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Spain

Flagpole transport in Spain: overhanging loads and the V-20 sign

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This page is an English translation of the Spanish original. Where the two versions differ, the Spanish text is the original.

A flagpole of six, eight or ten metres is a long, indivisible item: Spanish makers produce it in a single tapered piece. Getting it from the warehouse to the installation site needs a suitable vehicle and compliance with the traffic rules on overhanging loads. This guide summarises what the General Traffic Regulation and the General Vehicle Regulation say.

A single piece

According to ClickBanderas, its fibreglass and aluminium flagpoles are made in a single tapered piece, from 3 to 16 metres depending on the material. Unlike some other products, they do not come apart into short sections. Transporting a flagpole is therefore, in practice, transporting a long, indivisible load.

How far a load may overhang

Article 15 of the General Traffic Regulation (Royal Decree 1428/2003) starts from a general rule: the load does not project beyond the plan view of the vehicle. The exceptions are these:

VehiclePermitted overhang
Goods only, more than 5 m long, indivisible load (beams, poles, tubes)2 m at the front and 3 m at the rear
Goods only, 5 m long or less, indivisible loadA third of the vehicle’s length at each end
Other vehiclesAt the rear, up to 10% of its length, or 15% if the load is indivisible

A 4.5-metre car may thus carry, at most, an indivisible load overhanging about 67 cm at the rear, which is not enough for most flagpoles. A van or a lorry longer than five metres can carry flagpoles considerably longer than the vehicle itself.

Marking

Under the same article:

  • A load overhanging at the rear is marked with the V-20 panel, placed at the rear end of the load and perpendicular to the axis of the vehicle.
  • Between sunset and sunrise, or in conditions that significantly reduce visibility, the load also carries a red light at the rear and, if it overhangs at the front, a white light.
  • The necessary precautions are taken to avoid damage or danger to other road users, and the overhanging end is protected to lessen the effects of any rubbing or collision.

Special transport

If the flagpole and vehicle exceed the maximum dimensions, article 14 of the General Vehicle Regulation allows the traffic authority to grant special authorisations, following a binding report from the owner of the road, for vehicles that exceed the maximum masses and dimensions because of the indivisible load they carry.

Loading and unloading

A long flagpole is heavy and awkward to handle. Fibreglass ones are lighter than metal ones, but because of their length two people or a crane are usually needed to unload them and raise them into position without damage. It is usual to transport them in their original packaging to avoid scratches in the gel coat or the paint. Installation, with the foundation and raising the flagpole, is covered in the guide to flagpole installation, and the cost of transport in the guide to the price of a flagpole.

Frequently asked questions

How far may a flagpole overhang a vehicle?

Under article 15 of the General Traffic Regulation, on vehicles used exclusively for carrying goods, an indivisible load such as a pole or a tube may overhang by two metres at the front and three at the rear if the vehicle is more than five metres long, and by a third of its length at each end if it is five metres or shorter. On other vehicles, it may overhang at the rear by up to 15% of the vehicle’s length if it is indivisible.

What is the V-20 sign?

It is the overhanging load marker panel, with red and white diagonal stripes, which under article 15 of the General Traffic Regulation is placed at the rear end of a load overhanging at the back, perpendicular to the axis of the vehicle.

Does the load need a light at night?

Yes. Under the same article, between sunset and sunrise, or in poor visibility, a load overhanging at the rear also carries a red light, and one overhanging at the front a white light.

What if the flagpole is longer than permitted?

Under article 14 of the General Vehicle Regulation, the traffic authority may grant special authorisations for vehicles that, because of the indivisible load they carry, exceed the maximum dimensions. This is known as special transport.

Sources

This guide is based on the following sources, most of them in Spanish:

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