Public Service Announcement - LIGHTS!

RufusA

If you haven't already done so:

a) Buy some lights.
b) Fit the lights.
c) Check your batteries are charged.
d) Use the bl00dy lights when the sun isn't shining!

From Saturday there will be more hours of darkness than light. It is getting proper dark by 7PM (in London) and this time is shifting earlier by a few minutes each day.

You WILL NEED LIGHTS!

This ends the public service announcement.

Rufus.

Cafewanda

I thought this was full and complete info on type of lights, wattage, length of battery life etc. :roll:


Good PSA though

spen666

Can I add to the OP

e) Red lights showing to the rear
f) White lights to the front

bartimaeus

And some reflective gear... it is cheap, it's effective, and the batteries don't run out

spen666

Bartimaeus wrote:

And some reflective gear... it is cheap, it's effective, and the batteries don't run out

Whilst this may be a sensible idea, it is NOT a legal requirement unlike the use of lights

surreyxc

Thanks Dad !

electric_blue

From the Bureau of State The Bleeding Obvious!!

bartimaeus

While reflective clothes etc are not a legal requirement, according to the CTC who reference the Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations 1989 (amended in 1994 and 2005), you are required to have a rear reflector and pedal reflectors... many people do remove these.

Rear Reflector: One is required, coloured red, marked BS6102/2 (or equivalent), positioned centrally or offside, between 350mm and 900mm from the ground, at or near the rear, aligned towards and visible from behind.

Pedal Reflectors: Four are required, coloured amber and marked BS6102/2 (or equivalent), positioned so that one is plainly visible to the front and another to the rear of each pedal.

See also Department for Transport guidance.

White Horse

Bartimaeus wrote:

Pedal Reflectors: Four are required, coloured amber and marked BS6102/2 (or equivalent), positioned so that one is plainly visible to the front and another to the rear of each pedal.

So, clipless is illegal then?

millimole

Pedal reflectors - Recumbents?

asprilla

White Horse wrote:

Bartimaeus wrote:

Pedal Reflectors: Four are required, coloured amber and marked BS6102/2 (or equivalent), positioned so that one is plainly visible to the front and another to the rear of each pedal.

So, clipless is illegal then?

Yes.

I was told that's why most bike shops don't put pedals on road bikes, since selling it without pedals means it's not a functioning bike and thues doesn't have to have a bell, pedal / rear reflectors, etc.

Of course, that could be a load of balderdash.

Edit: Oh yeah, you can get pedal reflector attachments for some clipless pedals.

alfablue

White Horse wrote:

Bartimaeus wrote:

Pedal Reflectors: Four are required, coloured amber and marked BS6102/2 (or equivalent), positioned so that one is plainly visible to the front and another to the rear of each pedal.

So, clipless is illegal then?

Only in the dark.

Shimano SPD's come with a removable platform with reflectors, unfortunately they turn your double-sided pedal into a single sided one.

spen666

Asprilla wrote:

White Horse wrote:

Bartimaeus wrote:

Pedal Reflectors: Four are required, coloured amber and marked BS6102/2 (or equivalent), positioned so that one is plainly visible to the front and another to the rear of each pedal.

So, clipless is illegal then?

Yes.

I was told that's why most bike shops don't put pedals on road bikes, since selling it without pedals means it's not a functioning bike and thues doesn't have to have a bell, pedal / rear reflectors, etc.

Of course, that could be a load of balderdash.

Edit: Oh yeah, you can get pedal reflector attachments for some clipless pedals.

Clipless is NOT illegal.

Clipless wiyhout pedal reflectors may be illegal, but clipless per se isn't

cyberknight

alfablue wrote:

White Horse wrote:

Bartimaeus wrote:

Pedal Reflectors: Four are required, coloured amber and marked BS6102/2 (or equivalent), positioned so that one is plainly visible to the front and another to the rear of each pedal.

So, clipless is illegal then?

Only in the dark.

Shimano SPD's come with a removable platform with reflectors, unfortunately they turn your double-sided pedal into a single sided one.

Get some panniers with reflective bits on

bartimaeus

spen666

cyberknight wrote:

alfablue wrote:

White Horse wrote:

Bartimaeus wrote:

Pedal Reflectors: Four are required, coloured amber and marked BS6102/2 (or equivalent), positioned so that one is plainly visible to the front and another to the rear of each pedal.

So, clipless is illegal then?

Only in the dark.

Shimano SPD's come with a removable platform with reflectors, unfortunately they turn your double-sided pedal into a single sided one.

Get some panniers with reflective bits on

That wouldn't correct the illegality as the regulations prescribe that pedals must have reflectors.

sc999cs

Best riding in the dark legal clipless pedals I've come across are Shimano M324 with separately purchased reflectors.

snailracer

spen666 wrote:

cyberknight wrote:

alfablue wrote:

White Horse wrote:

Bartimaeus wrote:

Pedal Reflectors: Four are required, coloured amber and marked BS6102/2 (or equivalent), positioned so that one is plainly visible to the front and another to the rear of each pedal.

So, clipless is illegal then?

Only in the dark.

Shimano SPD's come with a removable platform with reflectors, unfortunately they turn your double-sided pedal into a single sided one.

Get some panniers with reflective bits on

That wouldn't correct the illegality as the regulations prescribe that pedals must have reflectors.

Hands up all those who lecture the forum about how RLJ, pavement riding, etc. are illegal and therefore we shouldn't ever do it, but who cycle at night w/o pedal reflectors :P

arthur_scrimshaw

So what are the likely consequences if I get knocked off (I ride SPD) ?
Will it be taken into account that I have a rear reflector, two rear lights, two front lights, spoke reflectors (per lidl) and wearing a hi viz jacket plus other hi viz bits? I know most legal things are not black and white but how much blame would be laid at my door for not complying with the regs?

bartimaeus

Arthur Scrimshaw wrote:

So what are the likely consequences if I get knocked off (I ride SPD) ?
Will it be taken into account that I have a rear reflector, two rear lights, two front lights, spoke reflectors (per lidl) and wearing a hi viz jacket plus other hi viz bits? I know most legal things are not black and white but how much blame would be laid at my door for not complying with the regs?

*That*, Detective, is the right question.

I too have lights to see (bar+lid), lights to be seen (bar+seatpost), hi-viz bib, i-shots on my pack, and hi-viz ankle bands... but I do not have reflectors on my spds

EssexCyclist

How do I suck eggs? Please tell.

bigflangesmallsprocket

Halfords Bikehut' Mega Bright Lights are to be found on ebay at the moment, overstock sold off I guess. Maybe Halfords were a tad optimistic about selling £50-60 lights in a store where a lot of their customers might not want to pay much more than that for a bike.

I've just paid £20 for a set, awaiting their arrival.

PBo

electric_blue wrote:

From the Bureau of State The Bleeding Obvious!!

No, to be fair, it's a really good time to remind people about the shortening days.....at this time of year. not only is it getting darker earlier, but the number of minutes earlier each day is at it's largest.

It's obvious to have lights if it's already dark, but you can easily get caught out.

Just the other night, picked up my son from school in bright sunshine at 3.

Set off to run some errands at 4. Literally within minutes, bad weather rolled in and it chucked it down. My feet and hands got wet and cold, so after doing my errands, stopped for a coffee to warm up, and had been meaning to get some gloves from Aldi anyway, so went there too.

All of a sudden its 6.45, getting dark and made worse by thick dark cloud. I wasn't in winter/night thought mode, so had no lights.

So I for one resonate with this reminder. (It also reminded me that its time for sealskinz socks......and having proper gloves in the bag too....)

seataltea

spen666 wrote:

cyberknight wrote:

alfablue wrote:

White Horse wrote:

Bartimaeus wrote:

Pedal Reflectors: Four are required, coloured amber and marked BS6102/2 (or equivalent), positioned so that one is plainly visible to the front and another to the rear of each pedal.

So, clipless is illegal then?

Only in the dark.

Shimano SPD's come with a removable platform with reflectors, unfortunately they turn your double-sided pedal into a single sided one.

Get some panniers with reflective bits on

That wouldn't correct the illegality as the regulations prescribe that pedals must have reflectors.

I've heard that despite Global Terrorism and the continuing fight against crime in the UK the Police have been told to concentrate on cyclists using pedals and SPDs with no reflectors. Is there no end to their persecution of the two wheeled community.

shouldbeinbed

sc999cs wrote:

Best riding in the dark legal clipless pedals I've come across are Shimano M324 with separately purchased reflectors.

I have these with pedal reflectors on - they're good pedals. but I'm not weight obsessed.

EssexCyclist

PBo wrote:

No, to be fair, it's a really good time to remind people about the shortening days....

Really? I'd be genuinely suprised if anyone who rode even once per week needed reminding. Is it me? Hands up if you didn't know we are losing daylight?

PBo

EssexCyclist wrote:

PBo wrote:

No, to be fair, it's a really good time to remind people about the shortening days....

Really? I'd be genuinely suprised if anyone who rode even once per week needed reminding. Is it me? Hands up if you didn't know we are losing daylight?

well we've been losing daylight for three months, so what's your point?