Faithful readers are familiar with California Assembly Member Kansen Chu’s proposal to mandate flashing white tail lights for bicycles operated after dark. Yes, he wanted flashing white lights on the rear of the bike.

The bill was referred to the Assembly Transportation Committee. Chu amended his bill. I supposed the current bill is a little bit better: Chu replaced “white” with “red.”

SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

[ … snippage … ]

e) In order to reduce the bicyclist fatality rate in this state, the state should require that bicycles operated during darkness upon a highway, a sidewalk, or a bikeway be equipped with a white red flashing light, or with reflective gear worn by the bicyclist in lieu of a white red flashing light.

[ … snippage … ]

SEC. 2. Section 21201 of the Vehicle Code is amended to read:

21201. (d) A bicycle operated during darkness upon a highway, a sidewalk where bicycle operation is not prohibited by the local jurisdiction, or a bikeway, as defined in Section 890.4 of the Streets and Highways Code, shall be equipped with all of the following:

[ … snippage … ]

(2) A white red flashing light on the rear that shall be visible from a distance of 500 feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful upper beams of headlamps on a motor vehicle, or, in lieu of the white red flashing light, reflective gear worn by the bicyclist.

The more observant of you have already noticed the problem that still exists.

A plea for our legislators: if you’re truly interested in cyclist safety, please at least talk to somebody who knows something about the topic before unleashing more of this silliness.