Lorry side markers - article in this week's H&H

[OliveOyl]

On page 14 of this week's H&H there's a bit about new side marker lights down the side of horseboxes, which goes something a bit like this;-
The new ruling affects all heavy goods vehicles over 3500kg gross weight, inclduing horseboxes over 6 metres long and reg'd on or after 1 april 1991. To pass the test all vehicles must have at least 2 lights. . .This is in addition to the amber side reflectors already required for similar length lorries reg'd after 1 April 1986. The reflectors can be included as prisms in the lenses fitted in the marker lamps or as separate lights. Vehicles reg'd before 1 april 1996 are exempt from the new requirement provided they are fitted with all statutory lighting and signalling devices.

Sooooooo, what does that mean then? A lorry reg'd in 1993 needs lights, as it's after 1991, or is exempt because it's before 1996????

Please help!

 

[airedale]

anything after 1991 needs these lights.

My lorry mechanic keeps very up to date on these things and because my old heap is 1984 I didn't need to have the lights fitted

Also worth noting is that the inspection stations now have super dooper new headlight alignment testing rigs that are electronic and very accurate. When you present your lorry for plating you are allowed 5 minutes to adjust your headlights to conform to the alignment or your lorry will be failed.

My mechanic now WD-40s all the adjustment screws for the headlights on all the lorries he does before he takes them for plating so that they aren't seized up and he can adjust the lights inside 5 minutes.

 

[rrose]

i thinks it means that horse boxes after 1996 need the lights and the ones before are exempt.

 

[Tempi]

I was informed that ALL lorries need to have them....two weeks ago my friend got pulled over by the police in her old 3.5ton lorry (think its an F reg) now its in really good condition and is a lovely little lorry (not like some of the heaps of junk you see on the road that age!). The police said she needed to have two reflecters fitted to each side of her lorry BEFORE she was allowed to continue with her journey. She was also fined £30 on the spot for driving an 'un road worthy vehicle'. Luckily there was no horse on board and she was near her garage, who she called out and they fitted the lights. The garage where unaware that she needed them - but according to the police ALL lorrys (whatever size or age) have to have them.............

 

[OliveOyl]

So what's the exemption bit for those reg'd before 1996 all about then?!
It seems a complete contradiction to me?

My lorry failed it's test in June because of this, so it has lights on it now anyway, but when I read the article I just wondered if it came under the excluded section or not?

Thanks!!

 

[airedale]

Don't get reflectors confused with lights

You need the reflectors but you do NOT need the lights if your lorry is older than 1986

MIne is an 84 D reg. so her F reg is 1986 and therefore needs the lights - so the Police were (sadly) correct.

However I haven't heard any prior announcement of this reg. so my mechanic has been fitting the lights as the lorries have been going in for re-plating. He didn't mention anything about every single lorry needing them immediately on 1st April.

Perhaps worth a check of the DVLA website.

 

[miller]

Not ALL lorries, is definitely if registered after the dates specified - just had my old 1980 Bedford tested 7.5 tonne and it doesn't need them - passed fine without

Second the headlight comment though

 

[Tempi]

thank you for clarifying that - i was getting them muddled - i just assumed it was the same thing. It was reflectors my friend had put on hers