HID lights on the continent.

[MikeO]

Since my last trip to France and Spain, I've fitted 50w HID bulbs to my high and dip headlights as supplied by hid50.com.
Great job and no probs at mot time but was wondering if anyone had been pulled for using them while abroad?
Can change them back for the trip, if necessary.

Some experience here from forum members in Austria and Spain...

 

[Roymondo]

So worry about it.
Who cares?

I'm not worried about it. Others clearly are. Some have actually been caught out by it (though in the case mentioned later in the thread, in Austria rather than France - but I am aware of some riders having had their wallets emptied by the authorities in France for similar minor infringements of their regulations).

 

[stolzy]

I'm not worried about it. Others clearly are. Some have actually been caught out by it (though in the case mentioned later in the thread, in Austria rather than France - but I am aware of some riders having had their wallets emptied by the authorities in France for similar minor infringements of their regulations).

I ride pretty much every day in France and my bike is a small cloud of minor infringements flying in close formation. Never a problem.

Chill. Enjoy your holiday safe in the knowledge that the gendarmes have much more important things to worry about.

If you get stopped, be polite, be contrite and you'll likely be on your way without penalty (112kph in 90 limit recently got me nothing worse than a wagging finger, illegal lights, exhaust, brake lights and half a dozen other small issues notwithstanding).

If you must worry about something worry about priorite a droite - much more likely to spoil your holiday.

 

[TLSgazza]

I've been pulled for speeding in france,austria twice and switzerland and pulled for accidentally wandering onto an austrian motorway without a vignette with hid low beam and spots on my bike and the missus had the same on her gsa. Lights were never mentioned by any of the police involved
If anyone is that worried then just change your bulbs before leaving. I don't bother though.