Spanish change in law Re passing cyclists 22/3/22

[royandsharont]

The current law in Spain is you must leave at least 1.5m clear space when passing cyclists on the road and can cross the centre line if safe to do so to pass at this distance, or that’s how I understand it. Not sure about crossing a solid white centre line or not but perhaps someone who lives there can clarify?

The new law adds that if you are on a 2 lane carriageway you must move into the second lane to pass the cyclist, which will be much more than the 1.5m I guess in almost all circumstances.

 

[Helen Ariel]

Today in Spain someone gave me all of 2 inches when passing despite nothing oncoming. Most drivers were more careful though thankfully.

 

[royandsharont]

Was it a Brit Helen Ariel

I’ve had Spanish cars routinely stay behind me for perhaps half a mile or more on narrow bendy roads in Galicia where there was a solid white centre line, hence my query above. We’d ride from the campsite to Muros regularly and found this to be the case too often to be @n exception.

Also regularly had them let me cross junctions on cycle lanes before they turned or cross the junction on foot when we lived in Los Alcazares, like our new HW Code says we must do from today.

The UK has been in the dark ages Re safety on the highway compared to many in Europe I feel. Spain seem to be tackling it head on with a vengeance

 

[poppycamper]

Crossing double/single unbroken white line has always been legal in UK....WHEN overtaking slow moving vehicles.. i.e. horses/bikes/tractors etc.

 

[MattR]

Crossing double/single unbroken white line has always been legal in UK....WHEN overtaking slow moving vehicles.. i.e. horses/bikes/tractors etc.

ie when the vehicle is travelling at 10mph or slower. That does not necessarily mean bikes or tractors.

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[cmcardle75]

I don't know about Spainish laws or customs. But in the UK, I would normally cross entirely to the right hand lane when overtaking cyclists. I believe to do this across double white lines (if otherwise safe) they have to be doing no more than 10mph.

 

[Barclaybasher]

Was it a Brit Helen Ariel

I’ve had Spanish cars routinely stay behind me for perhaps half a mile or more on narrow bendy roads in Galicia where there was a solid white centre line, hence my query above. We’d ride from the campsite to Muros regularly and found this to be the case too often to be @n exception.

Also regularly had them let me cross junctions on cycle lanes before they turned or cross the junction on foot when we lived in Los Alcazares, like our new HW Code says we must do from today.

The UK has been in the dark ages Re safety on the highway compared to many in Europe I feel. Spain seem to be tackling it head on with a vengeance

So you didnt't feel the need to pull over and not hold up traffic....

 

[gus-lopez]

Not sure about crossing a solid white centre line or not but perhaps someone who lives there can clarify?

No you can't . even if they say you can. You can't .You'd have to be extremely stupid to do it as all the Guardi has to say is it wasn't safe.

The new law adds that if you are on a 2 lane carriageway you must move into the second lane to pass the cyclist, which will be much more than the 1.5m I guess in almost all circumstances.

I live on the oiutskirts of a town of 100k people. Most roads , except literally the main ones in town, it isn't possible to overtake legally. If you have ever done any type of walling or fencing of a property legally in spain then you will know that all roads have a width. This has to be known so as to be able to position your fencing legally. Just because you own the land does not mean you can legally fence to the absolute limit. The reasonably busy D road which fronts my property is classed as 5m width, whereas the Camino that comes up the side & which is classed as 'unclassified' is 4m. Regardless of "moving in to the other lane" you still cannot give the cyclist 1,5m clearance as the measurement is taken from where the cyclist is :Nothing else counts. If he veers out to the white line in "his lane" even if you are completly on the other side you cannot legally pass as 1,5m deducted from the 2,5m road width of " your side" leaves nothing for a vehicle except another bike/moto.

I cannot think of any roads around here ,& that incudes the dual carriageway to Águilas, where it is possible to legally overtake a cyclist leaving 1,5m clearance if they are riding out to the white line in there lane.

Whilst the guardia might state you have to "move in to the other lane to pass" that isn't what the actual law states. It is 1,5m clearance from the cyclist.Which means that you need your"lane" to be at least 3,5m in width .1,5m for the cleanace & the rest to squeeze your vehicle through.
I don't know of any roads with 7m clear width ?

 

[poppycamper]

ie when the vehicle is travelling at 10mph or slower. That does not necessarily mean bikes or tractors.

Check your highway code...

ie when the vehicle is travelling at 10mph or slower. That does not necessarily mean bikes or tractors.

As I said... slow moving vehicles.

 

[gus-lopez]

I believe to do this across double white lines (if otherwise safe) they have to be doing no more than 10mph.

You wouldn't pass anything around here at that speed.

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[denisejoe]

If riding 2 abreast on some roads around here you wouldn’t be able to pass

 

[busby]

Today in Spain someone gave me all of 2 inches when passing despite nothing oncoming. Most drivers were more careful though thankfully.

That's very unusual in Spain unless it's a Brit..BUSBY.

 

[cmcardle75]

The scary thing is in France. It became clear on a cycling trip that French drivers have an understanding that they can attempt to overtake cyclists on blind bends and expect oncoming traffic to stop if it all goes wrong without the oncoming traffic getting annoyed.

 

[gus-lopez]

That's very unusual in Spain unless it's a Brit..BUSBY.

No it isn't uncommon around here especially with the old ones who are blind & shouldn't be out walking let alone driving a vehicle. One day a neighbour overtook me & pulled back in hitting me with the wing mirror.

 

[MattR]

Check your highway code...

As I said... slow moving vehicles.

I have done thanks. The law states that you can overtake vehicles travelling at 10 mph or slower if it means crossing a double white line. It doesn't mean that you can overtake all cyclists and agricultural vehicles... They may be travelling faster than that.

Lines and lane markings on the road (127 to 132)

A broken white line. Double white lines where the line nearest to you is broken.

www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk

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[jumar]

We ride on Spanish roads virtually every day.....we never have problems out in the sticks, but sometimes on Urban roads its a little different, for example, yesterday in Librilla, virtually the whole town was out to get us.....we got through OK....

 

[jongood]

We cycle a lot more in Spain, the weather is generally more conducive but also the greater space means traffic densities are generally much lower. And the cycle paths are better. Without UK doing more about road and cycle path construction and sod the bloody newts, it's never going to change.

 

[Bubba]

That's very unusual in Spain unless it's a Brit..BUSBY.

Because only the Brits would ever drive dangerously. The Spanish or French would never do such a thing.
Apart from all the other comments to say they do.

 

[Claire Ambler]

You are soooooo out of date!!!! Our truly wonderful () Government have given sweeping new powers to cyclists to the point that even if there is a cycle way they don’t have to use it !!!!

 

[MattR]

You are soooooo out of date!!!! Our truly wonderful () Government have given sweeping new powers to cyclists to the point that even if there is a cycle way they don’t have to use it !!!!

Cyclists didn't have to use cycle lanes anyway. The guidance has been introduced to help drivers understand that.

The HC has also informed drivers of a few other things that cyclists are permitted to do, even if drivers think otherwise.

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[Claire Ambler]

Cyclists didn't have to use cycle lanes anyway. The guidance has been introduced to help drivers understand that.

The HC has also informed drivers of a few other things that cyclists are permitted to do, even if drivers think otherwise.

So why spend millions building the blasted things? Somewhere (I think Norfolk) the cycle Lane is now wider than the road!!!!

 

[busby]

Because only the Brits would ever drive dangerously. The Spanish or French would never do such a thing.
Apart from all the other comments to say they do.

Afraid your wrong there..All nationalities have their good and bad drivers BUT Spanish and French the most of the time give cyclists plenty of room,,BUSBY.

 

[AJM2]

Crossing double/single unbroken white line has always been legal in UK....WHEN overtaking slow moving vehicles.. i.e. horses/bikes/tractors etc.

I got a ticket for doing just that in Wales 30+ years ago. A totally clear long road, having just come out of a forest and I passed a tractor within the speed limit. As I pulled back in the continuous line ended. Police car behind me booked me. I wrote to the court but still got done for it.

 

[busby]

No it isn't uncommon around here especially with the old ones who are blind & shouldn't be out walking let alone driving a vehicle. One day a neighbour overtook me & pulled back in hitting me with the wing mirror.

Come and live in uk,,Standard of driving in the last few years is unbelievable,,,BUSBY,,,

 

[MattR]

So why spend millions building the blasted things? Somewhere (I think Norfolk) the cycle Lane is now wider than the road!!!!

I don't know. They can be safer for cyclists in some situations but they are often more hazardous than the roads.

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[jumar]

A word of warning....you might get away with crossing a solid white line here in Spain, but you wouldn't if you knocked a cyclist off his bike....be careful.....it could be me....or jumartoo

 

[Tony50]

Come and live in uk,,Standard of driving in the last few years is unbelievable,,,BUSBY,,,

My experiences have whatever country you are in there's good and bad drivers and cyclists.
Coming out of a toll on Spain ( l always choose the right hand toll gate) a truck knocked my left mirror round , Rarely but on this occasion I saw red!! Went past truck hooted and waved my fist he hooted back we were on a dual carriageway, and other trucks blocked my overtaking lane !! With the angry driver coming up fast behind me , luckily there was a sliproad and I took it , learnt me a lesson " don't do roadrage "

 

[cmcardle75]

So why spend millions building the blasted things? Somewhere (I think Norfolk) the cycle Lane is now wider than the road!!!!

It's because most cycle lanes consist of a sign saying you can use the pavement. If you're cycling at 20mph+, this pavement, which is full of kids, reversing cars and side turnings, is not safe for you or the other pavement users and it is better to mix it with the cars.

 

[DelMar]

I think cyclists in the UK, take their lives in their hands, when faced by cycle hating car drivers who get held up for maybe a few seconds on their journey. Cyclists have now become the the Red Flag and car drivers the Bull. Even if cycleways are built, taking them off the road, car drivers grumble at that, for whatever reason. Come on!!!

Riding in France on one occasion behind my wife, we were overtaken on a not very wide road by a car towing a caravan, caravan missed my wife’s handlebars by no more than an inch. Registration of vehicle GB.

On the Isle of sky a car overtook us in our MH at speed, because we had slowed down but not knowing why, he still overtook us and got between two cyclists in front of us, hitting the second one’s front wheel as he shot in between them, knocking him down an embankment, He didn’t even notice and carried on driving. We stopped to help, luckily he was ok.

We have lots of protection in our cars, but none whatsoever on a bike, just remember that when you want to scream at a cyclist or me, for holding you up for those lost few seconds out of your day. How would they have felt if those two accidents mentioned above, resulted in a death. It does happen.

 

[Googlebot]

So why spend millions building the blasted things? Somewhere (I think Norfolk) the cycle Lane is now wider than the road!!!!

You seem angry for some reason?

If the cycle lanes are so great and as a user of a car you are so inconvenienced, you could always cycle instead of taking the car?

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