Dont use blue lights, you aint a copper!!

[Debian]

Regarding those who advise using a different colour rear light in order to stand out from the crowd I have to say that anything other than red to the rear and white to the front is confusing and, I would say less safe. I have spent many years on the road learning that red = rear = something in front of me, white = front = something approaching me and I automatically react accordingly. Most other road users would react similarly.

Any other solid colour leads, at least momentarily to having to mentally stop and think "what the hell is that and is it moving towards me or away from me?" hence my reaction time is inevitably longer and hence, IMHO using any other colour than red or white is likely to make a cyclist less safe, not more.

 

[thomas]

Any other solid colour leads, at least momentarily to having to mentally stop and think "what the hell is that and is it moving towards me or away from me?" hence my reaction time is inevitably longer and hence, IMHO using any other colour than red or white is likely to make a cyclist less safe, not more.

I wouldn't use anything but red and white, but if I saw a different colour my reaction wouldn't be to do something that would increase my reaction time. I'd ease off until I knew what it was.

Brighter colour innit.They have them in railway signals.

And traffic lights

 

[hackbike 666]

And traffic lights

I did know that honest.

 

[PBancroft]

I wouldn't use anything but red and white, but if I saw a different colour my reaction wouldn't be to do something that would increase my reaction time. I'd ease off until I knew what it was.

Would you really though... and if you genuinely would (a blind est would be ideal, but I guess we can trust your word ) what about everyone else?

If I saw, say, a green light (but obviously not a traffic light) I think I probably would think "WTF?" for a moment before slowing down.

 

[BentMikey]

For goodness sake, some of you lot are a right bunch of OTT class monitors. Are you wearing your badge?

 

[classic33]

One thing that seems to be missing here is the fact that the legislation relates largely to rotating lights, not strobe/flashing lights.

I've been stopped by the police whilst I've had a flashing blue light fitted to the rear & in use. There concern was the type of pedal cycle in use, not the lights.

Argos have sold them, has as Asda. If they were illegal would their sale be permittedby retailers such as these?

 

[PBancroft]

For goodness sake, some of you lot are a right bunch of OTT class monitors. Are you wearing your badge?

Yes. It says "My name is Robert Paulson."

 

[Debian]

One thing that seems to be missing here is the fact that the legislation relates largely to rotating lights, not strobe/flashing lights.

I've been stopped by the police whilst I've had a flashing blue light fitted to the rear & in use. There concern was the type of pedal cycle in use, not the lights.

Argos have sold them, has as Asda. If they were illegal would their sale be permittedby retailers such as these?

There were, are, all sorts of things that can be bought but not legal to use. Going back in time AM CB radios were a case in point - they could be openly bought but their use was illegal.

I'm fairly sure it's legal to buy a rotating blue light, DJs use them, but if you fit one to your car and use it then it becomes illegal.

 

[Debian]

For goodness sake, some of you lot are a right bunch of OTT class monitors. Are you wearing your badge?

That's very condescending.

Debating the legality / /efficacy / practicality of something is OTT suddenly?

 

[hackbike 666]

For goodness sake, some of you lot are a right bunch of OTT class monitors. Are you wearing your badge?

Hmmmmmmmmmm.

 

[Arch]

Argos have sold them, has as Asda. If they were illegal would their sale be permittedby retailers such as these?

I remember years back, when phones first started to be sold in shops, as opposed to just supplied by BT, there were phones that were legal to connect to your landline and some that were't, and they were marked as such in catalogues. But the illegal ones were still for sale.

 

[GrasB]

Argos have sold them, has as Asda. If they were illegal would their sale be permittedby retailers such as these?

Retro-fit HID conversion are illegal but are sold in the UK by UK suppliers. There are many illegal car & motorbike lights sold in the UK without any warning that they're not for highway use etc. Just because they're marketed for bikes doesn't mean you can legally use them on the roads.

 

[mr_hippo]

A green light would probably be more useful, as I think it's the colour that humans can see the easiest......that could be complete rubbish though

Sorry but green lights are used by doctors on emergency calls - very rarely seen.

 

[thomas]

Sorry but green lights are used by doctors on emergency calls - very rarely seen.

I wasn't actually suggesting using it, I just seem to remember than green is the colour picked up easiest by the human eye. Not sure I've ever seen a doctor using green light.

 

[Muddyfox]

I wasn't actually suggesting using it, I just seem to remember than green is the colour picked up easiest by the human eye. Not sure I've ever seen a doctor using green light.

Our Devon doctors service use Nissan X-Trails with large green lights on the roof and i believe that some of our GP's have magnetic green revolving lights for their private cars

My son's front bicycle light has a green tinge to it, its only a small 3 LED one and it is very effective at catching your eye