I was stopped yesterday by a police officer while cycling home from work around 8 p.m. without front or rear lights. He said it was against the law, but I'm not sure if he was actually going to fine me or just give me a warning. What exactly is the fine amount in this case?
The fine for riding a bicycle without night lighting in Portugal is around €60, but the exact amount depends a bit on the context and which authority stops you. What I know is that it's mandatory to have at least a white front light and a red rear light when you're riding at night, so the officer was right to stop you. Since it's your first time, maybe you just got a warning, but if you'd gotten hit with the full fine it would be somewhere in that range. Best thing is to get yourself a set of lights (they're cheap, really) because besides safety, you'll avoid hassles down the road.
The most important thing is that the police officer could very well have chosen to just give you a warning instead of issuing a fine, especially if it was a first stop - that happens pretty often. If he actually did fine you, the previous answer about the 60€ is on the right track, but the best thing is to check the traffic violation report he gave you, because that's where you'll find the exact amount and the deadline to contest it if you think it's necessary.
It varies a lot from state to state, but generally it's between 130 to 200 reais, depending on whether it's a minor or moderate violation. The thing is that many police officers will just give you a warning on first stop instead of issuing the fine right away, especially if you're cooperative about it - it happens pretty often. If they really want to ticket you, it gets recorded on the spot, so you'd receive the warning in writing or electronically. My advice is to get a decent front light and a flashing rear light already, because beyond the fine it's actually dangerous to ride at night without lights, cars can't see you from far away.
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