# Side Lights on RV's



## G2EWS (May 1, 2006)

How do you do it then?

When driving over the weekend to the Photo meet, I mentioned my headlights which I have now solved and ordered non sealed proper jobbers with super duper 50% brighter bulbs.

However, as we set off at 04:00 on Saturday morning I realised I had made a fundamental error. I drive the Winnie by looking in the door mirrors and keeping an eye on the white lines. Guess what you cannot see at night time? You got it - white lines!

So I have invested in these lights:

http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/products/ProductDetail.asp?cls=ROAD&pcode=RINBRL0379

Which I will mount two down either side of the RV pointing down to the road to hopefully light up the white lines.

Be interesting to see if it works and if it does I will of course keep you all informed.

If you drive the same way, maybe you have solved the problem by another method. Let us know.

Regards

Chris


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## artona (Jan 19, 2006)

HI Chris

Like the look of the lights. 

I tend to concentrate on looking at the left side of the road (we are refering to left hand drive vehicles of course). 

Obviously I keep an eye on the rest of the road etc but it seems to keep me within the white lines

stew


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## bikemad99 (Aug 17, 2006)

I drive the Winnie by looking in the door mirrors and keeping an eye on the white lines. Guess what you cannot see at night time? You got it - white lines

Might be a silly question, but have you tried looking where you are going?


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## G2EWS (May 1, 2006)

Hi Bikemad99,

Interesting comment and I guess tongue in cheek!

Problem I discovered when I first drove the Winnie, was the width is similar to minro roads.

When you drive a car you can 'feel' the width of the road and have margin for error. I am sure you have seen those people who move from side to side and cross the white line on a regular basis.

Well in an RV you have no margin for that kind of error or driving. Firstly you must keep your vehicle very close to the nearside of the road. Sometimes the nearside has overgrown hanging trees or branches. Sometimes there will be road signs incorrectly positioned which also overhang the road.

The task is keep as near to side as possible but also making sure you are not over the central white line.

The moment you meet a lorry, coach or similar sized vehicle then it gets even more of a problem. You have to hope that the other driver has his/her wits about them and is as meticulous and looking in the door mirrors as you are.

You will notice one of my first threads when I picked the Winnie up, a local bus was over the white line and took out my outside door mirror. You have to be ready for that because it happens a lot whatever vehicle you drive. It is no good just swerving to the roadside where you have NO margin for error. You have to make a reasoned movement. This is very tough if you cannot see the white line and roadside.

I hope that gives you some idea of the problem.

Interesting but we RV owners of course love driving our vehicles, that is part of the fun. The side lights are just an attempt at making it easier at night.

Regards

Chris


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## des (Aug 13, 2005)

Hi Chris

Yes, I quite understand the problem! You are right - correct procedure when faced with oncoming LGV / Bus etc is to check your position in mirrors re white lines, check position of oncoming vehicle, and adjust your position in road if possible. Agree with Stew that keeping as close to kerb / roadside as practicable is the best you can do! When I had my LGV training, my instructor insisted I watch for road conditions (especially railings and walls directly on the roadside) where there is no room to move left. Then approach has to be extremely slow. This happened to me leaving Abbey Wood Caravan Club site, and fortunately we both stopped! Approx 1/2" clearance of mirrors! And again recently on a twisty A road in the Cotswolds. Like your idea of down-lighting, but suspect not legal. 

Des.


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## G2EWS (May 1, 2006)

Hi Des,

You may of course be correct about the legal side of it. But not certain. The big problem which is against the law is with the blue lights.

However, the police are not necessarily sure of what is the law with regards to RV's anyway. so will probably get away with it.

Anyway, don't lorries have similar side lights?

Regards

Chris


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## olley (May 1, 2005)

Hi Chris, I was looking at lorries the other day for that reason, all side markers lights that I could see were amber. I don't have a problem with road position but I would like to add another marker light and indicator repeater to both sides.

I do have a problem with seeing the sides on sites at night however, as site lighting is very often non-existent, so I intend to fit 8 of these :lol: >>>here<<< IP44 rated

3 on each side and 2 to the rear.

Olley


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## Sparrow (May 10, 2005)

The idea of the lights on the side is probably a good one and would certainly help with correct positioning on the road. I like most drivers of large vehicles wheyther they be RVs or not, use the white lines to guage position on the road, and have experienced the same difficulties as Chris at night.

The only legislation I can find on thes is to make sure you do not display a white light that is visble to the rear of the vehicle. 
The lights Chris is suggesting look good but will very much depend where they are fitted.
There are enough of the modified cars (boy racer type) on the road with all sorts of different coloured lights coming out from under their cars. A couple of these lights which will actually assist in the safe use of the vehicle on the road at night surely cannot be dealt with by the law.

Mike


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## G2EWS (May 1, 2006)

Hi Olley,

Belisha beacon comes to mind!

Chris


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## 97993 (Mar 5, 2006)

> Belisha beacon comes to mind!


I was thinking UFO 8O


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## 88927 (May 10, 2005)

Hi all
I like the idea of these lights in principal, and as Geo has not commented upon the legality of having white lights as markers on the side, can we take it that they are legal?? Please let us know your thoughts Geo as I also think they would be a definate improvement for road safety.

Is there an existing alternative available?

Interested in the replies

Keith


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## olley (May 1, 2005)

G2EWS said:


> Hi Olley,
> 
> Belisha beacon comes to mind!
> 
> Chris


Hi chris there only for site or stationary use, I think if I turned them on while traveling i would get locked up. :lol: :lol: and no nasty comments about men in white coats please.

Olley


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## 97993 (Mar 5, 2006)

Hi Keith from a MOT point of view no problem at all I only check reqd lights, extras are up to the individual and subject only to mot requirements re direction and colour
Construction and use regs are a different matter 
Coment from our VOSA man please
Geo


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## kijana (May 1, 2005)

When driving back from Southampton docks (my ONLY driving experience thus far!!) I used the 'squashed fly' technique for holding position on the road.

The coach had kindly been shipped complete with a collection of dead Florida flies, tastefully exhibted on the windscreen. One of these little fellows was right at the bottom of the screen, and in exactly the right position such that if I aligned it with the kerb or nearside white line, my wheels were about 9" from the kerb. It left me a bit of space to move in on approach from larger lorries, but still had to be very careful of hedgerows & roadsigns.

On the odd occasion when a situation looked potentially very tight, I slowed right down, and sod the people behind. My LGV instructor was at pains to point out that there are times with a large vehicle that you must just go very slow: in particular, roundabouts, junctions, sharp turns and approaching vehicles in narrow roads. To drive too fast in these conditions would be to risk failing the test, although in appropriate conditions just as much emphasis was put on 'making progress' (i.e. you'd fail for driving too slowly).

On the point of rear vision & oncoming trucks, the mirrors on my Hurricane are far from ideal. They are nowhere near as big as those on the truck I trained on, and they don't hinge back. Being a solid aluminium casting screwed rigidly (ooo-er missus!) onto the body, I can see it's only a matter of time before I clout either an oncoming lorry's mmirror or the nearside hedge. And without the ability to fold back, the mirror will either snap off or beggar the bodywork. So one of the jobs on my list is to get down the commercial vehicle scrappie's and find a couple of decent sized, folding truck mirrors.


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## 101411 (Oct 15, 2006)

*Truck Mirrors*

Have a look on ebay item number 190022893568 they have truck mirrors for £20.00 plus postage. No idea what make etc but for £20.00 it seems cheap enough.

Dazzer


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## olley (May 1, 2005)

Hi Dazzer their replacement mirror glasses. not complete mirrors

Olley


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## des (Aug 13, 2005)

Hi Kijana

sounds like we had the same instructor! exactly what i was told re oncoming vehicles. the good news is, that after approx 4,000 miles, i have developed a good sense of position on the road, and no longer need the squashed flies, but still use extreme caution in the circumstances you described.

it took me longer to get used to the "dreaded tail swing". cost me 2 minor bumps, and £600. suggest you strap your copilot to the rear to provide a soft landing if this happens. works for me every time. 

des.


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## vicdicdoc (May 14, 2005)

I quite fancy one of these on the back of my van -
http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/products/ProductDetail.asp?cls=ROAD&pcode=FOL40721

I was thinking of having MHF & my nickname. . . could this be the start of a trend to identify MHF's ? :idea:


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## kijana (May 1, 2005)

Nice one, Des.

Trouble is, to be sure of complete protection, I'll need to get an additional co-driver for the other corner. . .

Bruce


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