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[Spitting Bull]

Can anyone tell me if there is any legal restriction stopping me from using a battery-operated LED bicycle rear light, in flashing mode, as an additional rear light on the Bullet? (I'm sure there probably is some ruling).

Tom

[jaffa90]

Flashing lights can be attached to you but not the motorcycle.
I`ve just been (8pm) to the off licence on my pushbike with the flashing modes attached to the bike for self preservation.
B*llocks if i`m illegal.

[Norm]

I saw a jacket once with led indicator arrows on each shoulder. Not sure if it also had stop and tail

[Alan R]

Hi Tom--- you might be mistaken for the rear end of a train and be "shunted" by a white van man !! LoL !!.......... Seriously though you would be wise just to check with the local Police (as it would be they who will be stopping you in the first instance), BUT it might well be OK from an MoT point of view? --------- the three organisations concerned with transport rules ie Department of Transport, VOSA (for the MoT), and the Police--- can be in contradiction at times (eg The laws on Speedometers.).I tend to agree with JAFFA's sentiments and wear it rather than fit it.

[130]

It's a no according to lighting regs

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989 ... on/13/made

[Alan R]

Hi Guys-------- that seems straight forward enough then. Not to be fitted on a VEHICLE----nothing about your protective clothing-- so wear it with pride !!!

[Spitting Bull]

Thanks for your thoughts, all. the regs linked to by 130 are interesting. They're saying that flashing rear red lights aren't allowed on any vehicle - and as they don't have any special provisions saying otherwise, that includes push-bikes. (That's strange as the lights are marketed as being for push-bikes). I think I'll do a temporary fix and see what the lights look like in non-flashing mode, possibly using two, one on each indicator stem. On the basis that three red lights are more noticeable than one, this could be a result.................. Tom

[130]

You need to look a bit deeper. Lighting regs are rather complicated. Plenty of amendments etc. see here for clarification on pedal cycles

http://assets.dft.gov.uk/publications/d ... ghting.pdf

[Alan R]

-----------when was the last time you saw the police take any action against kids (or some adults, for that matter)riding a push bike at night with no lights ?? It's not like the "old days" anymore.

[Spitting Bull]

Quite right, but that's a different document. If you go back to the first one linked to, and then follow the link to the previous page, you'll see that it mentions how lights or reflectors fitted to a vehicle must not move or swivel and then gives a list of allowed exceptions including reflectors on bicycle pedals or wheels. Then the next page mentions that lights must show a steady light, again with a list of allowed exceptions, but the list doesn't include bicycles. That's wrong, as bicycles are allowed to have flashing lights. I was just pointing out an error in the document, not saying that I believed it.

Anyway - the LED rear cycle lights (n0n-flashing) seem good when fixed to the indicator stalks - roughly level with the original rear light but much brighter. I think they should make the bike far more visible in the dark, and from further away. The lights are detachable from their brackets and can go in the panniers when not needed.

The reason I decided to try this was after a road-closure forced a couple of us to do about 25 miles down a really fast dual carriageway, in bad weather. We had lights on, of course, but we were running much slower than the large number of cars which were constantly passing us. It seemed a good idea to try to make the bike more visible in those circs............. Tom