Brake light flasher

Is this ( signaldynamics.com/index.php?page=shop.p...rt&Itemid=77#reviews ) just a brake light flasher that I'm reading WAY too much into?

Yes, it's a brake light flasher with two modes:

1) flash series then steady ON, repeats as long as brake is applied.

2) flash series then steady ON

Mode #1 is ILLEGAL is some states (like mine). Mode #2 is probably legal everywhere but will likely get you pulled over by dumb cops who don't know it is.

What state are you in bountyhunter? I'm in CA. It's most likely illegal here- but I'm licensed, insured and registered in PA.

mtbspeedfreak wrote: but I'm licensed, insured and registered in PA.

Does that matter? Won't you still get a ticket in CA when you operate your cycle there? Aren't Radar Detectors illegal in commercial vehicles in Illinois no matter where they are licensed, insured, or registered?

OR, doesn't a helmet law apply in the state whether you are registered in that state or not?

Just thinking out loud.

California.

I researched this recently, and what I read was that in California, you can have a flasher that flashes three to five times and then goes steady on as long as the brake is applied. The ones that keep cycling through the flashing sequence with steady brake applied are not legal here. That's my recollection, no guarantees.

I believe that is why the flasher devices have multiple modes of operation, to accomodate this.

DoubleDub wrote:

mtbspeedfreak wrote: but I'm licensed, insured and registered in PA.

Does that matter? Won't you still get a ticket in CA when you operate your cycle there? Aren't Radar Detectors illegal in commercial vehicles in Illinois no matter where they are licensed, insured, or registered?

OR, doesn't a helmet law apply in the state whether you are registered in that state or not?

Just thinking out loud.

State laws will be enforced regardless of place of registration.

bountyhunter wrote:

DoubleDub wrote:

mtbspeedfreak wrote: but I'm licensed, insured and registered in PA.

Does that matter? Won't you still get a ticket in CA when you operate your cycle there? Aren't Radar Detectors illegal in commercial vehicles in Illinois no matter where they are licensed, insured, or registered?

OR, doesn't a helmet law apply in the state whether you are registered in that state or not?

Just thinking out loud.

State laws will be enforced regardless of place of registration.

True.

Something like a helmet law will be enforced in the state you are in, as vehicle codes would be. I'd like to think I'd stand a better chance of getting just a warning for a minor infraction regarding a vehicle code violation.

As an example, CA law states that the center of your turn signals must be at least six inches away from the center of your brake light. I honestly don't know if mine are or not, but in PA there is no such requirement (to my knowledge, which isn't always accurate .). If I were pulled over if my turn signals were too close, I'd like to think I might be able to weasel my way out of it because of my PA license, plates, and insurance. To require me to swap out turn signal stalks at the border is preposterous.

DD, not trying to pick a bone with you, I've thoroughly researched this topic and radar detectors are illegal only in Virginia and Washington D.C.- they are legal in all 49 other states for passenger vehicles. They are illegal in ALL commercial vehicles nationwide. I've driven cross-country 5 times in the past two years and purchased a Valentine One prior to my first trip. Not a single issue.

I also saw the kali VC regarding rear brake light and turn signals: the turns have to be separated from the brake by 6" between centers of lenses. All those cool "integrated" tail light with flashers attached are illegal here.

Not sure if you would get a warning for a violation. In my many years of driving, most of the cops I ran into wrote tickets. In one case he would not stop going through the car until he found something to write up (horn didn't work). Depends who you get, I never got warnings. Of course, these are "fix it" tickets you get signed off not moving violations so there should not be a fine just the hassle of having to find a CHP to sign it off.

I don't know if radar detectors are illegal, but I do know they are useless. The cops up here are using the "instant on" speed guns you point and hit the trigger. A detector won't go off until you get hit by the beam. In the old days, the radar was on and the cars drove into the zone. Now they have a red dot sighter on the radar gun and can even pick single cars out of a pack and hit them.

mtbspeedfreak wrote: DD, not trying to pick a bone with you

Cool - same here.

mtbspeedfreak wrote: I've thoroughly researched this topic and radar detectors are illegal only in Virginia and Washington D.C.- they are legal in all 49 other states for passenger vehicles. They are illegal in ALL commercial vehicles nationwide. I've driven cross-country 5 times in the past two years and purchased a Valentine One prior to my first trip. Not a single issue.

I only noticed the posted signs in Illinois - I'm not a commercial driver so I wasn't aware that they were illegal in all states. I was just trying to come up with an example as I had never seen anyone state that not being licensed/registered in a state got them out of following state law.

bountyhunter wrote: I don't know if radar detectors are illegal, but I do know they are useless. The cops up here are using the "instant on" speed guns you point and hit the trigger. A detector won't go off until you get hit by the beam. In the old days, the radar was on and the cars drove into the zone. Now they have a red dot sighter on the radar gun and can even pick single cars out of a pack and hit them.

Yeah, I stopped using one after my last ticket (7 years ago?). I stopped paying attention when I had one - but I'll stop hijacking the thread now....

Now I'm getting completely off subject, sorry guys. :blush:

DD you're thinking of radar/laser jammers, not detectors. Radar detectors are 100% legal for passenger vehicle use in all states but Virginia (and DC, but that's not a state). Radar and laser jammers are illegal in the following states: Nebraska, Minnesota, Utah, California, Oklahoma, Virginia, Colorado, Illinois and Washington DC. That being said, if a cop pulled you over for something other than speeding and saw a radar detector, betcha everything I own he will go through your vehicle with a fine-toothed comb until his writing hand is exhausted from fine after fine after fine. :side:

BH regarding "instant-on" radar guns, you are correct. Cops aim at a single vehicle with the gun off then "shoot" to get a speed reading. When your cruising by yourself and there is NO other traffic, this is a problem. When there is moderate to heavy traffic flow, this is easily picked up by a quality (emphasis on quality) detector. Radar and laser are two different principles. Laser detectors offer absolutely no warning. By the time you receive an audible beep for laser, you're getting a ticket, your best bet is to yank the detector off and stash it under the seat before the cop is on your tail and can see you doing so. Radar is different, the beam spreads out, even with instant on. If a cop is watching traffic, he will pick out every few cars. That pattern of no warning followed by a loud, high intensity beep, back to no warning, back to a high intensity beep is very noticeable and is a tell-tale sign that a cop ahead of you is using instant on radar. I have nothing but good things to say about my Valentine One but I don't use it that frequently because I don't want to risk getting a ticket. All that being said, breaking the speed limit is illegal in all 50 states, DC and Canadian provinces and every time you speed you risk getting a ticket.

Back on subject. It sounds like I might be safe using the 5 blink pulse is tolerated here. I have an LED tail light, so those 5 blinks will be even more distinct that if I were using a normal incandescent bulb. I do want to verify from the horses mouth that such a blinker is tolerated.

Thanks for the input,
Mark