Changes to bicycle transport in Italy.
Are you planning to take two-wheelers on the rear carrier on your next holiday in Italy? Then please note that the regulations for this type of transport have changed in Italy. We have summarised all the important information for you here.
Attaching warning signs & loads that are difficult to recognise
If you take your two-wheelers or other cargo with you on the rear carrier in Italy and they protrude over the rear, they must be labelled with a red and white warning sign. If the load protruding to the rear also takes up the entire width of the vehicle, two of the warning signs must be attached to the left and right at the side of the load. According to the Italian regulation, the warning sign must be made of sheet metal, measure at least 50 x 50 cm and be hatched in white and red. Failure to comply with this labelling requirement can result in a fine of at least €80.
For a while it was possible to avoid the warning sign with a repeater licence plate and your own rear carrier lighting, but this change in the law has since been suspended.
If you are therefore planning to travel to Italy with your two-wheeler, please consider taking the warning plate for your rear carrier with you.
But that’s not all. According to Italian road traffic regulations, a load may protrude 30 cm beyond the rear lights, but this does not apply to so-called hard-to-recognise loads. According to the latest interpretations of the Italian legislator, bicycles are now difficult to recognise and may therefore not be wider on the rear carrier than the vehicle itself. The decisive factor here is not the folded-out vehicle mirrors, but the width of the rear lights. Therefore, if your two-wheelers protrude beyond the rear lights of your vehicle, think twice before travelling to Italy with them. An offence can cost up to €345.
Source: ADAC.de
