Cycling in Spain?

Tonyandthewhale

Going to be touring through Spain this summer and I'm wondering what the deal is with helmet legislation as I've never been to Spain before?
I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that helmets are a legal requirement but I said I'd double check because one of the lads coming with me never wears one and I usually wouldn't bother wearing one while touring in hot countries unless I'm on a hairy descent or such.

So what's the story? Are the mandatory? And if so, are they enforced?

petethedrummer

If wikipedia is to believed then they are kinda mandatory in Spain: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_helmets_by_country

Edit: More.... http://www.cyclehelmets.org/1076.html

Jaysus, they seem better at fudging laws than us. If you're questioned just say its extreme heat to an Irish man.

Tonyandthewhale

Yeah, having googled a bit it seems they are mandatory on interurban routes (although I'm not sure if that's main roads or anything outside of towns) but not when you're going up hill or when it's extremely hot.

I don't suppose anyone with any experience of cycling in Spain would be able to tell me what qualifies as up hill enough or hot enough not to require a helmet because I thought it was always hot in Spain?

cantalach

Yes, they are mandatory unless you are a professional cyclist (yes, I'm serious!). In one pro rider's blog, he talks about getting stopped by the police and that he had to produce some sort of documentation to avoid getting fined.

Treason

Yes you are legally supposed to wear one in the Spanish state. I cycled in the Spanish state last year - Catalonia, the Basque Country and Cantabria. I arrived into Catalonia from Andorra and was stopped by the Spanish States Civil Guard at the border. He pointed out that I hadnt a helmet and that I couldnt cycle further. He then proceeded to make a 'money gesture' with his hands indicating either that he was looking for a bribe or stating that I would be fined for cycling without a helmet. he spoke no English and either did I so i played stupid. He then let me go by into Catalonia. Just after I was thinking 'jesus this place is strict'.

Until, that is, I got about two km down the road where cyclists were without helmets, and then, for the rest of the journey, nobody wore helmets. Barcelona - thousands of cyclists - no helmets. The same for Santander, Bilbao, San Sebastian and the rest of the Spanish state.

Basically, its not enforced and nobody wears helmets in the Spanish State. Even many people on mopeds dont wear helmets.

So dont worry unless your cycling into the Spanish state where you may encounter some cnut of a border guard on a power trip. If you do, insist you will walk with your bike rather than go back and get a helmet.

Chips Lovell

I've cycled a lot in Spain, mainly in Madrid and Castilla - Leon. You see plenty of people riding without helmets and I've never seen anyone stopped. To be honest, there are so many loopholes there that I'd say most cops don't bother enforcing it.

I often don't both with one during the summer because it's so bloody hot. I'd usually have my racing licence with me, so I could flash that if I ever got stopped, but it's never happened.