Are bicyclists required by law to have safety lights/blinkies on all the time?
09-17-10, 07:50 AM
#26
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I just wanted to say I think it's hilarious that the Ontario law specifically excludes unicycles. Also, I had no idea we're supposed to have red reflectors on the back. My rear light is also a reflector so I guess I'm covered.
09-17-10, 08:09 AM
#27
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I don't know of any place that requires lights or reflectors during the day. Most roadies would be in violation if that was the case. I think all localities require at least reflectors, and many if not most require lights at night. Most of the laws in the US specify that the light has to be "visible for a distance of not less than 500 feet"
42-4-221. Bicycle and personal mobility device equipment
1. Every bicycle, electrical assisted bicycle, or EPAMD in use at the times described in section 42-4-204 shall be equipped with a lamp on the front emitting a white light visible from a distance of at least five hundred feet to the front.
2. Every bicycle, electrical assisted bicycle, or EPAMD shall be equipped with a red reflector of a type approved by the department, which shall be visible for six hundred feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful lower beams of head lamps on a motor vehicle.
3. Every bicycle, electrical assisted bicycle, or EPAMD when in use at the times described in section 42-4-204 shall be equipped with reflective material of sufficient size and reflectivity to be visible from both sides for six hundred feet when directly in front of lawful lower beams of head lamps on a motor vehicle or, in lieu of such reflective material, with a lighted lamp visible from both sides from a distance of at least five hundred feet.
1. Every bicycle, electrical assisted bicycle, or EPAMD in use at the times described in section 42-4-204 shall be equipped with a lamp on the front emitting a white light visible from a distance of at least five hundred feet to the front.
2. Every bicycle, electrical assisted bicycle, or EPAMD shall be equipped with a red reflector of a type approved by the department, which shall be visible for six hundred feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful lower beams of head lamps on a motor vehicle.
3. Every bicycle, electrical assisted bicycle, or EPAMD when in use at the times described in section 42-4-204 shall be equipped with reflective material of sufficient size and reflectivity to be visible from both sides for six hundred feet when directly in front of lawful lower beams of head lamps on a motor vehicle or, in lieu of such reflective material, with a lighted lamp visible from both sides from a distance of at least five hundred feet.
Every vehicle upon a highway within this state, between sunset and sunrise and at any other time when, due to insufficient light or unfavorable atmospheric conditions, persons and vehicles on the highway are not clearly discernible at a distance of one thousand feet ahead, shall display lighted lamps and illuminating devices as required by this article for different classes of vehicles, subject to exceptions with respect to parked vehicles.
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09-17-10, 08:51 AM
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IMO, lights on a bike during the day are of limited use since the majority of lights built for bikes will have a very poor lumens output. I can understand using bike lights during very dark cloud cover or when weather conditions dictate a need for lighting, but using bike lights as "running lights" are basically useless since they're not bright enough anyway.
09-17-10, 09:09 AM
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IMO, lights on a bike during the day are of limited use since the majority of lights built for bikes will have a very poor lumens output. I can understand using bike lights during very dark cloud cover or when weather conditions dictate a need for lighting, but using bike lights as "running lights" are basically useless since they're not bright enough anyway.
If you don't have passive reflectors you may be required to run your lights, although most lights act as reflectors too
09-17-10, 09:56 AM
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So does my Magic Shine. Actually, this morning was a little overcast so I had my Magic Shine in blinking mode. Someone standing on the sidewalk told me it was a great light: they could see me a few blocks away. I'm going to get a rear MS blinkie too.
Yeah, none of the lights I ever used were any good as reflectors. I've put few chunks of DOT approved reflective tape on my bike.
Yeah, none of the lights I ever used were any good as reflectors. I've put few chunks of DOT approved reflective tape on my bike.
09-17-10, 10:04 AM
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I run taillights at all times, headlights at night or in bad conditions. I WOULD run headlights during the day but my commute has almost no chance of getting hit from the front (almost all rural riding with few driveways or intersections) so it doesn't make a lot of difference for me. I have been known to turn the front light on when going through the one town I need to go through though.
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09-17-10, 10:18 AM
#32
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I thought about taking a sidewalk route the last block to my office this morning because it was a 4 lane road (w/ center turn) and jammed w/ fog-colored cars running NO lights (people are such dumbasses), and wasn't sure I wanted to get into that in all the fog. Then I just went for it, I figured my own lights should make me no less visible than the other rigs the drivers should have been keeping an eye out for. Anyway, I made it. The cars also avoided each other.
09-17-10, 11:38 AM
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I thought about taking a sidewalk route the last block to my office this morning because it was a 4 lane road (w/ center turn) and jammed w/ fog-colored cars running NO lights (people are such dumbasses), and wasn't sure I wanted to get into that in all the fog. Then I just went for it, I figured my own lights should make me no less visible than the other rigs the drivers should have been keeping an eye out for. Anyway, I made it. The cars also avoided each other.
09-17-10, 12:23 PM
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09-17-10, 01:45 PM
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IIRC, NY state requires lights at night, but not during the day. Not sure about reflectors.
NYC (maybe the state too?) requires a *bell*, yes, a bell at all times. The impracticality of a bell on NYC should be obvious. I've heard of ticket blitzes where cyclists are hit with tickets for not having a bell.
NYC (maybe the state too?) requires a *bell*, yes, a bell at all times. The impracticality of a bell on NYC should be obvious. I've heard of ticket blitzes where cyclists are hit with tickets for not having a bell.
Pretty much the only reason I have a bell on the bike si that that if I ever get hit, the other party can never blame me because I "didn't have a bell."
Happy riding,
André
09-18-10, 01:55 PM
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"another section states that only emergency vehicles are allowed to have blinking lights. "
GOOD IDEA! We can't afford to have motorists mistaking bicycles for slow- moving, 2 wheeled AMBULANCES!
GOOD IDEA! We can't afford to have motorists mistaking bicycles for slow- moving, 2 wheeled AMBULANCES!
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