Helmets with flashing red/blue/white lights
#1
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Helmets with flashing red/blue/white lights
I've seen some helmets advertised on the internet that have a white front light and a rear light that uses both red and blue lights. In addition this helmet also has side lights that also uses red and blue lights at the same time. They can be set at a steady or flashing mode for both the rear and side lights. Is it lawful to use blue flashing lights in the USA? Or is it lawful to use them when in conjunction with other flashing colored lights? The white front light can also be in steady or flashing mode but I'm really only concerned with the use of blue lights. The price for this helmet ranges all over from $25 to $100 depending on the advertiser. The helmet carries the CE (European Union) certification but not so sure about the CPSC (USA) certification.
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Flashing blue lights limited to law enforcement and first responders in Wyoming. Sounds like all those flashing lights might be confusing to motorists anyway.
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State Laws
You will have to find out for your state or states.
In Texas it would appear that the restriction on flashing blue (and red and white) only applies to motor vehicles: Texas Transportation Code § 547.305 | FindLaw
The only reference I have in the Code for prescriptive bicycle requirements is a red light in back and a white light forward.
Laws aside, I'm interested in hearing real-life experiences. I can imagine there is an advantage to something "different" in catching the attention of motorists, though it is hard to measure. (I ran a very small blue LED flasher for a while but didn't replace the battery when it died.)
On the one hand, I have seen the emergency blue lights and they are blinding. No way anyone would have mistaken my little blue LED for an emergency situation.
On the other hand, if we don't reserve some things for true emergencies, then we can't distinguish true emergencies from background noise.
My current position is I won't use blue, but it doesn't appear to be illegal in Texas from what I can tell.
In Texas it would appear that the restriction on flashing blue (and red and white) only applies to motor vehicles: Texas Transportation Code § 547.305 | FindLaw
The only reference I have in the Code for prescriptive bicycle requirements is a red light in back and a white light forward.
Laws aside, I'm interested in hearing real-life experiences. I can imagine there is an advantage to something "different" in catching the attention of motorists, though it is hard to measure. (I ran a very small blue LED flasher for a while but didn't replace the battery when it died.)
On the one hand, I have seen the emergency blue lights and they are blinding. No way anyone would have mistaken my little blue LED for an emergency situation.
On the other hand, if we don't reserve some things for true emergencies, then we can't distinguish true emergencies from background noise.
My current position is I won't use blue, but it doesn't appear to be illegal in Texas from what I can tell.
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I've seen some helmets advertised on the internet that have a white front light and a rear light that uses both red and blue lights. In addition this helmet also has side lights that also uses red and blue lights at the same time. They can be set at a steady or flashing mode for both the rear and side lights. Is it lawful to use blue flashing lights in the USA? Or is it lawful to use them when in conjunction with other flashing colored lights? The white front light can also be in steady or flashing mode but I'm really only concerned with the use of blue lights. The price for this helmet ranges all over from $25 to $100 depending on the advertiser. The helmet carries the CE (European Union) certification but not so sure about the CPSC (USA) certification.
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Link to state regulations
You can find your state laws regarding blue lights here: https://www.supernovabikelight.com/statutes/ I bought a nice chip-on-board bike light powered by a 18650 battery with red/white/blue knowing it was not legal in my state. Just disabled the blue COB since the light was both cheap and otherwise exactly what I wanted in a bike light.
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Definitely illegal in California. From experience around 1996(?): A friend had bluish-white undercarriage lights on the bottom of his 'tuner' car, and it got impounded by the PD on a busy summer holiday weekend near the beach when the local PD was in a 'maximum enforcement' mode.
I'm wondering - does anyone know why they even make blue bicycle lights? I know some modern LED lights look a little bluish, but isn't white on the front and red on the rear easy enough to recognize by drivers?
I'm wondering - does anyone know why they even make blue bicycle lights? I know some modern LED lights look a little bluish, but isn't white on the front and red on the rear easy enough to recognize by drivers?
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Just my opinion so proceed as you like, if you are going to get multiple lights on your helmet, I would suggest putting a red one on the left, a green one on the right, and a 360* white one on the top of the helmet. This is even more important if you are riding close to a body of water.
The bike should have a white headlight on the front and a red taillight on the rear.
John
The bike should have a white headlight on the front and a red taillight on the rear.
John
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You can find your state laws regarding blue lights here: https://www.supernovabikelight.com/statutes/ I bought a nice chip-on-board bike light powered by a 18650 battery with red/white/blue knowing it was not legal in my state. Just disabled the blue COB since the light was both cheap and otherwise exactly what I wanted in a bike light.
(5) Flashing white lights are prohibited on any vehicle other than authorized emergency vehicles, law enforcement vehicles, school buses, and emergency tow trucks as defined in WAC 204-21-020.
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Just my opinion so proceed as you like, if you are going to get multiple lights on your helmet, I would suggest putting a red one on the left, a green one on the right, and a 360* white one on the top of the helmet. This is even more important if you are riding close to a body of water.
The bike should have a white headlight on the front and a red taillight on the rear.
John
The bike should have a white headlight on the front and a red taillight on the rear.
John
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Why did the OP ask this question? He came from Redmond, WA at one time. Has he lost his mind?
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#14
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Here's a video someone made of the helmet. I'd skip the first two minutes.
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Just my opinion so proceed as you like, if you are going to get multiple lights on your helmet, I would suggest putting a red one on the left, a green one on the right, and a 360* white one on the top of the helmet. This is even more important if you are riding close to a body of water.
The bike should have a white headlight on the front and a red taillight on the rear.
John
The bike should have a white headlight on the front and a red taillight on the rear.
John
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I’ve never done it. There are no hills but definitely headwinds on Saturday and a tailwind on Sunday. I hear it can be a real swell ride.
John
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Here's a video someone made of the helmet. I'd skip the first two minutes.
Rockbros cycling helmet with light for day and night - YouTube
Rockbros cycling helmet with light for day and night - YouTube
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I have a Lumos helmet and it has white lights in front that turn to yellow flashing for turn signals. The back has red lights that flash on one side or the other for turn signals. There are no blue lights at all. The turn signals are operated by a remote that is on the handlebars or when paired with a smart watch by using arm gestures. It’s pretty cool and I also use flashing lights on my bike just to be sure. I do not ride at night . The charge lasts about 4 hours.
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I really want nothing that will distract a driver. During the day, I will run blinking red lights on the rear, along with my solid red light mounted on the rack. At night, all my lights are solid. I want to be seen, but I don't want a light that will make them fixate on me. People tend to fixate, and look at odd lights at night. You go where you are looking. In motorcycle riding, we call it target fixation. You look at a hazard, and fixate on it, and ride right into it. I don't want to give any reason for a car driver to fixate on me.
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I really want nothing that will distract a driver. During the day, I will run blinking red lights on the rear, along with my solid red light mounted on the rack. At night, all my lights are solid. I want to be seen, but I don't want a light that will make them fixate on me. People tend to fixate, and look at odd lights at night. You go where you are looking. In motorcycle riding, we call it target fixation. You look at a hazard, and fixate on it, and ride right into it. I don't want to give any reason for a car driver to fixate on me.
Here is some info on the subject in case one wants to learn more granted a good deal of it is Motorsickle related but you can figure around it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Target_fixation
https://www.idrivesafely.com/defensi...rcycle-problem
https://www.cycleworld.com/sport-rid...rget-fixation/
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