A bicycle light is an important safety device. Drivers behind the wheel of a car have a difficult time seeing a cyclist in the daylight so at night it is even more difficult without a light to demand their attention. Another reason to have a light is to see those holes in the roadway that will hurt you and/or destroy your wheel. Does your bike have a light for the front and the rear? We don’t want to hear that any of our cruisers got hurt because a driver did not see them. Some cruisers have gone beyond the requirement for lights and that is great! However, so many riders that are left in the dark all over the city. For that reason, we have lights available to purchase on our Happy Thursday bike rides
for $5. They are basic silicone waterproof lights that meet state law
requirements. We have white lights for the front and red for the rear. We’ll also have some batteries if your light is inoperable.
Louisiana state law requires the use of a front & rear light. Statute RS 32:329.1 says;
Bicycles; front lamps; rear lamps; side and rear reflectors
A. Any bicycle when in use at
the times specified in R.S. 32:301 shall be equipped with the following:
(1) A lamp mounted on the front
that shall emit a white light visible from a distance of at least five
hundred feet to the front. A generator-powered lamp that emits light only
when the bicycle is moving may be used to meet this requirement..
(2) A lamp mounted on the rear
that shall emit either a flashing or steady red light visible from a
distance of five hundred feet to the rear.
(3) A red reflector mounted on
the rear and a reflector on each side facing outward at a right angle to the
bicycle frame that shall be visible from all distances from one hundred feet
to six hundred feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful lower beams
of head lamps on a motor vehicle.
B. A bicycle or its operator
may be equipped with lights or reflectors in addition to those required by
Subsection A of this Section, except that red lamps and red reflectors shall
not be used on the front of the bicycle and white lamps and white reflectors
shall not be used on the rear of the bicycle.
C. A lamp or lamps worn by the
operator of a bicycle shall comply with the requirements of Subsection A of
this Section, if the lamp or lamps can be seen at the distances specified.
D. No person shall operate any
bicycle on a state highway, parish road, or city street at a time specified
in R.S. 32:301 unless such bicycle is equipped with lamps and reflectors to
comply with Subsection A of this Section. Whoever violates this Section
shall be subject to a fine of not more than twenty-five dollars which shall
include all costs of court.
E. No retailer,
distributor, wholesaler, or manufacturer in this state shall sell or
offer for sale any bicycle unless such bicycle is equipped with lamps
and reflectors as required by Subsection A of this Section.
F. This Section shall
not apply to operators of bicycles or bicycles while the operator or
bicycle is engaged in sanctioned competition races or to bicycles while
utilized by peace officers in furtherance of their official duties.
A bicycle light is a good safety device that makes your presence known to drivers on the roadways. As such, our friends at Bike Easy is initiating a campaign to help you be safe when riding your bike. Their campaign will hand out bicycle lights at undisclosed locations at random times throughout this year to those without bicycle lights. Don’t wait to get a free bike light; join us for a HT ride, stop in your local bike store, or shop online to get a good quality lamp.