Passing Light Laws

[Midnight]

I am installing passing lights. Does anyone know what the law is in Ontario Canada with regards to when they can be on. Ie; with hi beams on, low beams on or all the time. I would prefer all the time but dont want to get a ticket. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks Jim

[SilvrT]

I've never really known what exactly is the purpose of "passing lights". Sounds kinda dumb maybe but hey, I got a high beam, I got high power driving lights, I got fog lights .... just exactly what are "passing lights" and when should you use them, when shouldn't you and what's the difference between them and "extra" driving lights and/or using the high beam?

 

:think:

[relic]

Mine are wired to low beam and go off on high beam. They were wired from day one from the dealer. I do not know what purpose they serve once the high beam is on?

I do not know the law but would not think it matters to them if they are on all the time or not as it is not a high beam light.

[Gary N.]

Mine are on all the time, high or low beam. Main thing is that they are aimed properly so that they don't blind on coming traffic.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

I've never really known what exactly is the purpose of "passing lights". Sounds kinda dumb maybe but hey, I got a high beam, I got high power driving lights, I got fog lights .... just exactly what are "passing lights" and when should you use them, when shouldn't you and what's the difference between them and "extra" driving lights and/or using the high beam?

 

:think:

 

Its a matter of legality Slivr...at least in the USA, a motorcycle certified for use on the roads, must have 'one, or two, but not more than two' headlights. You can add other lights and call them fog lights, driving lights, or passing lights. They dont have to have the DOT/SAE approved lighting pattern. And normally, those are limited to 35 watts each, and must have a seperate switch. Its up the manufacturer to call them something other than headlights, so the bike will meet the DOT standards. Composite headlamps like on the GoldThing™, I believe, are seperately certified under an exemption.

 

Its kinda turned into a universal term, not really a description of what you use them for.

 

Motorcycle headlamps are allowed to deviate from the SAE pattern, with certain restrictions. My Ultra came with the E-Code headlamp...made by Bosch in Germany. It projects a pattern that has an upward 'tilt' in the right side lighting, for lighting up roadsigns on the right side of the road. Just a little trivia there...not really related to what you asked about.

 

[Guest KitCarson]

Do not know about Canada.....but in the USA......the so called passing lamps, it is illegal to have them on if the high beam is on........this is the way the law is written. So lets look at it with common sense. In the day time......the high beam is slightly more visible so most do run the bike on high beam during the day........thing is if you do hook your passing lights up to come on during the day along with your high beam......it is just barely noticeable if you know what you are looking for.......during the daylight hours......I do not think any law officer would even notice if you are on high or low........just that they see the lights.....it does not connect. The only time you might have to watch this is early and late.........if you were using high to see the road.....might have to switch the running lights off a bit.........

I rigged up the lower running lights on my Wing so I can turn them on at any time.......they came from the factory to match the law......could not turn them on on high.......now if I want......I can light up a runway...............so if you want.......rig them up to run on high and low........if going through some little po-dunk town at night....just turn them off.....so Barney does not see an opportunity.

[Freebird]

I've had mine installed since 1999. They are wired to be on with high and low beams unless I manually turn them off. I have them on all the time and so far, have never been so much as questioned about them. See my ride map below for the states I've ridden in with no problems. Now after saying this, I'll probably get a ticket.

[Mariner Fan]

I can run mine either way.

 

I suppose your risking a ticket if you run the high beams with the passing lamps but I don't think the cops would make an issue out of it unless your lights blind oncoming traffic. I wouldn't run my high beams on a busy two way road anyway.

[Guest KitCarson]

I can run mine either way.

 

I suppose your risking a ticket if you run the high beams with the passing lamps but I don't think the cops would make an issue out of it unless your lights blind oncoming traffic. I wouldn't run my high beams on a busy two way road anyway.

Boy I do.......I run them as high as I can get them......with a powerful a bulb as is made by mankind.....and with a modulator......and still have some look right at me and pull out in front of me....if I had a 50 cal mounted to the frame......I would fire a burst in front of that one that you can see stopped looking at you .....cell phone in the ear...writing on a pad with one hand and little brain turning.....should I or should I not.............

[BOO]

I was actually stopped in the county south of me 4 or 5 years ago for running with the headlight on high during the day. It was on one of the first gens I had. Could not convince the county cop that it was actually in the testing book that you should run on high during the day. Knew more then me of course.

My second gen has the passing lights and I very rarely have them on at night, they are set just a little to high and I don't want to blind anyone. (To lazy to adjust them properly) But I do run them during the day all the time and of course they have separate switch.

Jerry

[Pilot]

Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 108 (FMVSS 108) regulates all automotive lighting, signalling and reflective devices in the United States. Like all other Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, FMVSS 108 is administered by the United States Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Canada's analogous regulation is called Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 108 (CMVSS 108), and is very similar to FMVSS 108. The primary differences are:

CMVSS 108 requires daytime running lamps on all vehicles made since 1 January 1990, while FMVSS 108 merely permits DRLs

CMVSS 108, through an adjunct called CMVSS 108.1, permits European Headlamps while FMVSS 108 prohibits them.

Both standards differ markedly from the ECE ("European") standards used in most other countries worldwide, not only in technical provisions, terminology, and requirements, but in format: Each European standard deals with only one type of device, while the single U.S. and Canadian standards regulate all devices.

This code is very hard to understand I think you have to be a lawyer or a witch doctor but if you want to read it hear you are. Do a search CMVSS 108 and you will have the Canadian law to read.

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Motor_Vehicle_Safety_Standard_108

[SilvrT]

Seems I recall anytime I've installled "driving lamps" aka "passing lamps" onto any vehicle (M/C or cage), the instructions said to connect them to the high beam circuit. This is so they'd only come on when high beam was on. Makes sense to me coz that's generally when you want the extra lighting and you don't want it when you dim the lights coz you dim them so ya don't blind the oncoming driver.

 

Personally, I've always wired them on their own circuit so I can flip them on whenever I want no matter if I got high beam or low beam going.

 

As for the terminology "passing lamps", .... makes no sense whatsoever coz ya don't use them for the purpose of passing and then not once you've passed. I use them to provide additional light while driving at night when no one is in front of me (either coming or going). I put a set on almost every vehicle I've owned (M/C & cage) for years coz for me, the vehicles stock lighting (especially M/C's) just don't provide enuf for me.

 

So, now that I know "passing lamps" and "driving lamps" are essentially the same.... I am so much wiser now!...

 

I'll continue to call mine "driving lamps"... Interestingly enuf, that's also what they're called on the packaging.

[dynodon]

One of my pet peeves is people using "fog or driving" lamps in the daytime and all the time at night.

 

In Illinois you aren't supposed to have aux lighting on in traffic, oncoming or if you are close behind someone unless you have fog style lamps and it is foggy or rainy out. They are to be used only for the situation intended. Driving lamps only when there is no traffic near you.

 

These are almost always on cars or bikes aimed wrong and will blind oncoming drivers and are a danger.

 

Be sure your "aux" lights are properly aimed so they aren't up higher than legal for high beams at the most. True fog lights should be low and level or ever so slightly down.

 

Most factory lights are so weak though, they aren't a problem, I just think it makes the drivers look stupid to run them 24/7. On bikes, the typical accessory lights on each side of the headlight help with making sure drivers notice you, but be sure they are aimed right. I don't get so ticked at bikers with them that are using them night and day, as long as they are aimed right.

[Midnight]

Thanks for all the info on the passing light laws. I installed them yesterday to be on all the time. It seems like the best way as we are always trying to be seen. I still have the switch to shut them off if need be. If the boys in blue challenge it I will deal with it then.

Jim

 

PS: I used the spacer that was recommended on this sight to allow for the fairing to be removed and installed without removing the lights. It worked perfect. Being a relative newby to the sight and a first time venture owner (since last fall) I have found the members to be very helpful. Thanks for all the help

[Mariner Fan]

Aiming those things are a real bear. You definitely need an extra hand to do it.

[1sttenor]

I'm like freebird and have mine on all the time. As for an easy way to aim...I live in a relatively rural area, as least can be in 15 miles. I waited until a late evening and rode out to a long strait stretch. I had tighten them to the point they wouldn't move on their own, but would by hand. When I got out there I was able to line them up with the low beam quite easily. Just tightened them up when I got home.