Headlamp Beam Deflectors

[mikmik]

you know the ones for driving on the continent? Do they work?

Any tips for placement on our old-school headlamps?


Thanks lads - the honeymoon is almost upon me!

Regards

Mick

[jiversteve]

In my experience the stick on Halfrauds versions are OK and seem to work. Unfortunately on two of my cars that I use to take over the channel they do not have headlights that can be adapted due to the configuration of lenses and the slope of the glass.
So I usually carry a spare set of deflectors in the glove box just in case I get stopped but it has never happened despite the fact that one car is very noticable and rare in France.
Its worth reading the AA pages and advice for driving abroad just to keep up with the current legal position.

Just in case you decide to use Sat nav, in France, it is prohibited to touch or program the device unless parked in a safe place and it's absolutely prohibited to carry, transport or use radar detectors. Failure to comply with this regulation involves a fine of up to 1500 Euros and the vehicle and/or device may be confiscated.
Most Sat navs have speed camera locators built in to their european maps. It is my understanding that these are legal as they do not detect a radar signal emitted by a speed camera.

[Number 63]

They work in that they stop other drivers from getting blinded by the beam pattern but they also render your headlights all but useless. I used them when I lived in Berlin for a while but got sick of not being able to see on late night Autobahn blasts so ended up taking them off. If you're planning to do any serious amount of late night driving, I'd take a spare pair and just strip them off if the lack of light gets too dangerous. You can always stick the spares on next morning. I had a Rover 414 in Madrid for a year without them fitted and had no probs. I carried them in the glovebox just in case but never got tugged. That was with a few trips to france mixed in too.

[mikmik]

Thanks lads...the Marina's lights are quite dim by todays standards, so its unlikely I'll be blinding anyone. To be safe I'll just stick to driving by day and quaffing le vin by night!!