New rules: 22nd March

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jonbar.1
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New rules: 22nd March

Postby jonbar.1 » Tue Mar 22, 2022 8:52 am

I noticed that the new motoring rules state that It's no longer permitted to exceed the speed limit by up-to 20kph when overtaking.
I cannot find any info which states how much IT IS PERMITTED to exceed by.( maybe "Not at all" ?)
Any answers please?

markwilding
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Re: New rules: 22nd March

Postby markwilding » Tue Mar 22, 2022 9:52 am

There were many changes that came into force last year.
More info here
https://carinsurancespain.es/tag/speed-limits/


New speed limits

Additionally, urban streets have a new maximum speed limit of 30 kilometres per hour. This is when there is only one lane in each direction. Where there is no difference in the height of the pavement and the road the speed limit will be further reduced to 20 kph. If there are two lanes in each direction the limit is 50 kilometres per hour.

One other important change is the withdrawal of the law that allowed you to increase your speed by up to 20 kph above the actual speed limit. This was only permitted when overtaking a vehicle, not driving at the speed limit, on a conventional road.

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Wicksey
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Re: New rules: 22nd March

Postby Wicksey » Tue Mar 22, 2022 11:15 am

30kmph is less than 20mph, difficult to drive that slowly. There is a 40kmph limit on the coast road through Torrox Costa but people rarely drive that slowly, despite all the crossings along there. If I have ever stuck to the speed limit when there's a Guardia behind me they've got fed up and overtaken me.

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jonbar.1
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Re: New rules: 22nd March

Postby jonbar.1 » Tue Mar 22, 2022 1:36 pm

Still haven't had an answer to my original question: :think:
How much can we increase our speed to overtake?...(obviously not 20kph)

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Re: New rules: 22nd March

Postby El Cid » Tue Mar 22, 2022 1:39 pm

You cannot break the speed limit when overtaking. It's as simple as that.

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jonbar.1
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Re: New rules: 22nd March

Postby jonbar.1 » Tue Mar 22, 2022 1:44 pm

Thankyou Sid.
I don't mind driving more slowly personally but seeing the speed some idiots drive at near our place,on the A340; some people are in for a well-deserved slap!

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jonbar.1
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Re: New rules: 22nd March

Postby jonbar.1 » Tue Mar 22, 2022 1:48 pm

Just to "go off on a tandem" :wink:
How odd is it that you can be heavily fined for holding a mobile phone whilst driving...but you can play with your touch-screen on-board computer to your heart's content :think:

markwilding
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Re: New rules: 22nd March

Postby markwilding » Tue Mar 22, 2022 2:11 pm

jonbar.1 wrote: Tue Mar 22, 2022 1:36 pm Still haven't had an answer to my original question: :think:
How much can we increase our speed to overtake?...(obviously not 20kph)
Sorry, you didn't understand my clear response and didn't bother to read the link.

One other important change is the withdrawal of the law that allowed you to increase your speed by up to 20 kph above the actual speed limit.

Meaning the law has been scrapped, not modified.
Last edited by markwilding on Tue Mar 22, 2022 2:23 pm, edited 6 times in total.

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chrissiehope
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Re: New rules: 22nd March

Postby chrissiehope » Tue Mar 22, 2022 2:12 pm

Very good point jonbar - I hadn't thought of that !
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jonbar.1
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Re: New rules: 22nd March

Postby jonbar.1 » Tue Mar 22, 2022 2:21 pm

Mark.
I did understand your response and I did "bother to read your link"....no need to be so patronising old chap.
When I read the link: yes I got it that we were no longer allowed the 20kph speed-up when overtaking.( I can also read :) )
What I didn't get was that we were not allowed any increase in speed at all.

markwilding
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Re: New rules: 22nd March

Postby markwilding » Tue Mar 22, 2022 2:29 pm

So, why do you think in such an informative report they only talk about the withdrawal of the law without mentioning a replacement or modification?

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jonbar.1
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Re: New rules: 22nd March

Postby jonbar.1 » Tue Mar 22, 2022 2:33 pm

Are you a school teacher Mark?
Shall I write-out 1000 times: "I must learn to understand links better"? :)

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Re: New rules: 22nd March

Postby El Cid » Tue Mar 22, 2022 2:43 pm

jonbar.1 wrote: Tue Mar 22, 2022 1:48 pm
How odd is it that you can be heavily fined for holding a mobile phone whilst driving...but you can play with your touch-screen on-board computer to your heart's content :think:
You can be charged with driving without due care and attention - a law which covers a multitude of situations.

Sid

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jonbar.1
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Re: New rules: 22nd March

Postby jonbar.1 » Tue Mar 22, 2022 2:54 pm

A very good point Sid.
It seems odd though that the mobile phone thing is highlighted specifically.I'm amazed that using the car computer hasn't had a bigger mention.
When you think about it,even fiddling with radios & sat-navs are distracting.Maybe "Attending to on-board gadgets" might have sounded more realistic?

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Re: New rules: 22nd March

Postby 1bassleft » Fri Mar 25, 2022 11:58 pm

afaik, the "on a conventional road, cars and motorcycles can exceed the speed limit up to 110kmh during the act of overtaking only if the vehicle ahead is traveling at less than 90kmh" has always been an outlier on european traffic law and the revision I did for my recent teorico exam did make it clear that this would soon be dropped to bring Spain more into line with other countries. It had its common-sense use, but ambiguity is the enemy of clear instruction.

As already stated, a limit is now a limit in all circs. The fact that many drivers ignore traffic law is neither here nor there (I was observing 50kmh and a car crossed the solid line to go into a bus lane to undertake me at 60kmh; c'est la vie) and I've also had a Guardia car that couldn't wait to get past me on the winding Mijas road as I stuck to the speed limit. If it makes everyone here feel better, France dropped its equivalent conventional road limit to 80kmh. I tried to stick to it, but the constant overtaking by other vehicles pushed me up to nearer the old 90. I got the ticket in the post (fortunately, I was in the UK soon enough to pay the reduced fine) and I don't know if the overtakers also got one, but you takes your chances and you pays your money.

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Re: New rules: 22nd March

Postby 1bassleft » Sat Mar 26, 2022 12:01 am

The oddest thing for me in the revised penalties is that being absolutely pished as a fort has about the same points penalty as not giving a cyclist the regulation 1.5m

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Re: New rules: 22nd March

Postby john the baptist » Sun Mar 27, 2022 8:04 am

Personally I have a very very wide maxi scooter and its very heavy i cant travel at 20kph or 30kph mainly because most of the parts are from a 250cc Donner bike LOL so the speedo is not calibrated plus its has always been out compared to true GPS reading, its also over 260 kg so stability comes from moving straight and forward.
We have to be grateful that Spain has not gone as far and said pedestrians on the street has priority on the roads.
In the UK they can walk across the road 99% anywhere and the driver has to stop and give way in the car.
Can you imagine how any accidents cars and bikers are going to have and get killed due to emergency braking on people drifting on the roads without the need to look on what is coming.
My car is so old I'm lucky if it does not go immediately into limp mode (i've got crank and cam shaft sensors issues) so the only good gear in the auto box is first gear, and only has 3 gears with 110km max. Unfortunately its not fuel efficient and at near €2 a litre of unleaded I'm going into poverty. Its such a shame i has to give up my uk driving licence Ive been collecting fines and points like a teenager used to collect stamps (yes I am from the 70s).
I dont speed in the car AND ITS SOOOOO DANGEROUS (GOING SLOW I MEAN). The safest thing to do on the road is to travel at the same speed as the rest of the traffic and if you are on two wheels do not put your life in a stranger in a car, pass by them and make sure you are in front and away from them as much as possible, this of course does not fit with the new law but whats to you want points and a fine with a 50% discount or have your body ran over by an bad spanish driver. (not forgetting the British who get drunk forget where they are and go down the autovia in the wrong direction in their €70,000 SUV killing poor spanish people in their old 80s Sear Ibiza)
Last edited by john the baptist on Sun Mar 27, 2022 8:06 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: New rules: 22nd March

Postby john the baptist » Sun Mar 27, 2022 8:05 am

sorry i forgot about the bike riders that dress up like they are part of the tour de France and can have full conversations 4 abreast on the road blocking the lane completely.

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Re: New rules: 22nd March

Postby Wicksey » Sun Mar 27, 2022 12:09 pm

From https://www.surinenglish.com/spain/chan ... 22-nt.html :
Pedestrians always have right of way on zebra crossings, pavements and in pedestrian areas, including over personal mobility vehicles such as bicycles and scooters.

I had suspected this as pedestrians always seem to just walk out onto crossings without even looking. I've had a few scary moments when people have done this. Even going at 40kmph you need some warning and allow for the stopping distance which some people don't seem to take into account. However, on the other hand I have also seen plenty of cars (and a cement truck recently) sail through red pedestrian crossing lights. My OH had to dodge a car that didn't stop once.

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Re: New rules: 22nd March

Postby elusive » Sun Mar 27, 2022 3:37 pm

They certainly dont teach the green cross code here :silent:

There must be a knack to walking out with even the slightest turn of the head to look. Its a basic instinct to look, something its difficult not to do unless you really force yourself. Like when you first move here and you have to try and make yourself not look left instead if right because its a natural instinct. But even though you know you dont need to you have to force yourself not to do it.


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