We quickly believed to be free like bicycle or scooter air. But beware of speeding! You can do anything to be fine if you exceed 20 km/h in certain areas.
Little by little, the bicycle seduced the hearts of road users to finally establish itself as a major player in urban mobility. Whether for daily journeys or Sunday walks, the number of cyclists has continued to increase, thus redrawing the urban landscape. At the same time, the boom in electric assistance bikes has changed the situation. These devices make it possible to reach higher speeds with less effort, making the bike accessible to a greater number.
This growing popularity of this ecological two-wheeler has led municipalities to adapt their infrastructure. Cycling tracks have flowered everywhere, offering cyclists dedicated and secure spaces. However, this cohabitation between cyclists, pedestrians and motorists is not always exempt from tensions. The authorities notably noted an increase in incidents involving cyclists rolling at excessive gaits, especially in areas with a high pedestrian frequentation.
However, speed limitations even apply by bike. As stipulates Article R 413-16 of the highway code, “The fact for any driver of a vehicle other than an engine vehicle to contravene the provisions of this code relating to the maximum authorized speed is punishable by the fine provided for second class tickets.” This sanction amounts to 35 euros. It can rise to 135 euros in the event of “unsuitable speed with regard to circumstances”, that is to say that “The cyclist can respect the speed limit but voluntarily ignore a risk: crossing pedestrians, turns, etc …”
So, of course, it is rare to exceed 50 km/h by bike, especially if it is mechanical, but it is quite possible to go beyond 20, even 30 km/h. However, certain areas in France are precisely limited to these low speeds: this is the case of so -called meeting areas (20 km/h) and 30 km/h zones (30 km/h), as well as pedestrian areas (pace pace – but this figure is linked to the interpretation of police and gendarmes). All these special zones, always indicated by specific panels, are located in town or in a village: speeds are limited to very low values for pedestrian safety.
The law is clear: if a cyclist or a scooter driver exceeds this look in these areas, it is in fault. It is therefore better to reduce its speed, even if it means deactivating assistance on an electric model. For pedestrian areas, the best is to get off the bike or a scooter and continue on foot, pushing the machine in hand.
Note that, unlike the offenses committed by car, cyclists do not lose a point on their driving license. However, in cases of serious offenses, a permit withdrawal remains possible. Because a rolling cyclist too quickly increases not only his own risk of accident, but also endangers other road users, especially pedestrians. Caution!