BIKE HEADLAMP : Colour of light

Etienne Pieterse had at the last Social mentioned that he was nearly slapped with a R1500 fine for showing a yellow(orange?) headlamp. He also mentioned that it is apparently illigal to ride these yellow/orange lights?. I objected verbally but didn't have the opportunity to elaborate. Some people may think I was rude. Not really, I was just trying to... well, too make a point as I have already investigated the issue and wanted to share it with you all

I copy from the Road Traffic Act and more specific CHAPTER VI FITNESS OF VEHICLES Part I Testing stations, roadworthy certificates and certification of roadworthiness:

First argument:

Front-position lamps

166. (1) No person shall operate on a public road a motor vehicle or a combination of motor vehicles, other than a motor cycle, ...
(2) The front position lamps comtemplated in subregulation (1) -
a. ... (Not applicable here)
B. shall emit a white light

here it is clear that a motor cycle is excluded from the white light prescription

Second argument

Colour of lights

181. (1) ... no person shall operate on a public road a motor vehicle which is fitted with or carries on it a lamp which -
a. except in the case of a brake anti-lock warning light to the front of a trailer, emits a light which is not white, amber or yellow in colour towards the
front;
(2) When two or more lamps of the same class emitting light in the same direction are fitted to a vehicle they shall emit light of the same colour

here it is clear the light colour may be white, yellow or orange. One is however not allowed to have a white and yellow/orange shining simultaneously

More reading at

Ek eht ook die Verkeershoof in Ekurhuleni (met wie ek goed bekend is) hieroor geraadpleeg en hier is sy antwoord:

Johan,

Ek het nou tyd geneem om deur die wet te lees en kan nie regtig rede vind hoekom dit onwettig sou wees nie. Wat ek wel vind is dat beamptes van mening is dat amber ligte na vorentoe ook mis lampe is. Mislampe mag slegs gebruik word in slegte weerstoestande soos bepaal deur Regulasie 163 (6). Ek stem saam met die kleur geel na vore is reg, maar besoek ook net die toets sentrum om te bepaal of die geel ligte wel voldoende lig uitstraal soos veries word in die wet.

Ek persoonlik het ‘n probleem met geel ligte in die sin dat dit ander motoriste se oë seer maak as jy heeltyd agter iemand ry met geel ligte aan.

Diskressie lê steeds by die beampte om die wet toe te pas en almal vertolk nie die wet eners nie. Dit gaan jou egter moeite spaar om weg te bly van vervolging wat baie tyd en energie en ook geld mag kos.

Dis my opinie.

Leon

My 2c.

What do you say of this?

You may have a yellow light unless the traffic officer decides that you may not use a yellow light in which case you may be summed before a court that might or might not find you guilty of a law that does not really say that you are allowed or not allowed to have a yellow light.

Verstaan ek dit nou reg?

The only way to solve this is by means of a letter to the Minister of Transport, requesting a clarifying regulation or a clarification of the existing regulations.
It would take time and be a real PITA, but there will be an answer...





...eventually.

So don't use yellow and use orange instead!

So Richard, will you be sending the letter?

My light is Orange, not yellow or "amber". I've got KTM syndrome

All I know is that the Cops that pulled us over were not from Ekhurluleni, but from Ma-poep-al-lankal.

The guy told me that he is gonna fine me R1500 because the orange light is not legal. I tried to explain that I use it on the dirt roads in order to be more visible to other road users in the dust. He wanted none of that, so I asked him if I removed the orange cover, would it be ok? He was a bit difficult and said that it was to late, and I was wrong.

Yet again the book I read long ago "How to win friends and influence people" came in very handy. I changed the subject and asked him until what time do they have to stand here in the sun and that it must be a very hard job to do. We talked about farming, rugby, bikes and the like. He let the fine go after I agreed to remove the cover. He even asked me to put it back on so that he could show all the other cops

He was an "old-school" snor type "spietkop"

After I received "Leon's" mail (see intro above) I replied that we always remove the covers at nightfall to ride with white light in the dark.

Last night we met at the local CPF and discussed this subject again. He mentioned that the removal at night makes the whole situation legal.

He also mentioned he would love to see which law is being mentioned on the charge sheet as the mentioned law does NOT show this practise as illegal.

I have printed the respective clauses and keep it in an envelope in my topbox... For a good chat with an over-eager-law-enforcing-snôrre-or-greenie.

If any is interested in a Word copy, mail me

tj wrote:
I have printed the respective clauses and keep it in an envelope in my topbox... For a good chat with an over-eager-law-enforcing-snôrre-or-greenie.
If any is interested in a Word copy, mail me

Hi Johan, please mail me a copy.