When I Ride Again Into the Night My Torch Eill
There's a lot of confusion surrounding the constabulary for bike lights in the Uk: Is a flashing calorie-free legal or does it have to be steady? And do you have to fit reflectors, too? Hither, nosotros fix the facts directly.
Information technology'south worth explaining why you need to fit and use lights at night in the kickoff place, and information technology'south not simply to see where you lot're going – if you're riding on city streets, the street lights probably do that for yous fairly well. Equally important is that bicycle lights and reflectors aid us to be seen by other road users and pedestrians.
If you're looking for communication on which bike lights to buy, check out our guides to the best bike lights for road cycling and best mount bike lights.
The electric current UK police force on bike lights
James Huang / Immediate Media
Co-ordinate to the Britain'due south Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations (RVLR), it'due south illegal to cycle on a public road between sunset and sunrise without lights.
There have been quite a few changes to this legislation in recent years – the current version of the RVLR was published in 1989, and has since been amended multiple times, almost recently in 2017.
To avoid trouble with the police (and, arguably more importantly, to stay prophylactic), a white light must exist showing from the front of your bicycle and a red light from the rear.
The RVLR specifies minimum outputs for these lights and also requires that complete bikes must exist sold with reflectors on the front and rear of the bike, besides as both the front and rear of each pedal.
To be totally clear, it is non a requirement to ride with a white f ront reflector fitted to your bike but it must take a ruby-red rear reflector fitted. Complete bikes must exist sold with them fitted. In any case, it's a good idea to leave both of them on.
Note that, to stay on the correct side of the law, the lightsmust too be fitted to your wheel and not your helmet. The police force explicitly states they should be mounted to your bike and they cannot be higher than 1,500mm from the ground in whatsoever case.
If yous lack any of these things and are involved in a nighttime crash, then it could be regarded as 'contributory negligence', which is a fancy manner of saying the law could potentially deem the incident partially your fault.
But, in do, you lot're unlikely to be pulled over by the police as long equally the front and rear of your bike is illuminated.
This is backed up past Rule 60 of the Highway Code, which says:
"At nighttime your cycle MUST take white front and red rear lights lit. It MUST also be fitted with a red rear reflector (and amber pedal reflectors, if manufactured after 1/10/85). White front reflectors and spoke reflectors volition also help you to be seen. Flashing lights are permitted but it is recommended that cyclists who are riding in areas without street lighting apply a steady front lamp."
The minimum legally required equipment for riding a bike at nighttime in the Great britain
- A front lamp showing a white light, positioned up to 150cm from the footing and facing forwards. If capable of emitting only a flashing light, it must emit at least four candela (a unit of light intensity, comfortably exceeded by modern lights). If capable of emitting a steady calorie-free, the light must comply to BS6102/iii standards
- A rear lamp showing a crimson light, positioned betwixt 35cm and 150cm from the basis, facing rearwards. If capable of emitting merely a flashing low-cal, it must emit at least four candela. If capable of emitting a steady light, it must comply to BS3648, or BS6102/3 standards
- Rear reflector, coloured red, positioned between 25cm and 90cm from the ground, facing rearwards
- Pedal reflectors, coloured amber, positioned so that one is evidently visible to the front and another to the rear of each pedal
Is there a maximum power limit for wheel lights?
Jaime Patterson / Firsthand Media)
No, there isn't, but you lot don't want to dazzle oncoming road users, for obvious reasons.
Bike light engineering science has improved in leaps and bounds since the introduction of LED lights, and they now run brighter, for longer and weigh less than one-time dynamo powered lamps.
"If your lights cause undue dazzle or discomfort to other route users, and then you lot're breaking the law and the police force are inside their rights to fine you," says Cycling UK.
In practice, though, as long as your wheel has a front end white and red rear low-cal information technology's rare to be stopped and fined by the police, just please exist considerate to other road users.
Can I fit flashing lights only?
Yes, you tin can use only flashing lights front and rear, as long as they are both capable of emitting at least 4 candela (a unit of measurement of light intensity, roughly equal to 12 lumens, which is comfortably exceeded past most modern lights).
The calorie-free must also just flash between sixty and 240 times per minute (1 to 4Hz).
The jury is still out on whether it's safer to run flashing or steady lights – a flashing lite can misconstrue depth perception and a steady lite can be hands lost in a sea of other distracting lights.
The safest thing to do is run both, peradventure using a helmet-mounted lite for the rear flashing LED.
Likewise, exist enlightened that it'southward illegal (not to mention highly dangerous and irresponsible) to show a crimson calorie-free at the front or a white light to the rear.
It is also illegal to fit triangular-shaped rear reflectors on anything other than a trailer. This could easily confuse drivers, especially in poor weather conditions.
Practise my lights have to comply with UK standards to exist legal?
Russell Burton / Immediate Media
Yes, just also no.
If a light is capable of emitting a steady beam, legislation demands that lights comply to BS6102/3, simply few – if whatsoever – lights actually comply with these standards.
Nevertheless, every bit the amended RVLR allows for flashing lights, but BS6102/3 does non include flashing lights, approval is granted on the basis they take a power output above or equal to the aforementioned 4-candela limit and flash between 60 and 240 times minute.
A light or reflector that does not accommodate to BS6102/3 standards, simply conforms to a respective standard from some other EC state that is marked accordingly would be considered to comply equally long every bit that standard provides an equivalent level of condom.
If all of that sounds incredibly confusing that'due south considering it is. As Cycling U.k. states: "current Uk legislation isn't up to speed with the technological advancements [in lighting engineering science] or the effects of global markets".
Tin can I apply dynamos instead?
Dynamo-powered bike lights are legal even though many stop emitting light when the bike stops. It's fine from a legal standpoint so long as you stop on the left.
Any practiced modern dynamo light will actually come up with something called a standlight anyway, which provides a limited amount of extra stored power fifty-fifty when the dynamo isn't running.
Do I have to use lights in daytime depression visibility atmospheric condition, such as fog?
Jack Luke / Immediate Media
Different other vehicles, bicycles are not required to accept lights fitted and switched on during seriously reduced visibility atmospheric condition – because lights are not required to be fitted during daylight hours.
Withal, it is a very sensible idea to accept them fitted and switched on if you lot hit a bank of fog, so keep a close eye on that weather forecast.
Are older bikes exempt from these laws?
Not exactly. Cycles manufactured before October 1990 can have any kind of white forepart lamp that is visible from a reasonable distance, and pre-October 1985 cycles don't demand pedal reflectors.
Again, while it may non fit with your perfectly curated vintage aesthetic, it's still a good idea to fit lights to your retro bike.
Tin can I remove the wheel reflectors that my bike came with?
Yes, you lot may, though information technology will make your bicycle less visible at dark.
The Pedal Cycles Prophylactic Regulations (PCSR) apply to the auction of new bikes in the UK, and land that every new cycle sold must come with several extra reflectors beyond those mentioned in a higher place. However, they're non required by the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations to be fitted, so can be considered a 'bonus'.
These additional ones include reflectors on the sides of the wheels (clear white or coloured yellow). Yous can remove these if you really want to, but exist aware that the wheel shop y'all bought it from is probably unwilling to do information technology for you.
Remember that to stay on the right side of the law, your pedals must be fitted with reflectors.
This, obviously, causes a problem with near modern clipless pedals, which practise not have provisions to fit reflectors.
Technically, this means using them at nighttime is illegal, and if you're involved in a crash, could once more count every bit contributory negligence.
What about other countries?
Most countries have their ain laws relating to bike lights, with some more strict than others.
Deutschland's StVZO bike light regulations are some of the most prescriptive in the earth and, because it's home to many big calorie-free manufacturers (not to mention a huge cycling population), you'll find many lights sold outside of Frg that comply with it.
Source: https://www.bikeradar.com/features/bike-light-laws-in-the-uk-what-you-need-to-know/
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