It’s been a while since you’ve ridden a bike and you don’t know the etiquette of having a light. Do you need a light on your bike at all times or just when you ride at night?
Do You Need A Light On your Bike?
Many states require bikers to have both passive and active lighting when riding their bikes on city streets. According to the Uniform Vehicle Code, which is a set of traffic laws that are followed by several states, require bicyclists to have sufficient lighting that can be seen from a distance of 1,000 feet.
I know this may all sound confusing, especially, if you only ride your bike on park trails, where there is no oncoming traffic. We’ll explain everything you need to know about having a light on your bike day and night.
Here’s what you should look for in a bike light before you purchase one.
Day Time Riding
While it’s perfectly legal to ride a bike without lights during daylight hours, as long as you’re riding in good conditions.
When you’re riding in rainy, fog, or on a cloudy day, a bike light will make you more visible to motorists and pedestrians.
A good daytime light should have about 100+ Lumens to keep you visible and safe when riding on public roads.
Night Time Riding
In many states, it is illegal to ride a bike at night without a light. Not only that, but it is also dangerous because motorists won’t be able to see you. That being said, you want to make sure your bike lights are not too bright.
If you ride your bike at night, you should have a bike light and wear light-colored clothing with reflective material.
Motorists have a hard time with blindspots, distractions, glare from dirty windows, and etc, which makes it hard to see cyclists at night.
When riding at night, you should have a good quality light that has a sufficient amount of Lumens based on the type of cycling you are doing.
State Lighting Requirements for Bicyclists
According to the NHTSA, “bicycles on the roadway are considered vehicles that must adhere to the same responsibilities as motorized vehicles.”
This means that if motorized vehicles have their lights on, you should too. In fact, you’re much smaller and less visible, so you should have passive and active lighting.
Passive Lighting
Passive lighting is considered the reflective and fluorescent surfaces that passively reflect light and make the cyclist visible. This lighting source actually has nothing to do with lighting.
These consist of the plastic reflectors on the wheels, back of the seat, and reflective stickers on the bike, equipment, clothing, and shoes. This type of lighting usually comes with the purchase of the bike such as the wheel reflectors and reflective stickers.
Unlike actual bike lights, there are no laws requiring you to have reflectors on your bike. This is because they don’t work as well as active lighting and won’t be very effective in dark streets where the lighting is low.
Active Lighting
Active lights consist of light sources you purchase to put on your bicycle that will transmit light when turned on. This type of lighting requires you to add it to your bike.
These lights come in different styles, brightness, and brands. Bike lights aren’t that expensive, so even if you’re on a budget you should still be able. to find the right number of lumens to suit your needs.
When To Use Each Type of Light
The first time I got my bike, I had no clue should I use my bike light in the flashing or solid brightness mode? I had no clue, so let’s take a look at what I’ve learned about when to use and what situations each type work best in.
Light Conditions | Rear Lights | Front Lights |
Daytime, great visibility | Optional | Optional |
Daytime poor visibility (fog/rain, cloudy) | Flashing | Flashing |
Dusk and dawn | Flashing | Flashing |
Nighttime* city or urban streets with traffic lights | Flashing | Flashing |
Nighttime* rural streets with poor lighting or no street lights | Flashing | Flashing |
Flashing lights work best because they allow oncoming motorists and pedestrians to see you. Solid lights work best if you’re riding in the daytime during the day and the visibility is good.
Think of the solid lights as daytime driving lights for vehicles.
If you’re unsure of which light to use, just leave them on at all times as I do. According to online studies, permanently mounted lights that are running all the time reduces the chances of accidents significantly.
Can You Get In Trouble If You Don’t Have Bike Lights?
You won’t get into trouble for riding without a light in broad daylight. But in many states, you can get a ticket if you’re cycling in areas with poor visibility or at night and don’t have your lights turned on.
The fines will vary from state to state, so make sure you understand the biking regulations in your city.
No one wants to pay a fine for riding without a bike light.
However, a ticket isn’t the worst thing that can happen.
What is?
It’s getting into an accident with a motorized vehicle. Remember, riding without lights or reflective clothing is just asking to get hit. Not only can’t you see where you’re going, but cars can’t see you either.
If a motorist doesn’t see you and you’re involved in an accident, their insurance can blame you for the accident, which will come out way more expensive than a ticket. Not to mention the unnecessary hospital bills you’ll rack up!
Where Should I Put My Light
All bikes come with passive lighting, automatically. When you buy passive lighting, depending on the type you get will determine where you put it.
Most people (myself included) put my passive lighting on the handlebars and another one behind my seat.
As long as the light can be seen, you should be fine.
Do I Need Bike Lights When Riding In Parks?
Most bicycle enthusiasts don’t venture out on the public roads, they usually just ride around local parks with their friends and family.
However, this doesn’t mean you don’t need to use a light for your bike. When riding on bike paths or trails, you need to consider bike etiquette to ensure you and others around you stay safe.
Most bike trails require you to have a white front light and red rear light when riding at night or at dusk. Be sure to check the park regulations before you start riding to ensure you’re following the rules.
Do You Need Bike Lights When Riding In Your Neighborhood?
When riding in your neighborhood, you’re likely riding your bike around vehicles. Whenever you’re riding around motorized vehicles you want to ensure you’re using lights on your bike to make yourself visible.
Do Kids Bikes Need A Bike Light?
Everyone who rides a bike needs to ensure they have sufficient lighting on their bikes, whether it’s kids, adults, or seniors.
Ensuring your kids bike is properly lit can help keep them safe in the dark, or when there is poor visibility.
Bike lights can be purchased for any type of bike, even if you have a child’s bike still has training wheels.
How Many Lights Should I Have On My Bike?
The law requires you. to have lights on your bike, they don’t tell you how many you should have. You should make sure you buy a light that makes you visible from at least five hundred feet away from other road users.
You should have a front and rear light that makes you visible. Many people also wear reflective clothing, shoes, and get. alight on their helmet.
When it comes to your safety, there is no set number of lights you can get for your bicycle. The most important thing is to make yourself visible depending on the weather and time of day you’re riding in.
What Type of Bike Lights Do I Need?
When it comes to bike lights, you’ll hear the word Lumen a lot. This is. how bike lights are rated and it’s important to understand what Lumen means before you purchase any lights for your bike.
How many Lumens you need for your bike light, will depend on the type of cycling you do.
Final Word
Very few people think about bike lighting until it’s too late. Even if you’re riding at your local park, you still need a bike light to let walkers, joggers, and other pedestrians know a bike is on the trail.
So before you head out the door for your next bike ride, make sure both motorists and pedestrians can see especially, if you’re riding at night.
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