Safe Speed Forums

My bike has hazard lights which I rarely use but when filtering in slow moving motorway traffic I have on the odd occaision switched them on. My reason for doing this is simple, I hope drivers will be made aware I'm there and so reduce the risk of collision. So my question is, is this illegal, am I breaking any law or not.

Yes you are breaking the law, hazard lights are only to be used if your vehicle is (or is likely to be) causing an obstruction.
The only time you may use your hazard lights when moving is if you are on a motorway or an unrestricted dual carriageway, and only then to warn other road users behind you that an obstruction lies ahead.

Your headlight or a loud pipe are far more likely to bring yourself to the attention of other drivers.

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What makes you think I'm drunk officer, have I got a fat bird with me?

Nice reply.

The other factor is that it's clearly very sensible to adopt a defensive riding style, so that you are well placed to deal with other road users who have not seen you. For filtering, this probably means keeping it under 10mph (sometimes 15mph) differential speed. If they move across in front of you you need to be slow enough to stop. I'd also be inclined to cover the horn in case of risk of sideswipe.

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

Thank's,
I thought as much hence I asked, I won't do it anymore but shame really because it was very effective.

A 4-1 Harris is also very effective at waking others up around you

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What makes you think I'm drunk officer, have I got a fat bird with me?

Yes you are. Hazard lights can only be used if you are statonary.

BTW...want to have you say. Check out http://www.dsa.gov.uk/content.asp?id=13014

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Speed camera policy Kills

Carry on using them, you will never get a tug if your filtering is safe. having said that don't rely on them you are still invisible the only person who knows you are there is riding your motorcycle.

I was sideswiped last April by a myopic rep, I had 100 watt main beam on, two 100 watt driving lights, hazards and a flourescent Hi-Vis Jacket, he still said he didn't see me. Fortunately I was riding as Safespeed suggested earlier in this thread so was able to pick my bike up gather witnesses and get him to admit that he hadn't seen me cause he hadn't looked, it all proved very valuable when the county court ruled in my favour.

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Former Military Police Officer and accident investigator

Probably blinded the poor b****r!

Erm, do you not think (especially as a former police officer) that advising somebody to disregard the law may be a tad unadvisable?


How do you know what your former colleagues are likely to do if they see the law being breached?
Or are you offering "mcbiker" (an interesting username BTW ) the chance to get somebody in his pocket?


Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't sustituting the standard 55W/60W headlamp bulb for a 55W/100W a breach of the Construction & Use Act?

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What makes you think I'm drunk officer, have I got a fat bird with me?

Thank's again for your replys, I'm not convinced my local patrol officers would be happy for me to carry on using my hazard lights but it is frustrating when drivers "close the gap" as if your invisible.

Get a loud pipe. That is the ONLY thing that will make the bastards take any notice of you at all. Using your hazards will only confuse the morons and is more that likely going to cause them to do something stupid (bearing in mind that the majority of bikes on the road don't have hazards)

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Science won over religion when they started installing lightning rods on churches.

I disagree, loud pipes are pretty well useless as a safety feature hen drivers are in a cage playing their music as loud as they do, you hear a bike ass it passes you not before.

As for the confused morons comment; confused morons sit parlysed until they know what you are going to do, unless you take too long about it.

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Former Military Police Officer and accident investigator

Not really; firstly I am a former Military Police officer but secondly doing whatever you can to be more visible will not get you in bother with the BiB, using the hazards as an excuse to ride like a knob will almost certainly get you a tug.

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Former Military Police Officer and accident investigator

Happens quite a lot. Headlights and hi-viz can only work if people look.

Thing is - if they do look they can see an unlit bike perfectly well too.

Good.

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Q. Are you a stupid fascist with limited reading skills or are you just a retard?

If that is the case, then why do all the cagers start looking in their door mirrors a good 8 - 10 metres before I even get alongside them on a motorway?

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What makes you think I'm drunk officer, have I got a fat bird with me?

I concur.

You used to be able to hear loud vehicles near you for sure - but modern cars are so well soundproofed and (as you point out) fitted with loud music systems as standard that the only drivers who will hear even the LOUDEST bike will have to be driving in silence with the windows open.

I've been observing this for years - since people started harping on about 'loud pipes - save lives' - I doubted this and still do. It might save the odd pedestrian in town, but even then I'm not sure that you can always discern the direction of travel of the noise.

One thing you can be sure - a noisy exhaust will always annoy village residents/your neighbours/MP's looking for a vote winner and I would avoid using them for that very reason.

Old story - years ago I had a Laverda Jota (a legal but LOUD Italian bike) and was riding with some mates in the countryside. As we drove into a village, at the legal speed, a copper pulled us over. "I could hear you coming from miles away, lads" and preceded to check our bikes, licences and the usual rigmarole. Worth remembering.

Quiet silencers since - not been stopped either.

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Q. Are you a stupid fascist with limited reading skills or are you just a retard?

I have to disagree Patch. I have 2 bikes both of which I ride on a regular basis in and out of town. One is a bright green GPZ500 with standard nose faring and quiet exhaust. Its got a relatively large front profile and as I mentioned, its BRIGHT GREEN. The other is a matt black XS650. Its got a much narrower front profile than the GPZ and like I said, its BLACK. It also has 1-3/4" pipes with almost unbaffled cans. Hence its VERY loud. I rarely get cut up / SMIDSY'd on the XS whereas I get so much grief on the GPZ that I'm thinking of selling it. Now tell me again that noisy pipes don't make a difference. BTW I've never been pulled on either bike.



In my experience confused morons are the ones weaving in and out of their lane whilst they are trying to figure out what's going on.

Oh and BTW there are times when using your headlight makes you LESS visible, not more. I never use mine unless its actually dark.

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Science won over religion when they started installing lightning rods on churches.

Like me, they are probably thinking "Listen to this d***head!"

All? Really?

Not just some?

How do you know that all drivers move over for you because they hear your exhaust? You've asked them? Or presume this?

I moved over in traffic in Bristol the other day because I saw a bike coming through, he gave me a thumbs up as he passed and then I heard the loud pipe.

Perhaps he too will presume that I moved because of his loud pipe - but nothing could be further from the actuality.

Since I find loud exhausts more annoying than benefital perhaps I should not give bikes extra room when I'm in the car - as I really don't want them to mistakenly think that their anti-social behaviour gives them any benefit whatsoever.

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Q. Are you a stupid fascist with limited reading skills or are you just a retard?

Same here Sixy
I have a 4-1 Harris fitted with the race baffle, and I cannot remember the last time I heard the immortal words "Sorry mate, I didn't see ya"


I've been pulled once about the noise after I overtook an unmarked car on the A331 near home. After I showed him the BS markings (which are conveniently stamped on the outer edge of the pipe) and pointed out the bike was older than him and re-iterated the Construction & Use Act, he walked away with a slightly confused look on his face


Same here, have never bothered with the headlight during daylight hours and I'm still in one piece after 24 years of riding.



And if you are sitting there thinking that Oscar, then you already know not to make a move until you have established exactly where I am on the road in relation to you!



I never highlighted the word "all" in my original statement, so please stop trying to make it look like I am attempting to emphasize a point when I am not


Are you related to Basingwerk, or are you old bill?
Both of them like to twist whatever has been said so it suits them.

I said, they all start looking in their mirrors...I did NOT say, they all move over.

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What makes you think I'm drunk officer, have I got a fat bird with me?