New laws in France offer dystopian view of cycling

No wonder so many cars travelling to France each summer groan under the weight of a fully laden bicycle rack – cyclists there are shown an enviable degree of courtesy on the road. However, it's a level of respect not always matched by the country's law makers.

Bicycles have been part of the French national psyche for over a century and their riders enjoy better protection in law than we do here in Britain. In the event of cyclist being knocked off, the driver is automatically liable; an altogether sensible law that protects those on bicycles in many European countries.

Cycling law in France

However, rather less helpful are the number of onerous regulations imposed on cyclists over the last few years by French bureaucrats. For example, from March 22 2017, laws in France have required cyclists under 12 to wear a cycle helmet as rider or pillion. If you’re a family that chooses to ride without helmets, be careful – the fine is a hefty €90. Furthermore, in poor visibility cyclists are required to wear a high-visibility tabard. Oh, and should you wish to remove those 1970s-style wheel reflectors the bike was sold with, think again. Cycling with earphones is also a no no.

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The illustration below, from the Direction de la sécurité et de la circulation routières shows what equipment is obligatory under laws in France (in pink writing) and what is optional (in black). It's a dystopian vision of cycling as far from the Dutch model as it's possible to be - short of simply asking riders to leave their bikes at home and instead take the car.

In urban areas, the car should be regarded as a guest. As a consequence, the bureaucratic process should concern itself with making changes to the legal framework and infrastructure to make possible the Dutch model of cycling, rather than decreeing that cyclists wear Day-Glo bibs in bad weather.

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