Can you cycle across a pedestrian crossing in Sweden?
What the Swedish Police and Transportstyrelsen say about cycling over a zebra crossing.
Short answer
Yes, cycling across a pedestrian crossing is not forbidden in Sweden, but it is unsuitable, and you must give way to pedestrians and vehicles. If you get off and lead the bike, you follow the same rules as pedestrians. Cycle crossings (cykelpassage) are marked parts of the road meant for cyclists.
Why
- The Swedish Police say it is not forbidden to cycle across a pedestrian crossing, but that the crossing is meant for pedestrians and cycling there is unsuitable.
- Transportstyrelsen says a cyclist who crosses on a pedestrian crossing always has a duty to give way to pedestrians and to vehicles.
- According to Transportstyrelsen, drivers have no duty to give way to someone cycling across an unguarded pedestrian crossing.
Details
Transportstyrelsen says a person leading a bike counts as a pedestrian. A cykelpassage is a marked part of the road for cyclists to cross, and a cykelöverfart is marked and signed, with the road built so that vehicles should not be driven faster than 30 km/h. According to NTF, a cyclist must give way to vehicles at an unguarded cykelpassage. See also driving and road rules in Sweden.
Tip
When in doubt, get off and walk the bike across: Transportstyrelsen says someone leading a bike counts as a pedestrian, and that drivers must give way to pedestrians at unguarded crossings.
What may differ
The rules depend on the type of crossing: a pedestrian crossing (övergångsställe) is meant for pedestrians, while a cykelpassage or cykelöverfart is meant for cyclists. Whether the crossing is guarded by a signal or a police officer also matters.
Common misconception
You must always get off and walk your bike across a pedestrian crossing in Sweden.
What actually happens
The Swedish Police say it is not forbidden to cycle across a pedestrian crossing, but it is unsuitable. If you ride across, you must always give way to pedestrians and vehicles.
People also ask
- Is it legal to cycle across a pedestrian crossing in Sweden?
- Can you ride a bike over a zebra crossing?
Sources
- Swedish Police: Cyclists, what you need to knowChecked at:
- Transportstyrelsen: Traffic rules for cyclistsChecked at:
- Transportstyrelsen: Pedestrian crossingsChecked at:
- NTF: Laws and rules for bicyclesChecked at:
This answer is for reference only. Rules can change, so check Transportstyrelsen and the Swedish Police before you ride.
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