Holiday driving hell

[gerryh]

There`s a programme on ITV, Holiday driving hell, at the moment.
Talking about different driving laws on the continent.
Just stated that ,in Spain, you will get an instant fine if you don't your indicators. Don't think anybody has told the Spanish drivers about this law

Cheers
Gerry

[Don]

Yes Gerry, was brief but interesting. Also illegal in Spain not to use headlights in tunnel. Every tunnel I can recall has a sign "advising" you to put headlights on. Illegal in France just to have a radar detector in the car. Amazing how many people do not understand French/Spanish road signs. No wonder so many get into trouble.

[El Cid]

The French have just introduced the "High Visibility Jacket" rule from July 1st and are apparently clobbering all the Brits soon after they get off the ferry for not having them - 100€ a pop!

Sid

[Don]

Talking of which Sid, some say in Spain you need to carry one high vis jacket in the car and some say one jacket per occupant, which would often mean at least 5 jackets. Which is your understanding. We have two and mostly we are two in the car but occasionally more.

[hillybilly]

http://www.consumer.es/web/es/motor/edu ... 104750.php

[Don]

Thanks Hillybilly, I can see how there is confusion.
You are not obliged to carry one in the car but you are obliged to put one on before getting out of the car on the highway. You are not obliged to carry one per possible occupant of the car but it looks like they too should wear one if out of the car on the highway. But then I guess, over the crash barrier on the grass verge would not be "on the highway" so you could get passengers out of the car, each one wearing a jacket until they are over the barrier and passing it back to the next in line.

Incidentally had to put the homologated UK licence to the test this morning with the Guardia. First they wanted the licence, then raised eyebrows at a UK licence with Spanish matriculated vehicle, so out came the certificate of homologation for the licence and then the discussion got interesting. They clearly do not see many homologation certificates but in the end they were satisfied that everything was in order and were actually interested in the fact that my UK licence is valid way beyond the next 5 years validity of the homologation. Something like "you mean to say that in England, you are allowed to drive until you are 70 without taking any sort of medical check?" When I pointed out that a German licence is valid for life without medical checks, they seemed to indicate that the rest of Europe needs to catch up with Spain. For sure the Guardia are increasingly cracking down on every aspect on the road these days.

[Wicksey]

First they wanted the licence, then raised eyebrows at a UK licence with Spanish matriculated vehicle,

What if you own a car here but do not live here? Friends have 2 Spanish cars but only spend holidays here. What is to stop me, for example, saying I am here at my holiday home, rather than admitting to living here full-time and still having my pink UK licence? (hypothetical question, of course!)

[Beachcomber]

If they suspect you are actually living here they would fine you anyway and it would be up to you to prove otherwise.

[peteroldracer]

And if you are not resident here you must pay any fine there and then - they are very kind and will accompany you to the nearest ATM - whereas residents get so long to pay.

[Don]

If they suspect you are actually living here they would fine you anyway and it would be up to you to prove otherwise.

Quite the opposite, in this case anyway. The fine book was ready to write a ticket and if I had produced a Spanish licence it would have been so, in my opinion. When they saw a UK licence and the homologation certificate and began to discuss it all, they accepted that I had done far more than most to comply with their laws and their attitude changed quite a lot. To the extent that they became more friendly and appreciated that I had everything in order and the fine book was put aside. But this was moto Guardia to me a moto rider.

[Beachcomber]

I was talking about someone who lives here but tries to pretend they are a tourist. Presumably you don't fall into that category.

Why would they have fined you for having a Spanish driving licence?

[toyotadesigner]

The gestor who registered my car in Spain informed me as following:

You have the residencia and drive a car with a foreign licence plate: illegal, the GC can confiscate your car.

You don't have a residencia and drive a car with a Spanish licence plate: illegal, unless you can prove you are not living more than 3 months in Spain or if you have a car hire contract.

No residencia and foreign licence plate: the customs department will track you down if you can't prove that you are on a visit in Spain. If they will find out you are living in Spain, you'll be in deep *beep*.

I've traded my German drivers licence for a Spanish one. If I will ever return to Germany, I can claim my (life long) German licence and keep on driving in Germany forever. The Spanish Trafico had to send it back to Germany because it is an 'official document and property of Germany'.

On the other hand I can drive any car in Germany with my Spanish licence, because it already is a European licence that meets the latest standards of the 'European harmonization'.

Before I applied for a Spanish licence I ran into a GC highway check. My driving licence was from Texas, my passport from Germany, I was living for more than 6 months in Spain, the owner of the car didn't live in Spain anymore and the guy who had insured the car was yet another one. The poor GC guys were juggling with all the documents and finally gave up, handing me back everything, saying: would be nice if you could straighten this out

[Don]

I was talking about someone who lives here but tries to pretend they are a tourist. Presumably you don't fall into that category.

No I dont fall into that category.

Why would they have fined you for having a Spanish driving licence?

They would not have fined me for having a Spanish licence as such, they were ticketing every moto rider who allegedly crossed a continuous white line in the centre of the road. There was quite a queue of motos pulled over and it was only when he saw my licence was a UK licence that he stopped before writing a ticket, looked at the UK address on the licence, looked at the "medical" homologation, discussed a bit about the date of validity and then basically decided to give me a ticking off and got on with writing a ticket for the next in line.

[Wicksey]

Before I applied for a Spanish licence I ran into a GC highway check. My driving licence was from Texas, my passport from Germany, I was living for more than 6 months in Spain, the owner of the car didn't live in Spain anymore and the guy who had insured the car was yet another one. The poor GC guys were juggling with all the documents and finally gave up, handing me back everything, saying: would be nice if you could straighten this out

That reminded me of when I was stopped in France by the Gendarmes - I had my Spanish reg car, my UK licence and French insurance and they didn't bat an eyelid! I don't think the Guardia Civil will be like that so I had better get my licence sorted out I suppose .

[Jool]

Toyota Des - the residencia no longer exists so do you mean your gestor says people must carry their residence certificate in the car with them?

I don´t understand why people don´t want a spanish number plate anyway......or bring over a UK reg car. Its the law in every european country, your own country´s plates are only valid for 6 month then you must re-matriculate.......

I saw Holiday Driving Hell, bit dramatic these days on the old TV...........why such a title..........? I certainly never knew about the indicators and even the guardia and policia local don´t indicate at times!!

[ex patriot 66]

its parking thats hell ! ,especially here in Fuengirola , a reet bloody nightmare