Brake Light modulators in NY State?

[jlg]

Folks,
does anyone know (definitively) if NY State allows brake light modulators?
Seems like it would be a really nice safety feature, but I also don't want to get tickets...
Thanks!

[gened4288]

Folks,
does anyone know (definitively) if NY State allows brake light modulators?
Seems like it would be a really nice safety feature, but I also don't want to get tickets...
Thanks!

Don't know what part of NY you're in, but prior to moving to TN, I spent over 50 years living on Long Island, with over 25 of them as a county Police Officer. I have ALWAYS had some sort of flashing brake lamp on my bikes, have ridden all over NY state, as well as pretty much every state on the east coast from North Carolina to Maine as well as Canada, and have NEVER had anyone question the flashing brake lamp, nor ever had any problem passing the NY State vehicle inspection.

Really, what's the difference between a brake light that flashes automatically or you doing it by repeatedly applying/releasing the brake pedal/lever? If you want to do some research, in NY State, light requirements and regulations are in Section 375 of the Vehicle & Traffic Law. There are parts of the statute that apply to flashing colored lights (Section 375, Subsection 41 if I remember correctly), but as far as I remember that only applies to lights for emergency vehicles (PD, FD, tow trucks, etc).

Bottom line, flash away without worry!

[Nyparrothead]

Headlight Modulators are allowed under federal law and cannot be restricted by local governments, not sure about the brakes but I have never been stopped

USA - Department of Transportation:
FMVSS 108 (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards) (49 CFR Part 571.108 S7.9.4) allows motorcycle headlight modulation systems in all 50 states provided they comply with the standards set forth in Section S7.9.4.
Title 49 USC 30103(b1) (US Codes) prohibits any state from forbidding a system that conforms to FMVSS 108. No State or Local ordinance shall usurp the authority and enforcement of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards

I carry a copy of the law with me when I ride....

mark

[jlg]

Thanks folks -- greatly appreciated!

[Njspeedmaster]

I live on the NY/NJ border and have had a brake light modulator on my motorcycle for over 10 years and almost 29,000 miles. Have not had an issue in either state.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

gened4288, was correct....people sometimes confuse blinking ( on-off ) with wig-wag ( left -right )......wig -wag is a NO, NO except for Law Enforcement ....but as said the on-off or MODULATERS are legal ........Mike