vol

Has anyone actually been ticketed for using blue bike lights?

According to this article:

The linked NY law does indeed seem to only address motor vehicles and motorcycles regarding "Colored and flashing lights".

mcours2006

Is blue bike lights a thing now? I've never seen them sold anywhere, nor have I ever seen them on any bike I've encountered, and I ride often during early pre-dusk.

Around here a blue flashing light usual means snow removal vehicle.

10 Wheels

I use this one at night when traffic is super heavy. (mounted on my helmet)

https://www.fasttech.com/products/0/...t-w-focus-zoom

Bike Gremlin

Coloured front lights are reserved for "special" and emergency vehicles. I'd not give myself the liberty to abuse that, even if no one would bother to fine me for it.

wphamilton

It's a tempting idea because drivers are naturally more careful when they see blue lights or blue reflections, but I wouldn't risk it. I've only seen it a couple of times, on someone's pedals, and even I wondered if he was riding a police bike.

steve-in-kville 

What's the difference between a rear facing brake light/4-ways on a car, rear facing bicycle flasher, and a rear facing strobe/LED on an ambulance??

Now blue... that's a new one for me! Here in Pennsylvania, blue is reserved for volly firemen/ambulance folks.

vol

I've seen blue taillight on some bikes (though seen more using white light as taillight, which I think is worse). I have taillight that has blue and red. Sometimes when passing by a parked vehicle with very bright flashing lights at night, I think I was totally submerged and unnoticeable by the cars behind me if I just use regular red taillights. The little blue light as bike taillight is not easily mistaken to be police light.

noglider 

I don't know of anyone ticketed for using blue lights, but as @Slaninar says, there doesn't seem much reason to use them.

I bought some wheel lights that clip into the spokes. I bought them very cheap directly from one of those Chinese web sites. The light was activated when it felt G forces and the ambient light was low. Clever design. But they alternated red and blue. Once, I was riding down a quiet suburban street in New Jersey, and an oncoming car driver pulled over and stopped! I didn't use those lights for long. Alternating blue and red are the colors on police cars in New Jersey.

Bike Gremlin

In my city, red-blue lights had started being popular for bicycles - a local Chinese shop had started selling them (rather cheap). It is a light combo for emergency and special vehicles. There was a few days of police action bothering to stop and fine a few cyclists and it was all over the news. That was it. I don't see people using such lights nowadays.

canklecat

I've seen several folks using multi-color LEDs -- including blue -- on their wheels and frames. Haven't seen anyone using blue lights that might be mistaken for emergency vehicles.

Not sure it's even necessary. I've noticed cars yielding to me, even pulling over to the right and stopping, and realized they mistook my flashing white and red lights for an emergency vehicle. And I'm just using fairly ordinary lights, nothing particularly bright. Reminds me that for every driver who fails to show ordinary courtesy, there's at least one uncommonly conscientious driver who memorized every civics lesson.

vol

Blue light is actually not very bright. Might be more visible if it's yellow, orange, pink, lime, purple...

AusTexMurf

Premium 300 Lumens LED Bike Light By LGEGE – Waterproof, Super Bright & USB Rechargeable Safety Tail Light – Easy To Mount On Frame, Handle Bars & Helmet

I recently ordered and received one of these via amazon.
Very bright, USB recharge, and haven't been mistaken for police yet. Will have to wait and see how it holds up and performs over time.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

noglider 

@AusTexMurf, is there a reason you want a blue light? What message do you think it conveys?

steve0257

Minnesota law specifically requires a white light for the headlight when riding at night.

Is the idea of the blue light to make you more visible?

Garilia

I can't see any reason why I would use a blue light on my bike unless I was riding in a parade and that was part of the decoration. I'm quite content with white in front and red in back.

Darth Lefty 

Well, never mind

AusTexMurf

No particular reason. I was looking for a cheaper replacement for my son's USB tail light as his was stolen from his middle school bike rack. 2nd time. Thought I would give this one a try. The light's first functions are red. Don't think it has ever been on the blue setting except for one local full moon cruise social ride from 11:59pm to approx. 4:20AM. Another one coming up this week June 8th. I have used blue LED lights on social rides many times over the past years. This light is really bright, blue or red. Don't really use blue light feature for commuting purpose. So far, decent purchase. Think I paid about $12 shipped. Cheap USB solution. We have 6 riders in our family with about 15 bikes (including custom built Bike Friday triple) to outfit. My wife's favorite/best commuter bike was recently stolen by serial bike theif in our 'hood. At least $1800 loss as outfitted. Gear gets expensive.

Klaw

Heh glad I found this thread. Just purchased a rear rehargeable light that has 8 different settings, one of which is a blue/red flash and I immediately saw that and thought "that looks illegal". Not using it now.

americanlt2

Here in Chicago our squad cars only use blue lights. No red at all. I think it would be illegal here.

cabledawg

When my commute was longer and part of it on a two lane county highway (no shoulder, narrow lanes) I would run side facing lights and use blue flashing for those. Reflectors only work when light is hitting them and I want to be visible long before that. I picked blue because why not? They aren't super bright, just enough to make me visible at night. My rear facing light has a blue flashing and red/blue flashing function. I'll use the red/blue during the day if I'm on the highway just to catch attention from a longer distance but at night I use the red only.

And for the record, I'm certain that website's references are outdated. It says it's illegal in my state to use blue lights but I recently looked it up and there was no mention of blue; only restricting the directional use of white and red (white facing forward only and red facing rearward only).