Slough Headlights in France

[Roger GrixParticipant]

My car is now getting very close to being used!  If The Beast from the East No.3 does not materialise.

At some point it will be travelling in France and I was wondering what measures others have taken with their headlights.  Do I need to get some tape to blank out the bits pointing to the left on dip? Can I just tilt the left/both lights a bit downwards or to the right?

Believe it or not, Light 15s are not listed in the instructions for the headlamp adaptors that I use on other cars 🙂

 

[TOC HelplineParticipant]

Hi Roger,

Don’t know if this helps:

I have a French car which is used primarily in the UK; I found a way of rotating the lamp in the base, therefore making it dip the other way.

[BernieParticipant]

I have little experience of Slough headlights but I shall ask somebody I know who lives in France and runs a Light 15 which therefore  has to pass the local CT test.

B.

[Roger GrixParticipant]

Thanks for the info so far.

As far as I know, the problem with modern projector headlamps is that they have complicated shapes to project the beam in specific directions. The main problem is a section that deflects part of the left hand beam up to the left to illuminate road signs when on dip beam. (or shine directly into the eyes of oncoming traffic when on the other side of the road).  If you stand in front of the car and look at the left hand dip lamp you can see where it shines in your eyes and blank that section out.

Our headlights do not have anything complicated like that and, as far as I know, when dipped, just move left and down.  I have been assured that old French headlights just go straight up and down so are no problem in the UK.

I remember seeing vehicles with triangular bits of tape on the headlamps to blank out the offending parts before the modern “deflectors” arrived on the scene.  I guess that, if necessary, I can identify any offending rays and block them out.

The Lucas overseas course (in the tech library) has quite an extensive section on lighting, the different lenses and associated bulbs.  I don’t know if any of these parts are available, but maybe the US members would know what is used on their side of the pond. If one had the parts, it would not be a huge job to swap the lenses and lamps on arrival en France.

As long as one makes an effort and speaks nicely to any policemen I would expect them to look quite benignly on a TA touring France. Maybe I’m naive.

[BernieParticipant]

Directement de la bouche du cheval ……

For the French Controle Technique, (CT), I did exactly what the man said; tilted the lights down a tad and slightly to the right. The inspector at the CT station hardly paid any attention to the lights; just ensured that they were all working. My Light 15 is now registered in France as a “Voiture de Collection” and only needs to be checked every 5 years. We’ll see what happens on the next visit!

If he is worried about occasional driving in France; I wouldn’t!. 

Unless he’s fitted modern high wattage bulbs, Traction lights are not bright enough to worry anybody. I’ve never used black tape; it would be difficult to know where to stick it (so to speak!)

Talking of  occasional driving in France; don’t forget that there is a proposal that as from July 1st 2018; the maximum speed limit on “ordinary” roads; i.e. not dual carriageways, nor motorways; will be reduced from 90kph to 80kph. How the average French driver will cope; I know not!!

I hope that helps,

B.

[Roger GrixParticipant]

Thanks all,

I guess I’ll just see if I get flashed a lot and, if I do, I’ll do some re-alignment.

Thanks also for the heads up on the reduction of the general limit from 90 to 80 kph. Probably won’t affect the traction much but could get expensive in the modern cars.

I expect that the French will continue to do what they do now – drive at any speed between about 40 and 120.

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