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LED Lights

SurfAwave69

SurfAwave69

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Ok, ok, sort of a repost...but I need a little more clarification.

I bought two LED lights from a bicycle shop (each have a flashing & stationary function).

I want to clip one to the front windshield and one to the back of my jacket...

My feelings are that they will increase safety tenfold.....legal?
 
Unless you're a LEO, fireman or EMT vehicle, you can't have a forward facing flashing red light. As it's only for emergency responding vehicles.

With a flashing red light on the back of your jacket, are you planning to ride a bicycle or a motorcycle?

I believe bicyclists are allowed to wear a red flashing strobe on the back of the bike or their jacket. Motorcycles are allowed to have a flashing red tail light. But the flash can only flash four times followed by a solid red light. Not sure about motorcyclists wearing a red flashing strobe, as I believe the rule for motorcyclists is the light has to be affixed to the motorcycle itself.
 
masameet said:
Unless you're a LEO, fireman or EMT vehicle, you can't have a forward facing flashing red light. As it's only for emergency responding vehicles.

With a flashing red light on the back of your jacket, are you planning to ride a bicycle or a motorcycle?

I believe bicyclists are allowed to wear a red flashing strobe on the back of the bike or their jacket. Motorcycles are allowed to have a flashing red tail light. But the flash can only flash four times followed by a solid red light. Not sure about motorcyclists wearing a red flashing strobe, as I believe the rule for motorcyclists is the light has to be affixed to the motorcycle itself.
Click to expand...

Hmm.....

My plan is to use them while riding my motorcycle. I believe, if worn, these lights will certainly decrease my chances of getting flogged by an inattentive driver (especially while lanesharing).

If worn, what are the repercussions?
 
prob a minor infraction for improper lighting, similar to the ones they give ricers with LED valve stems and windshield washer nozzles.
 
ucb said:
prob a minor infraction for improper lighting, similar to the ones they give ricers with LED valve stems and windshield washer nozzles.
Click to expand...

Oy! Like a fix-it ticket??

I have no intention of breaking the law...but, after brainstorming choices between safety apparel, these lights are the best choice.

....and if they're worn in a manner to increase safety, why not?
 
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Well ... my DRZ had the Signal Dynamics BackOFF! unit for the brake light. Don't know if the unit just went bad, or whether my thumper's vibration -- or my dropping my bike -- caused the unit to stop working (actually it also stopped my brake light from lighting until it was snipped off).

Kisan Technologies also makes a unit that gives four flashes and one solid red when the brakes are engaged.
 
masameet said:
Well ... my DRZ had the Signal Dynamics BackOFF! unit for the brake light. Don't know if the unit just went bad, or whether my thumper's vibration -- or my dropping my bike -- caused the unit to stop working (actually it also stopped my brake light from lighting until it was snipped off).

Kisan Technologies also makes a unit that gives four flashes and one solid red when the brakes are engaged.
Click to expand...

I thought about the brake light; in my opinion, since these 'clip-on' lights can be worn anywhere, and if worn higher on one's jacket, it's more 'eye-catching'.
 
SurfAwave69 said:
Ok, ok, sort of a repost...but I need a little more clarification.

I bought two LED lights from a bicycle shop (each have a flashing & stationary function).

I want to clip one to the front windshield and one to the back of my jacket...

My feelings are that they will increase safety tenfold.....legal?
Click to expand...

Illegal
 
Want increased safety? The battery on these never run out. :rofl

2036.jpg
 
silversvs said:
Illegal
Click to expand...

Don't take my debate mode I'm about to go in offensive, and in advance, thank you for replying to my thread...

But wouldn't these measures increase a riders safety? I understand the state does not want riders to be mistaken for police officers...but I'm still compelled to question......
 
SurfAwave69 said:
Don't take my debate mode I'm about to go in offensive, and in advance, thank you for replying to my thread...

But wouldn't these measures increase a riders safety? I understand the state does not want riders to be mistaken for police officers...but I'm still compelled to question......
Click to expand...

Flashing LEDs won't increase safety at night. Flashing lights tend to confuse the drunks especially at freeway speeds. (Ask CHiPpers why they don't use thier lightbars at night.)

Even wearing an ANSI Class III safety vest is debatable. You will appear as a glowing blob, if traveling at safe speeds for conditions. Some drivers may target fixate on you as the brightest object in the roadway. If you choose to travel at excessive speeds, drivers may call CHP/911 reporting a UFO...:laughing
 
SurfAwave69 said:
Don't take my debate mode I'm about to go in offensive, and in advance, thank you for replying to my thread...

But wouldn't these measures increase a riders safety? I understand the state does not want riders to be mistaken for police officers...but I'm still compelled to question......
Click to expand...

Having your bike surrounded by red, yellow, and blue strobe lights would make you more visible also; but it still ain't legal. So if you want to break the law and have to go to court I wish you well if you base your defense on "Because it was rider safety".

And a front red light is not just a fix-it ticket.

25269- I -Misuse of Red Warning Light Prohibited -99.00
 
I'm talking about having maybe one light (okay, not even flashing) attached to a jacket (during the day).....I would think it would be praised, especially in this day and age with MC fatalities going up.
 
SurfAwave69 said:
I'm talking about having maybe one light (okay, not even flashing) attached to a jacket (during the day).....I would think it would be praised, especially in this day and age with MC fatalities going up.
Click to expand...

We hear what you are saying.

You came to the LEO forum to ask a question.

Its been answered.

You don't like the answer.

What else can we do for you?

As JPM stated, there are many things that can be done to increase rider visibility. Adding a red light to the front is not legal.
 
silversvs said:
We hear what you are saying.

You came to the LEO forum to ask a question.

Its been answered.

You don't like the answer.

What else can we do for you?

As JPM stated, there are many things that can be done to increase rider visibility. Adding a red light to the front is not legal.
Click to expand...

Your right...thanks for your help guys.
 
You can get short lengths of 3M reflective tape from flighthelmet.com (and they ship cheaply via USPS mail) in all different colors and widths:

http://www.flighthelmet.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=FHL&Category_Code=REFT

Try applying this stuff (in the appropriate colors) to the sides and back of your helmet, bike, bag, etc. I have a couple of stripes from the front of my helmet to the back.

It's also available pretty cheaply (as well as the reflective cloth) on eBay but you can't always get every width/color that you want.

This should increase your visibility a lot, at night at least, without getting you into trouble.

If you have panniers on that KLR, you can apply regular (brighter than the tape) reflectors on them as well.
 
JPM said:
Having your bike surrounded by red, yellow, and blue strobe lights would make you more visible also; but it still ain't legal. So if you want to break the law and have to go to court I wish you well if you base your defense on "Because it was rider safety".

And a front red light is not just a fix-it ticket.

25269- I -Misuse of Red Warning Light Prohibited -99.00
Click to expand...

Hey JPM, is there another sub to this as well.. I have heard that use of "illegal lighting" can add up other infractions. Such as speeding, and using a red light to "move people along" via "impersonating an LEO" is a felony correct?
silversvs said:
Adding a red light to the front is not legal.
Click to expand...

IIRC: Any other color then White and Amber, to the front are illegal. Including certain "HID" or "Color Range" bulbs in the violet to blue, and pinkish colors
 
}Dragon{ said:
Flashing LEDs won't increase safety at night. Flashing lights tend to confuse the drunks especially at freeway speeds. (Ask CHiPpers why they don't use thier lightbars at night.)
Click to expand...

Wife's tale! That story has been floating around for 30 years- not one CHP has data to back it up, and indeed; CHP (who generally teaches to turn off lights as you mention) has a high rate of getting crashed into.
 
Dopesick said:
Hey JPM, is there another sub to this as well.. I have heard that use of "illegal lighting" can add up other infractions. Such as speeding, and using a red light to "move people along" via "impersonating an LEO" is a felony correct?


IIRC: Any other color then White and Amber, to the front are illegal. Including certain "HID" or "Color Range" bulbs in the violet to blue, and pinkish colors
Click to expand...

There are a lot of different lighting violations. So many that I bet most officers out there don't know half of them, especially if they don't work traffic.

http://www.bayarearidersforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=165689
 
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