Rules change for drivers overtaking cyclists
Monday, January 25, 2021 @ 10:15 PM
A ROAD Traffic Act reform means the way drivers are required to overtake cyclists has changed, with even more cautious measures set to come into force very soon.
[Archive photo (Wikimedia Commons) of cyclists taking part in Spain's answer to the Tour de France, the Vuelta a España, along the stage through the city of Vigo (Galicia)]
The exact date on which the new rules will be effective has not yet been revealed, but motorists should act as though they are already valid, since failing to do so once it becomes law could mean a €200 fine and three points deducted from one's licence.
In Spain, driving licences start off with 12 points when 'clean', and points are deducted for motoring offences, with an automatic ban once all 12 have been used up – reinstating these normally requires paying for specified courses at official driving schools, as points-related offences are never 'spent' after a set time period.
Until now, drivers have been required to leave a margin of at least 1.5 metres (approximately five feet) when overtaking cyclists on roads, and are permitted to cross the central line, even if it is an unbroken white strip, to do so.
Now, the distance between car and bicycle when passing has increased to two metres (6'6”) and drivers must slow to at least 20 kilometres per hour below the speed limit.
Read more at thinkSPAIN.com