Few cyclists, equipped or not, are aware of the regulations on lighting their faithful steeds. Annoying when the days get shorter.
With the transition to winter time late October and the shortening of the days, the issue of lighting abruptly asked for many cyclists. This week I heard in a Go Sport store that the front and rear lights represented “the bulk of sales of the moment.” All new bicycles are not provided, and these lights are degraded when they are not stolen or neglected. That’s why the Federation of users of the bicycle (FUB) runs until Sunday a campaign in several French cities “to raise awareness of the importance of good lighting.”
For as it recalled in an online folder, the question is “vital”: “Cyclists often believe be seen because the street lighting or shop windows are illuminated. […] But the cyclist without reflective vest are not visible. Next to the power of the lights of motor vehicles or motorcycles, [he] is actually very disadvantaged by the low power and the unreliability of its active light. “According to the National Interministerial Observatory road safety, 17.1% of cyclists killed on the roads in 2012 were the night,    “as they are few in circulation.” The same year in the city, for a cyclist killed the night, twenty-one were hospitalized more than twenty-four hours (see the pdf of the balance sheet 2012).
The trouble is that few cyclists, equipped or not, are aware of the regulations on lighting their faithful steeds. What you should know is that every rider must make use of lighting or signaling “the night or the day when visibility is inadequate.” As for mandatory equipment include:
– Before the fire: “Every cycle shall be equipped with a position light emitting forward a non-glare, yellow or white.” (Article R313-4 of the Highway Code)

– The taillight “Every cycle shall be equipped with a rear position. This fire must be clearly visible from the rear when the vehicle is mounted. “(Article R313-5)
Those lights and signals “can not be dimmable, except for the direction indicators and the distress signal” (Article R313-25). Flashing lights – I myself used to be best seen – are prohibited. There is no obligation on the other hand set the lights permanently on bike.
– Reflectors like safety vest (these devices reflecting light back to its source): “Every cycle shall be equipped with one or more rear reflectors” (Article R313-18), “visible orange reflectors laterally” (Article R313-19), ” a white reflector visible from the front “and others on the pedals (Article R313-20).
Failure of any of these provisions may be subject to a first-class ticket: the fixed fine is 11 euros (33 euros in case of increase). That said, few offenses are generally recognized by the authorities: barely 3713 last year, bicycles, mopeds and light quadricycles confused.
Optional side and semi-optional equipment (you’ll understand), there are:
– The safety distance spacer (this reflective rod attached perpendicularly to the wheel): it “may” be installed at the rear and left (Article R313-20).
– The fluorescent jacket (or “high visibility vest ‘) means any driver or passenger of a bicycle is required to wear when traveling outside town, at night or in poor visibility (Article 431-1-1) . The reluctant face a fine of 35 euros (possibly minus 22 euros or 75 euros plus). FUB is however not favorable to its mandatory use. It deems unsuitable to certain cases: recumbents, wearing a backpack or bag transport a child on seat.
Moreover (it has no relation to the lighting but we will avoid making the next column), know that the presence of a “warning device consisting of a bell or a bell whose sound can be heard 50 meters at least “- a bell, wholesale – is mandatory (Article R313-33) and other banned alarms.
The regulations on these devices could change however. FUB take his campaign on lighting to provide several “changes”, while the second part of the Action Plan for active mobility (Pama said, to encourage cycling and walking) is in preparation . Among them permission flashing lights systems in the back (already sold in stores but prohibited for use), a “sidelight” function on the devices attached to the back to indicate that a bicycle is stopped, or the requirement for wheel manufacturers to equip them with reflective tape. So there is a chance that this item be updated in less than a year, the next transition to winter time.