Glow in the dark paint

[loofah-sir]

Is this legal to have on your car in the uk?

[Hopkirk]

I doubt it has occurred to the politicians to spend time making a law over this.

[loofah-sir]

Why not hopkirk, they spend time making up other silly laws.

[loofah-sir]

Pretty cool don't you think?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fjaWtduAV0&feature=related

glowing car

[Buenchico]

As Hopkirk indicates, everything is legal until Parliament makes it illegal.

However it's also true that many of the laws of this country come about through 'case law', where a higher court rules upon the interpretation of statutory legislation, rather than directly through that legislation. If you were to use luminous paint on your car a court might be asked to rule as to whether any of the multitude of Construction and Use Regulations (or of the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989) applied.

In practice the use of luminous paint might be fairly pointless. Luminous paint only emits light when it has recently been 'charged' by being exposed to light. A car parked on the street wouldn't glow at night because the luminosity of the paint would fade at the same time as the daylight did. The only time such paint might show up would be when a car was being driven at night but had recently been parked in a brightly lit area. e.g. just after leaving a filling station forecourt.

Chris

[4getmenot]

or hold them up to a lightbulb for ages lol. I remember doing that with glow worm toys when I was little

[Mojo-Jo-Jo]

from another forum. Someone called VOSA and asked and were put in touch with the agency that covers this:


The result of the enquiry is:

Dear Mr Wayland Our understanding is that paint such as 'glow in the dark' paint would not be classed as a lamp or reflective material and therefore it would not need to conform with the requirements of the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989, as amended. However, as I'm sure you'll understand, only the courts can provide a definitive interpretation of the regulations. Regulation 100 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986, as amended (C&U), requires that a vehicle is maintained at all times in such a condition that it is not likely to cause a danger to the user of the vehicle or other road users. It is possible that 'glow in the dark' paint may cause a distraction to other road users which could be considered to be a danger. Yours sincerely Jillian Smith DfT - Transport Technology and Standards

[Mojo-Jo-Jo]

So it looks like it's hit and miss. If the police chose to prosecute it could go either way.

[loofah-sir]

Thanks guys

[Mojo-Jo-Jo]

Most welcome.
Here's the link I took that from if you want to read the discussion.

http://www.5ive-o.org...ndex.php/t-22286.html

[Buenchico]

Mojo-Jo-Jo:
I love it when someone posts an 'official' answer which backs up my 'theoretical' one ;-)

[loofah-sir]

Thanks for the link mojo, made for some very interesting reading.

[Mojo-Jo-Jo]

hehe glad to be of service Buenchico. :)

[Answerprancer]

Aw, if this takes off I am going to do BIG mischief with my ultra-violet laser pen !
(It can 'scribble' on glow in the dark surfaces).
Just imagine they guy pulling up at a set of lights then having "c**t" swiftly scribbled on his bonnet !

[Answerprancer]

(...from a distance)

[loofah-sir]

lol, funny ap!