Toyota Aygo Test DriveEngine ******** I was dissapointed with this car. IMHO the gearing was too tall. I suspect this is what gives it 60mpg, but it gives it...
It may not be sensible but it is legal in good visibility (see HC93). The Vehicle Lighting Regulations 1989 say,
'Requirements about the use of front and rear position lamps, rear registration plate lamps, side marker lamps and end-outline marker lamps 24.-(1) Save as provided in paragraphs (5) and (9), no person shall-
(a) use, or cause or permit to be used, on a road any vehicle which is in motion-
(i) between sunset and sunrise, or
Lights....again 1630Hi, calculating miles per gallon isn't too hard, and the mental exercise is good. If you remember that 45 litres is 10 gallons to within 1%, then all you have to do...
(ii) in seriously reduced visibility between sunrise and sunset; or
(b) allow to remain at rest, or cause or permit to be allowed to remain at rest, on a road any vehicle between sunset and sunrise unless every front position lamp, rear position lamp, rear registration plate lamp, side marker lamp and end-outline marker lamp with which the vehicle is required by these Regulations to be fitted is kept lit and unobscured.'
About the use of headlamps it says,
'Requirements about the use of headlamps and front fog lamps 25.-(1) Save as provided in paragraph (2), no person shall use, or cause or permit to be used, on a road a vehicle which is fitted with obligatory dipped-beam headlamps unless every such lamp is kept lit-
(a) during the hours of darkness, except on a road which is a restricted road for the purposes of section 81 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 by virtue of a system of street lighting when it is lit; and
(b) in seriously reduced visibility.' The hours of darkness referred to are defined as, 'the time between half an hour after sunset and half an hour before sunrise.' There is no definition of seriously reduced visibility I can find except the 100 metres mentioned in the Highway Code. So it is perfectly legal to drive along a motorway for the first 30 minutes after sunset and the last 30 minutes before sunrise on side lights if the visibility is OK. It is also perfectly legal to drive in a 30 limit with street lights on just sidelights all night if visibility is OK. This was quite normal practice until about the early 80s when it was first suggested that dipped headlamps should be used even in town after dark. This led to dim-dip headlamps being introduced, but they disappeared during the mid 90s. The law about using dipped headlamps in town at night even if there is street lighting never reached the statute book. Ian
