Safe mobility
Infringing regulations leads to fines and puts peaceful coexistence at risk. Making the city a safer place
Everyone has the right to move around the city. And to do so in safety. And so, if we know and follow the regulations, we can make the city a friendlier and safer place.
More than 90% of people seriously injured in traffic accidents belong to the most vulnerable groups: motorcyclists, pedestrians, cyclists and people who ride electric scooters.
Our goal for 2050 is Vision 0: zero deaths and zero serious injuries with lifelong consequences.
For this reason, we are taking action on all the factors involved in road safety, as well as raising awareness about the regulations for the various modes of transport.
Find out about the regulations and help us to make our journeys safer for ourselves and for all city residents.
Regulation for each means of transport
Drive a car, van or lorry
- Match your speed to the road you are in. Remember that over half of the city’s streets have a speed limit of 30 km/h.
- Always indicate when changing lane and check any blind spots before turning.
- You should be extra cautious with motorcycles, as they are the most vulnerable vehicles you share spaces and speeds with.
- Do not use pedestrian areas and take due care when entering or leaving parking areas.
- It is prohibited to encroach on bike lanes or bus lanes. Do not stop on double yellow lines or in bus lanes or bike lanes. Always park in designated spaces, and if you cannot find one, in an underground car park. Do not stop in pedestrian areas painted on the road. This puts the most vulnerable in danger.
When you share space with bicycles or personal mobility vehicles
- Do not make any harassing manoeuvres which, by not respecting safety distances, or using the car’s headlights or horn, constitute an attempt to modify the direction or speed in a lane or pose a risk to the safety of others, particularly cyclists and those on personal mobility vehicles.
- When travelling behind a bicycle, you must maintain a safety distance of at least 3 metres.
- When overtaking, you must occupy the adjacent lane in the same direction and keep a minimum lateral safety distance of 1.5 metres.
- In roads with a single lane, it is not possible to overtake cyclists or personal mobility vehicles.
- You can’t ride, stop or park in bike lanes, cycle paths or areas reserved for parking bikes.
- You should bear in mind that bike lanes give priority to bicycles over motor vehicles. This also applies when motor vehicles make turns on road surfaces which cross the path of cyclists and those on personal mobility vehicles. Red road surfaces at some junctions indicate this right of way.
On a motorbike
- Match your speed to the road you are in. Remember that over half of the city’s streets have a speed limit of 30 km/h.
- Be careful when turning or changing lane, indicating your intentions and without zigzagging between vehicles.
- Always wear a fastened, standardised crash helmet of the right size, and additional protection.
- Never ride on pavements. Motorcycles are not allowed on pavements, platforms or pedestrian paths with their motor running. Access is only allowed when the engine is switched off and the seat unoccupied. The engine may only be switched on to help with moving uphill, provided the vehicle does not access pedestrian paths.
- It is prohibited to encroach on bike lanes or bus lanes.
- Park in the spaces designated on road surfaces and in underground car parks. When it is not possible to park in the street, and where there is not specific signage prohibiting it, you can park on the pavement:
- If the pavement is between 3 and 6 metres wide, you can park parallel to the pavement (at a minimum of 0.5 metres from the edge of the kerb) and between tree pits, without blocking car park exits, litter bins or waste containers, and while keeping at least 2 metres away from zebra crossings and bus stops. You must also leave 3 metres for pedestrians to pass.
- If the pavement is more than 6 metres wide, motorcycles can park side by side and diagonally, provided that there is at least 3 metres for pedestrians to pass.
When you share space with bicycles or personal mobility vehicles
- Do not make any harassing manoeuvres which, by not respecting safety distances, or using the car’s headlights or horn, constitute an attempt to modify the direction or speed in a lane or pose a risk to the safety of others.
- When travelling behind a bicycle, you must maintain a safety distance of at least 3 metres.
- When overtaking a cyclist, you must occupy the adjacent lane in the same direction and keep a minimum lateral safety distance of 1.5 metres.
- In roads with a single lane, it is not possible to overtake them.
- You can’t ride, stop or park in bike lanes, cycle paths or areas reserved for parking bikes.
- You should bear in mind that bike lanes give priority to bicycles over motor vehicles. This also applies when motor vehicles make turns on road surfaces which cross the path of cyclists and those on personal mobility vehicles. Red road surfaces at some junctions indicate this right of way.
Scooters
If you’re using a personal mobility vehicle
Under no circumstances can you ride on pavements or in other pedestrian areas. You can ride in the following places:
- Cycle lanes on the road, at a maximum speed of 25 km/h, with the obligation to slow down at pedestrian crossings.
- Cycle lanes on the pavement, at a maximum speed of 10 km/h.
- Streets with no kerb, at a maximum speed of 20 km/h, and pedestrian areas where vehicles are allowed to pass, at a maximum speed of 10 km/h.
- In the road in 30 km/h areas, at a maximum speed of 25 km/h.
- Parks, up to a maximum speed of 10 km/h.
And remember
- Manoeuvre safely, without putting people’s safety at risk, including those using other vehicles in the same lane or road.
- Use of a helmet is recommended. The minimum age to ride a personal mobility vehicle is 16.
- Avoid distractions. Do not look at your mobile phone or any other electronic device while driving.
- You should slow down and take extra caution when you go over pedestrian crossings, to avoid any sort of conflict.
- It is forbidden to tie personal mobility vehicles to trees, traffic lights, benches or other items of urban furniture when this could affect their use or intended purpose; in front of loading or unloading zones, or in places reserved for other users; in service areas or where parking is prohibited, such as emergency exits, hospitals, clinics, health centres or Bicing service areas.
By bike
- Respect traffic lights, signage and pedestrian crossings.
- You must take more care at pedestrian crossings without traffic lights.
- Make use of all safety elements (bell, lights and reflectors if you’re riding at night). Use of a helmet is recommended. And remember that a helmet is mandatory for children under the age of 16.
- Use road surfaces, bike lanes, roads with 30 km/h speed limits and specially conditioned areas. Only in areas where there are none of these options can you use pavements, and only if they are at least 5 metres wide and have 3 metres of free space.
- Do not carry objects that make it hard to manoeuvre or reduce other vehicles’ visibility.
- Do not use your mobile phone or listen to earphones or headphones while riding.
- Do not pedal without holding the handlebars, do not zigzag and do not hold on to other vehicles in motion.
- Park your bike preferably in the stands or the underground parking designed for this vehicle.
When you share space with motor vehicles or pedestrians
- Indicate before overtaking or changing direction and establish eye contact with the drivers of motor vehicles, where possible.
- Try to use the lanes closest to pavements. You can occupy the middle part for safety reasons.
- Do not ride in the bus lane unless it is expressly permitted and indicated with signage.
- When riding in pedestrian areas, respect their right of way, reduce speed when near them and do not make any manoeuvre that might put their safety at risk. Pedestrians are the most vulnerable group.
- When riding in pedestrian areas, avoid cycling within a metre of façades and be extra cautious of any pedestrians coming out of buildings and onto the pavement. If there is a crowd of pedestrians, get off your bike and walk.
- You can only ride in both directions on pedestrian streets, residential streets with 20 km/h speed limits and streets with paving with no kerb, unless there is specific signage prohibiting this.
- Reduce your speed when going over pedestrian crossings, to avoid possible conflictive situations.
- When riding in public parks you must respect pedestrians’ right of way, as well as the natural environment and urban furniture.
Walking
- Always walk on the pavement.
- Obey traffic lights.
- Always cross the road at pedestrian crossings
- Take more care at pedestrian crossings without traffic lights.
- Pay particular attention to vehicles that are turning at junctions.
- Don’t walk or stop in cycle lanes. And always cross them at the indicated zones where you have right of way.
Signage for blind spots
Delivery vehicles, urban and school buses, and heavy goods vehicles will be able to carry such signage on a voluntary basis. The aim is to convey to other road users, especially the most vulnerable users in urban areas, the importance of avoiding spots where they cannot be seen by the drivers of these vehicles.
