Pulsing brake lights : list of legal states 5-24-13

[WellWell]

Greetngs;

I'm going to take a scoot this summer through a number of states. Living in Califorinia, we will go through Nevada, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado and possible more states as determined on the road.

Since I have flashing brake lights, I would like to get a list of states that are ok. I need to make plans for going through states that are a problem. Just the facts m'am.

WW

 

[wheatonFJR]

Just tell them you were pumping the brakes to keep from losing traction...

I don't if there is said list available. Yer welcome to start one though.

 

[El Toro Joe]

I know there legal in Ohio, WV, VA & NC

 

[Bounce]

It's a federal DOT standard. Once they meet the pulses-per-second requirement and the auto-disable-after-dark requirement then it's nation-wide.

 

[Patriot]

In Looziana, small flashing braking indicators like led hyperlites are perfectly accepted and legal. I would expect while transitioning any other state with my LA plate, I would be left alone to run them as always regardless of local ordinances.

 

[Top_Speed1]

I remember reading something in my brake controller manual about how many pulses before straight-on is legal in all 50. I'm thinking 3 were good everywhere. I use the same controller and LED (LIN3) (under the license plate light) as Fred W. (post/thread here on it)

 

[Happy Rider]

They are legal in the Peoples Republic of California, Day and Night, as long as they only flash 4 times then go solid.

 

[Bounce]

My bad. It's headlight modulators that need an auto-disable at night.

 

[bramfrank]

It's simple . . . your vehicle need only be road legal in your home state. By convention, it is accepted everywhere else in North America.

 

[Top_Speed1]

It's simple . . . your vehicle need only be road legal in your home state. By convention, it is accepted everywhere else in North America.

Good info thanks, did not know this.

 

[Fred W]

Greetngs;

I'm going to take a scoot this summer through a number of states. Living in Califorinia, we will go through Nevada, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado and possible more states as determined on the road.

Since I have flashing brake lights, I would like to get a list of states that are ok. I need to make plans for going through states that are a problem. Just the facts m'am.

WW

This depends on what you mean by flashing and what you mean by brake lights.

From my prior research, it is legal to flash your brake lights up to 4 times and then go to solid on in every US state.

It is illegal to continuously flash a brake light in some states, and those wig wag type tail lights are not legal in some states.

Unfortunately, there is no ready reference that shows which states allow what in this regard. The AMA state by state legality reference (a great reference FWIW) does not cover brake lights, so you would have to research each state individually, or take your chances.

Flashing the main incandescent brake lights on an FJR is counter productive, IMO. Because of the time lag required to heat the lamp's filament, you can only flash them slowly to get any kind of pulsation effect, and the reduced duty cycle nets you a dimmer light output during the flashing phase.

This is where having a 3rd LED brake light comes in, as was suggested above by Top_Speed1. An LED illuminates far quicker, so can be flashed on and off in a far more eye catching way. It allows the main brake lights to remain illuminated at 100% duty cycle for brightest indication of braking. It is legal to flash it 4 times and go solid in all 50 states, and it could be easily switch disabled if a following rider found it distracting (nobody has ever complained about mine, even at night)

It's simple . . . your vehicle need only be road legal in your home state. By convention, it is accepted everywhere else in North America.

Good info thanks, did not know this.

I wouldn't count on that preventing you from getting pulled over and getting a ticket.

 

[bramfrank]

I wouldn't count on that preventing you from getting pulled over and getting a ticket.

If your machine is legal in one state and you are ticketed in another it would be dismissed if challenged in court. The simplest is to not get stopped. But if you are, the be pleasant and have a copy of the appropriate statutes packed on the bike (I carry the one for my headlight modulator), just in case.

 

[Specter]

Slightly off-topic. I added hyper-lights with the flasher unit. Then I tied in the LED brake light in my GIVI trunk. the result is very noticeable on stopping, and the bonus is the trunk light is lit all the time with the tail light.

I don't think you'll have any issues with the standard flash-four then solid type. Wig-wag or constant flash will probably get negative attention.

 

[Hello Kitty]

I've been on a bike in all of the lower 48, pulled over in about 40 of them. No cop has ever commented on my brake lights even though they certainly saw them as I was coming to a stop. (I've had hyper lights, BRAKE! and currently, Skene Designs)

That may not help with a list of where they're legal, but my guess is, the cop is more interested in your speed, or other traffic infraction than a flashing brake light.

Of course, my experience may not match others, but I am pretty sure that if your vehicle is legal in the state in which it is registered, it's okay to transit through other states. Doesn't CA have some weird emissions thing? Doesn't mean folks from other states can't visit CA, they would just have to follow the local requirements to actually register their vehicle there.

 

[bgross]

I've been on a bike in all of the lower 48, pulled over in about 40 of them. No cop has ever commented on my brake lights even though they certainly saw them as I was coming to a stop. (I've had hyper lights, BRAKE! and currently, Skene Designs)
That may not help with a list of where they're legal, but my guess is, the cop is more interested in your speed, or other traffic infraction than a flashing brake light.

Of course, my experience may not match others, but I am pretty sure that if your vehicle is legal in the state in which it is registered, it's okay to transit through other states. Doesn't CA have some weird emissions thing? Doesn't mean folks from other states can't visit CA, they would just have to follow the local requirements to actually register their vehicle there.

Yes, we do. Here in the PRC we welcome everyone, with open arms. If you decide that CA is a place that you want to live, you may register your 49-state-emission vehicle here as long as it has 7500 miles on the clock. Inmates-er-CITIZENS of the PRC may purchase a 49-state-vehicle and register it here as long as it had 7500 miles on the clock at the time of purchase.

Now, back to the OP's original topic:

Though I am willing to 'assume' the accuracy of the responses above, some versions of flashing brake lights (like my P3 from Skene) have a feature that enables an easy change from flashing to 'regular'. If you get stopped, an innocent smile at Officer Obie and an "oops, I didn't know but I can fix that right now..." might work.

Or, south of the Mason-Dixon line, a "contribution" to the Policeman's Favorite Charity might work.

 

[huron52]

If and I say IF I got pulled over because my flashing brake lights I could IF I needed to disconnect it until the officer left at which I would reconnect it.

Yes mine flash and then stay solid.

I have once I have stopped at a traffic light release and reapplied my brakes several times until the car or truck coming up behind me has stopped.

 

[Fred W]

That is SOP for me. I generally sit with my brake lights off until I see a cage approach from behind. Yes, that means you need to see behind you (ref: FZ1 Mirror Upgrade)

At about 100' or so, I put my brakes on (I have a strobe/flash then solid Whelen TIR3 aux brake light setup) and still watch what they do. If the seem to be coming in hot I'll repeat the flash sequence, before bailing out and getting the farque outta the way.

It isn't being paranoid if it saves your bacon.

I've also learned and adopted, (mostly from input from this here particular forum) to not ever go into neutral at a red light. That way I'm only a clutch release away from being accelerated out of trouble, and can at least shoot for safety at the side of the road or between cars rather than getting compressed by a cell phone texting soccer Mom. My left hand has easily gotten used to holding the clutch in at lights (even very long ones) over the years (it isn't all that tough you Nancy Boys!!) and isn't a very big deal now.

 

[SilverHound]

Was surprised to read the OP and learn that this could even be an issue. I have a BL modulator on my bike and I think they flash 5 times and then go solid, maybe 4. Anyhow have ridden through all the states colored below with said modulated brake lights and have never had an issue. That said, I'm pretty sure I have actually applied the brakes in all the states I have ridden through but I could be wrong about Oklahoma and Nebraska