Reflective stickers

[NER]

I've recently bought some red reflective tape to put on the back of my panniers because at night (with a black bike) I think it would be useful to indicate to other drivers the bike is approx 1m wide.  I read that you must put red on the rear, so that's fine.  I also thought I'd buy some of the tape which is black in daylight but reflects white at night when light shines on it.  This means during the day it won't be visible and spoil the look of the bike but will help with make me more visible from the side, the only angle from which there is no light on the bike.  But I then read that you are only supposed to use white for the front and amber on the side of the bike.  Is this true and will I get hassle from the cops if I use this black (night time white) tape on the side of my bike?  

 

As a side note, the Trophy has red factory fitted reflectors on the side of the panniers so surely this amber requirement on the side is not a strict rule or else Triumph were selling illegal bikes for the UK market.

[Trooper74]

I am sure the fine British copper couldn’t give a toss about what colour your reflectors are ... as long as they are not trans-reflectors or racist-reflectors you’ll be fine ...

[manxie49]

I have red on the side of my panniers ,  I'm sure it shouldn't be a problem,  I've never had any issues anyway.  It would have to be a real jobs worth to charge me for having red reflectors on the side of my boxes.

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

I've seen a few bikes with red reflectors factory fitted on the swing arm, then with amber on the front forks. So I doubt Plod is going to bother you. I have some flourescent yellow stickers on the sides of my top box and mirrors. 

 

I also have a donkey from Shrek hanging off the grab bars at the back. I feel that is a major contributor to road safety.

[NER]

I'm sure the local constabulary won't care too much about what colour stickers are on my bike seeing as they told me they weren't even going to do anything about my last bike being stolen so if theft isn't a priority for them I'm sure a few glow in the dark stickers won't be either.   

 

I did read a post on another forum where someone got a fine for having blue stickers on his bike.  It is considered imitating a police officer!  Just got me thinking what is generally done/allowed/not given a sh*t about? 

[S-Westerly]

I'd consider putting white reflective tape on the back, mainly as I can get it for free. After all my kriega pack,  boots, jacket and trousers all have white reflective bits on the rear aspects.

Edited November 15, 2021 by S-Westerly

[TimR]

23 minutes ago, S-Westerly said:

I'd consider putting white reflective tape on the back, mainly as I can get it for free. After all my kriega pack,  boots, jacket and trousers all have white reflective bits on the rear aspects.

Nothing states clothing etc has to comply as its not part of the vehicle but vehicles have construction and use regs to comply with..

 

Also .

To most seeing a red reflector it is deemed as the further most rear projection of a vehicle... ie pulling up with no risk of hitting said vehicle .

But having a forward facing red reflector located on panniers there is 3 ft of bike protruding from the reflector .

 

Stick with

White To Front 

Red to Rear 

And Amber to side 

 

And you know your actions have not caused any confusion which may result in an incident .

 

 

 

[S-Westerly]

58 minutes ago, TimR said:

Nothing states clothing etc has to comply as its not part of the vehicle but vehicles have construction and use regs to comply with..

 

Also .

To most seeing a red reflector it is deemed as the further most rear projection of a vehicle... ie pulling up with no risk of hitting said vehicle .

But having a forward facing red reflector located on panniers there is 3 ft of bike protruding from the reflector .

 

Stick with

White To Front 

Red to Rear 

And Amber to side 

 

And you know your actions have not caused any confusion which may result in an incident .

 

 

 

True, hadn't thought of that. So I'll  just leave me stuff alone I think.

[Pie man]

I used to have some reflective red tape on my old top box however; I do have some small reflective white Dakar decals on the back of the panniers. And I'm certainly not bothered about plod (where are they anyway). With the standard of driving these days I could ride with a large illuminated cock and balls on the bike and still wouldn't get noticed by the cock wombles on their phones and away with the fairies.   

[John Metcalfe]

I acquired some reflectors off my grand daughters bike and fitted them to the rear of the panniers on my BMW K1100LT by drilling the case and sealing with silicone and so far had no issues with leaks or plod moaning etc.

[fastbob]

I think this topic ends here .

[Gerontious]

easy answer is to look at the law.

 

side reflectors can be red/orange

front can be white or orange.

rear can be any colour you like. with just a few limitations that aren't important.

 

its all laid out in the The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989

Edited November 17, 2021 by Gerontious

[NER]

1 hour ago, Gerontious said:

easy answer is to look at the law.

 

side reflectors can be red/orange

front can be white or orange.

rear can be any colour you like. with just a few limitations that aren't important.

 

its all laid out in the The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989

Thanks for that but I looked it up and it says under Schedule 17 part I Paragraph 7 Sub-paragraph (b) - A solo motor bicycle, a motor bicycle combination, a pedal cycle with or without a sidecar or an invalid carriage: No requirement

 

Now I'm not a lawyer so may be wrong but it looks like sub-paragraph (a) is for any vehicle not covered by sub-paragraph (b), and that requirement is for amber or if within 1m of the rear of the vehicle it may be red.  So if motorbikes fall under sub-paragraph (b) it looks like we can put whatever colour we want on...except blue which seems for be for plod only.

[Gerontious]

1 hour ago, NER said:

Thanks for that but I looked it up and it says under Schedule 17 part I Paragraph 7 Sub-paragraph (b) - A solo motor bicycle, a motor bicycle combination, a pedal cycle with or without a sidecar or an invalid carriage: No requirement

 

Now I'm not a lawyer so may be wrong but it looks like sub-paragraph (a) is for any vehicle not covered by sub-paragraph (b), and that requirement is for amber or if within 1m of the rear of the vehicle it may be red.  So if motorbikes fall under sub-paragraph (b) it looks like we can put whatever colour we want on...except blue which seems for be for plod only.

I'm fairly sure that's what I said 

[NER]

2 hours ago, Gerontious said:

I'm fairly sure that's what I said 

Well I think by the wording the side reflectors can be any colour you like, not just red or orange.

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

We should have a competition to see who can add the most inappropriate sticker and get pulled by plod. 

[DuRavary]

12 minutes ago, Mississippi Bullfrog said:

We should have a competition to see who can add the most inappropriate sticker and get pulled by plod. 

https://news.sky.com/story/police-officer-orders-driver-to-remove-b-to-brexit-car-sign-11870098

[NER]

21 minutes ago, DuRavary said:

https://news.sky.com/story/police-officer-orders-driver-to-remove-b-to-brexit-car-sign-11870098

Think cock and balls has already been mentioned, worth a try to see how long before someone complains.

[Fish]

I had one of these on a Subaru back in the day. Once when I was stopped by the law, for some reason they kept asking if I was 'job'. I kept telling them I had a job and didn't understand what they was implying

 

They started getting quite upset, and requesting me to remove it. When I asked why they wouldn't tell me, so I refused. Nice waste of 45 mins conversation with two seemingly nice officers. 

[Stu]

7 minutes ago, Fish said:

I had one of these on a Subaru back in the day. Once when I was stopped by the law, for some reason they kept asking if I was 'job'. I kept telling them I had a job and didn't understand what they was implying

 

They started getting quite upset, and requesting me to remove it. When I asked why they wouldn't tell me, so I refused. Nice waste of 45 mins conversation with two seemingly nice officers. 

 

I assume you know why by now? 

 

If not a lot of plod have these so they can be identified by other plod its like a secret code thats not that much of a secret 

[Fish]

I might have had an idea what they was for.   But as it is not an official plod emblem there's not much they can officially do.

[TimR]

https://www.bennetts.co.uk/bikesocial/news-and-views/features/bikes/the-history-of-the-black-rats-londons-traffic-police#:~:text=In the early 1970s%2C the,from the CID) for some

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

10 hours ago, Stu said:

 

I assume you know why by now? 

 

If not a lot of plod have these so they can be identified by other plod its like a secret code thats not that much of a secret 

Back in the day they didn't need stickers. The moustache and perm gave it away.

[Mickly]

7 hours ago, Mississippi Bullfrog said:

Back in the day they didn't need stickers. The moustache and perm gave it away.

Plus the smell of booze on their breath & nicotine stained fingers.