If I had one of these - if I could get hold of one - would I be stopped ?
- Thread starter yenrod
- Start date
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i looked into this a while back for my car once. ( i wanted to fit a US style red/blue light bar to my offroader, but have a canvas cover for it when on-road )
its not in the highway code, but in the proper highway rules and regulations ( cant remember the name ) and to paraphrase:
blue lights are illegal to be on an unauthorised vehicle. regardless of whether they are on/off, or even covered. The phrase goes along the lines of ' the fitment of blue lights ... ' . so by the letter of the law, you cant even mount them onto the vehicle.
likewise the same rules discuss general lights. Front lights should be white or close to white.
amber side marker lights are allowed, but there are rules on how high they should be, and also they need to be a certain distance or more from the front or rear of the vehicle ( you cant have them right in the corners )
flashing amber lights are restricted to authorised vehicles only.
red lights should only be rearward facing.
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now whether you would get pulled over is a different matter.
with regards the light in the first post, i was driving along once, and a cyclist had a couple of normal red LED rear lights ( 1 flashing and 1 constant ) and inbetween he had a blue LED light ( cant remember if it was flashing or not ) either way, it was amazingly eye catching from a long long distance away. just that hint of blue beside the main red lights really stood out. ( tis to do with the way blue light diffracts compared to red apparently )
i was impressed by it, and would consider it.
but i wouldn't have it front mounted ... i think it only worked because it was tucked between 2 reds and served to enhance the red light and not as a blue light on its own.
its not in the highway code, but in the proper highway rules and regulations ( cant remember the name ) and to paraphrase:
blue lights are illegal to be on an unauthorised vehicle. regardless of whether they are on/off, or even covered. The phrase goes along the lines of ' the fitment of blue lights ... ' . so by the letter of the law, you cant even mount them onto the vehicle.
likewise the same rules discuss general lights. Front lights should be white or close to white.
amber side marker lights are allowed, but there are rules on how high they should be, and also they need to be a certain distance or more from the front or rear of the vehicle ( you cant have them right in the corners )
flashing amber lights are restricted to authorised vehicles only.
red lights should only be rearward facing.
--------------------------------
now whether you would get pulled over is a different matter.
with regards the light in the first post, i was driving along once, and a cyclist had a couple of normal red LED rear lights ( 1 flashing and 1 constant ) and inbetween he had a blue LED light ( cant remember if it was flashing or not ) either way, it was amazingly eye catching from a long long distance away. just that hint of blue beside the main red lights really stood out. ( tis to do with the way blue light diffracts compared to red apparently )
i was impressed by it, and would consider it.
but i wouldn't have it front mounted ... i think it only worked because it was tucked between 2 reds and served to enhance the red light and not as a blue light on its own.
PrettyboyTim
New Member
- Location
- Brighton
domtyler said:
But you just said it! A bike is not a motor vehicle, but it is a vehicle. Some laws apply to all vehicles, and some just apply to motor vehicles.
PrettyboyTim
New Member
- Location
- Brighton
Okay, so I found the act, and I had misinterpreted it slightly - you're still only allowed to show red to the rear, and it says this about blue lights:
So I guess as long as any blue lights you have aren't likely to get confused with an emergency vehicle's light, and they don't shine backwards, you should be okay.
Also, it's pretty clear from the 2005 amendment to the act (which among other things legalises flashing lights for bicycles) that the term 'vehicles' applies to things like bicycles as well as motor vehicles. There's a bit in there about emergency vehicles which substitutes the words 'motor vehicle' with 'vehicle' specifically so that non-motorised emergency vehicles are covered as well.
Restrictions on fitting blue warning beacons, special warning lamps and similar devices
16. No vehicle, other than an emergency vehicle, shall be fitted with-
(a) a blue warning beacon or special warning lamp, or
(a device which resembles a blue warning beacon or a special warning lamp, whether the same is in working order or not.
So I guess as long as any blue lights you have aren't likely to get confused with an emergency vehicle's light, and they don't shine backwards, you should be okay.
Also, it's pretty clear from the 2005 amendment to the act (which among other things legalises flashing lights for bicycles) that the term 'vehicles' applies to things like bicycles as well as motor vehicles. There's a bit in there about emergency vehicles which substitutes the words 'motor vehicle' with 'vehicle' specifically so that non-motorised emergency vehicles are covered as well.
walker
New Member
- Location
- Bromley, Kent
Question is, even though the cover is blue, will they actually Shine blue or just give a blue tint like halogen bulbs?
Muddyfox
Guru
- Location
- Blackdown Hills Devon
Chain Reaction are selling Blue Front Lights for £3.99 but they dont have a mounting bracket supplied ?
There is a lad that cycles in one of our local towns that uses 2 sets of blue flashing LED lights on his bike and they are very effective from a car drivers point of view ... I've never heard him doing the wee wah sound though
Simon
There is a lad that cycles in one of our local towns that uses 2 sets of blue flashing LED lights on his bike and they are very effective from a car drivers point of view ... I've never heard him doing the wee wah sound though
Simon
Beardie
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Disneyland's twin town
domtyler said:
Whether or not they are legal, why would you want to risk it? I know someone who was stopped by a copper for having blue tyreflies. They might be perfectly legal but I'm sure trying to explain that to a jobsworth copper not fully clued up on the law would be a PITA.
Keep it simple, white at the front, red at the rear. If you must, get some green glowwire or something, just don't f**k with the blue.
Keep it simple, white at the front, red at the rear. If you must, get some green glowwire or something, just don't f**k with the blue.
Mortiroloboy
New Member
Why would you want to fit blue lights to your bike anyway? White to the front red to the rear.
Fit blue ones if you like, but they must not flash or pulse.
That's why sad people who fit solid blue bulbs as sidelights/illuminated washer jets (what's that all about?!) on their clapped out baked bean can exhaust baffle'd Saxo's/corsa's don't get reported.
Fit blue ones if you like, but they must not flash or pulse.
That's why sad people who fit solid blue bulbs as sidelights/illuminated washer jets (what's that all about?!) on their clapped out baked bean can exhaust baffle'd Saxo's/corsa's don't get reported.
Cubist
Still wavin'
- Location
- Ovver 'thill
Point of order and a rule of thumb;
It is an offence to show white light to the rear, and any light other than white to the front. (on motorvehicles, being used on a road).
In terms of all your silly blue led windscreen wiper covers etc, then it is an offence to have a fitment capable of showing any light other than a white light to the front.
The only exceptions to the above are indicators and reversing lamps.
It is an offence to show white light to the rear, and any light other than white to the front. (on motorvehicles, being used on a road).
In terms of all your silly blue led windscreen wiper covers etc, then it is an offence to have a fitment capable of showing any light other than a white light to the front.
The only exceptions to the above are indicators and reversing lamps.