blue LED lights

[szygy]

I was wondering if it is true that blue LED are illegal on bikes?
I guess that they are given how I have used them; to pretend to be a cop vehicle at night when some twazzer does something dangerous.
I dont have my light anymore as I lost it (it only cost £1) but it was a bright blue flashing light, but when viewed in a mirror it looked like a cop cars flashing light. I would turn it on when someone overtook at speed or dangerously, it was almost like a remote control for the brakes of the car. Funny bit illegal I guess? Opinions?

 

[Flying Dodo]

Illegal - yes.

I wouldn't recommend using them, as the more people show blue lights when they shouldn't, the more likely there'll be some nasty incident or unexpected consequences.

 

[HJ]

The use of blue lights is reserved for emergency use only, that is something which should be respected and not just because it is illegal. Other people lives are more important than your ego.

 

[thomas]

maybe all true, but your brake light story made me laugh

 

[numbnuts]

I have this one haven't been pulled as yet, scares the shoot out of car drivers
http://www.eurolight...info.aspx?id=55
main page here
http://www.eurolight-marketing.ltd.uk/products.aspx?id=6#

 

[Jezston]

You haven't been pulled yet!.

To be fair numbnuts, it is pretty irresponsible. If people pull over thinking you are an emergency vehicle, then find out you are just some guy on a bicycle, they might not pull over next time a real emergency vehicle passes. Although they probably think you are a bicycle paramedic or something.

Please remove them.

Having said that, my bluetooth headphones occasionally flash blue - and without getting into ANOTHER headphone thread - I wonder whether that's ok?

 

[DrSquirrel]

You haven't been pulled yet!.

To be fair numbnuts, it is pretty irresponsible. If people pull over thinking you are an emergency vehicle, then find out you are just some guy on a bicycle, they might not pull over next time a real emergency vehicle passes. Although they probably think you are a bicycle paramedic or something.

Please remove them.

Having said that, my bluetooth headphones occasionally flash blue - and without getting into ANOTHER headphone thread - I wonder whether that's ok?

I'm sure being buzzed is pretty irresponsible too, I'd say these people deserve it.

Not that I agree, of course.

I very much doubt they're not going to pull over "the next time", if they cannot see its an ambulance they probably won't beable to see if its the Police and if they really want to take the chance of something that is obviously keeping speed with them - then they are too stupid to be driving.

 

[numbnuts]

Actually, I bought it from Argos two years ago and it was sold as a “rear cycle lamp”

 

[CanucksTraveller]

"I was wondering if it is true that blue LED are illegal on bikes?"

Yes that is true. Under the Road Traffic Act (Lighting regulations) it's unlawful to show the colour blue to the front or rear of any vehicle unless used for police, fire, or ambulance purposes.

Using a blue LED in any other cases is niether funny nor clever, leave it to emergency vehicles. A Paramedic bike is an emergency vehicle being used for ambulance purposes and can use a blue flashing LED.

Your bike is not a paramedic bike, so stick to white.

When one of us is struggling with a chest pain in a city centre, and we need help, we'd like to think that the bicycle Paramedic on his way to us gets some help on that busy pedestrianised high street. Maybe people will see the blue light, maybe people will get out of the way. I'd like to think so.

 

[gaz]

I've noticed more and more cyclists using non standard colours for their lights, and they don't stand out at all.
Just use red and white, there is a standard for a reason!

 

[BenM]

Two wrongs don't make a right

Just cos someone drove in a manner you object to doesn't make it your right to commit an offence (which showing a blue light is for 99.9% of people... see above) to "teach them a lesson".

B.

 

[ufkacbln]

I've noticed more and more cyclists using non standard colours for their lights, and they don't stand out at all.
Just use red and white, there is a standard for a reason!

I think because of the change in LEDs

I can remeber when they first came out and were almost green in colour, and this has become whiter as things went on and the more powerful ones are becoming more blue.

Old stock and hence green are becoming more common on EBay as cheap sets.

The variety is due to the age of the LED

 

[BSRU]

I think because of the change in LEDs

I can remeber when they first came out and were almost green in colour, and this has become whiter as things went on and the more powerful ones are becoming more blue.

Old stock and hence green are becoming more common on EBay as cheap sets.

The variety is due to the age of the LED

White LED's are actually blue LED's with a special coating to give white light, maybe the more powerful LED's are to much for the special coating.

 

[CanucksTraveller]

^^ Nope, look at Numbnuts' link in his post. It's a blue plastic lens, made to make the emitted light a very definate "emergency" shade of blue.

My LED white front light is damn powerful, but it doesn't turn blue with time due to any degradation of any coating. I think we're clutching at straws here trying to justify blue LEDs when really, we should just be saying "no" to blue LEDs.

Seriously, leave them to Paramedic and Police bicycles.

 

[gaz]

Seriously, leave them to Paramedic and Police bicycles.

Lets not forget the fire brigade bicycles