Guest Derek Uzzell Posted February 27, 2005 Share Posted February 27, 2005 Remember our odd UK dim-dip headlight system? (For those unfamiliar with this, when you switched on a vehicle's sidelights and the ignition the headlight dipped-beam also came on at a reduced output. The idea was to prevent people driving around with just side-lights on, but to minimise dazzle within built-up areas.) Having not bought a new vehicle recently, I'm not sure if this system still mandatory on new RHD vehicles sold here (though I doubt it). If it isn't, can anyone recall when it died out please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Roy Hamilton Posted February 27, 2005 Share Posted February 27, 2005 Derek. In saying 20 years ago I meant the system more or less appeared then but I'm not sure when I last saw a vehicle with it. I had a new Honda Civic in Sept 2001 and a new Honda Jazz in oct 2003 and neither of these have this system. I'm sure that it was some EEC inspired idea that brought it to a stop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest PeteC Posted February 27, 2005 Share Posted February 27, 2005 New cars now have an accident alarm fitted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Roy Hamilton Posted February 27, 2005 Share Posted February 27, 2005 Derek. There's a multitude of references if you search google "Dim Dip" (without the quotations) the lighting regulations are in there but I can't make head nor tail as to whether the system is now optional or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Clive Posted February 27, 2005 Share Posted February 27, 2005 These make me mad! Volvo,s are worse but now BMW ane doing it as well. Why do I need to be dazzled by the pesky new hi tech headlights during the day? Especially if they are comming up a hill and you are just going over the top. I make a point of flashing my headlights at anyone who drives with them on during the day. Obviously they have forgotten to turn them off. (Note for Volvo drivers, you can pull out one fuse to overcome this problem!) Dusk to dawn is enough V. Meldrew. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Deek Uzzell Posted February 28, 2005 Share Posted February 28, 2005 PeteC: What's "an accident alarm", please? Has it got anything to do with dim-dip headlights? Roy: Yes, the UK lighting regs are fun, aren't they? Especially the amendments! As both your Hondas weren't fitted with dim-dip I'll assume the original system's dead. Clive: I don't think the people you get enraged about have dim-dip headlights, nor have they forgotten to turn them off - they've just deliberately chosen to drive around in daylight with normal headlights on. Chill out, man, high blood-pressure's dangerous now you've attained advanced years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Clive Posted February 28, 2005 Share Posted February 28, 2005 Thanks Del, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Clive Posted February 28, 2005 Share Posted February 28, 2005 Thanks Del, All I have to do now is stop the Mrs leaning across and blowing the horn when people are too slow in front. Relax? How? They always glare back at me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Docted Posted February 28, 2005 Share Posted February 28, 2005 Derek Dim-dip was withdrawn about the early 90's I believe. It was probably decided that too amny people were using them instead of dipped headlights at night. I hope that answers your question. Docted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Derek Uzzell Posted March 1, 2005 Share Posted March 1, 2005 Thanks for the responses. It looks like dim-dip headlamp legislation was introduced in the UK around 1987. There are lots of internet entries about the system, but most appear to relate to ways to disable it. Sports-car designs with pop-up headlights (now banned on new vehicles I believe for pedestrian-safety considerations) were trendy in the 1990s and owners of such vehicles particularly seem to dislike dim-dip. I suppose it's not hard to see why - you're sat in your car in the dark with the parking-lights on, and every time you turn the ignition-key, say to lower an electric window for ventilation or start the motor to warm up the interior, up pop the ****** headlamps illuminating everything around you. Mind you, it makes one wonder what these people were up to in their dinky little cars at night in the first place! I gave up searching the internet for when dim-dip ceased to be obligatory in the UK, but my unscientific survey of cars driving at dusk on sidelights suggests it was around 1997. My 1996-built P-reg Herald had dim-dip, but R and S-reg vehicles seemingly haven't got it. I don’t know what caused the regulation change-of-heart. As has been suggested, it may well be that dim-dip led to confusion about headlight use after dark, or that vehicle manufacturers ganged up against the UK and refused to fit the system. Whatever the reason(s) it's definitely not mandatory nowadays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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