A common sense idea about motorcycle visibility

The idea: The enabling of individual motorcyclists in the State of Texas to have the right to install a small, white LED strobe light under the head lamp of their motorcycle for purposes of ensuring other-vehicle visibility.

This light would flash 4 times per second. The light would be actuated by a button on the the handlebar. Although it is quite bright, the lens is focused to direct the light forward to oncoming traffic. A biker would use the light when he felt threatened in an intersection on whenever there was a chance for another drive to make a quick left turn in front of him.

Here is an endorsement letter from the Amarillo Police Department, Motorcycle Patrol Division, leadership, Sgt. Steve Davis.

Its immediate use would be entirely elective. The rider would use the light whenever the rider felt visibility was key. An example would be at a busy intersection during a sunrise or sunset or merging onto a highway. Essentially, anytime, day or night that the rider felt the need for added visibility.

The light would not be intended to 'take over' right of way. With a proper advertising campaign from the Department of Public Safety, Texan's could be informed of the right of motorcycles to have a white strobe light. This could occur by the obvious newsworthiness of the idea in mainstream print as well as continual reminders on the State's highway billboard signs. If we can advise people of fire danger, kidnapped children and wayward elderly, we can advise people about motorcycles and white strobe lights: notice, but don't pull over.

The actual law would be written to describe the specific recipe for the light so that anyone who wanted to construct and sell one of these in the State would know the State mandated specification for exactly what it should look like. At present, there are standards for Police and Fire vehicle emergency lighting including duration, candela and lumens. The standard for this strobe would not exceed any existing standard so as to ensure enough visibility without threat of overpowering any existing lighting on the road seen by a typical driver.

Various Senate offices have asked me; "if this is such a good idea, why hasn't anyone else asked for it?". This is a tough one since I am only asking that the State not deny me the right to do this. Again, its use would be elective in nature - you couldn't force riders to install these lights. I only want the right.

I think this plan has significant safety merit and can be implemented legislatively without much interference and am prepared to move ahead with the socialization of this idea to the proper legislative bodies and members.

As an aside to the practical use of this light; consider that many bicyclists already use low powered red flashing lights on their bicycles and other gear to warn motorists of their presence without any intrusion by Government on the illegality of said lights. These lights are a "common sense" practice that almost everyone would agree to and are already in use wherever bicycles go after dark. My idea is not really much different from this.