Dont use blue lights, you aint a copper!!

[downfader]

Are we?

The Polite tops were mentioned either by me or someone else as an aside tbh. Its a little off topic

Lets not turn this into a he-said-she-said thing. Arch is still cool

 

[Arch]

The Polite tops were mentioned either by me or someone else as an aside tbh. Its a little off topic

Lets not turn this into a he-said-she-said thing. Arch is still cool

Wow, that's nice! I don't think I've ever been cool before!

 

[Armegatron]

Interesting thread. Ive just had a couple of thoughts...

Regarding the "Polite" vests (which I like the idea of) - I remember seeing something stating that its an offense for not only blue lights but anything that reflects blue (so blue batten-burg reflectives on transit vans etc). Is the "Polite" part of these vests in a reflective blue box?

http://www.ukemergency.co.uk/

"In the regulations, lights, reflectors and reflective material are all classed as lights on cars (this means that the public cannot have blue reflective graphics for example)."

Also, I see way too many HGV drivers with blue lights plastered on their vehicles, yet never pulled over by the police.

 

[beanzontoast]

Aside from individual points of view of forum members, I wonder how the 'reasonable person' in the street (someone who isn't involved as a cyclist) would view the use by ordinary people of blue lights or vests that resemble those used by members of the emergency services?

 

[HobbesChoice]

I must admit, I don't personally see how the hi vis vest is nearly as bad as flashing blue lights.

The significance of a flashing blue light means that there is an emergency, get out of the way and even stop if you can safely do so and let the vehicle with the flashing lights pass you and get on their way. They're responding to an emergency and they need to get to their destination as fast as possible whether that holds up normal road users or not (correctly).

So whether or not you're impersonating a police officer wearing a high viz polite vest is beside the point. If you're doing so with intent to be mistaken for a police officer (as I know Arch isn't) then the worst you're asking for is for people to be careful how they act around you - forcing you to abide by the law to the letter.

The majority of people who see a police officer will slow down to the allowed speed limit, avoid driving into the ASL, wait a few minutes until the officer has left before grabbing old ladies handbags etc. So that's the most Arch or anyone would receive in their Polite high viz vest.

Cycling down the road with blue lights flashing is going to encourage people to get out of your way and even stop for you to get through which is obviously totally unacceptable.

The two just don't compare!

 

[thomas]

I must admit, I don't personally see how the hi vis vest is nearly as bad as flashing blue lights.

The significance of a flashing blue light means that there is an emergency, get out of the way and even stop if you can safely do so and let the vehicle with the flashing lights pass you and get on their way. They're responding to an emergency and they need to get to their destination as fast as possible whether that holds up normal road users or not (correctly).

So whether or not you're impersonating a police officer wearing a high viz polite vest is beside the point. If you're doing so with intent to be mistaken for a police officer (as I know Arch isn't) then the worst you're asking for is for people to be careful how they act around you - forcing you to abide by the law to the letter.

The majority of people who see a police officer will slow down to the allowed speed limit, avoid driving into the ASL, wait a few minutes until the officer has left before grabbing old ladies handbags etc. So that's the most Arch or anyone would receive in their Polite high viz vest.

Cycling down the road with blue lights flashing is going to encourage people to get out of your way and even stop for you to get through which is obviously totally unacceptable.

The two just don't compare!

I think that arguably they are different, flashing blue lights are worst but the polite vests are there so that drivers believe the cyclist is a police officer and will be a bit more patient, otherwise the vest could just have cyclist written on the blue background.

Flashing blue lights does give a much greater impression of being part of the emergency services, and I would not have a flashing blue light myself as I'd rather just have a couple front and rear lights which make me nice and visible.

 

[HobbesChoice]

I think that arguably they are different, flashing blue lights are worst but the polite vests are there so that drivers believe the cyclist is a police officer and will be a bit more patient, otherwise the vest could just have cyclist written on the blue background.

Flashing blue lights does give a much greater impression of being part of the emergency services, and I would not have a flashing blue light myself as I'd rather just have a couple front and rear lights which make me nice and visible.

I do see your point Thomas, and I'm not saying a polite vest should be acceptable, just that comparing a polite vest with blue lights is too OTT (IMO).

I had to smile at your quote I've bolded above. While a Polite/Police vest may get people acting with more patience, having Cyclist written on the back could encourage totally opposite behaviour!

 

[thomas]

I had to smile at your quote I've bolded above. While a Polite/Police vest may get people acting with more patience, having Cyclist written on the back could encourage totally opposite behaviour!

I always wondered if I had a picture of a beautiful women on my back if some drivers would be a bit more patient

 

[Arch]

Interesting thread. Ive just had a couple of thoughts...

Regarding the "Polite" vests (which I like the idea of) - I remember seeing something stating that its an offense for not only blue lights but anything that reflects blue (so blue batten-burg reflectives on transit vans etc). Is the "Polite" part of these vests in a reflective blue box?

http://www.ukemergency.co.uk/

Interesting about reflectives. If it's an offence, it's an entirely ignored one - think about how many guys you see wearing hi vis with blue and white 'Security' panels on the back. And I see plenty of vehicles emblazoned with faux battenburging (I like that term!) which turn out to be burglar alarm companies or the like...

I notice that your quote says ..."on cars" - so presumably that exempts clothing? That would explain its use on security guards' vests and so on.

It occurred to me on the way in that I can bring down the wrath of many with the revelation that my winter bike, entirely coincidentally since I was given it out of a batch as the one that fitted me, is blue and yellow... In fact, before I had my vest, I was riding it, in dark trousers, my blue and white helmet and a yellow coat, and I challenged a lad for jumping a red light and hopping up on the pavement, and I'm fairly sure the reason he didn't immediately tell me to F off was because he mistook me for a copper...

 

[Arch]

I always wondered if I had a picture of a beautiful women on my back if some drivers would be a bit more patient

No, I fear they'd be more distracted and driving one handed...

 

[siadwell]

Using battenburg livery on a vehicle is completely legal, as long as it does not reflect (as mike.pembo stated). If you look closely at such a vehicle, you'll notice that the blue parts are not relective decals.

As this restriction is contained in the vehicle lighting regs, having a blue reflective rectangle on the back of your jacket would not be covered, although there's still the possibility of being done for impersonating a police officer.

 

[siadwell]

However, according to http://www.5ive-o.org/forum/showthr...Private-Security-Vehicles&p=373466&viewfull=1, this guy went too far and was done for impersonation, so watch yourself Arch!

 

[Arch]

Using battenburg livery on a vehicle is completely legal, as long as it does not reflect (as mike.pembo stated). If you look closely at such a vehicle, you'll notice that the blue parts are not relective decals.

Ah, thanks, I hadn't thought of that.

As this restriction is contained in the vehicle lighting regs, having a blue reflective rectangle on the back of your jacket would not be covered, although there's still the possibility of being done for impersonating a police officer.

Well, I'll take the opinion of a couple of police officers on that for now, and promise not to whine if it ever goes wrong for me.

FWIW, as far as I know Justin (who wasn't exactly a renegade, being a RN submariner) only ever got the one batch of about a dozen made, so they are pretty thinly spread, unless anyone else ever got round to doing the same. Cyclists often ask me where I got it and seem disappointed that I can't tell them a shop. Maybe if they got more common, it would be more of a problem.

 

[Arch]

However, according to http://www.5ive-o.org/forum/showthr...Private-Security-Vehicles&p=373466&viewfull=1, this guy went too far and was done for impersonation, so watch yourself Arch!

Yeah, that is too much....

There is another thing - my vest only works from the back, so I can't ever use it to 'force' people out of the way, even if I wanted to. Much as I'd sometimes like to add a little breast-pocket style Polite panel, I'd consider that too much.

 

[Wheeledweenie]

Back on blue lights, my principle worry about putting one on my bike is that they're meant to be used in the dark. All drivers can see is the light, not what it's attached to and that's why it provokes the panic response to get out of the way.

I've had near misses several time with people stopping very sharply or pulling into the cycle lane without looking to get out of the way of emergency vehicles that are miles away, more confusion is not what's needed.

Besides, being a stubborn so and so I don't want to change my light set up, I shouldn't have to, people should learn to drive properly.

I personally wouldn't use one, however tempting it might be.