rear lights

[chris grace]

Possibly a daft question .I was under the impression that rear lights had to be a continuous red ie.not flashing because a flashing red was for level crossings.I see many cyclists riding with flashing rear lights and can see the reasoning behind it,a flashing light is more noticeable than a continuous light.My question ,is a flashing red rear light legal on a cycle?

 

[Norm]

My question ,is a flashing red rear light legal on a cycle?

Yes, flashers are allowed since the law was changed about (I think!) 5 or 6 years ago.

Legal, of course, could suggest a requirement for kite marks or EU equivalent, but I'll leave that discussion for others.

 

[chris grace]

Thanks for that , just goes to show how long it's been since I was riding last

 

[Deleted member 1258]

As others have said they are legal. I normally run 1 flashing light and one constant light on both back and front, if I'm riding on an unlit road I'll turn the front flashing light to constant, if I'm in a group I'll turn the rear flasher to constant as well.

 

[staffy]

Yeah legal since 2005 . I remember reading a study that said a flashing light was upto 3 times more likely to draw drivers attention but drivers found a solid non flasher much easier to perceive how far away a bike was , what is most worrying though IMO is that the study found drunk drivers to find flashing lights to draw them in some sort of hypnotising way to hit the cyclist like a moth to a flame very strange.