Bicycle Lights and UK Law

Mr Plum

As the mornings are getting darker and the nights are drawing in, the issue of bike lights and the law is one that I keep coming back to. Now after some web-based research I kind of know where I stand legally, but there are one or two areas that I'd like clarification on and maybe some advice or examples where people have found themselves in a bit of bother.

It's my understanding that the following are required by law:

Front Lamp
One is required, showing a white light, positioned centrally or offside, up to 1500mm from the ground, aligned towards and visible from the front. If capable of emitting a steady light it must be marked as conforming to BS6102/3 or an equivalent EC standard. If capable of emitting only a flashing light, it must emit at least 4 candela.

Rear Lamp
One is required, to show a red light, positioned centrally or offside, between 350mm and 1500mm from the ground, at or near the rear, aligned towards and visible from behind. If capable of emitting a steady light it must be marked as conforming to BS3648, or BS6102/3, or an equivalent EC standard. If capable of emitting only a flashing light, it must emit at least 4 candela.

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.

The above has been copied and pasted from the CTC website - http://www.ctc.org.uk/desktopdefault.aspx?tabid=4071

Initially I was concerned about the legality of my lights (Smart bspoke 1W front & 1/2W rear) that I use pretty much exclusively on the flashing mode when cycling in town, but I now understand them to be perfectly legal to be used on their own without a secondary set of constant/steady lights. Now what I don't get is the part about pedal reflectors - what's the deal?! I use clipless pedals without reflectors so could I find myself getting a caution if I'm stopped? - are some police really that petty and anally retentive? What's the situation if I'm involved in a crash at night? - Will the fact that I'm not using any pedal reflectors work against me court and effectively be used to show negligence on my part?

Can someone enlighten me please :?

alfablue

Unfortunately the Smart lights are not legal on their own; if they are capable of emitting a steady light then they must be marked as conforming to BS6102/3 or an equivalent EC standard. If they could only flash they would be fine. The packaging on the Smart lights says they conform to BS6102/3, however they are not BS approved, and therefore not legal unless marked on the lens to that effect (conforming and approval are two different things).

About the only flasher that are available that is approved is the Cateye TL-AU100 BS LED Rear Light, it isn't as good as your Smart lights!

alfablue

As for pedal reflectors, it is the general consensus here that the police are very unlikely to take any interest in your pedal reflectors, they will probably be please you have lights at all. In the case of an accident, someone defending your claim may well try to argue that there was contributory negligence - your guess is as good as mine as to whether that would succeed, I am not aware of any such cases, but there may be some.

I too use clipless and Smarts.

bartimaeus

I have spds without pedal reflectors... I wear WOWWOW ankle reflectors which perform the same function - but I do not think they meet the letter of the law. I did have pedal reflectors on my flats, but these don't survive off-road use anyway, and I think I'm down to 1 of 4 now.

fossyant

I really would not worry about legality. I spent almost two hours reporting an 'incident' yesterday, with my bike in front of a police officer in an interview room - even asked about the lights.... 2 x Hope Vision 1's, 2 x Magicshine rears (which are probably totally illegal due to output)......wanted to know where he could get some...........

MonkeyMonster

I keep meaning to put some of that black but lit when torched scotlite stuff on my pedal stems to act like reflectors...

Mr Plum

Some interesting stuff. So the lights are illegal, but it doesn't really matter, and the pedal reflectors don't matter but may be used against me in court if picked up on... :roll:

As for the legality of max light output, what sort of output are we talking about?

MonkeyMonster

Mr Plum wrote:

As for the legality of max light output, what sort of output are we talking about?

If they strip the paint off from the car infront - few too many lumens/candelabras

alfablue

Mr Plum wrote:

Some interesting stuff. So the lights are illegal, but it doesn't really matter, and the pedal reflectors don't matter but may be used against me in court if picked up on... :roll:

As for the legality of max light output, what sort of output are we talking about?

I don't think there is any stated maximum output, though they are probably expected not to dazzle.

fossyant

There are no set standards for cycle light output, but many bike lights are seriously bright now.

Wouldn't worry about it, I was run over two years ago with 2 x Cateye EL510's, 1 x Tesco 3w Torch, on rear had Mars 3.0, 4.0 and a Superflash. On rucksack were a few sets of blinkies. No-one quibbled the fact that my light's weren't 'legal'. The fact that I was lit up like a Christmas Tree ensured the driver admitted fault.

That said, since getting run over, I've upped the light output of my light system.....

As long as you have white lights to the front, and red to the rear, and you can actually see them, then it's fine (i.e. no old batteries etc).

millimole

Look at it on a 'risk assessment' basis:
What is the likelihood of you getting stopped? - low; What is the likelhood of you being involved in a crash/ - very low hopefully; What is the likelhood of these events occuring int he dark? - possible;What is the likelihood of plod being interested in the strict legality of your lights and reflectors? - low; What is the consequence of failing to comply with lighting regulations? - Minor (small fine maybe; insurance payout reduced).
All in all this gives me at most a 'risk score' for using non-approved, but perfectly safe lights & reflectors, at most, a risk score of (possible x minor)=Low Risk.

Even with the law as it stands, I would be very interested in a case to challenge the pedal reflector regulations, particularly for SPD (and similar) where they cannot be fitted, and to clarify the position of recumbents whose pedals cannot be seen from the rear!

unixnerd

If you have SPDs then things like M520s come with a black plastic insert with two reflectors. You can flip it over and use it as a non-clipin pedal in traffic or use the clip-in side as normal. So it is possible to have clip in pedals with legal reflectors.

I thought a front reflector was mandatory too (and a bell for that matter)?

MonkeyMonster

unixnerd wrote:

If you have SPDs then things like M520s come with a black plastic insert with two reflectors. You can flip it over and use it as a non-clipin pedal in traffic or use the clip-in side as normal. So it is possible to have clip in pedals with legal reflectors.

I thought a front reflector was mandatory too (and a bell for that matter)?

aye, totally correct but why buy dual sided spds only to use one side... but I think the bell thing is purely they have to sell it with one, don't have to ride with it. Front no longer afaik. Used to be.

alfablue

Front reflector and bell are mandatory at point of sale (unless a bike sold for racing or track use I believe) but not a legal requirement in use: Pedal Bicycles Safety Regulations

kona_matt

MonkeyMonster wrote:

I keep meaning to put some of that black but lit when torched scotlite stuff on my pedal stems to act like reflectors...

i've done exactly this, not sure how it looks from a car though, will have to get the missus to ride it whilst i follow in the car!

Mr Plum

fossyant wrote:

There are no set standards for cycle light output, but many bike lights are seriously bright now.

Wouldn't worry about it, I was run over two years ago with 2 x Cateye EL510's, 1 x Tesco 3w Torch, on rear had Mars 3.0, 4.0 and a Superflash. On rucksack were a few sets of blinkies. No-one quibbled the fact that my light's weren't 'legal'. The fact that I was lit up like a Christmas Tree ensured the driver admitted fault.

That said, since getting run over, I've upped the light output of my light system.....

As long as you have white lights to the front, and red to the rear, and you can actually see them, then it's fine (i.e. no old batteries etc).

Yeah this is my point really - if I get hit, as long as I've clearly made every effort to make myself visible with appropriate lights, then there's no real argument or loop-hole in the law for the person that hit me to get away with it, right?

I'm just trying to make every effort to cover myself - I've had a couple of close shaves recently and over the last 2 years of commuting I've only seen the driving habits of the average motorist get worse...

Sorry to hear about your crash BTW.

jds_1981

MonkeyMonster wrote:

Mr Plum wrote:

As for the legality of max light output, what sort of output are we talking about?

If they strip the paint off from the car infront - few too many lumens/candelabras

Or if the bumper on the car behind starts to crumple and run.

alfablue

Mr Plum wrote:

Yeah this is my point really - if I get hit, as long as I've clearly made every effort to make myself visible with appropriate lights, then there's no real argument or loop-hole in the law for the person that hit me to get away with it, right?

I agree with Fossyant, get good lights and don't worry. However, no one can say what you ask with any certainty, it is feasible that someone defending a claim made by you could cite the fact that your lights and reflectors were not legal as a defence, and it is feasible that the court would consider this to be valid as a defence (or perhaps more likely, contributory negligence which could diminish your claim). I don't think you can predict with certainty that this would never happen, no matter how unlikely it may seem.

snooks

kona_matt wrote:

MonkeyMonster wrote:

I keep meaning to put some of that black but lit when torched scotlite stuff on my pedal stems to act like reflectors...

i've done exactly this, not sure how it looks from a car though, will have to get the missus to ride it whilst i follow in the car!

I have the grey retroreflective tape.....see if you can spot it in the pic below

Cafewanda

Nope. Can't see it at all. Nice lights though

singlespeedexplosif

2 x Hope Vision 1's, 2 x Magicshine rears (which are probably totally illegal due to output).
highly unlikely. Or, if they are, then surely every single car headlight is illegal too.

ooermissus

It's really stupid to take delivery of highly recommended new lights from RSP (Raleigh) and find them marked with a big warning that they should only be used as an addition to lights that are legal to use on British roads. The law is a mess.

Paul E

Mine are RSP and I have gone past loads of police and they don't bat an eyelid, if you are all in black no reflective and no lights then fine but if you are visible I don't think the finer points of the lights not having this mark or another is worth the police forces time and effort.

As long as you are not blinding other road users and you are visible to others that sounds like common sense to me.

Specialized Needs

unixnerd wrote:

If you have SPDs then things like M520s come with a black plastic insert with two reflectors. You can flip it over and use it as a non-clipin pedal in traffic or use the clip-in side as normal. So it is possible to have clip in pedals with legal reflectors.

I thought a front reflector was mandatory too (and a bell for that matter)?

Don't normally 'come with' as such, but can be bought separately: SM-PD22 - £6.99 in Decathlon.

MonkeyMonster wrote:

aye, totally correct but why buy dual sided spds only to use one side... but I think the bell thing is purely they have to sell it with one, don't have to ride with it. Front no longer afaik. Used to be.

If the spindles on your SPDs are loose enough (they should be) the platforms will always 'flop' to present the cleat perfectly. They actually assist! If you are worried about wear, swap the platform to the other cleat.

Actually, thinking about it, regularly swapping the platforms could be seen as a way of ensuring even wear on the two sides of the cleat and getting your money's worth.

sufferingpete

The plod in Sheffield use flashing led smart lights that don't comply- usually when riding on the pavement.

Basically the plot are too thick to understand the laws they may occasional take a minimal interest to enforce.

I also worry about being compliant - I am thinking of getting a rear dynamo light to comply via the EC/German standards.

The other option is a reelight that doesn't have a steady mode.

PBo

sufferingpete wrote:

The plod in Sheffield use flashing led smart lights that don't comply- usually when riding on the pavement.

Basically the plot are too thick to understand the laws they may occasional take a minimal interest to enforce.

I also worry about being compliant - I am thinking of getting a rear dynamo light to comply via the EC/German standards.

The other option is a reelight that doesn't have a steady mode.

This has all been discussed last week

there is a £6 light in decathlon that has a german k mark. I got one to cheaply ensure legality, but will use it with other lights too.

My personal problem is not plod, but some insurance lawyer going for the contributory negligence angle.

kona_matt

snooks wrote:

kona_matt wrote:

MonkeyMonster wrote:

I keep meaning to put some of that black but lit when torched scotlite stuff on my pedal stems to act like reflectors...

i've done exactly this, not sure how it looks from a car though, will have to get the missus to ride it whilst i follow in the car!

I have the grey retroreflective tape.....see if you can spot it in the pic below

damn that's bright! gonna have to take some photos of mine in the dark.

theblender

I don't worry about being compliant, I worry about being seen.

The British Standards for bicycles is rubbish. You can buy a pile of crap BSO from Asda or similar which has terrible plastic, wobbly brakes with no power or control, wobbly wheels, duff threads for duff bolts to hold duff components together, assembled (usually with the forks facing backwards) by mr DIY dad who hasn't really got a clue, but as long as the lights, reflectors and bell are fitted, it meets British Standards.

If the BS institute took bicycle safety seriously, they would ban bikes being sold in boxes, and ban the sort of crap you can buy in Supermarkets and toysRus etc etc....

Reflectors only work if you keep them clean, and the majority of commuters I see can't even clean a yellow jacket, let alone their reflectors.

As long as you are happy that you are visible to other road users, then you'll be fine.

Mr Plum

PBo wrote:

My personal problem is not plod, but some insurance lawyer going for the contributory negligence angle.

That's exactly what I'm concerned about. With regards to flashing LED lights, the law only states that they must be "flashing between 1 and 4 times per second, with a brightness of at least 4 candelas" - taken from http://www.aukweb.net/lights/legal.htm - It states that it's only steady lights that MUST conform to BS 6102/3. This just confuses me more as to where I stand when using my 'steady' lights on flashing mode... :?


I just found some old lights that I got cheap from Halfords - the rear LED light is marked as complying with 'BS 6102/3'. I can't tell if the markings on it are only to state that the reflector complies to that standard or the whole light? It's not totally clear as the reflector is part of the light:

Mr Plum

theblender wrote:

I don't worry about being compliant, I worry about being seen.
As long as you are happy that you are visible to other road users, then you'll be fine.

That's a massive amount of naivety. As mentioned above, sh*t happens regardless of whether you're lit up like a Christmas tree or not...

PBo

Mr Plum wrote:

PBo wrote:

My personal problem is not plod, but some insurance lawyer going for the contributory negligence angle.

That's exactly what I'm concerned about. With regards to flashing LED lights, the law only states that they must be "flashing between 1 and 4 times per second, with a brightness of at least 4 candelas" - taken from http://www.aukweb.net/lights/legal.htm - It states that it's only steady lights that MUST conform to BS 6102/3. This just confuses me more as to where I stand when using my 'steady' lights on flashing mode... :?


I just found some old lights that I got cheap from Halfords - the rear LED light is marked as complying with 'BS 6102/3'. I can't tell if the markings on it are only to state that the reflector complies to that standard or the whole light? It's not totally clear as the reflector is part of the light:

I've got that light too. I believe that a reflector has to conform to BS6102/2/ not /3, so that mark is for the light I think.

As regards your question about flashing modes "If capable of emitting a steady light it must be marked as conforming to BS3648, or BS6102/3" - if it can be steady then it needs to be marked, even if you use it flashing