riding<\/a> in columns of two to increase visibility to other vehicles, provided riders stay close to the right edge of the road. Single-file formation becomes compulsory in areas with low visibility or on sharp curves.\u00a0 Authorities insist that \u201cthe bicycle is a vehicle like any other\u201d and must follow the same legal framework to ensure safety for all.<\/p>\nMost common doubts about what is and isn\u2019t allowed when riding a bicycle in Spain:<\/p>\n
Mobile phone, forget it!
While riding a bike it is totally forbidden to use the mobile phone. Headphones connected to receivers or sound players are also prohibited. Headphones limit hearing capacity and can cause distractions.
Mobile phone or headphones when riding: \u20ac200
\nNo alcohol
Yes, the maximum blood alcohol level for drivers in general (0.5 g\/l of alcohol in blood or alcohol in exhaled air greater than 0.25 milligrams per litre) also affects cyclists. They are also obliged by law, like all other drivers, to undergo the breathalyser test if required by an officer.
Positive blood alcohol level: \u20ac500 and upwards
\nPassengers
Bicycles are only allowed to carry a passenger up to 7 years of age, in an approved child seat, provided that the rider is 18+.
Carrying a child incorrectly: \u20ac100
\nTurn on the lights
Whenever travelling at night, below underpasses or through tunnels, cyclists must have the lights on in front and behind to see and become visible.
No lights: 200\u20ac
\nGive priority to pedestrians
Cyclists must also give way at pedestrian crossings and when they turn to enter another road.
Not respecting pedestrians priority: \u20ac200
\nGiving way to bikes
Cyclists have priority of passage over motor vehicles when travelling on a bike path. In other situations, they must respect the priorities of other road users.
Motor vehicle drivers not respecting the priority of cyclists at an intersection: \u20ac200
\nGroups in roundabouts
Cyclists when travelling in groups have priority at the roundabouts, as in the rest of the intersections, when the first of the cyclists has already entered it.
\nStarting up
Before starting, all cyclists must \u2013 like the rest of the drivers \u2013 observe the road to which they are going to join, check that no other vehicles are coming nearby or that they are far away enough that there is no danger to start the march and signal the manoeuvre.
Beginning to ride without checking other vehicles are coming: \u20ac200
\nRespect signs
Traffic light signals, as well as regular fixed signs (stop, give way, limited speed\u2026), are for all drivers, including cyclists.
Jump the traffic lights: 150-500\u20ac
\nSignal manoeuvres
In addition to moving into traffic, by bike it is also compulsory to signal other manoeuvres, such as turns, changes of direction and lane. The signalling can be done both with the right arm, extending it horizontally at shoulder height, and with the left, bending it at an angle.
Not signalling: \u20ac200
\nPedestrian crossings, walking
Contrary to what many cyclists may believe, bicycles do not have priority on pedestrian crossings (not to be confused with cyclist crossings). To cross a pedestrian crossing, it is mandatory to get off the bike and cross it on foot.
Riding across pedestrian crossings: \u20ac200
\nOn the pavement, no
It is totally forbidden to cycle on pedestrian pavements and pedestrian areas, unless it is signposted as a bike lane for shared use with pedestrians.
Travelling on the pavement: up to \u20ac100
\nReflective wear and reflectors
When it is mandatory to turn on the lights, cyclists must also wear a reflective garment so that other drivers can see them 150 metres away.
Riding without reflectors or reflective clothing: 80\u20ac
\nHelmet out of town
On the road, an officially approved protective helmet is the law for all cyclists, with three exceptions: in prolonged climbs, for medical reasons or with extreme heat. It is essential to put it on correctly and always wear it fastened so that it cannot fall in an accident.
Riding out of town without a helmet when it is mandatory: \u20ac200
\nOn the hard shoulder
On the road out of town, cyclists must use the shoulder on their right, if any, to circulate. They will only be able to abandon it in prolonged descents in safe conditions.
Occupy the roadway when it is possible to circulate on the hard shoulder: \u20ac200
\nIn parallel
Cyclists are allowed to circulate in rows of two (maximum), leaning as much as possible to the right of the road.
Travelling side-by-side in groups of more than two: \u20ac100<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Spanish authorities are putting on the pressure for road safety and law enforcement for cyclists as new data…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":378011,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[4985,101,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-378010","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cycling","tag-cycling","tag-sports","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/378010","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=378010"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/378010\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/378011"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=378010"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=378010"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=378010"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}