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Added strobe LED bulbs to the front running lights for improved visibility to oncoming traffic. Laughing emoticon


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UTC quote
While that's cool, I think it's way more distracting and overall less safe for you.

You'll definitely be seen, but people will accidentally drift towards you.
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TheNaughtyLemur wrote:
While that's cool, I think it's way more distracting and overall less safe for you.

You'll definitely be seen, but people will accidentally drift towards you.
It's probably illegal, too.
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Legal in Canada for sure. Most bicycle riders have strobe lights on the front of their bikes. It's annoying to look at as a car driver but definitely gets your attention. Got tired of constantly honking and flashing my highbeams at oncoming traffic and intersections after having too many people cut me off turning left in front of me.
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Lotus99 wrote:
Got tired of constantly honking and flashing my highbeams at oncoming traffic and intersections after having too many people cut me off turning left in front of me.
People are likely doing this because they're just assholes, not because they don't see you.
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Kudos to you for trying but i think it might make people want to run me off the road even more. Great idea tho.
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Bazziemoto wrote:
Lotus99 wrote:
Got tired of constantly honking and flashing my highbeams at oncoming traffic and intersections after having too many people cut me off turning left in front of me.
People are likely doing this because they're just assholes, not because they don't see you.
Sorry, but you're 100% wrong. It's all about visibility. I'm not saying it just because I have 20+ years of motorcycle riding experience and it's happened to me dozens of times on a full size bike. It's fact. Collisions at intersections from oncoming cars turning left in front of bikes is the #1 cause.

https://www.motorcycleaccidentcaselaw.com/blog/left-turn-collisions/
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It is YOUR scooter so you do whatever you like and legal in your area.

Where I live it is not.

First the oncoming traffic may be intrigued but eventually disoriented. Strobe lights do that.
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Sorry, but you're wrong that flashing white lights are illegal in the US. Red and blue are off limits of course. Here's an article on it:

http://www.webbikeworld.com/Motorcycle-technical-articles/Modulator-regs.htm

It sounds like you guys also don't hang out with motorcycle riders, as again, it's a very common thing in that community. There are lots of companies who make headlight modulators, which do exactly that. Turn the high beam on and off. Here's one:

https://kisantech.com/mag/pathblazer.html


I fail to see how a constantly flashing light is going to confuse any driver. It just gets their attention and they pay more attention to you. I've found the opposite in fact, when I flashed my high beams at a driver who was about to turn left in my path, they actually thought I was giving them the go ahead to turn!
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Except yours isn't constantly flashing? Again, do what you want to do with your Vespa, however I'd be willing to make a large bet that you won't be seen how you're intending to be seen.

If you want people to think you're a bicycle and thus will pull out in front of you because they can't judge your speed in the dark go ahead and use these.

Imho, if you want to be seen more install more lights. Just don't make them blindingly bright.
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OP no offense intended.

States have the upper legal hand in transportation issues. It's in the Constitution.
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Max6200 wrote:
OP no offense intended.

States have the upper legal hand in transportation issues. It's in the Constitution.
I don't claim to know your laws, but you're saying this statement from the webbikeworld link above is wrong?

"This Federal law supersedes all state laws and makes motorcycle headlight modulators legal in all 50 states."
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Lotus99 wrote:
Max6200 wrote:
OP no offense intended.

States have the upper legal hand in transportation issues. It's in the Constitution.
I don't claim to know your laws, but you're saying this statement from the webbikeworld link above is wrong?

"This Federal law supersedes all state laws and makes motorcycle headlight modulators legal in all 50 states."
Facepalm emoticon I give up.
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Lotus99 wrote:
Sorry, but you're wrong that flashing white lights are illegal in the US. Red and blue are off limits of course. Here's an article on it:

http://www.webbikeworld.com/Motorcycle-technical-articles/Modulator-regs.htm

It sounds like you guys also don't hang out with motorcycle riders,
Well here's what that page says:
  • A. The rate of modulation shall be 240 ±40 cycles per minute.
  • B. The headlamp shall be operated at maximum power for 50 to 70 percent of each cycle.
  • C. The lowest intensity at any test point shall be not less than 17 percent of the maximum intensity measured at the same point.
Looks like you fail on all three points.



What you really want to avoid is the "WTF is that?" moment in the drivers head just before he pulls out in front of you.

Heres how it pans out...
Those blinking lights look exactly like two bicycles travelling side by side, and bicycle go about 15 mph, I have heaps of time to pull out into the lane... Oh shit.


And we are motorcycle riders (except for Max, who's a mopedista on his 50)
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znomit wrote:
Lotus99 wrote:
Sorry, but you're wrong that flashing white lights are illegal in the US. Red and blue are off limits of course. Here's an article on it:

http://www.webbikeworld.com/Motorcycle-technical-articles/Modulator-regs.htm

It sounds like you guys also don't hang out with motorcycle riders,
Well here's what that page says:
  • A. The rate of modulation shall be 240 ±40 cycles per minute.
  • B. The headlamp shall be operated at maximum power for 50 to 70 percent of each cycle.
  • C. The lowest intensity at any test point shall be not less than 17 percent of the maximum intensity measured at the same point.
Looks like you fail on all three points.


What you really want to avoid is the "WTF is that?" moment in the drivers head just before he pulls out in front of you.

Heres how it pans out...
Those blinking lights look exactly like two bicycles travelling side by side, and bicycle go about 15 mph, I have heaps of time to pull out into the lane... Oh shit.


And we are motorcycle riders (except for Max, who's a mopedista on his 50)
I'll be sure to ask the Officer to count the flashing for me! You guys are missing the big picture. The whole point of a headlight modular is it gives you more visibility, and if you don't get that as a motorcycle rider, then good luck to you, next time some driver turns left in front of you while you're going straight.
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Lotus99 wrote:
You guys are missing the big picture. The whole point of a headlight modular is it gives you more visibility, and if you don't get that as a motorcycle rider, then good luck to you, next time some driver turns left in front of you while you're going straight.
What you have is not a headlight modulator. It is blinky lights.
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UTC quote
It's a good install, but I too question the legality.

As for modulators, they go from bright/dim/bright . . ., not bright/off/bright. . .. They aren't flashing in the sense yours appear to be.

Your own B.C laws say this:

MOTOR VEHICLE ACT REGULATIONS
4.28
"(2) Red, white or amber flashing lamps may be used on the following vehicles:
(a) a fire department vehicle driven by a member of the fire department in the discharge of the member's duties;
(b) an official vehicle driven by a peace officer, constable or member of the police branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the discharge of the officer's duties;
(c) an ambulance, as defined in the Emergency Health Services Act, if the ambulance is responding to an emergency call or transporting a patient and it is essential for the ambulance to gain the right of way;
(d) a bus described in section 169.1 (4) (a) or (b) of the Act if the flashes of light are emitted
(i) from the centre and right side clearance lights at the rear of the bus, and
(ii) only when the bus is stopped, standing or parked at a bus stop."

As for modulating headlamps (don't get too excited, as section 5.6 is now listed as "reserved" or it simply does not appear in docs):

4.05
"(8 ) A motorcycle may be equipped with modulating headlamps if the headlamps comply with section 5.6 of the Technical Standards Document No. 108, Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations (Canada)."

I like these discussions, as they prompt me to go to the source for an answer and not have to rely on five year old forums filled with opinions. However, the powers that be don't always make it easy to find the answer, or they leave up old data that has since been changed.

I do hope they help you, and don't bring you any trouble.
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Paperino, thanks for looking into it some more, but this thread got completely derailed into a legal discussion. I'll see if I get pulled over ever b/c of this. As I said from the beginning, all the bicycles have them on - for visibility obviously - and that's what I've done, which I think works.

I don't think with the headlight any fool would mistake me for two bicycles riding side by side. Some of the points made here were just outlandish, just for the sake of arguing.

Time will tell if I still have cars attempting to turn left in front of me as much as before or not.
⚠️ Last edited by Lotus99 on UTC; edited 4 times
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Channging Lanes
Lotus99 wrote:
Paperino, thanks for looking into it some more, but this thread got completely derailed into a legal discussion. I'll see if I get pulled over ever b/c of this. As I said from the beginning, all the bicycles have them on - for visibility obviously -
and that's what I've done, which I think works.

I don't think with the headlight as well any fool would mistake me for two bicycles riding side by side. Some of the points made here were just outlandish, just for the sake of arguing.

Time will tell if I still have cars attempting to turn left in front of me as much as before or not.
I am not a lawyer. Just a law--abiding citizen. It's my responsibility.

I have no wishes to derail your thread with some amateur lawyerese.

I apollogize if I I did.
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A story. Be careful. Years ago i too thought the headlight wasn't as bright as it should be. Bought a higher wattage system and we installed it. Worked well for a while and then it started to not work. Crying or Very sad emoticon Sometimes it would come on and sometimes it wouldn't. Real PIA. I don't do much night riding but i couldn't trust that it would work at nite. Finally i got fed up and put it back to stock. In the end it cost me money. I'm guessing that our battery isn't equipped to handle such mods. Be careful what you wish for.
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I have 35+ years experience. Doesn't make my opinion better than everyone else's Razz emoticon
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Lotus99, I too did a similar mod on my '12 GTS a few years ago. It was one of those brainiac ideas I sometimes suffer with. Mine was a single strobe installed where the little front running light was. The big difference was a momentary switch. The strobe was only activated if I felt it was needed.

My review...totally worthless. Down here in crazy Florida the law never had an issue with it although i knew it was illegal from the get go. They had more important things to do it seems. After a year of running around with this I found I was seen, but I also was causing road rage. I soon disconnected the strobe and replaced it with an awesome horn that was more effective. On the plus side I found a great way to mount a momentary switch. Used that with the new horn.

Here's the link from my project report:

Warning strobe light for Vespa GTS

All the luck to you.

Bob
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flordian wrote:
Lotus99, I too did a similar mod on my '12 GTS a few years ago. It was one of those brainiac ideas I sometimes suffer with. Mine was a single strobe installed where the little front running light was. The big difference was a momentary switch. The strobe was only activated if I felt it was needed.

My review...totally worthless. Down here in crazy Florida the law never had an issue with it although i knew it was illegal from the get go. They had more important things to do it seems. After a year of running around with this I found I was seen, but I also was causing road rage. I soon disconnected the strobe and replaced it with an awesome horn that was more effective. On the plus side I found a great way to mount a momentary switch. Used that with the new horn.

Here's the link from my project report:

Warning strobe light for Vespa GTS

All the luck to you.

Bob
Thanks. The few days I've ridden with it so far, haven't had any cars flash me, or anything. Maybe it's because I live in Vancouver, and all the drivers are nice. And that we see so many bicycles with the strobe lights, maybe we're used to it. The new ones on bikes are super powerful too, too strong IMO, where the flash actually bothers your eyes. Mine are not that bad. Was $10 off Ebay, so I'll see how it goes.

I'm still surprised state laws for you guys trump federal laws, especially since the article I quoted specifically addresses the legality of headlight modulators in state laws vis a vis federal laws. I'd be really surprised a cop would be so picky as to cite me for having a white strobe light when a modulator is legal.
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Please, someone correct me if I'm wrong...I don't think a strobe light qualifies as a headlight modulator within the intention of the law.
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flordian wrote:
Please, someone correct me if I'm wrong...I don't think a strobe light qualifies as a headlight modulator within the intention of the law.
I think it's splitting hairs, but we'll see. For me, both are flashing lights and the main issue is the colour, which I've avoided red and blue as they're reserved for emergency vehicles.

This article seems to say they're ok too, under the section Understanding Strobe Light Legalities and Usage:

http://www.extremetacticaldynamics.com/knowledge-base/state-statutes/emergency-and-warning-light-use-by-civilians/
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flordian wrote:
Please, someone correct me if I'm wrong...I don't think a strobe light qualifies as a headlight modulator within the intention of the law.
It doesn't. Look at Paperino's post 7 above yours.
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UTC quote
Lotus99 wrote:
I don't claim to know your laws, but you're saying this statement from the webbikeworld link above is wrong?
"This Federal law supersedes all state laws and makes motorcycle headlight modulators legal in all 50 states."
Yes, it is wrong. States have differing laws on this. In Oregon, displaying constantly flashing white lights such as headlight modulators on a private vehicle is not legal.
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