A police state?

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Jool
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A police state?

Postby Jool » Tue Mar 31, 2009 4:41 pm

I don´t know if it s the general gloomy energy around but today I drove a regular route along the coast road - at every roundabout or intersection for a good 3 miles or so there were at least 3 Guardia Civil vehicles (ie 6 officers) doing road and vehicle checks, the whole area felt locked down, it was not a special raid or anything as they were in normal uniform.......but you could not go anywhere without driving past Guardia checks and I just felt oppressed and overwhelmed by it. 18 Guardia in a very short distance to pull drivers over.........I´m lucky in that so far I have only been stopped once in 7 years...............does anyone else feel the same - this was at 5.30pm in the afternoon?

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hillybilly
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Re: A police state?

Postby hillybilly » Tue Mar 31, 2009 5:07 pm

There's a route I drive almost daily where at least 3 times per week there are Guardia speed traps and/or paperwork checks...it's been so for about a year now.
I've been stopped by the Guardia (random paperwork checks or breathaliser check points) 8 times now in just over 5 years of driving (about 10000km per year) in Spain...in the UK I was stopped just twice in nearly 20 years of driving...and I used to drive 40000 miles per year.

Jool
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Re: A police state?

Postby Jool » Tue Mar 31, 2009 5:33 pm

And how do you feel about it Hilly billy - doesn´t it get you down sometimes?

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nandu
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Re: A police state?

Postby nandu » Tue Mar 31, 2009 6:24 pm

Now that the bandits are gone from the hills (they can now be found in the Town Halls), I just wonder why there is a need for an armed, uniformed militia.

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gerryh
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Re: A police state?

Postby gerryh » Tue Mar 31, 2009 6:35 pm

I'm not bothered about all the police checks if they manage to get rid of the un-roadworthy and uninsured cars and the unlicensed and drunk drivers.

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spanish_lad
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Re: A police state?

Postby spanish_lad » Tue Mar 31, 2009 8:47 pm

gotta agree with that one gerry. nothing to hide, then no problem. the sooner that they get all the crappy english-falling-apart-thru-excess-rust-headlights-dangling the better if you ask me.


several people (of an older agegroup) have said to me in the past few weeks "its ok, i can drink what i like... they never stop me ;)"
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hillybilly
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Re: A police state?

Postby hillybilly » Tue Mar 31, 2009 9:06 pm

Jool wrote:And how do you feel about it Hilly billy - doesn´t it get you down sometimes?
Yes, I get narked by it...I have better things to do with my time than pass pleasantries with and blag cigarettes off the boys in green...but more to the point, having been subject to 2 house break ins and one car break in, I would have expected THEM to have better things to do with their time.
Having said that, I do respect the speed limits now more than I used to...not that I can get up much speed in my van :wink:
I have just come to accept it as and joke about...one of those things we all love :roll: about Spain...you know...you go round the corner and there will be a mustachioed, sunglass-wearing, sidearm-bearing, sarcastically-smiling Guardia officer waiting to greet you!

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Enrique
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Re: A police state?

Postby Enrique » Tue Mar 31, 2009 9:21 pm

Hi Hillybilly,
At least you girls can flutter your eyelashes, us guys get the full Spanish inquisition :evil:
And a full vehicle check... :cry:

oliveview01
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Re: A police state?

Postby oliveview01 » Tue Mar 31, 2009 10:05 pm

I´ve been stopped 3 times since living here, not a problem to me, cos I have nothing to hide- never drink and drive, so no problem. The more they catch who are un-ínsured or over the limit the better as far as I am concerned. If you get caught going too fast it is only you to blame too.

Jool
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Re: A police state?

Postby Jool » Tue Mar 31, 2009 10:50 pm

We are under provided for in terms of police so for 18 ordinary GC to be on traffic duties instead of other law enforcing activities is a bit galling, Trafico I don´t mind as they are dedicated to traffic but these guys are always the normal ones......I never drink and driver either but it does just seem a bit overwhelming en masse like this in broad daylight..........

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frog
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Re: A police state?

Postby frog » Wed Apr 01, 2009 12:12 am

perhaps they were looking for maddie
jayne countys most famous song,google it

Lavanda
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Re: A police state?

Postby Lavanda » Wed Apr 01, 2009 5:46 am

It's happening in Extremadura, as well. The G.C. have been especially high-profile in the last month. We have been stopped three times in the last year for paperwork (always 'wrong' and always 'let off') and other stuff. We think it's income generation in a time of recession and the Spain is fast learning about such schemes from other countries ... :lol:

Jool
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Re: A police state?

Postby Jool » Wed Apr 01, 2009 9:37 am

Totally agree Lavanda........points mean prizes for the GC......

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costakid
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Re: A police state?

Postby costakid » Wed Apr 01, 2009 9:51 am

I have to agree with Gerry on this one.

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spanish_lad
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Re: A police state?

Postby spanish_lad » Wed Apr 01, 2009 10:30 am

Enrique wrote:Hi Hillybilly,
At least you girls can flutter your eyelashes, us guys get the full Spanish inquisition :evil:
And a full vehicle check... :cry:
thats true enough. girls with short skirts and boobs hanging out get let off. we get cars stripped, all paperwork checked then they go over the car with a fine tooth comb :(
Alhaurin el Grande since 99, working at the airport since 2011.

Beachcomber
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Re: A police state?

Postby Beachcomber » Wed Apr 01, 2009 10:47 am

Come on everyone, have a bit of sympathy. The country is on the verge of bankruptcy so they have to get the money from somewhere to keep themselves in the manner to which they have become accustomed now that the lucrative scam of fleecing unsuspecting property purchasers has dried up.
What better standby cash-cow than the common or garden motorist. Image
Let's go Brandon!

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spanish_lad
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Re: A police state?

Postby spanish_lad » Wed Apr 01, 2009 10:57 am

:lol: :lol: :lol:
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Mowser
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Re: A police state?

Postby Mowser » Wed Apr 01, 2009 12:17 pm

At least you see the police here. In the UK the only time you see one is if you've inadvertently lit a cigarette in the pub. Now THAT'S a police state.
Dave

frank
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Re: A police state?

Postby frank » Wed Apr 01, 2009 1:19 pm

You obviously have a thing about smoking, for me it's the best move ever, banning smoking in pubs and public buildings. Bit different in Spain though, there it's the police in the pubs having a smoke and a fino! But make no mistake, Spain as usual is a few years behind the rest of the civilised world, but it will be coming to a bar near you in the future. :D Just take them a few years to play catch up.
Reading a "Spanish in UK " forum, contrary to what you'd expect, lots of Spanish have commented on how nice it is here to be able go in a bar, and especially a restaurant, and not have to put up with smokers.
Hombre, pues eso ya es una buena razón para preferir londres a Madrid, donde NO SE CUMPLE la ley, que además es confusa y al final lleva a TODOS los bares a ser FUMADORES, con lo que no se puede uno tomar unas cañas sin tragarse el apestoso humo de los fumadores.
Last edited by frank on Wed Apr 01, 2009 1:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Regards, Frank

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oliveview01
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Re: A police state?

Postby oliveview01 » Wed Apr 01, 2009 1:21 pm

Mowser wrote:At least you see the police here. In the UK the only time you see one is if you've inadvertently lit a cigarette in the pub. Now THAT'S a police state.
Now be nice about the UK police please- my ´baby´ starts police training next month :D And yes he does look too young to be a policeman- even though he is 26! :lol:


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