Lighting and reflective clothing
In Spain, the use of lights and reflectors for bicycles is mandatory in poor visibility, at night and when entering tunnels.
The regulations are a bit confusing, so here is an attempt at a simple summary, of course WITHOUT GUARANTEE and liability 😉 :
Multas as always first!
The fines for not using lights 80 Euro and for not wearing reflective clothing 200 Euro.
In the city:
Reflectors and position lights
Red reflector (reflector) not triangular
White position light (front)
Red position light (rear)
These must be used at night, on road sections marked with the “Tunnel” sign, or in weather or environmental conditions that significantly reduce visibility
Optionally they can have white or orange reflectors on the pedals and spokes.
Outside the city:
The above mentioned inner city lighting and reflective clothing.
If you leave the city and ride on the road, when using the lights, you must wear reflective clothing in addition to what is mandatory inside the city.
This reflective garment must be homologated and visible at a distance of 150 meters.
The use of a reflective protective vest is not compulsory. Neither in the city nor on the street. Neither during the day nor at night.
And which garments are homologized?
There are jackets, jerseys, backpacks as well as vests, even if it is not the most comfortable option. The homologation regulations are of course also included in the BOE: There is also a decree on the conditions for homologation of bicycles and bikes. And in general, there is a UNE standard for the homologation of bicycles for use on the road.
Technical regulations:
The front light must have a luminous intensity between 4 and 60 candelas in the axial direction and the rear light between 4 and 12 candelas. It is not specified at what distance. This indication is so vague that you will probably not have any problems with homologation. To avoid a Multa, almost any light will do.
But the most important thing is to be seen by other road users!
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
