New to Driving in Costa Del Sol

[AngelaPhillips]

Hi , I'm new to this whole thing and hope someone can help me! I'm going to the Costa Del Sol, a little place called El Paraiso near Estepona in August, and picking up a car at Malaga airport. I've NEVER driven abroad and really nervous ! I'm and experienced driver and been driving for over 20 years, driven to Scotland twice and south coast several times. Can anyone give me some advice, tips and or resources on driving from the airport to my resort. I think the motorway is A7? We arrive around 9pm so it's going to be dark driving around too!! Do I drive via the Toll route or the normal motorway? Should I bring my UK SatNav or hire one from the airport? (which will cost me around £70) How can I verse myself on Spanish road signs, is there a guide I can buy or will it be straightforward. Theirs so much more I need to find out, but if anyone's got any advice or help, I'll be really grateful ! Angela

[pensure1988]

Hi Angela

Look at these directions on website below. Choose the section which applies to you. Road signs are fairly easy to follow. Hope you have a good navigator. Some lightning has been switched off due to Andalucia province not paying for the electricity which Costa de Sol Municipalities says they should pay for.

http://www.malagaairport.eu/airport/dri ... ctions.php

Good Luck

Nigel

[Lyric]

Rather than directions, general hints.
Indicators are rarely used, sometimes after the event i.e. I have turned right.
At Pedestrian crossings they rarely, if ever, look.
Be very careful at roundabouts, they have a unique, but varied approach to negotiating them.

Enjoy your holiday.

[El Cid]

Yes, roundabouts are a potential problem. Whatever you learned in the UK - always stay in the outside lane and you won't go wrong. Get in the inside lane and anything could happen!

As for driving on the "wrong" side of the road, that isn't a problem so long as you just follow everyone else. Be more careful at intersections when there aren't any other vehicles about - it's very easy to pull into the wrong lane.

Many road signs are the same or similar to the UK and those that aren't are usually obvious in their meaning.

Crossing a central white line or turning across it is a cardinal sin in Spain and you can be heavily fined even though many motorists do it. Similarly "stop" signs or road markings mean just that and again a large fine will be given if the Guardia see you do it. Amazingly, some slip roads onto dual carriageways have stop signs rather than just give way - watch out for that.

Parking rules vary from place to place. Some areas have "blue" zones with blue lines on the road. This usually involves paying at a nearby box and putting the receipt in the car on display. Don't park blocking a garage or entrance when there is a no parking sign (Vada Permanente) on the wall. Watch out for areas with yellow lines. These are for loading and unloading commercial vehicles, but they often don't apply at off peak times. The times are always shown on the signs at each end of the zone.

If you do get a parking ticket in a blue zone, then you can usually pay a much smaller fine at the parking meter by inserting the ticket.

Finally, the N340 coast road from Malaga to Estepona is the most dangerous road in Spain so be very careful, especially when joining it from a slip road. There are also a couple of new radar traps on it. You can avoid it by using the motorway, but part of that section is a toll road - expensive but the best alternative.

There's a lot more, but that's a start.

Sid

[brightonion]

Angela, remember everyone has a first time on Spanish roads.Try and hire a car like the one that you drive in the u.k. Check out a good map in advance and write out the main details in big letters to have beside you, if you feel a bit panicky find a safe place to stop and check. The roads in Spain are a lot easier than driving in the uk and not so much traffic.Don't drink or take drugs, don't drive if you feel tired, better to spend a night in a hotel. Try and keep alert when driving it is easy to switch off a little on a hot afternoon.Don't worry about the spanish standard of driving the british holiday maker takes some beating.Have fun and enjoy.

[Sampson]

If you haven't driven LHD before the first 100 metres or so is the only problem, but just follow everyone else. But do take a few minutes to re-site your mirrors as you do need them all.

One thing that threw me a little in Spain was the sheer number of zebra crossings. But the thing to be aware of is the ones with red in the stripes are those that the locals take seriously. The others, black & white, seem to be purely that you give way to pedestrians when the accompanying light says red.

As mentioned the Spanish have a really weird way of navigating roundabouts. I'm not positive but it seems that those in smaller mundane cars are obliged to use the outside lane no matter which exit they are taking and must take the longer route, whilst Mercs, BMWs etc plus Brit drivers will only use the outside lane if they're turning right. Well anyway, that's what happens in practice.

Don't be put off, it's really not that different and the road is very straightforward.

[RichardCoeurdeLion]

Just take it very steady for the first few miles and you'll be fine. For the first time, I'd use the toll motorway and leave it at San pedro, then continue on the n340 to your destination.
My sat nav works ok in spain and it's quite old, so I d take yours and try it.
I know el Paraiso. Are you in the hotel or a villa/ apartement?
On the main road you have the Benavista development which has shops bars and eateries. There is a foot bridge over the dual carriage way (occasionally people try to cross on foot and there have been fatalities) and you can then walk down about half a mile to the beach, which isn't Particuarly great.
A better bet would be to drive towards Estepona a couple of kms. Go past .
the village of Cancelada ( lots of eateries) and take the next cambio de sentido (change of direction) and recross the river Guadalmansa. Then leave the motorway and enter the villacana development. You can drive down to the beach and park or use villacanas car park. There are a couple of bars/ eateries at villacana and you could probably use their pool, although it's suppose to be for residents only.
El Paraiso is half way between Estepona and San Pedro. Estepona is lovely Imho and there are some nice corners of San Ped.
Have you done much research on the area. I suggest you go to tripadvisor travel forum for Estepona as there is heaps of info there. If you're not familiar with Tripadvisor it is a great facility for planning holidays.
Have fun.
Btw have you booked your car. Many on here will have their faves. I use Malaga car hire.com who are a broker who link you up with Niza car hire. You get a better price going through them than direct to niza. I 've used them dozens of times.
If you trawl back a few weeks you'll see a trip report I made called we came to Estepona which might give you a few ideas
Have fun

[Unicorn]

If there is a STOP on the road or sign, stop, count to ten and then continue. A favourite fining thing for the police who often hide whilst watching over junctions.

[peteroldracer]

Add to unicorn...you are supposed to apply the handbrake while you wait 3 seconds, I got told off and had to persuade the Trafico man that it was on, as was my footbrake, hence the stop lights!
Be prepared for the biggest sin here - following traffic trying to get within 3cms of your rear bumper - at 90kph! I just go gradually slower and slower until they get the message...sometimes takes going down to 20kph!

[wollie]

First of all your sat nav is only as good as the maps you bought for it so if it has only uk maps you will need to buy and load Europe maps on same.
I am thinking it will not be dark if you get to your car by 9pm which will be a help.
Though the driving is a bit aggressive in spain you will be ok after a short while, my advise is to try to drive as they do if possible as that is what is easier.
Don't worry about roundabout as that is what it is and if you miss your turn off just go around again and get it next time, however the only problem with this is your navi may not be quick enough so having a passenger will be a help here though they are usually just a distraction..
The only other tip I can give is pick a well known place close to your final destination as an interim destination as because the sat nav uses the closes possible route it can cause problems so using this technique you will not be too far from where you want to finally be.
though sat nav is great you need to give it all the help you can as you are smarter than it.

hope this helps

[Enrique]

Another way to get the write up is to include the link to the Thread.................Richard's guide to CDS.

http://andalucia.com/forums/viewtopic.p ... 33#p337933

[markwilding]

Be prepared for the biggest sin here - following traffic trying to get within 3cms of your rear bumper - at 90kph! I just go gradually slower and slower until they get the message...sometimes takes going down to 20kph!

I'm not sure that's good advice for a novice. It would be better to just stay in the outside/slow lane.

[peteroldracer]

Mark, on a single lane road I have found the only answer is to reduce the potential damage by making it slower. I would not advise coming to a complete stop and confront the imbeciles however! There is always the chance that a Trafico car could stumble on the situation, in which case a denuncia coukd be made. The rather stupid rules about in-car video here put me off, and it always seems to happen when I do not have a passenger to take a photo through the back window, and in any case they usually are too close to get the number plate, only the whites of their eyes!

[katy]

Be prepared for the biggest sin here - following traffic trying to get within 3cms of your rear bumper - at 90kph! I just go gradually slower and slower until they get the message...sometimes takes going down to 20kph!

I'm not sure that's good advice for a novice. It would be better to just stay in the outside/slow lane.

Except there are many trying to drive behind you at 90 in the slow lane too. Then there are the drivers, mainly hire cars pulling out of side roads at 3. Kmh

[peteroldracer]

On the 'death road' along the coast towards Marbella I get into the lefthand lane,nand stay there. Travelling at the limit I am less concerned about upsetting speeders behind me than being involved in a major smash with someone pulling out of the many lethal slip roads from the right.

[markwilding]

I just touch my brakes a few times. Dropping down to 20kph on an autovia is very dangerous

[peteroldracer]

Mark: on an autovia there is no need as these are always multi-lane, it is the single lane roads in town or country that need the "slow down" treatment. The coastal highway around Cabopino/Elviria/Marbella is a different case, and if ever I am unlucky enough to need to use it, I travel at or around the limit in the left lane, as the roads are engineered for donkeys, with few acceleration or deceleration lanes for traffic leaving and joining.
Touching the brakes is in my opinion more dangerous than gradually reducing speed, but each to their own.

[Beachcomber]

...The rather stupid rules about in-car video here put me off...

According to this Guardia Civil backed web site dashcams are legal:

http://n332.es/2015/02/03/can-i-install ... in-my-car/

http://n332.es/2015/03/02/gopros-dash-c ... hey-legal/

The only time I have had a problem is when a particularly stupid Guardia Civil who stopped me for NOT speeding was convinced it was a mobile radar detector until one of his colleagues came over and put him right.

What you should not do is upload the video to a public web site like You Tube etc. unless you pixilate any faces or vehicle registration numbers before doing so.

[Lyric]

The Lady OP was seeking a little advice, you two have degenerated into a lane hogging, brake-testing, slow/fast lane diatribe guaranteed to frighten her off. Leave it.

[Devils Advocate]

The Lady OP was seeking a little advice, you two have degenerated into a lane hogging, brake-testing, slow/fast lane diatribe guaranteed to frighten her off. Leave it.

It's a bloody good job it's not like what's being reported though Lyric, it'll be a breeze for the lady after the first 2 minutes.