Riding a bicycle or motorbike

The Chief of Police has just asked me to put the following onto all forms of Social Media ...

Please remember that it is obligatory for children and adults to wear a helmet while riding either a bicycle or a motorbike.

The fine for not wearting a helmet whilst riding a bicycle is 150€ and whilst riding a motorbike is 300€


A very serious matter if children use their bikes without wearing a helmet. A much more serious matter than car-drivers who doesn't care if they drive against the traffic or if they doesn't stop at Stop signs. Why bother about traffic rules if nobody else cares.

Commented reindeer keeper in La Marina 2015-03-05 14:24:32 UTC

I think you will find that it is only compulsory for children to wear crash helmets on bicycles, adults are not included yet!
Motorbikes is everybody.
When the law changed last year, one of the new clauses said that when cars overtake bicycles they should give a 1.5m clearance. As a regular cyclist, I can tell you that probably 90% of motorists ignore this law.

Commented Frizzy in La Marina 2015-03-07 09:28:50 UTC

Yes Frizzy you are right, !.5 metres is the distance car drivers must give to cyclists when overtaking them, that was in the old rules as well as the new ones. I did take a few moments to read the new laws on driving and riding in Spain, and unless they have been changed in the past few days, I believe our Local Chief of police has read a different law to me, He has asked Sam to print what could be a troublesome statement in the future. A few other times that I have read of not needing to wear a cyclist helmet is when riding up a steep hill, in very hot weather, On roads without a designated road number, professional Cyclists are exempt at all times. But of course Children must wear helmets at all times.
I may have this information completely wrong, and the Chief of police may be completely correct, in which case I apologise to both him and Sam, but I have yet to meet anyone who thinks, that helmets must be worn by adult cyclists at all times

Commented Alan in La Marina 2015-03-07 10:11:00 UTC

Think if you check the Law Adults and children who ride cycles must wear Helmets.
I do not think Sam would have put this on here if it was not correct and that the Chief of Police had asked her to do so.

Commented david in La Marina 2015-03-07 10:28:55 UTC

david
I did not put my comment on, for something to do. I did it because it is what I read I believe to be true. At the same time I would not want to be fined 150 Euros By not wearing a helmet whilst Cycling. All I was asking was for confirmation of the new Law, I checked what I could and the only thing that the internet seems to agree on is the Law on Cycling Helmets is not as clear and concise as you believe them to be.
All that is needed is for the Chief of Police to either say he is correct or he made an error.
A further way would be for him to contact The Torrevieha Guardia on their N332 website and ask them to print the Law on that website.

Commented Alan in La Marina 2015-03-07 10:41:24 UTC

Helmet or no helmet. Why not see what the law says. Young people under 16 must use helmet everywhere. Adults must use helmet on roads outside of cities. So if you ride between the urbanisation to San Fulgencio you must have a helmet.
http://www.dgt.es/es/prensa/notas-de-prensa/2014/20140508-Desde-el-9-de-mayo-entra-en-vigor-la-reforma-de-la-Ley-de-Trafico-y-Seguridad-Vial.shtml
Uso del casco: A partir de mañana, los menores de 16 años tanto conductores como ocupantes de bicicletas y ciclos deben llevar siempre puesto el casco, independientemente de la vía por la que circulen. Para los mayores de 16 años, la ley no cambia. Su uso es obligatorio sólo en vías interurbanas, aunque se recomienda su uso también en urbanas.

Commented reindeer keeper in La Marina 2015-03-07 19:55:21 UTC

reindeer,
Read your S`panish bit, and reads that for Adults the laws haven't changed, and that on INTER urban roads helmets must be worn, it also advisers to wear them on urban roads (although this is not mandatory).
So you have infact agreed with me (which must be a first) That the Chief of Police may well of been wrong when he stated that helmets must be worn by all cyclists at all times. I am not looking to be arguementative, I just want to be told the truth, I am fed up with the half truths that seem to be thrown at us at times.

Commented Alan in La Marina 2015-03-07 21:07:58 UTC

Alan, why this negative comment. Is it because my English is not perfect or what? I agree with you. Adults may ride without a helmet on urban roads but are recommended to use one. People under 16 must always have a helmet when riding a bicycle. The Chief of Police should read the law and try to understand the content.

Commented reindeer keeper in La Marina 2015-03-07 22:00:35 UTC

Reindeer,
I cannot see where I am negative towards you, The fact that we rarely ever agree with anything that we comment on,
The comment you take offence to , seems to be that I took the time to work out, that you agreed with me, in what I said. The only difference is no matter what you or I say , the Chief of Police has a different meaning to a law, and at the end of the day, I am being forced to abide by his word and save myself 150 Euros a time. Or go with my gut feeling and ride a bicycle with or without a helmet, as and when I believe what the Law really is. As for the 16 age, I had already stated that in an earlier comment.

Commented Alan in La Marina 2015-03-08 08:41:28 UTC

Or just wear a helmet. Safety first!

Commented Jodies Groom Room in La Marina 2015-03-08 09:36:28 UTC

So true!

Commented reindeer keeper in La Marina 2015-03-08 16:08:00 UTC