Pulled over, WHILE RUNNING, because of my headlamp!

Flashing lights can put people with epilepsy into a seizure.

Someone might be distracted while texting and spill their beverage on their lap which causes a series of driving over-corrections whereby they flatten a pedestrian minding his own business jogging on the sidewalk with a flashing headlamp.

Happens all the time.

I have a feeling that he is over stepping himself and trying to misrepresent a law that applies to automobiles. I'd assume if you went to court with such a ticket, he'd get his peepee slapped. I could be totally wrong though. You could also have state/county/city specific laws against this

That's very interesting. I've never felt that vulnerable when running in the dark, as I'm facing traffic, can see what's coming at me, and have a lot of agility to jump quickly out of the way on foot. I won't ride a bike outdoors after dark but I know many folks who do and many of them have flashing red lights on their bikes. They are wonderfully visible to oncoming drivers and seem like a great idea. I've never heard of a cyclist getting pulled over for having a flashing red light on his bike!

amkelley wrote:

I've never heard of a cyclist getting pulled over for having a flashing red light on his bike!

I've been pulled over several times on my bike for incorrect lighting. White light in the front (flashing or solid) and red light or reflector in the back. That's the law. No red lights in front, no white lights in back.

OP, learn to use paragraphs.

I've been pulled over several times on my bike for incorrect lighting. White light in the front (flashing or solid) and red light or reflector in the back. That's the law. No red lights in front, no white lights in back..

The riders I know have the red light mounted in the rear, but it flashes. Is that legal?

Two things

1. Just use the flashlight portion like everybody else does. No need for blinking lights whatsoever.

2. Next time you make up a phony story don't go into such detail like you did here. The long, dramatic details about usually wearing a vest, buying the light and the episode occurring after your first mile on the first run make it a dead give away that you are making up a tale.

Why would you wear a red flashing light on your forehead? Red is always for tail lights, whether for cars, trucks, motorcycles, bikes, whatever. White is always for headlights. If you're running on a road facing oncoming traffic, it would be confusing for drivers for sure. If I was driving a car, I would think it was a cyclist biking the same way I was driving.

If you want to use that red light, then tape it to your @$$. Otherwise, get a white one for your forehead.

wait what wrote:

If you want to use that red light, then tape it to your @$$. Otherwise, get a white one for your forehead.

Read the OP's note again to improve comprehension this time.

E. Bonix wrote:

Read the OP's note again to improve comprehension this time.

Or tell the OP to use paragraphs to make that story easier to follow.

Flashing lights wrote:

I say something like "With all due respect sir, I'm not going to be pulling anyone over on my runs." I was holding in a bit of a smile, but he didn't seem to think it was funny.

It wasn't.

Flashing lights wrote:

What am I supposed to do? Are there actually laws about this? Is he completely out of line? All I wanted to do is make my runs a little safer...

No, he is completely reasonable.

amkelley wrote:

I've been pulled over several times on my bike for incorrect lighting. White light in the front (flashing or solid) and red light or reflector in the back. That's the law. No red lights in front, no white lights in back..

The riders I know have the red light mounted in the rear, but it flashes. Is that legal?

It shouldn't be legal, front or back. I have one that does but I don't use it.

A flashing light is all "look at me" and distracts from other lights. And it really pisses me off when cyclists use their high beams on bike paths, blinding every pedestrian in front of them. Not cool.

Why so many words? You could have communicated the same pertinent info by saying:

"I bought a running lamp and got pulled over while running for using the red strobe setting. Justified or not?"

You were fine running without it before you bought it, so don't wear it.

Did he tell you specifically what law you were breaking?

Colored lights can hypnotize

Haha so many police apologists here. Officer makes up a law, bullies a member of the public and these asswipes support him lol.

If the story involved the officer shooting at and hitting the OP for not stopping they would have said that's the OP's fault too.

Bad Wigins wrote:

amkelley wrote:

The riders I know have the red light mounted in the rear, but it flashes. Is that legal?

It shouldn't be legal, front or back. I have one that does but I don't use it.

A flashing light is all "look at me" and distracts from other lights. And it really pisses me off when cyclists use their high beams on bike paths, blinding every pedestrian in front of them. Not cool.

Agreed.