Lights & reflectivity

A couple brief questions.

1. What lights am I allowed to have on the bike? IIRC the only regulated no-no is having forward-facing red lights, and the various requirements for how the headlight and turn lights are supposed to be. Anything else?

E.g. suppose I had little blinking blue lights on the sides - any legal issues?

2. Any legal restrictions on what parts are allowed to be reflective?

3. Any advice on what I ought not make reflective (eg forward fairings?) for non-legal reasons, i.e. because it'd just be a bad idea?

Thanks!

It may be a bit for your reply...
(LEO's all beating their heads on their keyboards)

FWIW yes I have done search re lights (and included that info in my question); don't know of any previous threads re reflectivity.

Otherwise I don't think I'm asking a stupid question or being rude...

saizai said:

A couple brief questions.

1. What lights am I allowed to have on the bike? IIRC the only regulated no-no is having forward-facing red lights, and the various requirements for how the headlight and turn lights are supposed to be. Anything else?

E.g. suppose I had little blinking blue lights on the sides - any legal issues?

2. Any legal restrictions on what parts are allowed to be reflective?

3. Any advice on what I ought not make reflective (eg forward fairings?) for non-legal reasons, i.e. because it'd just be a bad idea?

Thanks!

Click to expand...

1- Only white and yellow/orange lights to the front, only red lights to rear (orange allowed for signals and white for reverse lights). No other colors allowed facing any direction. Blinking blue lights used on a roadway are illegal.

2- what do you mean by refelective? Reflective tape so you are more visible?

3- depends on answer to #2

24003 VC. "No vehicle shall be equipped with any lamp or illuminating device not required or permitted in this code, nor shall any lamp or illuminating device be mounted inside a vehicle unless specifically permitted by this code."

This is a catch all section. If you are cited for it, the burden of proof switches over to you to prove that the equipment in question is approved and legal for use on your specific vehicle.

Re: Re: Lights & reflectivity

silversvs said:

1- Only white and yellow/orange lights to the front, only red lights to rear (orange allowed for signals and white for reverse lights). No other colors allowed facing any direction. Blinking blue lights used on a roadway are illegal.

Click to expand...

Huh, I wasn't aware of that. Could you tell me what code covers this?

2- what do you mean by refelective? Reflective tape so you are more visible?

Click to expand...

Tape / stickers or reflective clear-coat spraypaint (eg here).

And yes the idea is purely for safety & visibility's sake; not trying to be a smartass and imitate a cop or interfere with other drivers or the like.

3- depends on answer to #2

24003 VC. "No vehicle shall be equipped with any lamp or illuminating device not required or permitted in this code, nor shall any lamp or illuminating device be mounted inside a vehicle unless specifically permitted by this code."

This is a catch all section. If you are cited for it, the burden of proof switches over to you to prove that the equipment in question is approved and legal for use on your specific vehicle. [/B]

Click to expand...

Mm, interesting. I suppose that means that running lights are then specifically mentioned as allowed? What's the text of the code that covers them?

I would think that reflective tape/paint isn't a "lamp or illuminating device"...

^^ pretty much covered above.

http://www.bayarearidersforum.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=165689

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/vc/vc.htm

Enter "Lighting" in the search box.

Re: Re: Lights & reflectivity

silversvs said:

1- Only white and yellow/orange lights to the front, only red lights to rear (orange allowed for signals and white for reverse lights). No other colors allowed facing any direction. Blinking blue lights used on a roadway are illegal.

Click to expand...

25102. In addition to the lamps otherwise permitted by this chapter, any motor vehicle may be equipped with lamps on the sides thereof, visible from the side of the vehicle but not from the front or rear thereof, which lamps, together with mountings or receptacles, shall be set into depressions or recesses in the body of the vehicle and shall not protrude beyond or outside the body of the vehicle. The light source in each of the lamps shall not exceed two candlepower and shall emit diffused light of any color, except that the color red is permitted only on authorized emergency vehicles.


... so I think you're wrong on the second sentence.

There is a code saying blinking lights are illegal unless specifically legal though. So change the e.g. to "static blue running lights on the sides".


Edit: ... but it appears to directly conflict with this:

25950. This section applies to the color of lamps and to any reflector exhibiting or reflecting perceptible light of 0.05 candela or more per foot-candle of incident illumination. Unless provided otherwise, the color of lamps and reflectors upon a vehicle shall be as follows:

(a) The emitted light from all lamps and the reflected light from all reflectors, visible from in front of a vehicle, shall be white or yellow, except as follows:



So now I'm confused as to whether they can be "any color" (25102) or "only white/yellow" (25950)...

(FWIW, I'm more interested in the reflectivity part of the questions - the running lights thing is secondary as a 'hmm maybe someday' project.)

Re: Re: Re: Lights & reflectivity

saizai said:

25102. ... visible from the side of the vehicle but not from the front or rear

25950. (a) ... visible from in front of a vehicle

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Looks like as long as they can't be seen from the front or rear and they're pretty dim (2 candlepower), they can be any color they want.

Seems it's time to put neon in your engine bay to me...

Edited to add: hey! that was my first post!

They are not contradictory. 25102 deals with lights that can't be seen from the front or rear. 25950 deals with the color of light that is visible from the front or rear. And yes, flashing lights are covered elsewhere.

24003 is the catch all. As quoted already, you can see it says no lights are permitted unless explicitly stated so in this code. So start reading the VC from section 24000 and on. If you find a section that allows for the lights, then you are ok.

Reflectors are covered in sections 24607 CVC and on.

Consider the lights point settled.

I'd still like answers to Qs 2 & 3.

Also FWIW - does a reflective-painted topbox count as a "reflector", or just those little attachment thingies?

Did a little trolling in the good book today. All sections I am referring to are listed below. As far as I can tell.....

You can put reflecting material on the front of your bike as long as it reflects white or amber and is located at least 15 inches above the ground.

You can put reflecting material on the back of your bike as long as it reflects red.

You can put whatever color refective material you want on the sides of your bike.

You cannot run green or blue lights (solid or flashing anywhere on your bike).

Good luck and I'd like to see pictures when you are done.


24609. (a) A vehicle may be equipped with white or amber reflectors that are mounted on the front of the vehicle at a height of 15 inches or more, but not more than 60 inches from the ground

26701.
(d) No person shall sell, offer for sale, or operate any motor
vehicle equipped with red, blue, or amber translucent aftermarket
material in any partitions, windows, windshields, or wind deflectors.


24252. (a) All lighting equipment of a required type installed on a
vehicle shall at all times be maintained in good working order.
Lamps shall be equipped with bulbs of the correct voltage rating
corresponding to the nominal voltage at the lamp socket.

25950. This section applies to the color of lamps and to any
reflector exhibiting or reflecting perceptible light of 0.05 candela
or more per foot-candle of incident illumination. Unless provided
otherwise, the color of lamps and reflectors upon a vehicle shall be as follows:
(a) The emitted light from all lamps and the reflected light from
all reflectors, visible from in front of a vehicle, shall be white or
yellow, except as follows:
(1) Rear side marker lamps required by Section 25100 may show red to the front.
(2) The color of foglamps described in Section 24403 may be in the color spectrum from white to yellow.
(3) An illuminating device, as permitted under Section 24255,
shall emit radiation predominantly in the infrared region of the
electromagnetic spectrum. Any incidental visible light projecting to
the front of the vehicle shall be predominantly yellow to white.
Any incidental visible light projecting to the rear of the vehicle
shall be predominantly red. Any incidental visible light from an
illuminating device, as permitted under Section 24255, shall not
resemble any other required or permitted lighting device or official
traffic control device.
(b) The emitted light from all lamps and the reflected light from
all reflectors, visible from the rear of a vehicle, shall be red
except as follows:
(1) Stoplamps on vehicles manufactured before January 1, 1979, may show yellow to the rear.
(2) Turn signal lamps may show yellow to the rear.
(3) Front side marker lamps required by Section 25100 may show yellow to the rear.
(4) Backup lamps shall show white to the rear.
(5) The rearward facing portion of a front-mounted double-faced
turn signal lamp may show amber to the rear while the headlamps or parking lamps are lighted, if the intensity of the light emitted is not greater than the parking lamps and the turn signal function is not impaired.
(6) A reflector meeting the requirements of, and installed in
accordance with, Section 24611 shall be red or white, or both.
(c) All lamps and reflectors visible from the front, sides, or
rear of a vehicle, except headlamps, may have any unlighted color, provided the emitted light from all lamps or reflected light from all reflectors complies with the required color. Except for backup lamps, the entire effective projected luminous area of lamps visible from the rear or mounted on the sides near the rear of a vehicle shall be covered by an inner lens of the required color when the unlighted color differs from the required emitted light color. Taillamps, stoplamps, and turn signal lamps that are visible to the rear may be white when unlighted on vehicles manufactured before January 1, 1974.


25400. (a) Any vehicle may be equipped with a lamp or device on the exterior of the vehicle that emits a diffused nonglaring light of
not more than 0.05 candela per square inch of area.
(b) Any diffused nonglaring light shall not display red to the
front, but may display other colors. A diffused nonglaring light
shall not resemble nor be installed within 12 inches or in such
position as to interfere with the visibility or effectiveness of any
required lamp, reflector, or other device upon the vehicle.
(c) A diffused nonglaring lamp or device, other than a display
sign authorized by subdivision (d), shall be limited in size to an
area of 720 square inches and where any lease, rental, or donation is involved the installation of the lamp or device shall be limited to those vehicles operated either primarily within business or residential districts or municipalities, or between business
districts, residential districts, and municipalities in close
proximity.

375. "Lighting equipment" is any of the following lamps or devices:

(a) A headlamp, auxiliary driving, passing, or fog lamp, fog
taillamp, taillamp, stoplamp, supplemental stoplamp, license plate
lamp, clearance lamp, side marker lamp, signal lamp or device,
supplemental signal lamp, deceleration signal device, cornering lamp, running lamp, red, blue, amber, or white warning lamp, flashing red schoolbus lamp, side-mounted turn signal lamp, and schoolbus side lamp.
(b) An operating unit or canceling mechanism for turn signal lamps or for the simultaneous flashing of turn signal lamps as vehicular hazard signals, and an advance stoplamp switch.
(c) A flasher mechanism for turn signals, red schoolbus lamps,
warning lamps, the simultaneous flashing of turn signal lamps as
vehicular hazard signals, and the headlamp flashing systems for
emergency vehicles.
(d) Any equipment regulating the light emitted from a lamp or
device or the light sources therein.
(e) A reflector, including reflectors for use on bicycles, and
reflectors used for required warning devices.

silversvs said:

You can put reflecting material on the back of your bike as long as it reflects red.

Click to expand...

Does it count if the reflecting material is not attached to the bike, but to eg a topbox, backpack, etc?

You cannot run green or blue lights (solid or flashing anywhere on your bike).

Click to expand...

Flashing no. But solid yes it seems so long as it's only visible from the sides, per 25102 - just can't be red, but doesn't say anything about blue there. Maybe e.g. something like a (non flashing) blue light illuminating the engine block? Clearly recessed and visible from the sides only. (Though whether my ninjette deserves the 'look at the pretty innards' treatment is perhaps questionable. )


Dunno what 26701 is meant to refer to - "translucent aftermarket material"? Maybe that means tinting, for cars...? Seems to be irrelevant anyhow so long as I don't paint my windscreen.


Nobody has answered #3 yet - what would be a good idea / not a good idea to make reflective, on practical rather than legal grounds? My intent is purely to make myself more visible for improved safety (and help reduce he likelihood of "I didn't see him" incidents that involve me meeting the ground). I don't want to do something that will backfire somehow on that, or eg interfere with other drivers...

So would this meet the code?

NorCalBusa said:

It may be a bit for your reply...
(LEO's all beating their heads on their keyboards)

Click to expand...

"You can put reflecting material on the back of your bike as long as it reflects red."


So if reflective material on the rider counts as part of the vehicle, then I guess all of the Aerostitch riders are in violation with the white reflective stripe on the back of the suit. I would be in violation with my helmet halo, which reflects white. When seated on the bike, my halo may also be greater than 60 inches off the ground.

I've seen pics of white reflectors on the rear of hard bags on bikes. I think there are even sticker kits that can be ordered for this (that reflect white).

I suppose this VC is just not enforced very much.

If. Which is why I asked if a topbox counts as part of the bike or if it's separate.

Though I can't find any statute, I'd assume that anything permanently mounted to the bike (like a top box) would count as "on the bike" and everything else (like your helmet, suit, etc) would not.

That would mean go hogwild with any or all of the following:

Rearward facing red reflectors between 15" and 60" high.
Forward facing white or amber reflectors between 15" and 60" high.
Exclusively sideways facing reflectors of any color between 15" and 60" high.
Anything you want on you.

As far as what's a good idea? I'd stick with red to the rear and white/amber to the fronts and sides. The white halo on your helmet and suit seems good too. More visibility is (almost) always better. I'm thinking of getting reflective R1 badges to replace my missing side decals and will probably get the black stealth rim-stripes.

I found this thread doing a search on reflective tape and the last post was exactly on the topic I was considering.

Sorry to bring up a long dead thread again but I still don't see an answer.

One. California license plates do not reflect red. Are they legal?

Two. The black tape that reflects white. Is it legal on top boxes and side cases that are not bolted to the bike permanently like on BMWs. They latch on but are not permanent. They are luggage.

I ride to work every day and I start early enough that my morning trip is always in the dark. I sure do like that back tape that doesn't ruin the looks of my luggage but still might save my butt.

This is what I am talking about.

Examples

serazin said:

One. California license plates do not reflect red. Are they legal?

Click to expand...

Yes, they are required equipment under the code.

Display of License Plates
5200. (a) When two license plates are issued by the department for use upon a vehicle, they shall be attached to the vehicle for which they were issued, one in the front and the other in the rear.
(b) When only one license plate is issued for use upon a vehicle, it shall be attached to the rear thereof , unless the license plate is issued for use upon a truck tractor, in which case the license plate shall be displayed in accordance with Section 4850.5.

As for the reflective tape, and long as you don't remove any of the existing required reflectors and equipment I don't think you would have a problem.