Regulations for cyclists
Frank Wurft, M. A.
In the discussion on compulsory helmets, reflection vests and/ or rear lights for cyclist the Lithuanian Cyclists' Community made a small and fast enquiry within the European Cyclists' Federation and it's national membership organisations.
Received were 28 answers from 16 countries (in some countries there are several membership organisations), of which 11 are members of the European Union.
In all countries without the exception of Greece, the rear light for cyclists is a legal rule, not in one of the answered countries the reflection vests and helmets were a legal rule at present, but in several countries (France, United Kingdom, Norway and Iceland) the introduction of helmets was rejected as „ineffective“.
Even if the research results show the still existing large variation in the legal national regulations, there is a common tendency to a future Standard on bicycle lights as the only really effective means for the traffic safety of cyclists. For their efficiency where quoted two studies, one from France1 and one from the United Kingdom (TRRL LR1108 19842).
An important number of respondents admit, that the biggest problem is the realisation and keeping of the existing rules. Even in developed countries exemplary research measures show, that a significant part of the bicycles does not fit the national requirements on traffic safety: 25% in the Austrian city of Graz, about 75% in France, similar as well in the Netherlands.
Among the out-dated traffic rules there is in many countries still the rule of the need of lights powered by a generator. This rule was sometimes abolished or (like in France) does exist, but is not implemented anymore.
An exception exists often for sport cyclists: they do not have to ride with lights and reflectors, but therefore they are not allowed to go at nighttime or while bad viewing conditions.
Unsolved is the discussion, whether yellow coloured reflectors on pedals should be compulsory as they do not fit to sport pedals.
The only EU country from the respondents, which has made the reflection vest for cyclists a legal requirement, is France, but only from September 2008 and only on not lighted roads outside of closed settlements.
In the only country of the EU, which has introduced compulsory helmets – Spain – research has shown, that neither the number of accidents, nor the number of blessings (specially of the cranium) did drop3 - on the other hand there a strong negative effect on the ecological tourism is supposed.
For the future there will be a discussion in the European Union on the standards of bicycle lightning, which is not included in the European bicycle standards.4
Bicycle helmets are - according to research5 - regarded as an ineffective measure: the measure was analysed and rejected in several countries with a developed cycling culture. The measure as well no will have a significant influence on the discussions concerning cyclists' traffic safety on the European level.
Results of the survey
Reality in member states of the European Union
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
|
Country |
Compulsory rear light |
Compulsory helmet for cyclists |
Compulsory reflection vest for cyclists |
comments |
|
|
|
|
(in the dark; only out of town; on not lighted roads) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ireland |
yes |
no |
no |
|
|
Austria |
yes |
no |
no |
on 2) min. 1 cd (candela); on 3) min. 20 cm² size red reflector |
|
Belgium |
yes |
no |
no |
|
|
Estonia |
yes |
no |
no |
on 3) helmet compulsory for children |
|
Greece |
no |
no |
no |
|
|
Italy |
yes |
no |
no |
on 2) rule for over 80 years |
|
United Kingdom |
yes |
no |
no |
on 2) from one hour befor sunset to one hour after sunriseo on 3) introduction of helmet was rejected as ”not effective” |
|
Luxemburg |
yes |
no |
no |
on 3) compulsary yellow or white reflection sticker on the mudguard |
|
Netherlands |
yes |
no |
no |
|
|
France |
yes |
no |
yes |
on 2) only dynamo powered lights allowed, but battery lights are not punished on 3) introduction of helmet was rejected as ”not effective” on 4) from the 1st of September 2008 |
|
Romania |
yes |
no |
no |
on 3) from 2003 cyclists have to ride in the dark with „clothes with a reflective surface“ |
Situation in non-member states of the European Union
|
Country |
Compulsory rear light |
Compulsory helmet for cyclists |
Compulsory reflection vest for cyclists |
comments |
|
Australia |
yes |
yes |
No |
|
|
Norway |
yes |
no |
No |
on 3) introduction of helmet was rejected as ”not effective” |
|
Schweiz |
yes |
no |
No |
on 2) as well compulsory in tunnels; it has to be constantly lighting (not flashing) |
|
Iceland |
yes |
no |
No |
on 3) introduction of helmet was rejected as ”not effective” |
|
Russia |
yes |
no |
No |
|
Other countries – not responded, answers from other sources
|
Country |
Compulsory rear light |
Compulsory helmet for cyclists |
Compulsory reflection vest for cyclists |
comments |
|
Spain |
unknown |
yes |
No |
|
|
Finnland |
yes |
yes |
No |
on 3) no punishment on not-using helmets |
|
Sweden |
yes |
no |
no |
on 3) duty only for children |
|
Germany |
yes |
no |
no |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
Les
services de la Sécurité routière en sont
certainement les premiers convaincus. Ils écrivaient en mars
2005:
« Quant à la luminosité, elle no peut
être avancée comme une cause majeure d’accidents. De
manière générale, peu de cyclistes s’aventurent
la nuit, et plus de 80 % des accidents ont lieu en plein jour. C’est
le manque d’attention (31 %) et le non-respect du Code de la route
(14 %) des autres usagers qui accentuent le risque d’accidents.»
2 „the British Transport Research Laboratory did some work (TRRL LR1108 1984) on relative effectiveness of various cycle conspicuity aids from the viewpoint of a following driver using dipped headlights. They found that a cycle rear light gave by far the earliest, i.e. most distant, indication that there was something ahead, at about twice the distance at which a typical cycle reflector was detected. Pedal reflectors, by the way, provided the most distant recognition that the "something" was a person on a bicycle (at about one third of the rear lamp detection distance)”
4 EN 14764 City- and Trekking Bicycles, EN 14765 Children bicycles, EN 14766 Mountain Bikes, EN 14781 Road Racing Bicycles