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Cycling and the Law

The Highway Code does not stipulate that bells must be used, but rather suggests that cyclists: ‘be considerate of other road users, particularly blind and partially sighted pedestrians, letting them know you are there when necessary, for example by ringing your bell.’ Any other ‘audible warning device’, such as a whistle or the human voice would do. A polite ‘excuse me’ can often come across as a lot less aggressive than the insistent tinkling of a bell or the blare of a horn. What’s the legal position on bike lights? Bikes ridden at night require front and rear lights, flashing or steady. At night a bicycle must also be fitted with a red rear reflector (amber pedal reflectors, if manufactured after 1st October 1985). According to the Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations 1989 (in 2009), all bicycle pedals must be fitted with reflectors (on each pedal) although fitting such reflectors is almost impossible with many ‘clipless’ pedals. The RVLR regulations are seldom enforced, but if you are involved in a night-time collision, any slight illegality with respect to your lights or reflectors may be regarded as contributory negligence on your part. www.eta.co.uk 13


Cycling and the Law
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