Essential rules |
- Be visible. Wear bright or reflective clothing.
- Never ride on the tram rails.
- Stay distraction-free. Never wear a headphone while riding a bike.
- Obey traffic signs and signals. Bicycles must follow the rules of the road like other vehicles.
Be visible and communicate |
- Wear bright clothes during the day and reflective clothing/accessories at night
- Always use hand signals when turning left or right
- Make eye contact with drivers to be sure that they have seen you
- Use lights after dark (white at the front and red at the rear). You may be fined 38€ if you don't have them.
Do's and don'ts near the tram |
- Don’t cycle on the tram tracks. Except in shared areas, riding on the tracks is strictly prohibited since they are exclusively dedicated to the tram.
- Feeling safe while riding on the tram rails is a misleading impression and may cause falls, as the wheel can easily get stuck in the rails. At worst, a tram may be coming, leading to a major accident.
- Cross the tracks at a right angle where you can, to avoid your wheel slipping into the gap.
- Always pay attention because trams are quiet, so you may not hear them until they're very close.
Ride with care in the city and near buses |
- Always keep a safe distance in the bus lane, otherwise the bus won’t be able to avoid you in case of emergency braking.
- If you are overtaken by another vehicle, move carefully to the right, leaving enough room (the width of a door or 1 metre) to avoid being hit if a car door is opened.
- Neither ride to the right of the bus nor in its blind spots. In any case, you must always be clearly visible to the bus driver.
- Stop at red lights. Don't ride through them. You may be fined 135€
- Favor cycle lanes when possible.
- Don't cycle on the sidewalk or up a one-way street (unless clearly marked for cyclists)
- Keep at least 1m away from parked cars when on the road.
Be considerate |
- Slow down in pedestrian areas and give way to those on foot.
- Be aware of your speed and surroundings at all time.
- In Downtown Bordeaux, in the rue Sainte Catherine and rue Porte Dijeaux, you must get off and walk your bike.
