Cycling Regs. for Cycling in the EU if UK leaves EU

[Psamathe]

Been said on this forum many times that if you are from the UK cycling in other EU countries the regs (e.g. lights, reflective tyres, wheel reflector (colour), bells, etc.) you have to comply with are those of your home country (i.e. complying with UK regs when a visitor in another EU country is adequate). Assuming that is the case, should the UK leave the EU, would I be right in assuming that this would no longer be the case and when in France your bike would have o comply with French regs, then on to Belgium and you have to comply with Belgian regs, etc.

And (assuming the above is the case) whilst all those for leaving the EU are convinced UK will be negotiating a free trade agreement, I suspect that regs for visiting cyclists would be way down the list of negotiation priorities. So my thoughts were that UK leaving the Eu might make cycle touring in EU a bit more complex.

But there us a lot of 2+2=22 in my thoughts above so I may be wrong (so please do correct me.

Ian

[661-Pete]

I don't know about this, but, unless totally impracticable, "Si fueris Romae, Romano vivito more" sounds like a safe bet to me - EU or not.

[Vorpal]

Been said on this forum many times that if you are from the UK cycling in other EU countries the regs (e.g. lights, reflective tyres, wheel reflector (colour), bells, etc.) you have to comply with are those of your home country (i.e. complying with UK regs when a visitor in another EU country is adequate). Assuming that is the case, should the UK leave the EU, would I be right in assuming that this would no longer be the case and when in France your bike would have o comply with French regs, then on to Belgium and you have to comply with Belgian regs, etc.

And (assuming the above is the case) whilst all those for leaving the EU are convinced UK will be negotiating a free trade agreement, I suspect that regs for visiting cyclists would be way down the list of negotiation priorities. So my thoughts were that UK leaving the Eu might make cycle touring in EU a bit more complex.

But there us a lot of 2+2=22 in my thoughts above so I may be wrong (so please do correct me.

Ian

Complying with regulations for your home country whilst cycling in other places only applies to the vehicle, not the person, and this has generally been true (e.g. of cars prior to the EU). Regulations that cover the person, such as wearing hi-viz or helmets, or behaviour (the traffic laws of the place where you are cycling), apply to anyone who is there, and this has generally been the case, even before the EU. So, I don't think it will change much.

[Psamathe]

Been said on this forum many times that if you are from the UK cycling in other EU countries the regs (e.g. lights, reflective tyres, wheel reflector (colour), bells, etc.) you have to comply with are those of your home country (i.e. complying with UK regs when a visitor in another EU country is adequate). Assuming that is the case, should the UK leave the EU, would I be right in assuming that this would no longer be the case and when in France your bike would have o comply with French regs, then on to Belgium and you have to comply with Belgian regs, etc.

And (assuming the above is the case) whilst all those for leaving the EU are convinced UK will be negotiating a free trade agreement, I suspect that regs for visiting cyclists would be way down the list of negotiation priorities. So my thoughts were that UK leaving the Eu might make cycle touring in EU a bit more complex.

But there us a lot of 2+2=22 in my thoughts above so I may be wrong (so please do correct me.

Ian

Complying with regulations for your home country whilst cycling in other places only applies to the vehicle, not the person, and this has generally been true (e.g. of cars prior to the EU). Regulations that cover the person, such as wearing hi-viz or helmets, or behaviour (the traffic laws of the place where you are cycling), apply to anyone who is there, and this has generally been the case, even before the EU. So, I don't think it will change much.

I was thinking e.g. in the UK everywhere fits white reflectors to the wheels (on spokes) but I understood that German regs required yellow ones. So as of today, as a visitor (visiting vehicle) from the UK in Germany you could stick with your white reflectors and be ok. Bt if UK leaves EU I'm thinking you should be changing your white to yellow reflectors (if you consider being stopped in Germany a risk).

And then, if you are involved in an accident on your tour in Germany and the accident report from the German authorities notes that your vehicle did not comply with the relevant regs for that vehicle, could it complicate your claim (or even invalidate aspects to your policy where regs broken could be argued to have contributed - e.g. T-shunt and you were using the wrong colour wheel reflectors).

Ian

[Vorpal]

What I am saying is that even without the EU, there is a general acceptance that vehicles from other countries can be driven legally without expensive modifications.

People drive, and even import cars from other countries, or other parts of the world, where different regulations are in place, without modifying them for local regulations. For example, cars are imported from the USA, where lighting and emissions standards are different and always have been. In recent years, commonisation in the automotive industry has meant that they are more and more alike. For example, although USA and Canadian laws still allow red turn signals to the rear, most are now amber. However, having red turn signals doesn't keep a car from being importable to another country. Think of classic American cars.

New cars imported, even on a one-off basis are a different matter, and they typically need to be modified to meet local market requirements. There can be exceptions; this is usually done through an individual road approval, and will have to be paid for through an independent approval agency, like TUV or VCA. But that is different than taking a vehicle somwhere as a tourist.

The same thing occurs with other vehicles and with agricultural and construction equipment. I don't see how anyone could justify treating bicycles differently.

[beardy]

from our own law.

Exemptions—Temporarily imported vehicles and vehicles proceeding to a port for export

5. Part II of these Regulations does not apply to–

(a)any vehicle having a base or centre in a country outside Great Britain from which it normally starts its journeys, provided that a period of not more than 12 months has elapsed since the vehicle was last brought into Great Britain;

(b)a visiting vehicle;

(c)any combination of two or more vehicles, one of which is drawing the other or others, if the combination includes any vehicle of the type mentioned in sub-paragraph (a) or (b); or

(d)a vehicle proceeding to a port for export,

if in each case the vehicle or combination of vehicles complies in every respect with the requirements about lighting equipment and reflectors relating thereto contained in the Convention on Road Traffic concluded at Geneva on 19th September 1949(12) or the International Convention relating to Motor Traffic concluded at Paris on 24th April 1926(13).

[blackbike]

There'd be no problems at all with cycling in the EU if we leave it.

No policeman in any country is going to bother to check bike lights, reflectors etc for legality in their country. In my experience of cycling in EU countries most police couldn't care less if cyclists have no lights at all.

[pete75]

In practice it shouldn't make any difference but nobody knows what will actually happen if we leave the EU.

[greyingbeard]

still have to ride on the wrong side of the road

[francovendee]

There'd be no problems at all with cycling in the EU if we leave it.

No policeman in any country is going to bother to check bike lights, reflectors etc for legality in their country. In my experience of cycling in EU countries most police couldn't care less if cyclists have no lights at all.

+1
This a problem that doesn't exist, in or out of the EU.

[pwa]

There'd be no problems at all with cycling in the EU if we leave it.

No policeman in any country is going to bother to check bike lights, reflectors etc for legality in their country. In my experience of cycling in EU countries most police couldn't care less if cyclists have no lights at all.

+1
This a problem that doesn't exist, in or out of the EU.

And in fifty years of cycling in this country I've never had my bike inspected for pedal reflectors (that I don't use). So long as your bike is roadworthy and you make a decent attempt to light up at night, don't worry.

[Mick F]

........... nobody knows what will actually happen if we leave the EU.

Maybe not, but some of us can remember a time before the EU ...................... and the ECC and the Common Market.

[pete75]

........... nobody knows what will actually happen if we leave the EU.

Maybe not, but some of us can remember a time before the EU ...................... and the ECC and the Common Market.

Hmmm yeah but if we leave the country isn't going to time warp back to 1972 the year before we joined.

[Mick F]

No, of course not.
No doubt British cyclists rode in different countries back then without issue. Get over the Channel, and ride.

Why would we have a problem cycling abroad if we left the EU?
We didn't have a problem before we joined, so why would we if we left?

[gaz]

CJ summarises the International Law which applies when you are visiting foreign parts including the EU, Article 44 of the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic.

Whatever the future for the UK, in, out, or shake it all about, International Law will continue to apply.

I think the more interesting debate may revolve around the Euro-equivalence clause in RVLR and continued use of K-marked lamps. I do have a BS6102/3 front lamp in the garage but I'd rather not use it .