Cycling UK Forum

Mark1978 wrote:Driving along the A177 dual carriageway last night 70mph (yes really), pitch black, couldn't use full beam because of oncoming cars but no other cars going my way to light the way.

I see a red flashing light in the distance, so straight away think "cyclist" and move to lane 2, sure enough he had a big red flashing light on his backpack. The point being the fact that the light was flashing meant I picked him as a cyclist immediately, if it had been steady my first thought would be that it's a car with a broken tail light.

Mind you, cycling on quite a narrow, unlit, national speed limit dual carriageway, rather him than me.

thirdcrank wrote:My interpretation is that the relevant bit of the regulation is here

g)a front position lamp capable of emitting a flashing light (whether or not it is also capable of emitting a steady light) which is fitted to—

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2005 ... ion/6/made

That does not seem to mean the same as the bit I've highlighted in red below:-

axel_knutt wrote:The regs require that you use an "approved" light. Approved is defined as
a)BS6102/3, or
b)SI2559, or
c)an equivalent European Spec.

The last I heard from CJ, there had been no test cases to establish which European specs are legally deemed equivalent. SI2559 is only applicable to lamps that have no continuous mode, and thus can't be type approved to BS6102/3. Even Cateye misunderstood this, their lamps used to claim that they met SI2559 until I reported them to Trading Standards in 2006. Now they rightly point out that they must be used in conjunction with an approved lamp. (My emphasis)

My layman's translation of the rest of the regulation (which is in my link for anybody retaining the will to live) is that the only requirement in flashing mode is that it should be capable of emitting 4 Mandela . (Or something like that )

"The requirements specified in para 5(d) of schedule 10 shall not apply in the case of a rear position lamp capable of emitting a flashing light which is fitted to
(i) a pedal cycle
unless the lamp is also capable of emitting a steady light."

Dear Mr Knutt

Following our conversation earlier today, please find below the information
as requested:

The following information is taken from the Department for Transport
website:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/d ... 12441.hcsp

The use of lighting and reflectors on pedal bicycles is regulated under the
Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989, as amended. The most recent
amendment is Statutory Instrument SI 2005 No. 2559 which came into force on
October 23rd 2005.

The main effect of the new Regulations was to permit flashing lights on
pedal cycles. The flashing lights do however have to conform to certain
requirements which are elaborated below.

Obligatory Lighting and Reflectors
Any cycle which is used during the hours of darkness or during periods of
poor visibility MUST be fitted with the following:
white front light
red rear light
red rear reflector
amber/yellow pedal reflectors - front and rear on each pedal.

The lamps may be steady or flashing, or a mixture - e.g. steady at the
front and flashing at the rear. A steady light is recommended at the front
when the cycle is used in areas without good street lighting.

**If either of the lights is capable of emitting a steady light, then it
must conform to BS 6102-3 and be marked accordingly, even if used in
flashing mode.**

**Purely flashing lights are not required to conform to BS6102-3, but the
flash rate must be between 60 and 240 equal flashes per minute (1-4 per
second) and the luminous intensity must be at least 4 candela. (This should
be advised by the manufacturer).**

The pedal reflectors and rear reflector must conform to BS 6102-2.

Lights and reflectors not conforming to the BS, but conforming to a
corresponding standard of another EC country and marked accordingly, are
considered to comply as long as that standard provides an equivalent level
of safety.
Lights are NOT required to be fitted on a bicycle at the point of sale -
but IF they are fitted, then they must comply with these regulations.




The 2005 amendment regulations can be viewed on the following web page:
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2005/20052559.htm

Particular attention should be given to the explanatory note at the bottom
of the page which refers to an amendment of Regulation 18 as follows:

Regulation 7 amends regulation 18 of the 1989 Regulations so as to exempt
obligatory front and rear position lamps which flash and are fitted to a
pedal cycle.... from the marking requirements in paragraph 5(c) and (ca)
of Schedule 2 and paragraph 5(d) and (e) of Schedule 10 provided they are
not also capable of emitting a steady light.

The 1989 Regulations (which have been amended by the 2005 Regulations) can
be viewed on the following web page:
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/SI/si1989/Uksi_19891796_en_1.htm

I hope this information is of use, but please feel free to contact us again
if you need any further advice.

Yours sincerely

axel_knutt wrote:

tripwire wrote:Do you have a source for that marking requirement?

Nope.
It's about six years since I delved into all this, and I was typing from memory. I might have been confusing this with BS6102/3, which definitley does require the BS no. to be "durably marked" (para. 11.1(c) according to my notes).

I can't be bothered wading through it all either, but I did a search for the word "mark" and it didn't turn up anything relevant. It's a bit inconsistent if the same doesn't apply to both specs, isn't it..........