Light Rules: White in Front, Red in Rear, Right?

[JeffC]

Until recently I always operated under the assumption that “be seen” lights (e.g., the Bike Arlington blinkies) were supposed to be white for front facing lights and red for rear facing lights. In a sense, this mimics the way other motorized vehicles like cars and motorcycles have their lights setup, i.e., everybody expects cars to have white lights (or perhaps yellow tinted turn signals) in front and red tinted lights in the back and one can get a ticket if the red plastic covering of car’s rear light is broken. Moreover, when cars are in the “Reverse” gear a portion of the the rear taillight assemblage turns white signaling those behind them that the car is now approaching them (going backwards) rather than going forward. Of course, high powered white (not red) “to see” lights are necessary in front of cars, motorcyles, and bikes and obviously nobody needs “to see” light in the rear because we are not facing that way. All this, for me anyway, creates an association with white lights on vehicles indicating an object headed towards me and red lights indicating an object I am approaching from behind.

But I am mainly talking about “be seen” lights and in particular their use on trails–I suppose there are other issues on streets but I have not considered those as carefully because it does not apply to me. For some reason this winter, I have encountered people doing the opposite of what I expect on the trails. That is I have seen people with forward facing red blinkies and rear facing white blinkies. I think this is an incredibly bad idea for multiple reasons and I have told people so, some get it, some have not been so kind.

For one, if you are coming up behind somebody with a rear facing white blinkie, you are conditioned to expect that person to be approaching you which can lead one to misjudge whether you can and should pass. Alternatively, a rider approaching me with a forward facing red blinkie may lead me to believe that I am going to overtake that rider.

I know there are worse hazards on trails at night but this is starting to annoy me. What do you think?

Topic

[Tim Kelley]

@JeffC 37866 wrote:

Until recently I always operated under the assumption that “be seen” lights (e.g., the Bike Arlington blinkies) were supposed to be white for front facing lights and red for rear facing lights. In a sense, this mimics the way other motorized vehicles like cars and motorcycles have their lights setup, i.e., everybody expects cars to have white lights (or perhaps yellow tinted turn signals) in front and red tinted lights in the back and one can get a ticket if the red plastic covering of car’s rear light is broken. Moreover, when cars are in the “Reverse” gear a portion of the the rear taillight assemblage turns white signaling those behind them that the car is now approaching them (going backwards) rather than going forward. Of course, high powered white (not red) “to see” lights are necessary in front of cars, motorcyles, and bikes and obviously nobody needs “to see” light in the rear because we are not facing that way. All this, for me anyway, creates an association with white lights on vehicles indicating an object headed towards me and red lights indicating an object I am approaching from behind.

But I am mainly talking about “be seen” lights and in particular their use on trails–I suppose there are other issues on streets but I have not considered those as carefully because it does not apply to me. For some reason this winter, I have encountered people doing the opposite of what I expect on the trails. That is I have seen people with forward facing red blinkies and rear facing white blinkies. I think this is an incredibly bad idea for multiple reasons and I have told people so, some get it, some have not been so kind.

For one, if you are coming up behind somebody with a rear facing white blinkie, you are conditioned to expect that person to be approaching you which can lead one to misjudge whether you can and should pass. Alternatively, a rider approaching me with a forward facing red blinkie may lead me to believe that I am going to overtake that rider.

I know there are worse hazards on trails at night but this is starting to annoy me. What do you think?

You are correct about white in front and red in the back. This is a state law for bicycles.

Between sunset and sunrise a white light is required on the front. On the rear, a red reflector is required, and on roads with speed limits over 35mph a red light is required.

[TwoWheelsDC]

@Tim Kelley 37867 wrote:

You are correct about white in front and red in the back. This is a state law for bicycles.

Between sunset and sunrise a white light is required on the front. On the rear, a red reflector is required, and on roads with speed limits over 35mph a red light is required.

I’m curious about the specifics…does the law require a solid red light? Reason I ask is that I know motorcycles can’t have blinking tail lights and I wonder if technically this applies to bikes too…I’d hate to get hit and somehow be blamed for not following the letter of the law because I was running all blinkies without a solid.

[bobco85]

I have rarely seen it with cyclists, but I tend to see it more often on pedestrians. Sometimes all of the person I will be able to see is the blinkie, and if they have the wrong front-white/back-red combination, it’s incredibly confusing. I have gone off the trail (or had a brief “heart jumping through throat” moment) a few rare times where I came across a pedestrian with their white light facing backwards and thought they were a cyclist coming straight at me on the wrong side of the trail!

I’m pretty sure there are no laws for pedstrians and lights (I’m just thankful when they have them), but are there any legal precedents (i.e. court cases) should an accident occur?

[ejwillis62]

I read on the angry guy on the WO &D trail about someone getting mad about the front light. Tomorrow is my maiden voyage and I have a front headlight and a rear red tail light. It blinks. So are there things I should know. What are the rules when another rider is approaching. I do not think my front light has a dimming option. I have it pointed down so i will hope it isn’t blinding to anyway coming towards me. Another other things I need to know for riding early in the morning or late at night. I will be hitting the road at about 5 heading over the WW bridge and riding out to Mount vernon. Suggestions ? Hints? Rules of the Road I should know.

LIZ

[mstone]

putting white on the back and red in front is so colossally stupid that I can’t come up with a reason that someone would do it. A reasonable case can be made that other colors are more visible than red, and that you may want yellow lights/reflectors in back (in addition to at least one red item to establish where your rear end is.) But white? Sheesh.

[DaveK]

@ejwillis62 37899 wrote:

I read on the angry guy on the WO &D trail about someone getting mad about the front light. Tomorrow is my maiden voyage and I have a front headlight and a rear red tail light. It blinks. So are there things I should know. What are the rules when another rider is approaching. I do not think my front light has a dimming option. I have it pointed down so i will hope it isn’t blinding to anyway coming towards me. Another other things I need to know for riding early in the morning or late at night. I will be hitting the road at about 5 heading over the WW bridge and riding out to Mount vernon. Suggestions ? Hints? Rules of the Road I should know.

LIZ

Chances are your light isn’t blinding unless it’s 150+ lumens and you’ve got it pointed level or slightly up. Just make sure to run your front headlight in solid versus blinky mode when you’re on the trail and you’ll be fine. I don’t use my main taillight on the trails – I usually run a Planet Bike Superflash which is way overkill for a darkened trail. When I’m on the trail I just turn on a very small solid red light facing backwards (a Bike Arlington blinky). I turn on the big taillight when I get on the road.

If your light is very powerful, try and use your hand to shield it as you pass folks. I run a very powerful front light and as part of that choice I try to always shield it for oncoming traffic. Occasionally I need two hands and can’t do it, but I try to when I can.

[ejwillis62]

Thanks I will try to be super polite, I always try to be nice when i am on my bike. I am not a speedy rider just enjoy the ride but the dark is a bit daunting but I am determined. We shall see.

[DaveK]

@ejwillis62 37905 wrote:

Thanks I will try to be super polite, I always try to be nice when i am on my bike. I am not a speedy rider just enjoy the ride but the dark is a bit daunting but I am determined. We shall see.

The bottom line is that it’s always more important for you to feel comfortable riding in the dark than to make everyone else happy. Do what makes you feel comfortable first. You can always worry about others’ comfort level after that.

[rcannon100]

This is sort of one of those “I learned everything I need to know from kindergarten”

When we were little kids they taught us not to shine flashlights in people’s faces. Dont point your bike lights in people’s faces or eyes.

When they first taught us how to drive, they taught us to point our car headlights down at the road – to use high beams when necessary – but never point high beams at anyone else from any direction.

The life you save might be your own. If you are blinding other cyclists, they cant see you – they cant see where you are – they could easily just bike right into you.

[Terpfan]

@ejwillis62 37905 wrote:

Thanks I will try to be super polite, I always try to be nice when i am on my bike. I am not a speedy rider just enjoy the ride but the dark is a bit daunting but I am determined. We shall see.

Do what’s safe for yourself first and then worry about the rest of us. I’ve run into cyclists with bright lights where I put my hand up to shield my eyes. They worry me less than the folks with no lights who I come upon right over a bend and nearly hit. My light is on my handlebar, but I can turn it so when I can, I try to turn it to the right at an angle thereby cutting down on blinding other folks. I think you will find on the MVT that the bike lights aren’t nearly as much of a problem as the car lights, but I’m not as sure for the section you’re riding as I don’t usually ride south of OT except a few times a year for fun.

To the broader subject at hand, the red rear blinkies never bother me whether they’re stobe, solid or whatnot. But a white one on the back of a bicycle may well confuse me into thinking the bicycle is coming toward me.

[baiskeli]

@ejwillis62 37899 wrote:

I read on the angry guy on the WO &D trail about someone getting mad about the front light. Tomorrow is my maiden voyage and I have a front headlight and a rear red tail light. It blinks. So are there things I should know. What are the rules when another rider is approaching. I do not think my front light has a dimming option. I have it pointed down so i will hope it isn’t blinding to anyway coming towards me. Another other things I need to know for riding early in the morning or late at night. I will be hitting the road at about 5 heading over the WW bridge and riding out to Mount vernon. Suggestions ? Hints? Rules of the Road I should know.

LIZ

You should be fine. Just be careful for those cyclists or pedestrians who aren’t as smart as you and don’t have lights or dress in ninja gear. And check your front light every once in a while – sometimes the bumpy trail causes a headlight to creep up and face straight out instead of down.

[Author]

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