Bike Lights and The Law – The British Standard BS 6102/3, STVZO and how cyclists can remain legal using super bright Bike Lights

[social_warfare]

So What is the Law on Bike Lights?

FIRST OF ALL WE NEED BIKE LIGHTS TO:

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To SEE the road ahead (and bright ones that light up the road further if you cycle on Rural Roads and travel at speed on a Road Bike)

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To be SEEN in Towns, cities and Rural Roads.

Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations states that lights must conform to British Standard BS 6102/3 or an equivalent European standard (e.g. STVZO is the German equivalent to RVLR)

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You must have a white front light, facing frontwards and visible from the front

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Have a red rear light, facing backwards and visible from the rear.

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Have working lights that are in good condition.

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Have lights turned on when riding any time between sunset and sunrise. That’s literally from when the sun goes over the horizon to when it comes back up again.

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You can use a Flashing Front and Rear Light as long provided it flashes between 60 and 240 times per minute (1 – 4Hz)

DON’T DAZZLE! ROAD VEHICALE LIGHTING REGULATIONS – DON’T DAZZLE – IT IS THE LAW!

Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations also state it is an offence for any light on any vehicle (that includes bicycles) to “cause undue dazzle or discomfort to other persons using the road”

The problem with this though is that it is subjective…..

IF YOU ARE CYCLING IN THE COUNTRY WITHOUT STREET LIGHTING, YOU NEED A HIGH POWERED BIKE LIGHT….

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THE PROBLEM....

Finding a British Standard or a European equivalent Bike light is not easy and when you do, they are seldom bright enough for rural roads or to be highly visible in towns and cities.

The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations and British Standard has not kept up with technology, there’s more cars on the road and more cyclists too and we have a duty of care for cyclists to see, be seen and be safe on our roads. (the British Standard specification for lights dates back to 1986 which states a maximum of 70cd designed to apply to lights with filament bulbs and LED’s were only permitted at a later date with an amendment)

NB. Most Cycling Retailers do not stock any compliant Bike Lights

SO WHAT’S THE SOLUTION?

Our Front Cree Light has a simple “One Touch Button Dip” function…you can switch from 600 Lumens down to a lower setting with one press of a Button…..simple and easy to do…..and you do not DAZZLE motorists.

If you are on a Country Road which is unlit, without street lighting and no oncoming traffic, you can use the full 600 lumens safely without the worry of dazzling other road users. When there is an oncoming Car or Cyclist, you can “DIP” the light using the One Touch Button Dip to a lower power.

Bike lights shouldn’t blind motorists or cause undue dazzle or discomfort to other users of the road.

It should always be very simple to switch from a high beam to low (just like a car) with a one button press because you should always dip to a low beam when you have on-coming traffic – just like when you drive a car, you should not full beam on-coming traffic, it’s no different for a cyclist.

So what can you do as a cyclist?

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Although RVLR rules are seldom reinforced, if your Bike Lights dazzle, you can be stopped by the police and told to put them on a lower setting and told to point them downwards towards the road and not towards the horizon.

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You can use a non-approved Bike Light that doesn’t comply to British Standards if used in conjunction with an approved British Standard or European equivalent Bike Light that is already fitted.

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Use a Bike Light that has different settings….so High, Middle, Low settings. If you ride mostly around town there is no real need to use the maximum powered off road lighting system, all that does is blind oncoming drivers and cyclists whilst rapidly draining the batteries.

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Make sure the Bike Light has a “ ONE BUTTON DIP” function that allows you to switch to the Middle to low setting quickly and easily if you have oncoming traffic when you are on a HIGH setting on rural roads….that way you won’t dazzle oncoming traffic.

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Point your Bike Lights towards the Road and not towards the Horizon – we want to be seen and not dazzle

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Do not use a High Powered off-road Helmet Bike Lights on the roads – these will dazzle on-coming traffic.

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Do not use a High Powered off-road Helmet Bike Lights on the roads – these will dazzle on-coming traffic.