mx5cartalk.com

(Not sure if I should post it here or on the "Body, Paint, Interior & Trim" section. Mods, please move if necessary.)

I've just had a thought, but I'm not sure if it's legal (not the first time). I have a Brown Davis roll bar and I drive top down most of the time. Would it be legal to attach some flashing/solid red lights, like what cyclists attach to their bikes, to my roll bar? It would definitely increase the "pay attention! I am here!" factor, but would it just be too confusing to others on the road? I've never seen anyone else do this before.

Red lighting can only face backwards.
I don't think car lighting can flash (unless an emergency vehicle). Bicycles are different.
Put some big spotties on top and go roo shooting.
I think it's a silly idea.

Basic answer, no.

Red can only face backwards, amber can face sideways or forwards.

Pretty sure there are limits on number and position of brake/tailights per the relevant ADRs, which don;t apply to bikes.


You could legally fit flashing/rotating amber lights, not sure on the specific situations they may be used, but it's not just anytime.



And yeah, I expect it woudl increase accident risk, since other road users are morons and would get distracted.

I have a 3 horns installed in my car (granted, one is stock, one is an additional disc horn I never removed, adn the last is a twin trumpet air horn.)

bruce wrote:Put some big spotties on top and go roo shooting.

I've wanted to do this for cross country drives, a set of 4 KC Daylighters mounted that high would certainly give off plenty of light.

Couple of points for Victoria at least. Yellow beacon requires a permit, just to be placed on a vehicle and is "finable" if not used correctly. Pretty sure as many "clearance" lights as you want as per some trucks, but if one doesn't work, the vehicle is technically unroadworthy. Used to be a maximum of 6 head lights not sure if that has changed.

hks_kansei wrote:I've wanted to do this for cross country drives, a set of 4 KC Daylighters mounted that high would certainly give off plenty of light.

I would have thought mounting one of these would be a better option if that's they way you wanted to go.

Nevyn72 wrote:

hks_kansei wrote:I've wanted to do this for cross country drives, a set of 4 KC Daylighters mounted that high would certainly give off plenty of light.

I would have thought mounting one of these would be a better option if that's they way you wanted to go.

Yeah, but the daylighters look cooler.

Plus the LED things don't have any lenses etc so they only really work as a short distance floodlight.

^^^I thought the same but I had a play of a wide/spot set up, and the collimator for the spots lead to an impressive throw.
A very impressive throw. I was pleasantly surprised.

I was definitely aiming to point the red lights backwards. But I guess it was a pretty silly idea in the first place...

Not really. If it's ok for bikes it might be ok for cars.

If they weren't flashing id say you'd be ok they are just "Parkers"


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I have mounted a LED rain light hanging down from my Plus roll bar. It is only used when on the track or in heavy rain on public roads. They are VERY bright!

I do have one down on the rear bumper but people have said that it is too low hence the higher one. It is possible with the one I have to hook it up as a brake light as well as a rain light but have not got around to it. I have a 3 way switch that either has the light soild on, off or flashing.

Rain Light
https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/productdetails.asp?RecID=2340


3 Way Switch
http://www.motorsportelectrics.com.au/fia_rain_lights


These dual colour rain/stalled engine as used in the V8 supercars are $319.00 EACH!

Not sure how you will be able to do it without it being a distraction or conforming to your regions laws, but it's certainly not a silly idea. Your thinking is in the right place. Might just be too hard in the execution. I'd be interested to see what you come up with though.

the question is why you would want to do it in the first place- is there something wrong with the ADR lights on your vehicle? Its not hard to look up the lighting regs. Adding extra lights seems like a good way to attract perhaps attention you don't want- your call.

I was having that thought before I left the house in the evening for a short mountain drive. The idea was to increase my visibility for others in the dark twisty mountain bits. Then during the drive I realised I had much bigger problems, in that it was so dark I could hardly see anything myself...

greenltd wrote:Couple of points for Victoria at least. Yellow beacon requires a permit, just to be placed on a vehicle and is "finable" if not used correctly. Pretty sure as many "clearance" lights as you want as per some trucks, but if one doesn't work, the vehicle is technically unroadworthy. Used to be a maximum of 6 head lights not sure if that has changed.

When i was Rallying back 70-80's it used to be 6 forward facing NSW and 4 in Victoria - being NSW if we ran south of the border to keep the Cibie's we had to remove the inside lights from the dual set-up on the Datsun 1600 - they were very strict!

In difference, Queensland some of the larger 4x4's have more lights than IQ for some drivers!

I agree HKS, mount a few on the rollbar and head for the hills!