Don't wear headphones when cycling. | Majorca Daily Bulletin reporter

TW
4

The list of do’s and don’ts while on holiday in Mallorca and across the Balearics just keeps getting longer.

Now cyclists in Spain must remember to ride their bikes without their headphones or earphones on or else they could face a fine of more than £174 (€200).

According to an expert at Cycle SOS, while it is not illegal to ride a bike in the UK while wearing earphones or headphones, it is prohibited in popular holiday destinations across the continent such as Mallorca, reports SchengenVisaInfo.com.

Related news

A legal team leader at Cycle SOS, Lena Farnell said that the ban came into force in France in 2015, whilst the rule stating that one cannot cycle while listening to music through headphones or earphones in Spain is a part of the current Spanish law that was last updated in 2014.

“Current Spanish law, which was updated in 2014, states that you cannot cycle whilst listening to music through headphones or earbuds. Cyclists who are caught wearing earphones can expect to pay a €200 (£174) fine in Spain,” Farnell said in an interview.

Adding further, Farnell said that the strict law was introduced for safety reasons, as earphones prevent riders from hearing other sounds on the road.

“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,” Farnell said.