“How is it illegal in Virginia to operate a bicycle IN BROAD DAYLIGHT with no lights or reflectors ?” “I’m going to check the reflectors on my bike as soon as I get off the computer. ” “Please cite the relevant statute or local ordinance.”

These were some of the comments I recently received after representing cyclists in the Loudoun County District Court in Leesburg Tuesday. The short answer is no, you do not need lights on or reflectors from sunrise to sunset. However, I have been stopped by the police for not having reflectors, lights and even mud guards on my old Italian Bianchi racing bike while commuting home from the train station in Cambridge England !

Most racing and triathlon bikes do not have lights, reflectors or mudguards in order to save weight, rotating mass and because most competitions are held in the daytime. If you are a bicycle commuter, long distance bike tour participant or training very early or late in the day, you may need to have lights, reflectors and other safety gear. Here’s the relevant Virginia Code section

§ 46.2-1015. Lights on bicycles, electric personal assistive mobility devices, electric power-assisted bicycles, and mopeds.

A. Every bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, electric power-assisted bicycle, and moped when in use between sunset and sunrise shall be equipped with a headlight on the front emitting a white light visible in clear weather from a distance of at least 500 feet to the front and a red reflector visible from a distance of at least 600 feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful lower beams of headlights on a motor vehicle. Such lights and reflector shall be of types approved by the Superintendent.

In addition to the foregoing provisions of this section, a bicycle or its rider may be equipped with lights or reflectors. These lights may be steady burning or blinking.

B. Every bicycle, or its rider, shall be equipped with a taillight on the rear emitting a red light plainly visible in clear weather from a distance of at least 500 feet to the rear when in use between sunset and sunrise and operating on any highway with a speed limit of 35 mph or greater. Any such taillight shall be of a type approved by the Superintendent.