EVERY cycle commuter knows the importance of a good pair of lights on their bicycle and with even stricter laws than us, every German cyclist knows the law regarding this matter. Do you?

I assume a little proportion of Oxford cyclists don’t know when and where lights are meant to be used as they decide to forgo the whole matter and cycle like two-wheeled tiny ninjas through the night.

Assuming other road users haven’t eaten their carrots and can’t see in the dark, then cycling without lights can be fairly risky.

Perhaps sticking to the lighting regulations would be safer and for those in the dark about what the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations (RVLR) are, here is a quick run-down.

One front lamp is required, positioned centrally and unlike in a game of football is allowed to be offside if necessary.

It must be white, up to 150cm from the ground and if emitting a steady light conform to the BS6102/3 standard or European equivalent.

If only capable of flashing, and this is the important bit, it must produce at least four candela, that’s roughly fourlumens to us younger kittens.

Now, you can assume the same for the rear but you can position it much lower if necessary, albeit a minimum 35cm from the ground, good news for Brompton owners whose fitted rear light sits around 50cm from the tarmac.

In addition to lights a rear reflector, coloured red, is required and four amber pedal reflectors should be fitted as well; the exception is a pre-1985 cycle.

Interestingly trailers also need rear lights and weirdly a triangular red reflector, although as a retailer of such vehicles I know they almost certainly come with plain square cycle ones.

So it’s not that difficult to understand, although there is some ambiguity over whether BS6102/3 means lights that flash and have a constant mode as well are completely legal under RVLR are “approved”.

If they do not have the BS stamp they are not “approved” but manufacturers seem less interested than the cycle forums in this grey area.

Obviously visibility is key and most people with common sense will know a bright light when they see it; the problem has really arisen because the RVLR was amended to provide that a flashing light can be your only light but BS6102/3 does not cover lights which do both.

I always go with the old saying ‘the more the merrier’ when making myself visible to other road users. I favour permanent mounted lights and I advise them frequently to my local customers who have to put up with the petty thieves of Oxford constantly lifting the ones on movable brackets. Now the price of a high lumen light has drastically come down in price it’s no longer necessary to struggle to see your way down unlit roads and paths.