Fitted lights & bike reflectors... How 'legal' are we all really?

[Tin Pot]

Retro roadsters are compliant AND cool

:facepalm:

Can reflectors be fitted to shimano spd sl pedals?

Genuinely never had this compliance problem as I have only trained during the day.

 

[Dan B]

So bikes must look really uncool to be compliant.

Does it say anything about pie plates? Or use of the inner chainring?

 

[Tin Pot]

Does it say anything about pie plates? Or use of the inner chainring?

Haha, we should start an epetition to replace the Highway Code with the Velominati Rules just for kicks.

 

[subaqua]

Not required in poor visibility, only required between sunset and sunrise (although it would be wise).

GC

when is that exactly bearing in mind refraction etc .

 

[Ian H]

Two of my bikes have legal lights (dynamo) and rear reflectors. Another three can have lights fitted when needed. None have pedal reflectors. I think nearly all cycling shoes and overshoes have rear reflective patches.

Wheel reflectors and (as far as I'm aware) front reflectors are only legally required at point of sale.

 

[glenn forger]

Cateye EL320 is the front:

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/categ...s/front/product/review-cateye-hl-el-320-9424/

Had it six years easy. Been rained on, snowed on, frozen and dropped numerous times, it's a rock-steady Eddie.

 

[mustang1]

With my current setup my bike is fully compliant with the lighting regs. In fact they are to STVZO (Straßenverkehrs-Zulassungs-Ordnung) standard so exceed the British requirements. No surprise really as it's a new bike bought from a German outlet online.

I have additional non-compliant lights.

GC

Do they work in a more suitable way than the compliant ones?

 

[RMurphy195]

I would feel uncomfortable with one light in case of failure, and drivers seem to be able to judge speed better with a steady light.

As a driver as well as a cyclist I agree that yes, a steady light allows better judgement of speed/distance, and indicates the presence just as well as a flashing one. With a flashing light, even in conjunction with a steady light, speed/distance is more difficult to judge. A couple of very small lights on a bike with a drakly dressed rider is VERY difficult to see at all, even at dusk. Size matters!

 

[shouldbeinbed]

I've gone for non BS plus all the reflectors god sends as I have some German lights and a mix of fixed & flashy excellent visibility i assume non BS ones (never askedor RTFM TBH) I'm comfortable and confident I could justify my choice in court if the need arose and show I'm more than compliant with the spirit and police interpretation of what they consider acceptable in practice

Whether our auto centric judicial system would agree to the n'th legal degree is another matter but thats what the adversarial system is. And to be frank I suspect my wearing a helmet infrequently; increasing the chances of me being involved in litigation bare headed; will be an easier win for the defence as Plan A.

Just as a question I don't know the answer to, probably Glenn or MRJ will (or its been raised in this thread that I've not read through)
Has the BS standard or not of lights ever successfully been a mitigating factor in a driver's defence against running a cyclist down?

 

[mjr]

Just as a question I don't know the answer to, probably Glenn or MRJ will (or its been raised in this thread that I've not read through)
Has the BS standard or not of lights ever successfully been a mitigating factor in a driver's defence against running a cyclist down?

I don't know who MRJ is but I don't know the answer to that and I suspect it's not on the public record because if it's either a good or useless argument then it won't have reached court. It would probably be recorded at the Motor Insurer's Bureau, but we can't search that for case outcomes, can we?

The cases I found on www.BaILII.org citing the Road and Vehicle Lighting Regulations all concern motor vehicle lighting (unlit trailers, private ambulances and so on) and cases mentioning "bicycle lights" or similar don't include any where the BS-or-not status was challenged. I only found one recent case where a motorist's side challenged whether fitted lights were lit and that challenge was refuted.

Given the highway code tells motorists to drive within what we can see to be clear, challenging lights as non-BS purely for that reason would probably be pointless because you're meant not to crash into unlit things. I think there might be more potential to challenge lights for being dazzling (similar to cases where motorists are found more liable because they used full beam when they should not have), but I didn't find a case where anyone has done so yet and I suspect it would hit the news, wouldn't it?

 

[summerdays]

I must admit I'm finding the newer car lights more dazzling than the old style ones.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

Oops, @mjray sorry, sausage fingered typing is my only excuse.

Thanks for the comprehensive reply, I imagine it is an unlikely acenario or would be cited regularly when lights come up in this context

 

[mjr]

Thanks for the comprehensive reply, I imagine it is an unlikely acenario or would be cited regularly when lights come up in this context

No worries. I think the main problem with non-BS lights is having to choose between not being able to see properly if the light is aimed downwards and being an anti-social nobber dazzling other cyclists if it's not. BS and K lights have much better shaped beams, so you can see the ground a decent distance ahead but it's only a be-seen amount above the horizontal.

In theory, any police officer could fine you for not having proper lights, but that's slightly undermined because all the cycle police I've seen are using non-BS pathetic low-end cateyes. Criminals! If you want to escape cycle police, just ride off somewhere unlit and I'd be amazed if they can see well enough follow at any speed.

 

[ufkacbln]

BS front and rear lights backed u by Ixon lights (not BS but still legal all as carry the German K certification)


My real reflectors are fitted but on several bikes are illegal as not visible

 

[ufkacbln]

No worries. I think the main problem with non-BS lights is having to choose between not being able to see properly if the light is aimed downwards and being an anti-social nobber dazzling other cyclists if it's not. BS and K lights have much better shaped beams, so you can see the ground a decent distance ahead but it's only a be-seen amount above the horizontal.

In theory, any police officer could fine you for not having proper lights, but that's slightly undermined because all the cycle police I've seen are using non-BS pathetic low-end cateyes. Criminals! If you want to escape cycle police, just ride off somewhere unlit and I'd be amazed if they can see well enough follow at any speed.

The trick is to have the BS lights fitted and have a "backup" set that are worthwhile

That way you get decent lights and are legal