On constantly or flashing??

alfablue

doyler78 wrote:

PHILATHAM wrote:

Apparently the Road Traffic Act, and the Highway code state that it is illegal to have flashing lights unless you also have constant ones. I was told this yesterday when i went on a speed awarness course for speeding at 35 in a thirty! i know that was naughty , but i didnt even know there was a camera, incidently, the course leader knows his stuff as he traind cyclists,truckers,cars drivers probably astronauts as well!

I think flashing, so long as the flash is it a constant rate within some defined range, is perfectly ok so long as the light isn't capable of a working in constant mode.

Well, the rule is, that if it has a steady mode, it must be BSI Approved (or EU equivalent) in that steady mode.

The rules require that you have lights that are BSI approved (actually bearing the BS number marked on it, merely "complying" with the BS, which many lights are sold as, is not sufficient). I do not know of any light on the market (yet) which is BSI approved and has flashing and steady modes (even the Smart BSpoke lights, which are recommended by Transport For London, don't meet this requirement).

So in theory, flashing lights are fine, but you must run a BS Approved light; It is not possible to do both with one single light, given what is available on the market at the moment, as far as I know (please enlighten me if you know of one, apart from the Cateye TL-AU100BS which is a fairly feeble rear light)).

Very few lights are BS approved, it costs the manufacturers and generally it seems people (and the authorities) are (probably rightly) more concerned with being visible rather than compliance with the letter of the law.

As long as you have a BS approved light, you can have any number of supplementary lights that can be flashers whether or not they have a steady mode or are BS approved.

PHILATHAM

finaly some sense,and an enLIGHTening reply

littleandy0410

I use a Smart 1/2 watt and a Smart BeSpoke on the rear of the road bike, one flashing, one steady. I then have some small tesco led lights on my helmet, which have a "mental strobing" mode. I have the rear one on that mode, and the front on slow flashing or solid.

Then on the front, I have a tesco 3W cree torch and a Smart led. I use this on flashing too.

Then another Tesco 3W on my helmet!

I'd definitely agree with the theory that flashing is more noticeable from a distance, but steady is easier to judge distance.