Dim dip - dimwit?

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Mon 12 Jan 2004 13:13
Dim dip - dimwit? - Archie
One of the features of my recently acquired '88 Nova is dim dip headlights. What are the legal restrictions on the use of dim dip and do backroomers think that it should be used in today's traffic conditions?
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Mon 12 Jan 2004 13:25
Dim dip - dimwit? - Davy_S {P}
Hi there,
try looking in this thread for some info..
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=18030

Hope that worked!
--
Davy S.

Oops, where did that screw go!!
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Mon 12 Jan 2004 16:02
Dim dip - dimwit? - frostbite
In my opinion, dim-dip is (was?) the best type of lighting to be used in street lamp lit areas. It provides a large well illuminated area, without the inc;ination to dazzle, which I have just 'enjoyed' driving locally in very *light drizzle. I kept my lights off.


* Not the "90mph winds and torrential rain" that was forecast!
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Mon 12 Jan 2004 16:20
Dim dip - dimwit? - mfarrow
The introduction of dim/dip was to stop people from driving around with just their sidelights on. Why did it dissappear? There are too many cars on the roads with just the sidelights on. Sidelights are not intended for road use. Getting rid of dim/dip just means that those people driving in reduced visability that used full dipped still use full dipped (good on them!), and those that drove around in reduced visibility with dim/dip on now just use sidelights. I doubt it changed people's driving style.
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Mon 12 Jan 2004 17:30
Dim dip - dimwit? - Wales Forester
'Sidelights are not intended for road use'

I'm sorry to say that the Highway Code doesn't agree with you there;
www.highwaycode.gov.uk/08.shtml#93

Bit of a daft rule if you ask me but aren't a lot of rules?!

PP
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Tue 13 Jan 2004 09:45
Dim dip - dimwit? - Clanger
PP, I think you have got the wrong end of the stick here. If you substitute "and" for each of the blobs you will have a better idea of the sense of the rule.

i.e. to paraphrase, use headlights at night AND make sure your sidelights and number plate lights work as well.

I was quite a fan of dim-dip as well.


Hawkeye
-----------------------------
Stranger in a strange land
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Mon 12 Jan 2004 17:31
Dim dip - dimwit? - Algernon
Once upon a time there were real side lamps of about the size and potency of a very good cycle lamp, which very clearly showed the presence of a vehicle (one could even drive at cycling speed with them in fog)and were ideal for driving on well lit roads without causing dazzle in the wet.

Fashion decreed that they gave way to things of about the power of an anaemic candle which were only good as parking lights and should never have been called anything else.

I would advocate a return to the older thing, (but the dim/dip is good too, though not so good as dipped headlights in daylight).
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Tue 13 Jan 2004 12:10
Dim dip - dimwit? - Peter D
Yes legal, usefull and effective. Dim/Dip was a progression from the day running lights i.e. 12W side lights on Volvo 240’s and the like up to about 1987 when the introduced Dim/Dip. This was a Scandinavian requirement due to the low number of daylight hours in the winter. Dim/Dip uses one of three methods. The head lamp bulbs in series, (Ford Seirra’s etc etc) A series resistor in the Dip feed, ( Leyland, Rover etc etc ) or more professional a Mosfet regulator that provides a fixed voltage ( Volvo and others ). This Dim mode does with out doubt increase the visibility of the car, particularly in dull/dusk conditions. Side lights are retained as they still mostly wider than the head light spacing and remain compliant with UK/Euro legislation. There was, with the advent of Halogen Bulbs concern that the lower operating temperature could cause contamination of the class envelope as it was not running hot enough to keep it clean but it all fell by the wayside as it clearly is not a major problem and the minor coating does appear to clean/burn off when the temps go up at full voltage. Regards Peter
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Tue 13 Jan 2004 14:38
Dim dip - dimwit? - Archie
Thanks for all the replies, esp Peter D's, very informative!
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