helmet lights

[mforbes1]

I am a relatively new rider of a st1300. I just bought a helmet light for the back of my helmet that has 10 different patterns of flashing. It also has the G force sensor for when braking. Are these devices legal during the day, night, both? If so, are there certain light colors that are not legal? I have searched this for Minnesota for a long time, but can't find law statutes that address this. Thanks

 

[GGely]

I wear a Nolan N100-5 helmet complete with the NCom B902L Bluetooth and ESS light kit.

Made by Sena, the B902 is fantastic and the ESS light works perfectly. Like the one you have it has various modes, an accelerometer etc.

According to folks behind me it is hard to miss, which is, of course, the point.

As far as I know, there are no laws pertaining to rear facing lights on helmets, though I’m sure they would have to meet the standard requirements for colour etc. that all rear lights on vehicles would have to meet. I’m sure someone will be along shortly with more knowledge than I do on this topic.

I’m a big fan of being seen so for the small upcharge for the ESS version, I’m a happy camper.

 

[CYYJ]

...can't find law statutes that address this.

A common motor vehicle regulation imposed by states and provinces prohibits showing a white light to the rear of a motor vehicle (the licence plate light doesn't count, because the light source is aimed at the plate, not to the rear). I suggest you check your state regulations to see if this rule exists, and if so, see if you can program the helmet lighting system to not show white lights.

Michael

 

[GGely]

Did I not say that someone with more knowledge than I have would be along shortly?

Michael’s comment is key and to my point too. Your local laws will dictate the allowable colours etc of rear facing lighting on motor vehicles, i.e. no white lights.

I’ll bet a red or amber rear facing light is fine and anything else is verboten.

A couple of hours in the library with the relevant encyclopedia containing the appropriate legislative information and you’ll know exactly what you can or can’t do.

 

[Upt' North]

Welcome from Northumberland, England.
I have no clue about your local, state or national laws.....but.......from a point of self preservation I would only show red to the rear. If the point is to make your ride safer, showing lights which confuse fellow road users cannot be good. Michael's point would be valid in the UK, you can't show a red light or reflector to the front or a white light or reflector to the rear. The law actually states you cannot show a light other than a red light to the rear with the obvious exceptions.
Safe riding fella.
Upt'North.

 

[SMSW]

There seem to be lots of these on the market....(I've deliberately left Amazon off the links below. Discrimination at its best....)

Brake Free Helmet Brake Light

The home of Brake Free, the brightest smart high visibility helmet brake light accessory with wireless brake detection. The first detachable brake light that can easily mount to most helmets! Be seen to be safe.

www.brakefreetech.com

Motorcycle Helmet Lights | LED, Brake, USB, Signal, Rechargeable - MOTORCYCLEiD.com

Increase your visibility with super bright LED brake & turn signal helmet lights that attach to your helmet or go with peal & stick lights that fit any helmet.

www.motorcycleid.com

inView Helmet Brake and Turn Signal Light - Third Eye Design

inView is the safest helmet-mounted brake and turn signal light in the world. There is no on/off switch, it is lightweight, and ultra-bright.

thirdeyedesigninc.com

 

[ST Gui]

I have searched this for Minnesota for a long time, but can't find law statutes that address this.

Props for attempting to find actual vehicle code regarding your helmet light. Whether or not someone choses to abide statute law they should at least know the law they are following or violating. Every state has their own lighting laws.

Second- my guess is that no state will allow a technicolor light show whether it's on the bike or the helmet. Until you find your states codes on lighting you should stick with red. If that rig does turn signals then amber should be fine as well. Any other colors especially those specific to EMS vehicles could be a problem for you. This might be amplified by the fact they're emanating from the helmet and not the bike.

Third most lights and lighting laws are spelled out in the states' vehicle codes and may follow the:

If we don't say it then you can't have it

rule. Or they describe the color and location of lights and that rules out adding some lights that don't meet stated requirements.

Flashing brake lights may be legal in MN so chose a pattern that matches or comes close (once you find the lighting laws) to what's allowed.

It's a pretty safe bet that as a brakelight only red is allowed in MN. Amber is probably a stretch with blue green and white definitely being bad choices and probably illegal.

A helmet light may not be specifically prohibited but it may not be allowed if it doesn't meet MN's requirements. You need someone who can quote you chapter and verse and code section to give you info you need and you can decide how to go from there.

Mainly you want the guy behind you to know that the helmet light is signaling that you're braking just like the factory brake lights. You don't want him ignoring those because he's trying to figure out if he's seeing a UFO. "Kal-El is that you?"

 

[Weaselinsuit]

In Alberta, flashing lights are reserved for certain classes of vehicles, emergency vehicles, tow trucks, gas trucks etc. Motorcycles are not included. So a helmet light that acts akin to a brake light is probably ok, but one that flashes would probably be offside. (Vehicle Equipment Regulation, Alta Reg 122/2009, Division 4)

 

[Andrew Shadow]

In Alberta, flashing lights are reserved for certain classes of vehicles, emergency vehicles, tow trucks, gas trucks etc. Motorcycles are not included. So a helmet light that acts akin to a brake light is probably ok, but one that flashes would probably be offside. (Vehicle Equipment Regulation, Alta Reg 122/2009, Division 4)

I'm curious Ted.
There were several vehicle models, Chryslers most noticeably, that had centre high mount brake lights that flashed three or four times before burning steady. This was standard equipment direct from the factory, so I can't see that they would be illegal in Alberta.

 

[snowmoer]

As a retired LEO, you can have extra Red lights that flash up to 5 times then go steady red. No back and forth (wig wag). You can have red or yellow turn signals that are not on besides when activated for a turn or hazard. Any other color is not permitted.

If you use the other colors and patterns. If you get pulled over and given a ticket, that is up to the officer. I would not chance it. All those colors and flashing patterns are good for having fun on bike night in the parking lot.

 

[ST1100Y]

You don't want him ignoring those because he's trying to figure out if he's seeing a UFO. "Kal-El is that you?"

IMHO is such bling-bling causing more distraction then adding safety...
Not to mention the hustle of wiring, plus chasing down faults later on...
And if the added weight is really comforting your neck muscles on long hauls seems another issue...

Anyway:

 

[Fenianbastard]

I have the Nolan helmet and light someone mentioned earlier and it is bright.

 

[Weaselinsuit]

I'm curious Ted.
There were several vehicle models, Chryslers most noticeably, that had centre high mount brake lights that flashed three or four times before burning steady. This was standard equipment direct from the factory, so I can't see that they would be illegal in Alberta.

Yeah absolutely fair comment Andrew. The reg states as follows:

Re: Flashing lamps

“flashing lamp” includes a stationary or rotating flashing lamp, a strobe lamp or a 360‑degree warning lamp but does not include a turn signal lamp or a vehicle hazard warning lamp required under this Regulation;

24(1) A person shall not drive or operate a vehicle that has a flashing lamp unless the flashing lamp is allowed or required under this Regulation or another regulation under the Act.

Re Brake lamps
Lit brake lamp


20(1) A brake lamp on a vehicle must light up when the service brake is applied.
(2) A lit brake lamp on a vehicle, other than a moped or power bicycle, must be clearly visible from at least 250 metres to the rear.

(3) A lit brake lamp on a moped or power bicycle must be clearly visible from at least 30 metres to the rear.

So a brake light that flashes a couple times before staying a solid red would fall in a grey area and likely be ok, i.e., it probably would not qualify under the definition of a flashing lamp and it would light up as required by the brake lamp section. I was more thinking a steady flashing light and likely should have been more specific in my original comment.

 

[ST Gui]

you can have extra Red lights that flash up to 5 times then go steady red.

A lot of laws very from state to state so know your home state's laws is the place to start.


First rule of the CA (CALIF) Vehicle Code regarding flashing and colored lights:

25250.
Flashing lights are prohibited on vehicles except as otherwise permitted.

25251.5.
(a) Any motor vehicle may also be equipped with a system in which an amber light is center mounted on the rear of a vehicle to communicate a component of deceleration of the vehicle, and which light pulses in a controlled fashion at a rate which varies exponentially with a component of deceleration.
Note: this is not a brake light but a deceleration warning light.

(b) Any motor vehicle may be equipped with two amber lamps on the rear of the vehicle which operate simultaneously with not more than four flashes within four seconds after the accelerator pedal is in the deceleration position and which are not lighted at any other time. The lamps shall be mounted at the same height, with one lamp located on each side of the vertical centerline of the vehicle, not higher than the bottom of the rear window, or if the vehicle has no rear window, not higher than 60 inches. The light output from each of the lamps shall not exceed 200 candlepower at any angle horizontal or above. The amber lamps may be used either separately or in combination with another lamp.

(c) Any stoplamp or supplemental stoplamp required or permitted by Section 24603 may be equipped so as to flash not more than four times within the first four seconds after actuation by application of the brakes.

24603.
Every motor vehicle that is not in combination with any other vehicle and every vehicle at the end of a combination of vehicles shall at all times be equipped with stoplamps mounted on the rear as follows:
24603 goes on to define the number and placement of stop lamps/brake lights.

Nothing in the CVC provides for the rider having a light of any sort on a motorcycle helmet nor is it specifcally prohibited. But it's the CVC not the CA Fashion Code. The OP's helmet light if configured properly and mounted on a bike would be legal. Similarly configured and worn on the helmet puts it in a gray area IMNSHO. What code section could be written as a violation?

Nothing comes to mind off the top of my head. Any section used would probably be about the light presenting some kind of distraction or danger to drivers similar to shining a flashlight or laser pointer at other drivers. But we're not doing that.

So avoid the disco party in your hat and hope for the best. This is a similar situation as lane splitting in CA except that's recognized as a thing by the CVC. It's not specified as legal or illegal.

There were several vehicle models, Chryslers most noticeably, that had centre high mount brake lights that flashed three or four times before burning steady. This was standard equipment direct from the factory, so I can't see that they would be illegal in Alberta.

Of course passenger vehiles in the US have the CHMSL (center high mounted stop lamp) as mandated by DOT for years. But I haven't seen one that flashes as factory equipment. In fact I haven't seen one that flashes at all. There is a YT video or two about adding one the the CHMSL and that's something I've been meaning to get round to. I'd wonder if it is still a factory item up North and if not was that because of a change in law.

 

[ST Gui]

that has 10 different patterns of flashing. It also has the G force sensor for when braking

Ok this is no doubt an imported item from someplace and someone who has trouble with English syntax and maybe English in general. From the product info:

STEELMATE Helmet Light System is designed to wirelessly detect Motorcycle brake signals. It is installed in the motorcycle helmet and sends different types of streaming light when detecting different signals.

When turned on, will detect your sudden deceleration (via a built-in G sensor) and activated the brake light pattern. The STEELMATE helmet light will stay red. After the speed is back to normal, the red light will flash with streaming light.

Color me confused. A lot of bicyclists have a constantly flashing tail light on the seat post. This would clearly be illegal on a car just about anywhere and with very few exceptions. It seems that the light flashes in a selected pattern of colors until it senses braking. Then another pattern then a solid color while stopped?

STOP THE MADNESS! Seriously– just configure this as a street legal brake light for MN and leave the boogie down bling for the parking lot. Cue the Bee Gees and I'm out.

 

[Andrew Shadow]

I'd wonder if it is still a factory item up North and if not was that because of a change in law.

I haven't noticed any lately, but I am not out on the road nearly as much as I used to be. I don't know what the law is for this. I just remember that I would see it, and it was always on the same model of vehicles leading to my belief that it was an OEM configuration.

 

[ST Gui]

Welcome from Northumberland, England.

Say "Hey!" to Vera if you see her!

 

[JohnK]

There seem to be lots of these on the market....(I've deliberately left Amazon off the links below. Discrimination at its best....)

Brake Free Helmet Brake Light

The home of Brake Free, the brightest smart high visibility helmet brake light accessory with wireless brake detection. The first detachable brake light that can easily mount to most helmets! Be seen to be safe.

www.brakefreetech.com

Motorcycle Helmet Lights | LED, Brake, USB, Signal, Rechargeable - MOTORCYCLEiD.com

Increase your visibility with super bright LED brake & turn signal helmet lights that attach to your helmet or go with peal & stick lights that fit any helmet.

www.motorcycleid.com

inView Helmet Brake and Turn Signal Light - Third Eye Design

inView is the safest helmet-mounted brake and turn signal light in the world. There is no on/off switch, it is lightweight, and ultra-bright.

thirdeyedesigninc.com

I own two of these. They work well on motorcycle helmets and some bicycle helmets. You can order extra mounts for multiple helmets. When the tail lights are minimal they add more visibility. I like em

 

[BakerBoy]

I noticed something on a CO Highway Patrol motorcycle helmet yesterday. His helmet at a glance looked like a typical flip up, but I noticed as he passed by me the helmet seemed a bit large (in volume). I passed it off as the officer leaving the chin bar and face shield 'up' (why do they do that??). I shook my head as I also saw he was wearing light gloves, light pants, short sleeve shirt, and no jacket. (Seemed less than suitable, but oh well.). The rear of the helmet had a large dark area (a bit shiny like a smoked lens) from mid-elevation down to bottom edge. That smoked area was integrated into the shape of the helmet with no protrusions or obvious stick-on devices.

I happened to follow for a few miles, at which point I noticed the rear smoked area of the helmet seemed to flash for a moment--not very brightly though, and so I thought it was a reflection on my windshield from another vehicle's LED light strip that happened to superimpose over my view of his helmet. But it caught my interest. Watching further, I noticed that when the officer moved his head, the LED strips would flash for a few seconds, but rather dimly. I didn't see the officer brake so don't know what it would do, then.

The lights were two vertical columns of small red LEDs, each perhaps a dozen or so LEDs spread over about 4" height, the columns perhaps 2" apart. The two columns wigwaged several times a second for a few seconds, then stopped. The light strips weren't crisp and attention getting, but were a bit subdued.

Being away from riding for a couple years now and unaware of them, my thought was "good idea, poor implementation."

I can't find online in any pictures or matches for what I saw.