speeding ticket

[elusive]

and the they wonder why 13 were killed on the roads this last week and 30 plus at easter.

But there are far fewer road deaths in Spain than the UK even allowing for the number of vehicles on the road. Also the rate that they have decreased over the last few years is better than in the UK, and the UK have hundreds of times more speed cameras than Spain.

Sid

really? i find that surprising it must be out of sheer luck than anything. Especially when you see all the reports like at easter. i guess anytime the motorways get busy ie easter theres crashes all over the place cause they dont know how to drive on m.ways and cant cope with large amounts of traffic
also agree re the slow drivers on the motorways. it seems to be one extreme to the other the amount of
times you have had to pull out because someones driving at 50mph.personally im not prepaired to vhance a fine by driving at the same speed as the others.especially when they swerve in and out like nutcases. perhaos everyone should drive at the limit set and learn how to give way and let ppl in. im sounding like a right okd grumpy expat and its only been 3 months lol.
0mph.

[El Cid]

really? i find that surprising it must be out of sheer luck than anything.

No, it's not luck the statistics speak for themselves.

Last year the casualty figures reduced again as they have done for every one of the last ten years.

25 years ago there were over 6000 deaths, last year only 1100 and that's with a huge increase in traffic over that period.

Spanish drivers are not good drivers, but generally they don't drive dangerously, just badly. Road rage is something I have never seen in Spain, but in the UK it seems to be very common. In the UK someone will sit on your bumper to annoy you, here they do it because they don't realise the risk. I hate tailgaters but I have never felt threatened by one.

Sid

[katy]

You should stop reading the Daily Fail

[olive]

really? i find that surprising it must be out of sheer luck than anything.

No, it's not luck the statistics speak for themselves

.

Last year the casualty figures reduced again as they have done for every one of the last ten years.

25 years ago there were over 6000 deaths, last year only 1100 and that's with a huge increase in traffic over that period.

Spanish drivers are not good drivers, but generally they don't drive dangerously, just badly. Road rage is something I have never seen in Spain, but in the UK it seems to be very common. In the UK someone will sit on your bumper to annoy you, here they do it because they don't realise the risk. I hate tailgaters but I have never felt threatened by one.

Sid

It is laudable that the death rate on the Spanish roads is going down however the fact that there isn't anything like as much traffic on the roads here as say in 2007 must have a major bearing on the figures. In the Uk I believe the traffic levels have just kept on going up.

[curatokid]

If you have someone tailgating you simply turn on your sidelights, which look like brakelights, and accelerate away, they will soon get fed up with that and drop back.

[carrowcrin]

If you have someone tailgating you simply turn on your sidelights, which look like brakelights, and accelerate away, they will soon get fed up with that and drop back.

would not agree with this comment, fog lights on unnecessary and deliberately is illegal and in my view is very close to "road rage"
i have worked on the road sales for 30+ years and the two rules i always had was i would not drive behind anyone for long periods and i would not let anyone drive behind me so i would over take or pull back and in the other situation i would slow when the road allowed so the other person would have to over take, i drive too fast so this usually was not the case.
the problem is some of the people who tailgate do it as overtaking is not a simple manouver for everyone.
because of this conversation i met another person who got a ticket in spain about 5 years ago and did not pay it.
does anyone know what the situation is in this case?

[masterob]

El Cid wrote:
But there are far fewer road deaths in Spain than the UK even allowing for the number of vehicles on the road. Also the rate that they have decreased over the last few years is better than in the UK, and the UK have hundreds of times more speed cameras than Spain.

May I ask where you got this information from? It differs from the data I have seen. The following stats are given in the House of Commons Library report- Reported Road Accident Statistics Standard Note: SN/SG/2198
Last updated: 24 October 2013
Author: Matthew Keep & Tom Rutherford
Social and General Statistics Section

UK - 2011
Road deaths 1,960, per million population 31

Spain - 2011
Road deaths 2.060, per million population 45

UK - 2012
Road deaths 1,802, per million population 28

Spain - 2012
Road deaths 1,834, per million population 40

Apparently the UK stats are only bettered in Europe by Malta. The per million population figures suggest the UK is far safer than Spain! I certainly feel safer driving in the UK than I do in Spain.

[masterob]

El Cid wrote;
Spanish drivers are not good drivers, but generally they don't drive dangerously, just badly. Road rage is something I have never seen in Spain, but in the UK it seems to be very common. In the UK someone will sit on your bumper to annoy you, here they do it because they don't realise the risk. I hate tailgaters but I have never felt threatened by one.

I'm puzzled by this logic. Surely driving badly equals driving dangerously if it results in an accident and it often does. Whether someone sits on your bumper to annoy you or because they don't realise the risk matters not if it results in an accident. I always feel threatened by tailgating because it gives no leeway in the event of an emergency! I've seen plenty of road rage not only around Malaga but when driving across Spain towards Santander.

[El Cid]

May I ask where you got this information from?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_co ... death_rate

Sid

[masterob]

Thanks. I think I would take figures reported to the UK Parliament as being more accurate that those "adjusted/estimated" by a Report quoted in Wikipedia. After all it isn't known affectionately as Wonkypedia without cause!

[El Cid]

Yes, Wiki can be a bit doubtful at times, but if you check the source of the numbers they quote, the UK figure came from "Road Safety Annual Report 2014" Paris: International Traffic Safety Data and Analysis Group, International Transport Forum.

And the Spanish figure came from Traffico.

It just proves how unreliable statistics can be!

Sid

[Campo Steve]

Lane discipline in Spain is dreadful. Cars pulling in after overtaking too early, if they pull in at all, or pulling out when there are other cars about to overtake them. They seem to think it is OK just because they are signalling. It is more noticeable when on a motorbike as you are more conscious about your own safety, although some riders seem to forget that and just go for it. Last weekend I rode from Velez Malaga to Faro, Portugal and back and was aware of a lot of close calls, especially around Seville, because of cars changing lanes dangerously.

[Nimrod]

My opinion of Spanish drivers was gauged by when I slowed down and let an ambulance with bells and whistles going to pull out in front of me and I was subject to mega abuse.
Total tossers
They may well have been going to get a pizza but who's to know
I've driven all over the World and the Spanish are on a par with the Indians and Vietnamese.
In fact,I think the Asians are better

[peteroldracer]

Asians believe that fate decides everything, so whatever they do makes no difference and they will die or kill others if that is what is in their fate.
On the other hand, the Spanish haven't a clue what is going on, so are in the hands of fate!

[Unicorn]

Just musing on these statistics, if there has been a fall in Spain I would suggest that it may be down to youth unemployment.
It is fairly well documented that mostly young men are the cause and the victims of road accidents all over the world and there may be many fewer in Spain who would have had a car than have due the crisis.

I remember reading somewhere that a car for young men to a source of excitement and for young women a place of safety. Obviously not 100%, but a thought.

I remember when I was teaching we were having a discussion about drink driving regulations being changed and points of licences and may of the students pointing out that in their village many didn't bother to get a licence. I do not know how true that is!

[elusive]

Lane discipline in Spain is dreadful. Cars pulling in after overtaking too early, if they pull in at all, or pulling out when there are other cars about to overtake them. They seem to think it is OK just because they are signalling. It is more noticeable when on a motorbike as you are more conscious about your own safety, although some riders seem to forget that and just go for it. Last weekend I rode from Velez Malaga to Faro, Portugal and back and was aware of a lot of close calls, especially around Seville, because of cars changing lanes dangerously.

very much agree. we have had a couple of close calls with people pulling out. And why they have to serve right back infront of you when the roads clear ahead instead of driving
ahead of you for x amount of seconds i dont know. ive lost track of the amount of times ive seen cars go from lane to lane then cut right back across to leave the motorway.

frankly id rather have someone just been an idiot and tailgating you and knowing its dangerous ie at least having abit of awareness than someone whos totally clueless and doesnt even know what they are doing is dangerous.

out of intrest has anyone here taken the spanish test