Safety tips for cyclists
The dark season makes it difficult for cyclists and motorists. Headlamps, taillights and traffic lights, along with wet, reflective roadways - straight cyclists are hard to see in the flood of lights. A well and safely illuminated wheel also help to detect obstacles in time.
Luminaries with battery or rechargeable battery allowed
It has not been necessary to mount a dynamo on a bicycle for a long time. Also permitted are lights with batteries or rechargeable batteries. If you drive only in daylight, you do not need to have the most attachable lights. Only when it gets dark, it is no longer possible without. However, Paragraph 17 (1) of the Road Traffic Act (StVO) also prescribes light "when the visibility conditions otherwise require it". This can be even during the day, for example in fog or heavy snowfall.
The StVZO regulates the details of the bicycle lighting
The bike must have at least the following:
forward one or two headlights with white light and also a white reflector
to the rear a red taillight and a red reflector of the category Z
The reflectors may be combined with the lights at the front and back
Pedals with yellow reflectors, which act forward and backward
reflective white stripes on the front and rear wheels, or two yellow reflectors on the spokes that work to the side or reflective sleeves on all spokes
In addition to these minimum equipment:
Headlamps may have a high beam function in addition to the dipped beam
Taillights may also have a brake light function
The lights must be firmly mounted or attached to the bike, not the driver's clothing
flashing lights are not allowed, neither forward nor backward
Attachable battery lights have - in contrast to dynamo lights - often no built-in reflector. Then additional reflectors to the front and rear are prescribed. Exceptions for light bikes such as road bikes or mountain bikes are no longer valid when used on the road.
Adjust the headlight correctly
The LED technology has meanwhile prevailed even with bicycle headlights. It provides a much brighter light than incandescent or halogen lamps. If LED lamps are set too high, they dazzle oncoming drivers and reduce their visibility. The brightest point of the light cone should hit the road about ten meters in front of the front wheel.
Wear clothes with reflective elements
In addition to functioning lighting, clothing with reflective tapes ensures greater safety. Inexpensive solutions include yellow or red safety vests, reflective bands for the trouser legs or red battery lights for attachment.
