Got a bit confused after looking around for more info so just wondering what the forum wisdom is!?
I have a tow bar mounted rack with it's own light bar, so do I actually need the red and white stripey sign in Europe? Will be visiting Italy as well as France so there's the aluminium rather than plastic aspect I've just discovered as well!
I understand the requirement on a motorhome as I saw the phrase "where the rear load protrudes beyond the rear lights" but that isn't the case on a rack with it's own lights?
If I do need it, anyone got a top tip for installing directly to the bike? Just bodge it with zip ties? There's nothing else for it to attach to! Feel like I'm throwing another £25 away just to tick a box, but I'd obviously rather do the right thing and avoid getting pulled over etc.
.... And now I've just read something that says if you mount the bikes longitudinally then you need two of the bloody things!!
That seems to suggest the stripey sign isn't needed, unless the rack extends more then a metre from the rear of the vehicle (no idea if it does, would need to measure!) but then.....
When the bike rack occupies the entire width of the car, a second sign must be added. The 2 signs should be placed at the right and left ends, forming an "inverted V"....
So I do need two of the bloody signs! Seems crazy that the country with the reputation for the worst driving has the strictest rule!
I've used a tow bar rack with lights for years driving in Europe. Never used a stripey board and never had an issue.
On cars that is though. Didn't even know there were actual rules for them...
Drove all over europe without one on the back of a camper, did get pulled by police in Ainsa for not having it (very popular mtb destination though), and the nice policeman let me off the 60 euro fine. I never did buy one, and we never got in trouble anywhere else in spain or europe for that matter
You don't need one if you have a towbar mounted rack with its own lights and reg plate. They're required on the likes of campervans as the bike rack sits further back than the lights.
What Dave said ^^^^
german resident here. Not needed on towbar racks. Needed on the racks mounted on the back wall of campers.
thinking about it, I see a lot of roof mounts and towbar mounts, I’m not seeing many/any of the rear hatchback hook and strap type…
