[Closed] Flashing lights - whats the legal position?

Stuff the legal side of it, at least the cars seen you & thats the point in my book!

I think its ok to have flashing lights now, think it used to be you had to have a fiwed red rear and white front, but could add flashers as well. Never seen anybody get puled for it, and the PCSO's have flashing LEDS, and ride on pavements. So its ok.

i thought legal requirement was solid light on the bike and flashing on you.

or was it one solid on the bike and then flashing wherever?

Seem to remember a policeman saying that while it was technically illegal he would actively encourage cyclists to have as many flashing lights (within reason) as possible. This might have been part of the debate leading up to it being legalised though?

This comes up loads

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_069837

At night your cycle MUST have white front and red rear lights lit. It MUST also be fitted with a red rear reflector (and amber pedal reflectors, if manufactured after 1/10/85). White front reflectors and spoke reflectors will also help you to be seen. Flashing lights are permitted but it is recommended that cyclists who are riding in areas without street lighting use a steady front lamp

From here http://www.ctc.org.uk/desktopdefault.aspx?tabid=4071

Flashers
Thanks to the enactment of Statutory Instrument 2005 No. 2559: on 23rd October 2005, it finally became legal to have a flashing light on a pedal cycle. Even better: it became possible for a flashing light to be approved, meaning no other light would be needed in that position. And since BS6102/3 does not yet cater for flashing (but is likely to be amended to do so quite soon), approval is for the time being, granted simply on the basis of brightness.

Because DfT very much prefer anything that possibly can be evaluated against a proper technical standard, so to be evaluated: any flashing lamp that is also capable of emitting a steady light is approved only if it conforms with BS6102/3 when switched to steady mode. Since most (probably all) flashing lights do also have a steady mode, and since none of their manufacturers can be bothered to test and mark them to the pernickety standards of one small country on the fringes of Europe, it's unlikely that any flashing light actually qualifies for approval. But since it became theoretically legal to ride a bike with only flashing lights on it, the Police are nowadays no more likely to quibble its legal status than one equipped with steady lights – unless they're rather dim or involved in an accident of course.

It used to be the case that flashing lights weren't permitted on the bike, and the way around that was to carry them on your person.

[url= http://www.aukweb.net/lights/legal.htm ]The law on this changed 5 years ago[/url] and flashing LEDs are now permitted.

ETA: Curses! Beaten to it! 😀

we're probably all ilegal on the road anyway what with not having 4x pedal reflectors!

I may well be wrong, but my understanding is that flashing lights are legal. However it is against the highway code to not have a static light on both ends.

Also, before anyone tries to tell me the highway code is the law: if that was the case why does the highway code refer to specific laws, yet the law does not refer to the highway code at all?

Sod the law, better a living criminal than a dead citizen.

Good luck desperado!

Thats that sorted then.....

So as long as we have lights it seems were all cool.

As for the reflectors.... thats another matter, they spoil the look of the bike and just don't look blinging, I'll take the risk on the grounds of looking the business....

You might not be so noticeable in this guy's neighbourhood.

argyle - Member
we're probably all ilegal on the road anyway what with not having 4x pedal reflectors!

I'm pretty sure thats not a legal requirement for using a bike - although bike shops may have a legal obligation to sell a bike with reflectors fitted (and bell)

The first thing i do is take all the naff reflectors off.

IIRC all flashing lights for bikes (white and red) are legal front and back!

Lights are a legal requirement in bad visibility/dark.

Reflectors are not a legal requirement - they must be sold with the bike as part of EU law as is a bell but you do not have to keep them on !

"[i]The first thing i do is take all the naff reflectors off. [/i]"

Let's hope it's not the last thing you do 😯

Only thing I'd add to the debate is that a fixed light gives a much better indication of distance and speed than a flashing light to an observer.

I use both (but also have no wheel or pedal reflectors 😉 )

I just put all the reflectors back on my commuter and my winter road bike. 🙁

When driving pedal reflectors stand out a mile in headlights.

Aren't most night riding lights illegal? I'm sure lights have to be visible from the side and so most of the ones used for proper offroad riding don't qualify (the likes of hope, ayup, magicshine etc.)

Some of the reflectors are a legal requirement to have at all times.

Jonb is right as well - for a light to be legal it must be visible from the side

Some lights include front and rear reflectors which are the legal requirements

It does amuse me how on one hand cyclist say they must have helmets and lights then remove the reflectors which are at least as effective as lights.

The London BoriCycle rental bikes have flashing LED's only (those self powered ones I think as they work whenever the bike is moving).

[url= http://www.bidsforbikes.co.uk/oxford-bicycle-cycle-trouser--arm---reflective-bright-bands-333-p.asp ]Reflective Ankle bands [/url]are a must for visibility - more effective than lights in some situations.

After doubting TJ I looked it up again!

http://www.ctc.org.uk/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=4071

However if you have clipless pedal how do you get amber reflectors on it?

It does amuse me how on one hand cyclist say they must have helmets and lights then remove the reflectors which are at least as effective as lights.

Agree, and having said I have no pedal reflectors (clipless) I do wear leggings with a big reflective patch on the lower calves at this time of year and a reflective band on my right wrist for turning across traffic. Ref helmets, you actually were on my mind yesterday TJ (ooer) when I started wearing my helmet again for the dark commutes (having made a full risk assessment 😉 )

A while back I got given a set of little LED lights by a cop. They flash. So I figured they must be legal

To be honest I've never seen anyone stopped for 'just' having flashers. And the traffic cop who lives next door hasn't batted an eyelid either as I go stand chatting to him as I get in from the commute.

Get as many lights/reflectors as you feel you need.

The legality argument will probably only raise it's head in court. It'll be a debate by some clever legal eagles as to whether you contributed to your own accident by not having pedal reflectors fitted, or whether the defendant was in error. Bit like the rulings on using helmets and cycle paths.

I am sourcing some reflective self adhesive plastic in various colours to put on my bikes - I shall offer any surplus on here

I seem to remember some article or test that said people find it easier to judge the distance of a constant light than a flashing light?

Personally I use both. 2 Cateye 5-led rears, one flashing, one constant. And I've just added a spare Knog light I had lying about onto the back of my helmet. Front light is a Joystick Maxx, but I need to add a flashing front, and leave the Joystick on my head I think, so I can give a quick flash at drivers pulling out on roundabouts and such with my head.

rode past a policey car a couple of weeks back in the dark with only a front light turned on...

front and rear reflectors taken off the bike
reflectors taken off the wheels
had forgotten to turn my rear light on
no amber reflectors on the new pedals

they didnt batter an eyelid 🙂 i was wearing mainly white (black and white clothing), a white bike, a helmet and i was riding sensibly (as were the 2 people behind me)...

being so close to swinley i'm guessing its either a slightly more relaxed as theyRe used to people night riding off the main roads and maybe using a couple of roads to get home.... or they use a common-sense approach along the line of "he's visible and not riding like a c0ck, leave him to it"

either way i commend them 🙂 and wouldnt have been offended if i had been given a talking to!

I bought a sheet of black reflective sticker of CRC. Stuck it to my bike and helmet. Shines bright white when light hits it but looks nice and low key in daylight, clever stuff

trouble with just have a flashing light is that there is a dark period, which is when someone could be making a decision to pull out on you.

I normally have two small cateye flashing lights on the front and only one car has ever pulled out on me like that, but when one wasn't working for a while I had a lot more people pull out on me.

Only problem is that the lights don't stay in opposite sync and go in and out of opposition 🙁

I use both steady and flashing lights, reflective clothing, reflector on the bike and I assume no car driver ever sees me.

Pretty tough to get decent reflectors for pedals these days IMO/E p'raps someone knows better?

cynic al - I am awaiting delivery of some self adhesive reflective tape in yellow for this very purpose. I will let the forum know how well it works and with STW towers permission ( hopefullY ) find some way to distribute it in small bits as I have bout 50m each of red white and yellow tape

It is important to be brightly lit.

Otherwise how are the car drivers going to see you to target you?

My current armoury:

Front:

*Lumi LED3 (flash in daylight or under streetlights, constant on lanes)

Rear:

*Handgreande on seatpost. Both rowsof LEDs set to flash (lloks constant from a distance)

On me:

*hi-viz gilet
*Back of helmet - twinly red LED from Tesco
*Hump backpack cover (hi-viz AND reflective)
*Ankle/writs bands (reflective AND flashing)
*Smart 1/2 watt Lunar 1 red LED on backpack cover (set to flash)

Not sure what else I can do..!

why not stick reflective patches on the toe and heal of your cycling shoes? as I dont think the patches will be seen with recessed clipless pedals?

why not stick reflective patches on the toe and heal of your cycling shoes?

Ah, I ride with either:

Shoes without coverings (if dry and warm/raining)
Overshoes (if cold and raining)
Oversocks (if cold and dry)

I think I'd lose track of the number of stickers required..!

They had / have (depending on stock) a good deal on 3m spoke reflectors in Lidl - £4.99 for a pack of 36 ... like these:

http://www.sportmegastore.com/spms/mia/d/spoke+reflector/pid/10946670?afid=88888

jonb - Member

When driving pedal reflectors stand out a mile in headlights

that is very true on our busy main rd i see a fair number of cyclists with multi lumen flashers but some with lights that don't really show up well at all - usually see their pedal reflector though
- mrs antigee rides flats and i just put the reflectors back on for the winter

and as a PS i just failed to find all the things wrong in a cartoon pic of a kids bike in the DfT Arrive Alive kids activity book
................................................i didn't spot the bike lacked a bell

My winter road bike pedals (standard low end spd sl) came with pedal reflectors that attach on the underside. They went back on as I'm going to be doing some night itme chaingangs down at an industrial estate this winter. On my commuter I use the plastic clipon things that come with new bikes so you can use the pedals without spds.

There was something on CTC about trying to make reflective ankle bands equivalent to pedal reflectors in the eyes of the law. They work about as well. I use them to get too and from mtb rides if it's dark.

I think most people who are motorists as well as cyclists will appreciate the importance of having reflectors on a bicycle. I don't have any on my mountain bikes, but the commuter keeps them.

Note requirement is to have lights on the bike, not on the person.

Possible scenario:

Cyclist gets taken to hospital after cycling with lights on the straps of his satchel (I've seen it). Satchel mysteriously disappears somewhere along the line or otherwise does not come to attention of police. Bike remains at accident spot with no lights on it - assumption is he was cycling unlit so errant motorist not to blame.

This gives a very good summary http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/vehicles/vssafety/guidanceaboutlightsonpedalbi4556

re "highway code".. most of teh code has no legal standing anyway..
lights / bells on bikes you need road traffic act & construction and use legislation, and theres no chance plod will know any of it..