Helmet, lights and 1.5 metres: your bike and October’s new rules

October arrives with leaves in the verge, shorter evenings and, this year, a bit of homework: on 1 October the reform of Spain’s General Traffic Regulations approved by the Interior Ministry in June comes into force. If you ride a bike, it affects you directly. The good news is that almost everything that changes works in your favour, and your part fits into a five-minute checklist before you head out.

No more helmet exemptions on open roads

Helmets were already compulsory on interurban roads, but with small print: there were situations in which you could take yours off, such as long climbs or intense heat. That small print is gone. According to the DGT press release on the reform, the exemptions are removed and every cyclist must wear one on interurban roads. Full stop.

In real life, that means the trick of hanging it from the handlebars on the climb because “I’m only doing 9 km/h anyway” is over. And let’s be honest, you never considered taking it off on the descent of that same climb. In towns the rule does not change for adults, although if you commute through busy streets, wearing one is still a very good idea.

What changes for the drivers overtaking you

This is the part you will appreciate most from the saddle. On interurban roads, a driver overtaking a cyclist must slow to at least 20 km/h below the road’s speed limit and leave 1.5 metres of lateral clearance. And where there are several lanes in the same direction, they must move fully into the next lane: no squeezing past on the line.

Having it in writing does not guarantee that everyone will comply, of course. But it gives you something very useful: a clear benchmark for what a proper overtake looks like, for you when you are behind the wheel and for whoever passes you when you are on the bike.

In town: the centre of the lane is yours

This is probably the most eye-catching change. On urban roads, cyclists will preferably ride in the centre of the lane, and motor vehicles must keep at least 5 metres behind a bike ahead of them in that lane. The logic is simple: hugging the kerb invites impossible overtakes and puts you in the path of opening car doors; in the centre, you are seen and nobody tries to squeeze into a gap that does not exist.

If you have already started cycling to work, this changes your commute: taking the lane stops being a matter of courage and becomes what the rules say. On top of that, in streets limited to 30 km/h, local councils will be able to allow bikes to ride in both directions, with the appropriate signage.

Lights and reflectives: already compulsory (and autumn shows why)

This is not new, but with the clocks about to change it is worth a refresher. According to the DGT’s guide to cycling, whenever lights are compulsory — at night, in tunnels or in poor visibility — your bike must carry a white front position light, a red rear position light and a red, non-triangular rear reflector. And if you ride on interurban roads in those conditions, you must wear a reflective garment that makes you visible from 150 metres.

The trouble with autumn is that a ride that starts in full sunshine ends, almost without noticing, in that grey half-light in which a cyclist without lights is a ghost. If you are getting ready for your autumn sportive, work out what time you will be heading home on your long rides.

Riding with more peace of mind as the evenings draw in

Read calmly, the reform does not ask much more of you than a sensible cyclist was already doing; what it does is put it in writing for everyone, including those who share the road with you. Make the most of it: set off earlier on short days, choose routes with a good hard shoulder for rides home in poor light and do not wait until dark to switch your lights on.

And if you fancy giving your autumn kilometres a goal, at Victoris the ones you pedal count too: the Hermes Challenge sets you 300 km, a figure that on a bike adds up ride after ride almost without you noticing. With a helmet, lights and that metre and a half to spare.