Light Bar Legalities

Hi all
I have attached an article from the latest RACQ magazine.
I must admit that I did not do real well in English at school (any subject really) but after reading this, I don't think it would matter how well I did.
Can anyone explain in simple language what the second paragraph means for the number of lights permitted and where they are permitted on front of vehicle.
I assume therefore they cannot be mounted on the roof or similar.
Imagine a copper trying to issue a ticket for an infringement for this as he could not possibly explain it so off to court and more expense.
Just click on article in be able to zoom in to read.

Interesting typo I guess,
By reading that you can't have them on the roof either

Straight from Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads, no mention about being allowed on the roof either.

It's the same here in SA. Not allowed to be mounted above the bonnet line and have to be in the centre if only a single bar is used. That means it should be mounted under the bull bar centre loop and not on top. Many people have them mounted on top of the loop as they have regular lights mounted on the bull bar. I don't think the police are enforcing this at the moment but if they get a memo from up top they may start cracking down on it.

Here's the one for WA........ which is nice because it gives you pretty little pictures too

I was told you where only allowed to have 6 front facing lights, after the ticket was insured for having two to many,

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Originally Posted by 07GU_UTE

I was told you where only allowed to have 6 front facing lights, after the ticket was insured for having two to many,

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In SA that is correct and probably all over Australia. With GQ/GU its not too bad as you can add 4 more, but the 80 series LC guys who have 4 lights from the factory so can only add 2 more (suckers!).

Apparently, according to the MTA, we are heading for a national licencing and regulation system. So I am guessing we will only be allowed to have forward facing lights and as per the pretty little WA pictures.

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Originally Posted by Wizard52

Hi all
I have attached an article from the latest RACQ magazine.
I must admit that I did not do real well in English at school (any subject really) but after reading this, I don't think it would matter how well I did.
Can anyone explain in simple language what the second paragraph means for the number of lights permitted and where they are permitted on front of vehicle.
I assume therefore they cannot be mounted on the roof or similar.
Imagine a copper trying to issue a ticket for an infringement for this as he could not possibly explain it so off to court and more expense.
Just click on article in be able to zoom in to read.

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Holy Toyota, Landrover, and Jeep (they’re swear words on this forum right?)

Whoever wrote that must be a government employee

Illegal on top of the bullbar and rightly so IMO, Mego just got pinged for having six forward facing lghts on his roofrack.
Only because they had no covers. simple fix.
My take on Vic RTA is they have updated the laws to qualify the light bars, Before forward facing lights need to
be in pairs not so anymore, Keep your Patrol clean, and stay within the law, plenty of other Patrols set up like mine.
I run a 40' bar on the front of my roof rack and have since lightbars first came out, Ive had no issues with
with RTA etc

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Originally Posted by liftlid

Interesting typo I guess,
By reading that you can't have them on the roof either

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Clunk Straight from Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads, no mention about being allowed on the roof either.

I am guessing here, but having lights at roof height / roof rack mounted would probably create some reflection off the bonnet. I read this in a previous post - The lamp/s must be installed in a way that the light produced does not cause the driver of the vehicle discomfort either directly or by reflection.

Years ago, more than twenty come to think of it, I heard / read that spot lights weren`t allowed to be mounted on top of bull / roo bar. Some thing to do with being in an accident and or some thing else to come in to contact with the spot lights being dislodged from their mounting point, causing the wind screen to be smashed. It could cause the driver to have an accident and not being able to have a clear view of where the driver be going.
My two cents worth, if it`s worth that much.

Having driving lights on top of the bullbar is a wank factor IMO.
I have folded a piece of alloy checker plate that fits half way along
my 40" light bar to give the illusion that there are Two lights up top.

Mr Scruby wont like anything above the bullbar, fishing rod holders included.
He'd ban bullbars if he could but he cant so we have to work to keep things
safe for all concerned

You dont need driving lightson top of the bullbar, thats easily proved.
A single row 20 degree spot beam light bar is easy enough to mount
below the top of the bullbar, or are we just getting lazy

Id like to see the legislation that states 'LED lightbars are exempt to the ADR that states all lights must be mounted in pairs ' 2 , 4 etc - NOT 3 Round driving lights as I quite often see , cops / VICRDS have been giving us in trucks a hiding about light bars - knocking blokes off for ' having a single light fitted - not in pairs' , we've all contacted all the major light bar manufacturers- great whites rtc & the all say the same thing - they have to be fitted in pairs in most states . A few blokes have put a piece of black tape in the centre of their light bars to create an illusion of 2 seperate lights from a distance - not terribly successful. The local coppers around Benalla have a hatred for single light bars & have been writing up trucks & 4WDs as much as possible .

we got sent a memo at work about this and yes they do not need to be in pairs so long as the are in the centre of the car, and below the bonnet... nsw regs. not saying i like or dont like just what rms sent to us.
can still be mounted in pairs. etc not changing the normal spot light rules just adding the light bars in to the rules, so standard spots old rules still apply.

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Originally Posted by Rock Trol

It's the same here in SA. Not allowed to be mounted above the bonnet line and have to be in the centre if only a single bar is used. That means it should be mounted under the bull bar centre loop and not on top. Many people have them mounted on top of the loop as they have regular lights mounted on the bull bar. I don't think the police are enforcing this at the moment but if they get a memo from up top they may start cracking down on it.

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I got done down here in SA for having spotties fitted to my roof baskets, the copper reconed no higher than 1.2m above the surface of the road, but there is a loophole...... they are worklights and independently operated from the vehicle lighting system from individual switches, also from the SAPOL training OIC they are generally ignored if they have covers over them when you are in the big smoke although that is all subject to the individual coppers attitude of course.

At least down here in SA there is no demerit point penalty just a fine, but it is still a real bone in the side issue with me as like most of us who travel bush tracks the idea is to save some lights in case of animal strike so you can at least get home...

Hard mounting Light Bars and/or Spotties and calling them Work Lights won't work as a loophole as work lights can not legally be forward facing in any State.

You can only do it if they are on flexible ball mounts mounts etc independantly switched and facing rearwards when not in use.

The ADR that shuts the loophole so to speak states, no light can be mounted so as to dazzle other road users.

I'm thinking about replacing my driving lights with a light bar (since one isn't working). Any one got some advice re wattage etc as I know nothing about these LED thingies?

Update
I have attached latest article allowing lights on the roof with some restrictions.

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Originally Posted by Wizard52

Update
I have attached latest article allowing lights on the roof with some restrictions.

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Just to add that this applied to QLD only. Other state regulations will vary.

Sent from my SM-P600 using Tapatalk

Also allowed in Vic Attachment 63423

Basically, the gist of it is that active LED (used with high beams) are ok when mounted on the bullbar but not on top. However you can have LED bars on the roof rack given that you use a cover to stop the reflection back at drivers at dusk/dawn.

Handy Links to the State Regs regards at bottom of article... WA remains the main PIA about roof mounting... typical!!!!!

http://www.aaaa.com.au/newsletter.asp?id=139

Yes, I know I posted the same link in other threads... just doing it so it is easier to find

I'm

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Originally Posted by the evil twin

Handy Links to the State Regs regards at bottom of article... WA remains the main PIA about roof mounting... typical!!!!!

http://www.aaaa.com.au/newsletter.asp?id=139

Yes, I know I posted the same link in other threads... just doing it so it is easier to find

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Building the database mate. Post it in as many threads as is relevant mate. Next week it will be back to the search function and the link will stand alone. Good job mate.