Red Lights on Front of Bike
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Red Lights on Front of Bike
Should I have one of these? I passed two guys this morning who had red headlights of some kind on their bars. Are we supposed to be doing that?
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No. Red lights belong on the rear of the bike.
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Red or blue lights on the front of your bicycle are probably illegal in many areas. Your vehicle code probably says white bicycle headlights are required.
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Somebody will think they are looking at the rear of the bike. Dangerous.
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They DO have white blinky lights...
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Red lights in front are illegal in many places. So are other colors that aren't white on front and red on back. Blinking lights are also illegal on bikes in some places. Even turning signal lights.
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I've seen folks with red lights in front. I've also seen people with white lights in back. I've even seen people with both of these. I have no idea what they are thinking. What message are they trying to convey?
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#10
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ORS 815.280 Violation of bicycle equipment requirements
2.c.C "The lighting equipment must show a white light visible from a distance of at least 500 feet to the front of the bicycle."3. "Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to prohibit the use of additional parts and accessories on any bicycle consistent with this section."
Law does not state any specific regulations concerning additional front lights.
Soooo, as long as one has a white light that is visible from 500', anything else is up to legal interpretation.
https://www.oregonlaws.org/ors/815.280
Last edited by 44.5mph; 12-01-19 at 02:21 PM.
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ORS 815.280 Violation of bicycle equipment requirements
2.c.C "The lighting equipment must show a white light visible from a distance of at least 500 feet to the front of the bicycle."3. "Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to prohibit the use of additional parts and accessories on any bicycle consistent with this section."
Law does not state any specific regulations concerning additional front lights.
Soooo, as long as one has a white light that is visible from 500', anything else is up to legal interpretation.
https://www.oregonlaws.org/ors/815.280
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Some of these laws need to be changed. For example, the laws that you can't use anything in addition to the legally required lights are dumb. Distraction? I don't buy it. Also, some European countries don't allow flashing lights. I'm not convinced this is a distraction. Oddly enough, I don't use the flashing mode on a headlight, but I should, because I definitely notice flashing lights before steady lights.
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Even if it's legal (which is kind of a stretch), it doesn't seem to make much sense to make yourself look your front looks like the rear of a vehicle.
That is, the legality is moot.
Last edited by njkayaker; 12-02-19 at 06:06 PM.
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Well, I am no cycling law lawyer, but all I know is that I was confused when the red lights kept getting apparently closer and closer.
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If you saw people jumping off a bridge, would you think you were supposed to do the same?
Last edited by njkayaker; 12-02-19 at 06:25 PM.
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Analogizing a suicide attempt to cyclists having (apparently) the wrong lights on their bicycle bars is beyond me. You are operating on a higher level than me.
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The standard use of red lights on a vehicle (including bicycles) is at the rear. This use is world-wide.
You should be familiar with the standard use.
You saw two people do something contrary to a bazillion examples of the well-known use. And you wonder whether "we are supposed to do the same".
That doesn't make any sense.
Last edited by njkayaker; 12-02-19 at 07:27 PM.
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It's an exaggeration but the analogy is apt. It's a handful of people doing a more or less risky/nutty thing.
The standard use of red lights on a vehicle (including bicycles) is at the rear. This use is world-wide.
You should be familiar with the standard use.
You saw two people do something contrary to a bazillion examples of the well-known use. And you wonder whether "we are supposed to do the same".
That doesn't make any sense.
The standard use of red lights on a vehicle (including bicycles) is at the rear. This use is world-wide.
You should be familiar with the standard use.
You saw two people do something contrary to a bazillion examples of the well-known use. And you wonder whether "we are supposed to do the same".
That doesn't make any sense.
I don't have time to read everything that comes out on cycling safety. With apologies. It was an honest request for help. Your need to point out that you believe I am not making sense, which I believe is actually code for something more along the lines of You're an idiot, is fully noted and filed. Message received. Totally, like, got it. But as Voltaire quite rightly said: "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."
#23
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I saw a guy with a red light on the front and a white light on the back of his bike. I asked him why he did that, and he said he didn't know and he hadn't thought about whether it was proper or improper.
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Well, then, try this on for not making sense. This is the second time this year that I have seen this (total of three cyclists) in Portland. I blew the first one off as some kind of weirdo, although he was on a pretty nice Kona. Seeing it again just did not make sense to me.Two expensively clad maybe fiftiesish riders with seemingly all the right gear plus the prior experience got me wondering--did I miss something recent at light safety school? Some new development in safety I totally did not get the memo on? I had no idea.
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