Is this allowed?

[Carrie]

I was driving home tonight along the Parkway into Manchester when ahead of me I noticed blue lights flashing. So, I started watching them as well as the road directly in front of me, so that I could work out if it was emergency services working their way through the traffic or stationary at an accident. Only the lights didn't quite look right, they seemed to be going on and off and were too low to the ground. As my lane was moving faster than the lane they were in, I got closer and could see that they were actually a block of blue flashing lights on the rear door of a painter and decorator's van and that they seemed to flash in synchronisation with his brake lights. When I passed the van, I also saw that he had a wide strip of flashing blue light mounted on his dash, again this seemed to be activated by his brakes.
Are people actaully allowed to have blue flashing lights on their vehicle when they could all too easily be mistaken for the emergency services?

[Ray Bell]

Whether or not they are allowed is undoubtedly a matter of local law, but you can bet police interest would quickly be attracted and at the very least 'encouragement' given to remove them.

[Aysedasi]

I've not looked up the "Construction and Use" regs recently, Carrie, but I'll bet that the lighting arrangement you describe is extremely illegal!! As Ray suggests, it's only a matter of time before the flasher gets himself pulled over.

Seems a strange thing to want to do? As far as I'm concerned, I try to draw as little attention to myself/my car when I'm driving. My boy racer days are long over!

Flashing lights - are these the modern-day equivalent of "go faster stripes"?

[woodyracing]

not sure about the van you described Carrie, but neons and strobes are not allowed on the roads, they are allowed for shows and off road or on private land.
But its suprising what you can get away with
like very blue, or green headlights etc.

[Carrie]

I feel certain it will be highly illegal, but don't know what the precise law is. Woody, I hadn't thought of green lights - they're a Doctor on an Emergency Call aren't they? (or frighteningly evil Focuses spotted at Donington )

[woodyracing]

im goin to have to get some blue headlights to match my rear lights