I-Like-To-Bike

I couldn't find any federal law or anything else pertaining to bicycle road use in the above reference. What makes you think any of the stringent requirements for motor vehicles in the cited reference does or ever will apply to bicycle lighting?

Pop N Wood

OK, guess I got my answer.

10 Wheels

TEXAS:A person may not operate a bicycle at nighttime unless the bicycle is equipped with the following:

• Headlamp – a lamp on the front of the bicycle that emits a white light visible from a distance of at least 500 feet in front of the bicycle.
• Red Reflector/Red Lamp – A bicycle must be equipped with either a red reflector visible from a distance of 300 feet from the rear of the bicycle, or a red lamp visible from a distance of 500 feet from the rear of the bicycle.

rollagain

They apply because bicycles are vehicles.

SurferRosa

Sorry, but I wasn't the one mouthing off like a schoolgirl. I kindly asked a straight-up question and got no legitimate answer except attitude.

Wanderer

I do believe the National Parks Service is subject to Federal Motor Vehicle Code! MHO

Wanderer

And, why would anyone want to give a police officer a reason to stop them? Makes no sense to me!

rsbob 

I wasn’t going to bother to respond since you hit the nail on the head. No point. Good answer though.

SurferRosa

You left out the word "motor." Not sure bicycles qualify.

You guys are touting this is such an easy search. Uh huh.

rsbob 

Speaking of attitude and not to mention name calling, I need to congratulate you for having the distinct honor of being the only on my blocked list. Don’t have time for argumentative types and especially those who stoop to name calling. I would urge others to do likewise.

Go ahead and reply, because I won’t see it.

preventec47

I see a lot of generalizations taking place in this discussion and I have seen lots of perspectives I had not thought about.
I think we need to be specific about daytime vs nighttime operations, I think we need to be specific about the power or brightness of the lights combined with focus of the beams etc.
I think the type of road ways we are riding can influence what we should use.

Some assumptions are that some visibility is good, more is better and too much is disorienting, distracting, and pisses people off.

I originally wanted to point out that for a given amount of small power ie two or three AAA batteries, that the White lite is a LOT more visible than the same led with a red lens or red led ( I dont know) During Daytime, At least as far as blinding people with white to the rear, I dont think it is that bright. The strobe makes the battery last longer but if it makes motorists .mad, I dont want that. But again during daytime, I am not sure a white rear facing strobe of the small fifteen dollar light from Walmart is offensive. I chose the white lite facing rearward precisely because I tried the red light first and leaned my bike on the mailbox and walked half way down the block to take a look back and the red was NOT "attention getting" if I cna put it that way. So again, let me clarify because I said same power levels.... I am saying number of batteries because for some reason the lumens was listed
as almost triple on the white light as the red light using same batteries. I dont remember the exact company or model but it was a well recognized name brand light and I did get it at Walmart. Each package contained one red and one white identical light. So for daylight use, our objective is simply to be seen as we have no real need for headlights to show us where we are going.

So for a narrow condition of daylight, fifteen dollar budget, walmart vendor, two or three AAA batteries, I am sticking to my guns. I believe the white light facing the rear is best. ie more effective if it doesnt make people mad. The fact is that I put both lights facing the rear at the same time..... and I walked half a block away during the day and the white is WAY more noticeable. The only thing I am having trouble deciding for day use is whether I want to do the strobe or steady light option. But as far as attention getting ability, the strobe without a doubt is better but I am undecided about the relative low power strobing making motorists mad during the day.

Let me say something about that Natchez Trace safety film referenced previously..... It is very unique in that basically it is a privately owned interstate type hwy with the total focus
being to make it as scenic as possible. The roadways are more like a highway instead of a country road and It is obvious to me that the visual distances are far far greater
than on any other type of roadway in that region of the country. That I think is why there was mention of white lights as being effective moreso than red lights

Maelochs

Florida Uniform Traffic Code 316, section 2065: (https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2018/0316.2065) 316.2065 Bicycle regulations.—

(1) Every person propelling a vehicle by human power has all of the rights and all of the duties applicable to the driver of any other vehicle under this chapter, except as to special regulations in this chapter, and except as to provisions of this chapter which by their nature can have no application.

I have biked in much of the lower 48 and researched the laws in every state I rode in .... same in All of them.

Maelochs

Yeah ... took me about ten seconds.

I told people that researching the Uniform Traffic Code would yield this information .... but some folks decided to argue with snark instead of taking ten seconds to get the facts.

I reiterate: 316.2065 Bicycle regulations.—

(1) Every person propelling a vehicle by human power has all of the rights and all of the duties applicable to the driver of any other vehicle under this chapter, except as to special regulations in this chapter, and except as to provisions of this chapter which by their nature can have no application. (emphasis added.)

There are laws in most states regarding specifically what that state's bicycle lighting requirements are. Anyone who chooses to can do that research and like Any internet search of readily available public material .... Yeah, it is easy.

No one can come here and post, and claim that internet searches are difficult. The prima facie evidence of the person's having found this site, registered, and posted multiple times .... yeah, that is evidence of one's capacity to do a simple internet search.

SurferRosa

You pull the unnecessary attitude -- "just do a search" "next time, do a search" -- with zero legitimate answer to my question. Then you think "motor vehicles" covers bicycles. Then you get so huffy, you need to tell everyone someone else has the problem. Way to promote discourse.

SurferRosa

Is the uniform traffic code federal law???

That's all I asked for, the facts. Unfortunately, that's not what I got, which is attitude and illegitimate bunk.

​​​​​​

I-Like-To-Bike

Sure, and Federal regulations delineating specific equipment requirements for motor vehicles applies to bicycles as well.

Sure, and Federal regulations spelling out specific motor vehicle equipment requirements are interchangeable with the regulations that apply to operators of all vehicles in the U.S.

Sy Reene

I'm still hunting for seatbelts and airbags compatible with bike installation.. since they must be required.

unterhausen

The uniform vehicle code seems like a thin sliver to base an argument on. And now there is a pointless argument about how it applies. Generally states adopt it and then ignore parts of it.

Does it really matter if it's legal to have a white light on the back? You won't be cited, unless it's too bright, but it really seems like a bad idea. Sends a disorienting message to onlookers.

Maelochs

No, as I said a few times, every state has its own, and almost all of them are almost entirely identical. Yeah, that happens .... it is rumored (but not yet proven in court) that I might have even tended in that direction myself .... in the distant past ... hypothetically ...

Anyway ... we can all handle being here and if we can't ... we simply won't come here. So .... in the end, everything balances out with a slight edge to continued posting and reading it would seem ....

Cougrrcj

I used a USCG-approved single D-cell life-vest YELLOW Xenon-strobe on the rear rack of my Fuji for years. US Coast Guard requires a 2-mile visibility standard! My commute was on a 55mph two-lane state highway. VERY bright 1-second (60/minute) strobe. I wanted to be SEEN!!!
YES, people saw me!!!




Sadly, that light got destroyed due to a leaking battery.

Now I use a bright LED red blinking taillight.


.

Maelochs

Some folks seem not to grasp the concept of "quit while you are ahead," or even, "Don't dig that hole any deeper."

Fact is, instead of composing snarky posts, you could have done a simple internet search for Whatever you wanted. You chose not to. And now you are complaining about not having the information you chose not to seek out.

If you think somehow you are better off for all this .... wonderful for you.

Joy to the world, eh?

Maelochs

overkill, perhaps, but certainly well above minimum requirements.

I figure half a mile is fine for cars and other road-going vehicles because most of them--even tankers---can turn or stop a lot more quickly than say, an ocean-going tanker or a cruise ship.

The other issue is, how often do I have two miles of straight, flat road behind me? The answer is generally "never." There are a few stretches where that might obtain ...

If I commuted on two-lane 55-mph roads with no bike lanes .... well, I wouldn't if I could avoid it. There were a few stretches which met that description which I rode for a while---only reasonable route between other routes---and on those stretches, half-a-mile visibility was adequate (hills and corners) but if the roads were straight .... the concept of overkill really doesn't apply because a car hitting a bike at that speed is also overkill---so you were just balancing things out.

Too bulky and heavy .... but I love the idea of a really bright tail light for specifically those situations.

On other roads .... I have ridden paceline with a guy who had a 100-lumen flashing tail light and even though it was red it was blinding at close range---epileptics needed to sit out those rides. Seriously too much for the circumstances .... but if I were riding long distances at night on highways, I would want the option.

I-Like-To-Bike

I think you should follow your own advice in the last quote above. And also apologize to SurferRosa.
The prima facie case is that the Googling experts on this thread giving SurferRosa a hard time for questioning the false factoid about Federal Law regulating bicycle riding in the U.S.posted by Wanderer, et al. never spent at least 10 seconds reading the CFR--title49 reference cited by Pop N Wood, and seconded/praised by several other Googling experts. If these experts in Google searches had, they would quickly have realized that their quick Google search results did not answer the question at all. Nor did the reference even make any reference to the Uniform Traffic Code. Nor have the search experts provided a hint that they understand it may be hard to find a legit reference for an applicable Federal law or regulation concerning bicycle riding on the road that apparently does not exist, even if somebody on the Internet thinks it does.

rsbob 

It’s a nice thought, but there is zero room in my life for name calling in this, or any other forum. I can excuse a certain amount of bad manners, but this goes beyond the pale. In the words of Mr Wonderful, “You’re dead to me”. (Not you, but the individual in question). The others may feel more charitable and I welcome them to do that.

Cougrrcj

MY life is more important than 'minimum requirements' to me

Not for ships, but for a life-vest. Think floating in a life jacket in the middle of a featureless ocean. You WANT to be seen.

No alternatives. ALL rural roads where I live are 55mph!
What does a D-cell weigh vs 3AAAs?