Millions of people are expected to travel from the UK to Spain this year, and now tourists are being warned they could face a penalty of €200 during their trip.
This summer is set to be a particularly busy one for international travel, with many people having already booked holidays abroad. While some people opt to rent a car or use public transport while away, others will take in the sights by bicycle.
To help tourists stay on the right side of the law and avoid any related fines, legal team leader at Cycle SOS, Lena Farnell, has warned it is illegal to cycle while wearing earphones in popular holiday destinations Spain and France.
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Ms Farnell previously told the ECHO: “Cyclists who are caught wearing earphones can expect to pay a €200 fine in Spain, whilst if you’re found in breach of the rules in France, you can expect to be fined €135.
“Italy and Portugal take a different stance, requiring that cyclists wear just one earphone whilst cycling, with a penalty of approximately €160 if you’re wearing both earphones whilst cycling in Italy.”
Why is it recommended that people don’t wear earphones whilst they are cycling?
“Wearing earphones whilst cycling could present a safety risk to yourself and other road users. Listening to music compromises a cyclist’s ability to listen to road traffic, including the sirens of emergency vehicles.
“They may also be less aware of warning signals such as vehicles using their horn or pedestrians shouting. Not wearing earphones allows cyclists to be more aware of their surroundings, helping them to cycle in a safer way, which will reduce the number of road traffic accidents.”
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