# Cycling in Spain question



## TheHendersons (Feb 22, 2011)

Morning all

I have just bought a bike, I would normally not be nervous about cycling on roads but i have bought a seat for el niño and was wondering if anyone knew what the law is regarding cycling on pavements? 

Thanks!

Sam xx


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

TheHendersons said:


> Morning all
> 
> I have just bought a bike, I would normally not be nervous about cycling on roads but i have bought a seat for el niño and was wondering if anyone knew what the law is regarding cycling on pavements?
> 
> ...


Officially you can't ride on the pavement. From "El Público" on the 4th Feb 2011
*Los ciclistas no podrán circular por las aceras de más de tres metros de ancho, como anunció el pasado viernes la Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT) en el II Encuentro de Ciudades para la Seguridad Vial celebrado en Córdoba. Cuatro días después de promocionar "el trato preferente" que el nuevo Reglamento General de Circulación pretende dar a las bicicletas, Tráfico confirmó ayer la letra pequeña de la nueva norma, esbozada el pasado martes en el Senado por el vicepresidente primero del Gobierno, Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba: los ciclistas sólo podrán ir por las aceras de más de tres metros de ancho si tienen carril-bici.*

Los ciclistas podrán ir por aceras anchas pero si tienen carril bici - Público.es

More or less, what this says is, you can only ride on pavements that are more than 3 metres wide if there is a bike lane.

In practice, if the rider isn't weaving in and out of people and there aren't a large number of people on the pavement I don't think it would be too much of a problem.

What do others think?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Officially you can't ride on the pavement. From "El Público" on the 4th Feb 2011
> *Los ciclistas no podrán circular por las aceras de más de tres metros de ancho, como anunció el pasado viernes la Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT) en el II Encuentro de Ciudades para la Seguridad Vial celebrado en Córdoba. Cuatro días después de promocionar "el trato preferente" que el nuevo Reglamento General de Circulación pretende dar a las bicicletas, Tráfico confirmó ayer la letra pequeña de la nueva norma, esbozada el pasado martes en el Senado por el vicepresidente primero del Gobierno, Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba: los ciclistas sólo podrán ir por las aceras de más de tres metros de ancho si tienen carril-bici.*
> 
> Los ciclistas podrán ir por aceras anchas pero si tienen carril bici - Público.es
> ...


we have a lot of cycle paths around here - but they don't go everywhere I want to go

some roads I am happy to cycle on & some I simply won't

I do cycle on the path - but not if it is crowded - then I get off & push

I have been seen by the local police riding on the path & they have never said anything - I think you are right - in practice, as long as you aren't causing problems they tend to leave you alone

I wouldn't want to say that you wouldn't get fined though, if a jobsworth saw you on a bad day


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

You aren´t supposed to ride on pavements in England either, but loads of people do!

Don´t know about where you are but on the Costa de la Luz all the promenades have cycle lanes and there are Vias Verdes (green trails) for mountain-biking too.


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## TheHendersons (Feb 22, 2011)

There are some cycling lanes but as you say they don't go where I want to go.. Thanks for your advice though. I will play it by ear.. Thank you!


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

You'll find generally that the Spanish are careful of cyclists. I know many wont agree, but thats my experience of extensive riding this year. There are many cycle lanes and I dont fell at risk on the road. I'm cycling up to 20 miles a day at the moment


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## TheHendersons (Feb 22, 2011)

Well I done 10km this morning (albeit with 3 stone child on the back..) and it was good! TBH I went on the pavements some of the time and it was fine


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