Originally Posted by
Texboy
I recently bought a front and tail lights combo. Is it necessary to have bike reflectors for front, back and sides?
If you still live in California, then yes. And it is possible that some counties and municipalities might require more than what the state requires. IE. Lights on and reflectors installed even during the day.
It's pretty easy to google for info like that and find the real answer with respect to the law and ordinances.
From your own California governments website:
(d) A bicycle operated during darkness upon a highway, a sidewalk where bicycle operation is not prohibited by the local jurisdiction, or a bikeway, as defined in Section 890.4 of the Streets and Highways Code, shall be equipped with all of the following:
(1) A lamp emitting a white light that, while the bicycle is in motion, illuminates the highway, sidewalk, or bikeway in front of the bicyclist and is visible from a distance of 300 feet in front and from the sides of the bicycle.
(2) A red reflector or a solid or flashing red light with a built-in reflector on the rear that shall be visible from a distance of 500 feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful upper beams of headlamps on a motor vehicle.
(3) A white or yellow reflector on each pedal, shoe, or ankle visible from the front and rear of the bicycle from a distance of 200 feet.
(4) A white or yellow reflector on each side forward of the center of the bicycle, and a white or red reflector on each side to the rear of the center of the bicycle, except that bicycles that are equipped with reflectorized tires on the front and the rear need not be equipped with these side reflectors.
The reflectors and reflectorized tires shall be of a type meeting requirements established by the department.
(e) A lamp or lamp combination, emitting a white light, attached to the operator and visible from a distance of 300 feet in front and from the sides of the bicycle, may be used in lieu of the lamp required by paragraph (1) of subdivision (d).
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/f...tionNum=21201.
Or this in summarized words:
Equipment requirements[edit]
A bicycle ridden on public roads must have a
brake on at least one
wheel which can make the wheel
skid on dry pavement.
[21]
CVC 21201 (d) A bicycle operated during darkness upon a highway, a sidewalk where bicycle operation is not prohibited by the local jurisdiction, or a bikeway… shall be equipped with all of the following
[21]- A white front lamp (either attached to the bike or to the rider) which can be seen from 300 feet (91 m) away.
- A red rear safety reflector visible from 500 feet (150 m) away when illuminated by automobile headlights.
- White or yellow reflectors visible from on the bike's pedals or the cyclist's feet or ankles.
- A white or yellow reflector on each side of the bike's front half.
- A white or red reflector on each side of the bike's back half.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_law_in_California
or this:
Reflectors: At night bicycles must have the following reflectors:
- Visible from the back: red reflector. You may attach a solid or flashing red rear light in addition to the reflector.
- Visible from the front & back: white or yellow reflector on each pedal or on the bicyclist’s shoes or ankles
- Visible from the side: 1) white or yellow reflector on the front half of the bicycle and 2) a red or white reflector on each side of the back half of the bike. These reflectors are not required if the bike has reflectorized front and back tires. CVC 21201(d)
https://www.calbike.org/go_for_a_rid..._bicycle_laws/
So yes, it looks like you need the reflectors even if you have lights.