LED Lights on bikes - are they legal?

As the nights draw in I am reminded that I have yet to fit lights to
my bike. However coming back to cycling after some years I am
astonished at the cost of lights (and everything else to do with
cycling) to say nothing about C2-type batteries.

Also I remember years ago that there was much debate about British
Standards for lights, and also about their robustness. It was at that
time that EverReady brought out its new NightRider range that clipped
onto special brackets. Apparently they were robust and met the
Standards.

However now I see everyone with little flashing red and white LED
lights on their bikes or even on their person (back, arms, forehead,
etc.). I am sure that they are robust but they are very small. And I
am sure that they do not really light up the way ahead - important
with all the pot holes left unfilled due to most (all?) Councils being
strapped for cash.

But my question is: are these LED lights legal, that is do they meet
the British Standards for bike lights?

This is important also in the case of an accident at night, say if hit
by a car, due to not being seen because, the said driver claims that
the lights on the bike were too small. I cannot imagine any insurance
company paying for a personal injury &/or damage claim from a cyclist
if proper lights are not installed on his/her bike.

CJB.

On Mon, 15 Nov 2010 05:58:42 -0800 (PST), CJB
wrote:

As the nights draw in I am reminded that I have yet to fit lights to
my bike. However coming back to cycling after some years I am
astonished at the cost of lights (and everything else to do with
cycling) to say nothing about C2-type batteries.

Also I remember years ago that there was much debate about British
Standards for lights, and also about their robustness. It was at that
time that EverReady brought out its new NightRider range that clipped
onto special brackets. Apparently they were robust and met the
Standards.

However now I see everyone with little flashing red and white LED
lights on their bikes or even on their person (back, arms, forehead,
etc.). I am sure that they are robust but they are very small. And I
am sure that they do not really light up the way ahead - important
with all the pot holes left unfilled due to most (all?) Councils being
strapped for cash.

But my question is: are these LED lights legal, that is do they meet
the British Standards for bike lights?

This is important also in the case of an accident at night, say if hit
by a car, due to not being seen because, the said driver claims that
the lights on the bike were too small. I cannot imagine any insurance
company paying for a personal injury &/or damage claim from a cyclist
if proper lights are not installed on his/her bike.

Irrelevant, really, given that cyclists ignore most other laws related
to the road.

On 15/11/2010 13:58, CJB wrote:
However now I see everyone with little flashing red and white LED
lights on their bikes or even on their person (back, arms, forehead,
etc.). I am sure that they are robust but they are very small. And I
am sure that they do not really light up the way ahead - important
with all the pot holes left unfilled due to most (all?) Councils being
strapped for cash.

But my question is: are these LED lights legal, that is do they meet
the British Standards for bike lights?

You may have a flashing light so long as you have at least one light
that is on continuously. A flashing light on its own is not legal.

"CJB" wrote in message
news:9934e935-f042-45a8-b73a-
This is important also in the case of an accident at night, say if hit
by a car, due to not being seen because, the said driver claims that
the lights on the bike were too small. I cannot imagine any insurance
company paying for a personal injury &/or damage claim from a cyclist
if proper lights are not installed on his/her bike.

The CTC has a whole page on this subject and a link to the DfT site.

http://www.ctc.org.uk/desktopdefault.aspx?tabid=4071


--
Simon Mason
http://www.simonmason.karoo.net/

On 15/11/2010 13:58, CJB wrote:

As the nights draw in I am reminded that I have yet to fit lights to
my bike. However coming back to cycling after some years I am
astonished at the cost of lights (and everything else to do with
cycling) to say nothing about C2-type batteries.

Also I remember years ago that there was much debate about British
Standards for lights, and also about their robustness. It was at that
time that EverReady brought out its new NightRider range that clipped
onto special brackets. Apparently they were robust and met the
Standards.

FSVO robust which included an ability to smash into smithereerns when
dislodged from the bracket when a bump was encountered.

However now I see everyone with little flashing red and white LED
lights on their bikes or even on their person (back, arms, forehead,
etc.). I am sure that they are robust but they are very small. And I
am sure that they do not really light up the way ahead - important
with all the pot holes left unfilled due to most (all?) Councils being
strapped for cash.

But my question is: are these LED lights legal, that is do they meet
the British Standards for bike lights?

Short answer : yes, they are legal. The rules were changed to allow
flashing LEDs a few years ago.

This is important also in the case of an accident at night, say if hit
by a car, due to not being seen because, the said driver claims that
the lights on the bike were too small. I cannot imagine any insurance
company paying for a personal injury&/or damage claim from a cyclist
if proper lights are not installed on his/her bike.

If they can prove contributory negligence, the claim may be reduced, but
it's not going to be refused. I've not heard of anybody having had this
happen to them though.

It makes sense to get decent lights though. LED is the best technology
at the moment. For the rear, there are plenty out there. Get something
which takes standard sized batteries, but otherwise they pretty much all
work.
For the front, you can pay several hundred quid for a LED lamp which you
can almost get a tan from. Aimed at MTBing at night. At the other end of
the market, you can get cheap LED torches which are actually very
bright, and just need some suitable mounting hardware.

If you want something suitable for unlit potholed streets, you'll
probably want to either go for the bright LED torch option or be
prepared to pay a little more than you used to. OTOH unlike the old
never-readies, they will actually light your way very well. (eg B+M Ixon IQ)

For urban riding though, you don't need something with that kind of
power, since streetlights are fairly good. There are various LED front
lamps - try one and see how it is.

For a bike in regular use, I'd use a B+M IQ Cyo driven by a hub dynamo,
but I appreciate that's a bit of an investment, and can't be justified
for a bike you don't use very much.

On Mon, 15 Nov 2010 14:21:53 +0000, Clive George boggled us with:

On 15/11/2010 13:58, CJB wrote:

As the nights draw in I am reminded that I have yet to fit lights to my
bike. However coming back to cycling after some years I am astonished
at the cost of lights (and everything else to do with cycling) to say
nothing about C2-type batteries.

Also I remember years ago that there was much debate about British
Standards for lights, and also about their robustness. It was at that
time that EverReady brought out its new NightRider range that clipped
onto special brackets. Apparently they were robust and met the
Standards.

FSVO robust which included an ability to smash into smithereerns when
dislodged from the bracket when a bump was encountered.

So, it wasn't just me then! Excellent. I had 3 of these fly off my
handlebar mounted bracket. I gave up and fitted a set of Halfords LED
cheapies in the end.

--
Mike P

CJB wrote:
As the nights draw in I am reminded that I have yet to fit lights to
my bike. However coming back to cycling after some years I am
astonished at the cost of lights (and everything else to do with
cycling) to say nothing about C2-type batteries.

Also I remember years ago that there was much debate about British
Standards for lights, and also about their robustness. It was at that
time that EverReady brought out its new NightRider range that clipped
onto special brackets. Apparently they were robust and met the
Standards.

However now I see everyone with little flashing red and white LED
lights on their bikes or even on their person (back, arms, forehead,
etc.). I am sure that they are robust but they are very small. And I
am sure that they do not really light up the way ahead - important
with all the pot holes left unfilled due to most (all?) Councils being
strapped for cash.

But my question is: are these LED lights legal, that is do they meet
the British Standards for bike lights?

This is important also in the case of an accident at night, say if hit
by a car, due to not being seen because, the said driver claims that
the lights on the bike were too small. I cannot imagine any insurance
company paying for a personal injury &/or damage claim from a cyclist
if proper lights are not installed on his/her bike.

CJB.

I find high power forward facing white flashing led lamps to be very
distracting and confusing, especially when there is a cycle lane heading
toward me on the left, also some LED lamps can appear blue at certain angles
which again increases the problems. Flashing red ones at the rear are a
great help for spotting cyclists in dingey conditions, but I do not
generally agree with flashing white ones at the front.
Apparently it is now legal to have flashing lamps, but it seems to me that a
combination of steady and flashing at the rear is quite a help for being
spotted .

Some 'real' cyclists of course decry any lights as they make you more easily
spotted and therefore rammed, and increase your risk aversion (?) by making
you feel safer.

On 15/11/2010 14:10, Chris Hills wrote:
On 15/11/2010 13:58, CJB wrote:
However now I see everyone with little flashing red and white LED
lights on their bikes or even on their person (back, arms, forehead,
etc.). I am sure that they are robust but they are very small. And I
am sure that they do not really light up the way ahead - important
with all the pot holes left unfilled due to most (all?) Councils being
strapped for cash.

But my question is: are these LED lights legal, that is do they meet
the British Standards for bike lights?

You may have a flashing light so long as you have at least one light
that is on continuously. A flashing light on its own is not legal.

Not true. A flashing light on its own is legal. The law changed a few
years ago.

"Mrcheerful" wrote in message
...

Some 'real' cyclists of course decry any lights as they make you more
easily spotted and therefore rammed, and increase your risk aversion (?)
by making you feel safer.

I use one of these.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/exposure-six-pack-front-light/

Does it meet your approval?

--
Simon Mason
http://www.simonmason.karoo.net/

On 15/11/2010 13:58, CJB wrote:


But my question is: are these LED lights legal, that is do they meet
the British Standards for bike lights?

No. A flashing light can easily be mistaken for a signal.