I need all the visability I can get.

When Im driving around in any car, I never look at other cars and think they should turn lights off, they're there for a reason. If something is bright, dont look at it, I though that was simple.

Discuss.
What am I doing wrong, what am I doing right, what are you guys doing?

If you have your driving lights fitted and wired correctly they should only come on with high beam and have a seperate switch to turn them off and on, if they are wired so they are on with both high and low beam they are fitted illegally and can only be used in fog conditions. Simple really should not be on in a built up area with oncomming traffic

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From my understanding these lights can only be used in "inclement weather". I do recall seeing a notice on one of those large overhead LED traffic condition message signs and also a highway patrol guy saying he has great delight booking people for this. Typical

If they are mounted above the bumper they are classed as driving lights and must only work on high beam.
If they are below the bumper they are classed as fog lights and can only be used in inclement weather.
Cheers Pete

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I believe in Qld the rules are for fog lights it is below 600mm off the ground.

What does frustrate me is people driving around with fog lights on when is perfect weather, really when is there fog in Brisbane...

What frustrates me is people driving in fog with no lighhts on.

No lights? They must have some serious fog on the brain. Hee Hee

Ah fog....

I remember returning from a family outing in England, we turned into our driveway, as did the 3 cars following as they were just following our lights.

So what does everyone do in a situation like this? Put kettle on for cup of Tea!!

Strange what you remember after a simple trigger, esp after 43(ish) years.

Bye now.

Dicko

It is illegal in any state to have more than two Headlamps on the front of a vehicle unless you are on High beam. Driving lights that work off high beam need to be switchable from inside the cabin so normal hi beam can be used on it's own too. Any other "Bright " lamp which is not classed as Fog Lamp is illegal to use when there is no fog or as an additional lamp to Low Beam. Fog lamps are normally wired so they only work when just the parkers are switched on not the headlamps. Yes Police do book people for having these stupid lights on when they should not be. It is like driving around town with High beam on. If you say that your car's normal Low beam is not efficient enough perhaps it is time to get them sorted as your car in not really Road Worthy. A simple modification to the existing headlight wiring like adding relays might be what you really need. See my headlight relays wiring in "How to". Might be cheaper than getting booked in the long run and will make your car more drivable.

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well said convertable, I hate it when other drivers trundle around trying to cause accidents by having driving lights on when they shouldn't. In the country with no one around then fine, in fog when needed then fine. The rest of the time they should be off. I agree that standard mini lights are terrible and really need to be replaced with h4's

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Noli Illegitimi Carborundum

Harley I preface my comment by saying I understand your argument about wanting to be more visible, but for a solution I would look to convertible's relay how to and get some H4 headlights. I found that these two simple modernisations give you more than enough light to see and be seen. On the other hand I was also happy to drive the old 850 around with the 1 candle power original low beam in Sydney and never felt that I was unsafe.

I find it really amusing that you call the person informing you of the status of the law , notwithstanding that there may have been some attitude in the dispensing of the advice. Whereas I always thought that driving around with your driving/fog lights on unnecessarliy and illegally was more like a mating signal for complete knobs. I am not alone in this assessment by the way, so it may explain why you were given some attitude.

cheers
michael

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My thoughts exactly.

I have halogen conversion lights in the Mini, they work perfectly and were cheaper than buying driving lights or whatever. They look like the originals too, domed and all, not like the H4's which look like crap on a roundy IMHO

Daniel

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What sort of cost are Halogen H4s? Are they easily obtained?

Just got these

http://www.minisport.com.au/prod983.htm

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David L


My greatest fear in life is that when I die my wife will sell my Mini and tools for the price I told her I paid for them!