One of the last decisions of the short-lived Barnier Government (following the catastrophic decision of Emmanuel Macron calling last June for mid-term elections and resulting in a three body problem!) was to… prohibit the use of flashing lights on bicycles!!! This was clearly (!) a most essential move in a country with no budget for 2025 and a more than likely instability for at least half of 2025. Also in a country where bicycle helmets are not compulsory. (But rejoining Austria, Germany and Holland in that respect.)
The reason advanced for that prohibition is that it made us (cyclists) over-confident on being seen by others (cars) and thus more prone to being run over. This rationale (?!) does not make much sense. Whether a bike light is flashing or steady does not make a difference at night when there are (brighter) lights in the background, e.g. from incoming cars. And during daytime, when lights are not compulsory, the flashing is more likely to attract attention than a permanent light, which is why emergency vehicles are using them, I presume! Last week, I had a scary instant when the oblivious driver of a parked car opened its door as I was passing by, fortunately far enough from the car to avoid being hit, but I do not think this driver would have seen me any better without the flash, given the flow of cars behind me. While it is much more likely I soon get a fine for going through a red light than for keepin’ the blinin’, this remains a possibility in the coming Winter months.
