Guidance about lights on pedal bicycles

[KennyS]

From the Department For Transport website

 

http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_roads/documents/page/dft_roads_612441.hcsp

 

1 The use of lighting and reflectors on pedal bicycles is regulated under the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989, as amended. The most recent amendment is Statutory Instrument SI 2005 No. 2559 which came into force on October 23rd 2005.

 

2 The main effect of the new Regulations was to permit flashing lights on pedal cycles. The flashing lights do however have to conform to certain requirements which are elaborated below.

 

Obligatory Lighting and Reflectors

 

3 Any cycle which is used during the hours of darkness or during periods of poor visibility MUST be fitted with the following:

 

white front light

red rear light

red rear reflector

amber/yellow pedal reflectors - front and rear on each pedal.

 

4 The lamps may be steady or flashing, or a mixture - e.g. steady at the front and flashing at the rear. A steady light is recommended at the front when the cycle is used in areas without good street lighting.

 

5 If either of the lights is capable of emitting a steady light, then it must conform to BS 6102-3 and be marked accordingly, even if used in flashing mode.

 

6 Purely flashing lights are not required to conform to BS6102-3, but the flash rate must be between 60 and 240 equal flashes per minute (1-4 per second) and the luminous intensity must be at least 4 candela. (This should be advised by the manufacturer).

 

7 The pedal reflectors and rear reflector must conform to BS 6102-2.

 

8 Lights and reflectors not conforming to the BS, but conforming to a corresponding standard of another EC country and marked accordingly, are considered to comply as long as that standard provides an equivalent level of safety.

 

9 Lights are NOT required to be fitted on a bicycle at the point of sale - but IF they are fitted, then they must comply with these regulations.

 

Optional lamps and reflectors

 

10 Additional lighting to the above mentioned obligatory lights is permitted under certain conditions:

 

It must not dazzle other road users

It must be the correct colour (white to front, red to rear)

If it flashes it must conform to the required flash rate (1-4 equal flashes per second)

 

11 Optional lights are not required to conform to BS 6102-3 and there is no minimum level of intensity. So for example, on the rear of the cycle a cyclist may wish to have both a steady red lamp which conforms to BS 6102-3 and an additional flashing lamp which is not meeting the minimum level of 4 candela.

 

Exemptions from the Regulations

 

12 The only case of exemption from regulations is for cycles which are used ONLY in good visibility during daytime. These cycles are not required to be fitted with lights.

 

Application and enforcement of the Regulations

 

13 The Regulations concern the construction and use of bicycles. Bicycle and lamp manufacturers, importers, retailers and riders should all ensure that they are familiar with the law.

 

14 For non-lighting construction and use aspects of bicycle safety such as brakes, other regulations are in force - The Pedal Cycles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1983 (Statutory Instrument 1983 No. 1176).

 

15 In addition, at the point of first sale the bicycle must comply with The Pedal Bicycles (Safety) Regulations 2003 (Statutory Instrument 2003 No.1101).

 

16 The Regulations apply to mainland Great Britain but not Northern Ireland. They are made under powers provided by the Road Traffic Act 1988. Enforcement is a matter for the Police.

 

17 Additional information and advice

 

Copies of Regulations are available from:

The Stationery Office

The Publications Centre

PO Box 276 Tel: 0870 600 5522

London Website: http://www.opsi.gov.uk

SW8 5DT Virtual Bookstore: http://www.tso.co.uk

 

Further information and advice about the regulations may be obtained from:

Transport Technology and Standards Division 6

The Department for Transport

Zone 2/06, Great Minster House

 

76 Marsham Street Tel: 020 7944 2078

London Fax: 020 7944 2196

SW1P 4DR

 

Issued November 2005

[KennyS]

Some further advice from another website which says that my disco lights are not allowed

 

http://www.advicenow.org.uk/go/feature/feature_565.html;jsessionid=a6NF8e5E094e

 

On yer bike! Flashing lights legalised

 

In October 2005, a law came into force allowing cyclists to fasten flashing lights to their bikes. However the news still doesn’t seem to have hit street level. Look down a city street at night and you’ll see plenty of flashing lights in evidence. But peer more closely and you’ll see they’re clipped onto bags, to helmets, or pinned to jackets.

 

For the many cyclists who believe flashing bulbs are the best way to be seen, this used to be the only option. Before the change, if you attached a flashing light to your bike, you were breaking the law.

 

Attaching lights to pieces of clothing or moving objects means the beam can be easily obscured or might flash the wrong way, making cyclists unwilling prey for unobservant cars or buses. Once secured to a bike however, the light flashes fully in the face of approaching vehicles, giving the biker a much better chance of being spotted.

 

It’s still important to make sure the flashing lights fit with regulations. They must flash evenly between 60 and 240 times per minute, and cyclists buying new lights should check with the shop that they’re bright enough. There’s no joy for disco divas though - complicated flashing rhythms aren’t allowed.

 

And if you spot a bike sporting a blue flashing light, it’s best to get out of the way. The act also made it legal for members of the emergency services - doctors or paramedics who find two wheels the quickest mode of travel – to flash their way to the scene.

 

6th October 2006

Sarah Jacobs

[Sean Gray]

Cheers Kenny

 

I often see a crazy guy on the Georgetown in the morning and at night, with very little lights, he is O.K from behind but the smallest, flashing, daftest wee light on the front, he was even riding through some of the worse rain i have ever seen last with the same level of lighting

 

and to top it all, still no helmet!! and usually an ipod!!!

 

any ideas??

 

Cheers

Sean.

[KennyS]

Is that the really skinny guy dressed up as a traffic light but with only two thirds of the coloured lights on his jersey?

[Big Al]

Yellow (sorry, amber!) doesn't suit everybody ya know, that's why he looks so skinny now!

[Sean Gray]

No Sorry, wrong guy.

 

Cheers

Sean.

[KennyS]

Mr M ????

[Dougie Da Rosa]

Muppet!!

[Ironman]

Great news KennyS

 

I have been using flashing lights on my bike for years and it is on reading this that I now no that it’s legal. I would recommend a works fluorescent vest for night riding over than above lights it goes on top of what ever you’re wearing in any weather. I have 6 Cateye lights on the work bike 3 rear tl-td500 all on flash mod and hl-el500, kl-el300 constant and an hl-el410 flashing to the front.

I only put on the 500 when in unlighted roads. I use Ikea batteries as for 10 AA 1.99 and 10 AAA its 2.99 I thing and always stager your batteries so as the go dime at different times. Rechargeable in the 500 and 300 front lights they last a week and recharge over the weekend.

 

I do roughly 3000 miles a year in the dark and with all the above on I don’t fell any unsafe than in the light and on average the vehicles on the road pass you with more room than in the summer when they can see you clearly supposedly. I always say never give them the excuse to say they never see you.

 

Campbell

 

PS If the PBP organiser say you should wear a reflective vest during your night riding or be disqualified and that’s the French for you there must be something in it Arco sell and Auk sell them for £10 pounds see their site.

 

And SEE you on the road. BE SAFE BE SEEN was what I was taught at school the year the clocks didn’t change now what year was that then?

[Stevie Blom]

Nice 1 Sean if only you knew half of it!!

 

Hope your training well , see you in 2007

 

Stevie.

 

P.s. you not got yourself a new coach yet? to tell you what to do?

[Sean Gray]

Not yet Stevie, I was thinking of asking you.

 

Cheers

Sean.