Headlight conversion
- Thread starter msmith
- Start date
ScaredJimmy
New member
Again, no need to do anything. Firstly, nobody on mainland Europe cares and secondly and more importantly, your 991 has "flat beam" lights whether they are Xenon or LEDs. (There is a slightly different protocol if you have PDLS)
It's not a bad idea to buy some beam benders and throw them in the glovebox in case a rural Gendarme doesn't understand "modern cars"
Drive your car 3' away from a wall and you'll see what I mean.
(My "citation" for this knowledge is that I, and my cars, spend 6 months of the year "over here". Neither my wife's Mini JCW or the Porsche need any adjustment)
It's not a bad idea to buy some beam benders and throw them in the glovebox in case a rural Gendarme doesn't understand "modern cars"
Drive your car 3' away from a wall and you'll see what I mean.
(My "citation" for this knowledge is that I, and my cars, spend 6 months of the year "over here". Neither my wife's Mini JCW or the Porsche need any adjustment)
I think that's correct. After googling, the 991 standard bi-xenon dip symmetrically - a horizontal dip as opposed to an assymetric dip. Consequently, there is no beam alignment facility, or alteration requirement, for left or right hand drive vehicles as the beam patterns are identical.
However, I would be still be inclined to verify with your PC.
Regards,
Clive
However, I would be still be inclined to verify with your PC.
Regards,
Clive
Well my 991.2 GTS has LEDs with PDLS plus and I adjust using the selection in the menu for L/R driving and by the way I think that's a rather stupid/ arrogant statement to make that nobody cares on mainland Europe which by implication means you don't either. If you drive in a country that requires altering your headlamps then you should abide by those rules and with PDLS it is so easy and quick to do so from the Instrument Cluster Menu.ScaredJimmy said:
ScaredJimmy
New member
Thanks for calling me stupid. Lovely. Not quite what I expected from the PCGB at all.
If you have PDLS you need to set the adjustment as you have an additional light flair to the left which is disabled when you switch to RH driving. You will note that the OP stated that he does not have PDLS, and as neither do I, I answered based on actual knowledge on A) the vehicle I have and B) the knowledge I have from spending the five years living with and dealing and working with European police services. (see the comment re: rural Gendarmerie)
For my reference and interest, how long do you spend on the continent? How many Belgian, French and German police officers do you know personally?
If you have PDLS you need to set the adjustment as you have an additional light flair to the left which is disabled when you switch to RH driving. You will note that the OP stated that he does not have PDLS, and as neither do I, I answered based on actual knowledge on A) the vehicle I have and B) the knowledge I have from spending the five years living with and dealing and working with European police services. (see the comment re: rural Gendarmerie)
For my reference and interest, how long do you spend on the continent? How many Belgian, French and German police officers do you know personally?
I'm not calling you stupid I said your comment that nobody cares was stupid. Just because you spend 6 months a year out there doesn't make you an expert or immune to local rules. As for my own experience I don't live abroad but since 1971 I have driven here (France, Switzerland) twice a year every year as I have family living In Switzerlan.
ScaredJimmy
New member
No, I don't claim to be an expert, but I have spoken to serving traffic police officers in Belgium, France and Germany about this matter exactly.
Maybe saying my comment was "flippant" would have been more appropriate rather than using the terms arrogant and stupid wouldn't have put my back up.
Maybe saying my comment was "flippant" would have been more appropriate rather than using the terms arrogant and stupid wouldn't have put my back up.
Really? well please do explain why the rule is there?ScaredJimmy said:
I fail to understand why you just cannot accept that if there is a requirement then do it especially given how easy it is to do rather decide it isnt necessary because you have spoken to serving traffic police officers.
ScaredJimmy
New member
Firstly, the OP does not have to adjust their lights as they DO NOT HAVE PDLS and that was the question. Non PDLS systems in the 991 are flat beam lights and not RH/LH specific. YOUR car is different. (Incidentally, the Audi A8/S8 vehicles with DLS are location aware and switch by GPS location)
The view of the officers I have spoken to is that:
"we have better things to do than test peoples headlights" - French
"The law is out of date and does not account for modern lighting systems... if the car is German there is no problem" - German
"We are more worried about the speed the you English drive than your headlights" - Walloon Belgian
The difference, as with many things, is that the attitude of the Police here is very much focussed on the security of everyone on the road rather than outdated regulation. If a Police officer here were to see that your lights were dazzling an oncoming vehicle they would more likely escort you to an "aire" help you to a solution to the problem using electrical tape and scissors than slapping you with a fine, particularly in holiday season. Did you know that it's actually illegal to drive in some regions of France without "Yellowed" headlights? The police of course don't enforce this...
Note: 991 Headlights are "incompatible" with stick on beam benders as they have no "centre point" mark.
Of course, this attitude is likely to change after March 2019.
The view of the officers I have spoken to is that:
"we have better things to do than test peoples headlights" - French
"The law is out of date and does not account for modern lighting systems... if the car is German there is no problem" - German
"We are more worried about the speed the you English drive than your headlights" - Walloon Belgian
The difference, as with many things, is that the attitude of the Police here is very much focussed on the security of everyone on the road rather than outdated regulation. If a Police officer here were to see that your lights were dazzling an oncoming vehicle they would more likely escort you to an "aire" help you to a solution to the problem using electrical tape and scissors than slapping you with a fine, particularly in holiday season. Did you know that it's actually illegal to drive in some regions of France without "Yellowed" headlights? The police of course don't enforce this...
Note: 991 Headlights are "incompatible" with stick on beam benders as they have no "centre point" mark.
Of course, this attitude is likely to change after March 2019.
my point which was probably not that clear was that if you can adapt headlights then it's less likely to inconvenience other road users and that's why the rule is there. To say that it doesn't matter because nobody cares is in my opinion the wrong advice irrespective of what a local police officer says. Anyway, as I said after driving in France and Switzerland for the past 40+ years I don't have a problem with adapting my car's headlights on the basis that it doesn't inconvenience the local drivers rather than simply to comply with country specific rules. That is not outdated regulation, it's called common sense and being courteous to fellow road users. As for regions of France requiring yellow headlamps that is not quite correct. From 1937 French law required all cars to have yellow headlamps however in 1993 France was forced by EU regulations to drop that requirement so as to comply with road safety however any car registered prior to 1993 is still permitted to have yellow headlamps.ScaredJimmy said:
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