Dont use blue lights, you aint a copper!!

[thomas]

There is nothing to be gained from using an illegal light set up. If we want to be taken seriously we all need to set an example, and I dont think CW have done that with these letters.

I thought you said he got overtaken with lots of space....so obviously there is

Personally I'm not too sure of the Polite tops either. Didnt Vike say the otherday that even eluding to it is an offence?

If I caught up with a moton could I say "I'm TC Etherington, please pull over, over there in regard to the manoeuvre you just carried out. Please bare in mind that you are on camera so driving off will make things worst..."

But say TC quickly enough that it might be alluded to PC if the person wasn't paying attention...TC being Thomas Charles (my name). In a very similar fashion to the Polite tops?

 

[Rhythm Thief]

i was thinking about something like this a few days ago as I feel that my 2 red rear lights get lost in the traffic and people may assume i'm just a car a bit further ahead...

That can happen. But it's much less likely if you've got flashing LEDs front and back (in addition to a steady light), and perhaps a hi viz vest. Messing about with other colours will just confuse people.

 

[downfader]

That can happen. But it's much less likely if you've got flashing LEDs front and back (in addition to a steady light), and perhaps a hi viz vest. Messing about with other colours will just confuse people.

Thats what I do. 2 front white, 2 rear red with one of each flashing, I also wear a billious yellow top or an altura nightvision fleece jacket (still yellow but not billious - also a damn sight more comfortable to wear than the waterproof)

EDIT I will add that using flashing orange or yellow lights can make drivers think they're indicators,so beware of that.

 

[spen666]

I remain unconvinced that it is illegal to have blue flashing lights on your bike or on your clothing as long as you also have the correct red at rear and white at front lights and reflectors etc

 

[marinyork]

I remain unconvinced that it is illegal to have blue flashing lights on your bike or on your clothing as long as you also have the correct red at rear and white at front lights and reflectors etc

Clothes, maybe not. Bicycle, yes.

Anyway the issue is really that as we know several shops have sold fairly proper blue lights not just micro ones, ones mimicking popular cateye ones but in blue and this has gone on for some time. The same thing but less worse with snot coloured LED lights, but smaller, although the issue there is how poorly they perform.

 

[BentMikey]

I sometimes have a blue tyrefly on my front wheel - on steady.

 

[Muddyfox]

The law regading impersonation of an officer is one of those where you do not have to be trying to commit the offence, to actually commit an offence - confused : here's the sort of relevant science bit;


Section 90 of the Police Act 1996) creates offences relating to the impersonation of police officers or the possession of articles of police uniform,

namely:
impersonating a police officer (including a special constable);
making a statement or doing any act calculated falsely to suggest membership of a police force;
wearing a police uniform calculated to deceive;
possessing an article of police uniform.
NB: The words "calculated to deceive "means likely to deceive" and therefore the fact that there was no intent to deceive is immaterial.

Any person who, not being a constable, wears any article of police uniform in circumstances where it gives him an appearance so nearly resembling that of a member of a police force as to be calculated to deceive shall be guilty of an offence.

“article of police uniform” means any article of uniform or any distinctive badge or mark or document of identification usually issued to members of police forces or special constables, or anything having the appearance of such an article, badge, mark or document.

So, it could be put forward by any prosecutor that the sole reason you have the word POLITE, on the back of your jacket, and the particular colour combo you've used is an attempt to give at least a partial impression that the garment is actually indicating that it refers to police, bearing in mind that what the piece of legislation says is that the article only has to give the "appearance" and whether or not you intended people to think that is irrelevant.

 

[beanzontoast]

So, it could be put forward by any prosecutor that the sole reason you have the word POLITE, on the back of your jacket, and the particular colour combo you've used is an attempt to give at least a partial impression that the garment is actually indicating that it refers to police, bearing in mind that what the piece of legislation says is that the article only has to give the "appearance" and whether or not you intended people to think that is irrelevant.

This is what I fear could happen if ever a situation arose where a motorist had a serious interaction with a cyclist wearing one of these and made a complaint to the police.

 

[Debian]

Flashing blue lights and mock-police vests etc are just plain wrong and send out all the wrong messages to those who we wish to view us as responsible road users.

If a car driver used similar tactics I bet most on here would be all over him/her like a ton of bricks.

Red at the back and white at the front is perfectly adequate, as are normal hi-vis tops (without "POLITE" or whatever written on them).

 

[Muddyfox]

I'm not sure that the Police would prosecute anyone for wearing the hi-viz "Polite" tops or using the blue lights unless there was another factor involved ... they might confiscate the items ?

My point was that those that wear the Hi-Viz Polite tops should'nt be finger wagging at the guy with the blue lights as they are both as bad as each other

But personally i could'nt care if they were dressed as a chief inspector and waved a Truncheon all the way to work

 

[thomas]

My point was that those that wear the Hi-Viz Polite tops should'nt be finger wagging at the guy with the blue lights as they are both as bad as each other

But personally i could'nt care if they were dressed as a chief inspector and waved a Truncheon all the way to work

+1. As long as cyclist can get around safely.

 

[GrasB]

On this topic I've just seen a 4x4 with spots mounted on the top of its roll over bar, this was a proper working 4x4, the outside 2 had blue LEDs in place of the bulb, not bright but they were on. The result was total chaos with the traffic coming towards him, some clocked him as just being a 4x4 with 2 blue spots others acted like he had blue flashers on & scurried to the side of the road. Result, tooting, flashing of lights & everyone saw seemingly random behaviour by the people on the other side of the fence. My thought when getting back in was along the lines of - what would have happened had an emergency vehicle come along the road about 30s after than 4x4?

So no I think that using blue lights isn't a good idea at all.

 

[Bman]

But personally i could'nt care if they were dressed as a chief inspector and waved a Truncheon all the way to work

+1. As long as cyclist can get around safely.

What if the guys job is stealing bikes?

 

[thomas]

What if the guys job is stealing bikes?

Well then he can get squished. I think you know what I mean though .

I'm not going to loose sleep that someone has a blue light on their bicycle, or wears a 'polite' vest. However, I have lost sleep at night over some of the closest overtakes I've experienced.

 

[Bman]

I know what you mean. But I think Vike put it best in this thread :

.... However until you use blues and two's you do not realise how dangerous they are as road users will react in very different ways.
Yesterday I stopped a young lady for speeding and jumping a red light (I was on a motorcyle). Her reaction on seing blue lights was to do an emergency stop right in front of me in lane two. Not fun going from 50 to 0 in a nano second on a trail bike on wet greasy roads. Had I not been trained to anticipate this the consequences could have been unthinkable.
Quite simply....DO NOT USE FLASHING BLUE LIGHTS on your bike, car. wheelbarrow etc. They are for Emergency services only!