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SPAIN: Intercom/Bluetooth/GPS Devices - Legal or Illegal? SPAIN: Intercom/Bluetooth/GPS Devices - Legal or Illegal?
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  #1  
Old 2 Feb 2016
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SPAIN: Intercom/Bluetooth/GPS Devices - Legal or Illegal?
Good Afternoon

I am touring Spain and Portugal this summer with some friends and would like some advice regarding intercoms/bluetooth devices/GPS Sat Navs.

Whilst riding within a group, I always use my autocom system (Which is linked to a speaker headset within my helmet), coupled with a PMR radio to communicate between bikes and I have a sat nav mounted just in case we get hopelessly lost! However, whilst planning the trip to Spain, I came across a large amount of conflicting advice regarding the use of intercom/bluetooth/GPS systems. Some sources claim that it is illegal to use such devices in Spain, whereas others state this is simply an outdated law that is no longer enforced.

Could anyone who lives in Spain, or has recently visited, please provide a definitive answer so that I know whether it is legal or otherwise to use these devices whilst touring.

Many Thanks

Scott
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  #2  
Old 2 Feb 2016
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Does Autocom or one of the others have a Spanish distributor? That to me will give the practical answer.

Legally it will be a mess. A vehicle or helmet legal in the UK is legal in any EU country. The UN guarantees right of transit. Local laws even to the level of town council bylaws compete with world level agreements and a local may be more restricted than someone passing through.

The Spanish plod have a horrible reputation for enforcing the local regardless of the International. They used to like impounding bikes towing trailers and sidecars fitted on the UK side.

I have used an intercom in Spain without hassle.

Andy
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  #3  
Old 2 Feb 2016
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I believe you can not rely on the "if it is legal back home, it is legal here" in all aspects of road travel.
Some examples - RHD vehicles must fit beam deflectors in Europe otherwise they will be issued with a defect notice. Speed limits are certainly enforced regardless of what they might be in the same situation back home. Umwelt (sp?) zones are enforced (as is the London zone), winter tyres and chain rules are enforced, wearing safety vests and having triangles, blood alcohol levels, using GPS with speed camera warnings, towing four-down etc etc etc. All these matters are not part of the vehicle design itself and are local operational requirements and radio equipment comes into this category and can be locally enforced.

That said, there are a lot of countries with very strict laws on all sorts of electronic equipment, especially anything relying on use of that countries radio spectrum so I guess there is always a chance of running into problems, but in the EU I doubt whether it would be an issue.
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  #4  
Old 2 Feb 2016
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Threewheelbonnie View Post
Does Autocom or one of the others have a Spanish distributor? That to me will give the practical answer.

Legally it will be a mess. A vehicle or helmet legal in the UK is legal in any EU country. The UN guarantees right of transit. Local laws even to the level of town council bylaws compete with world level agreements and a local may be more restricted than someone passing through.

The Spanish plod have a horrible reputation for enforcing the local regardless of the International. They used to like impounding bikes towing trailers and sidecars fitted on the UK side.

I have used an intercom in Spain without hassle.

Andy
Hi Andy

Having just checked Autocom's website there is indeed an importer/distributor in Spain. That would indicate that there would be a market for them. However, I am an overly caucious type and that alone doesn't convince me that there use is legal in Spain. That said, it would appear more likely to be legal than if there were no importer/distributor.

Thanks

Scott
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  #5  
Old 2 Feb 2016
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tony LEE View Post
I believe you can not rely on the "if it is legal back home, it is legal here" in all aspects of road travel.
Some examples - RHD vehicles must fit beam deflectors in Europe otherwise they will be issued with a defect notice. Speed limits are certainly enforced regardless of what they might be in the same situation back home. Umwelt (sp?) zones are enforced (as is the London zone), winter tyres and chain rules are enforced, wearing safety vests and having triangles, blood alcohol levels, using GPS with speed camera warnings, towing four-down etc etc etc. All these matters are not part of the vehicle design itself and are local operational requirements and radio equipment comes into this category and can be locally enforced.

That said, there are a lot of countries with very strict laws on all sorts of electronic equipment, especially anything relying on use of that countries radio spectrum so I guess there is always a chance of running into problems, but in the EU I doubt whether it would be an issue.
Hi Tony

Your comment about use of the countries spectrum is a very important one. Obviously most PMR radios sold in the UK use the 446MHz band, as this is the designated part of the radio spectrum for the UK. I will endeavour to find out if this is the same in Spain, or if they use a different range of frequencies. I am fortunate that my radio can be reprogrammed to accommodate such a change if neccessary.

Scott
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  #6  
Old 2 Feb 2016
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I live in Spain and I have always my intercom visuallly conected on my helmet, and never have any problem and if the intercom is homologated you will have no problem at all.

Here you will find a page with more info and legal facts from the mos important insurance company in Spain...

Intercomunicadores de moto: Legalidad y funciones - Canal Motor Mapfre
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Old 2 Feb 2016
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Originally Posted by JanTheMongol View Post
I live in Spain and I have always my intercom visuallly conected on my helmet, and never have any problem and if the intercom is homologated you will have no problem at all.

Here you will find a page with more info and legal facts from the mos important insurance company in Spain...

Intercomunicadores de moto: Legalidad y funciones - Canal Motor Mapfre
Hi Jan

Many thanks for your input/experience and for the weblink. Having translated this into English and read its contents, it seems reasonably clear that bluetooth devices, whether that be bike to bike intercoms, or connections to mobile phones or satellite navigation systems are legal, as long as they require no physical (hand) operation.

This does however still leave the issue of PMR radio use. Are PMR radios which utilise the 446MHz band legal in Spain? This website (PMR446 Licence Free Walkie-Talkies and Radios Explained) seems to suggest that 446Mhz PMR radio use IS legal in over 30 countries in Europe, including Spain.

If so, then my combination of PMR 446Mhz radio and autocom system should be fully legal.
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  #8  
Old 2 Feb 2016
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This was pretty much in MCN last year and I contacted RACE and got the reply in my blog:

http://invictamoto.blogspot.co.uk/20...-headsets.html


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  #9  
Old 3 Feb 2016
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Originally Posted by InvictaMoto View Post
This was pretty much in MCN last year and I contacted RACE and got the reply in my blog:

On the Road Again : Spain: Bluetooth Headsets


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Hi InvictaMoto,

I subscribe to MCN and enjoy the letters and Q&A sections of the paper. I must have missed that article though!

Thank you for the link to your blog. I now feel more confident about the situation and although it doesn't appear crystal clear, I personally feel happy to use my intercom.

Many Thanks

Scott
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  #10  
Old 5 Feb 2016
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Quote:
Originally Posted by scott_walker_1 View Post
I personally feel happy to use my intercom.
Of course, you have to ;-)
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  #11  
Old 27 May 2016
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I live in Barcelona and use Cardo intercom systems all the time. Touratech here sells them as do many other stores. I have never heard of anyone being pulled over for using one.
JC
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