Driving in Spain

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Bluesman2009
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Driving in Spain

#1

Post by Bluesman2009 »

A note or two for those that might drive through France to Spain.

When driving in Spain it is obligatory to carry two warning triangles and two hi-vis reflective waistcoats. If you are unfortunate enough to suffer a motor breakdown, or be involved in an accident; the warning triangles are needed, one in front of the vehicle and the other behind. The hi-vis waistcoats are needed to be kept inside the vehicle and must be put on before the driver and/or passenger exit the vehicle. The warning triangles can be kept in the boot. One is also obliged to carry a complete set of bulbs for headlights, sidelights, rear lights, reversing lights, indicator lights for your car and a selection of spare fuses for the essential elements on your car (much like in the UK).

The Spanish police and Guardia Civil (a sort of military police) use in car radar, permanently fixed radar cameras and roadside radar to determine speed.
The traffic police here are the Guardia Civil, whose principal duties are traffic and drugs. They tend to patrol the motorways and some main roads, their uniform is pale green and darker olive green. They use the 4x4s and different types of marked cars, and the big BMW bikes when in uniform and unmarked cars in when in plain clothes. Point number one is . . . don't argue with them! Many of them speak English. If you do get stopped, it can be for speeding, or a spot check. Just make sure that you have your passport and the vehicle documentation & insurance with you. Make sure that you have your European Health Insurance Cards with you as well, along with your foreign travel accident form.

If you are unfortunate enough to incur a fine then a) make sure that you get a receipt for any money you may pay over. Make a note of the officer's shoulder number. This holds true for Guardia Civil, Policia National and Policia Local. Ask for a receipt and make a note of the officer's number, so that you have a point of reference should the need arise.

Policia National patrol the main roads and are sometimes in the towns and urbanisations, airports etc. They, like the Guardia, can go inter-province on the roads as well as inter-town. The policia local are normally confined to the area of the municipality in which they operate. These are the police who should respond if you call the police for assistance on 112.

Generally speaking, all the police can exercise fines, which if this occurs, has to be paid on the spot if you are a tourist; otherwise they have the powers to impound your vehicle (another good reason for not arguing with them).

If you have parked in the wrong place and come back to find your vehicle gone, then it will most likely have been towed to the town vehicle pound which you will have to find out where this is from a local policeman, or the town hall (ayuntamiento). At the pound you will have to pay a fine to release your vehicle, and, the towing charge of the 'grua' after producing your documentation. At least as residents we get a fine, but have a few days in which to pay it without losing the vehicle. Unless it is a serious infringement.

If you incur a parking fine through overstaying your time in the parking bay then many ayuntamientos have a facility where you can pay an on the spot fine by using a small envelope that forms part of the fine documentation that will be on your vehicle and putting coins in the envelope to the value of 3 euros (usually). This envelope is then put into the nearest meter/parking ticket machine within 24 hrs after you have put your registration number on it and the day's date if it is not already written on it. This is a much cheaper way of paying a regular parking fine which, if ignored, will be between 30 and 60 euros (usually). Not every municipality offers this facility however.

Guardia and Policia National fines incurred on the motorways, or main roads, do not appear to have set values, but should normally fall between 100 and 300 euros, but can be more or less.
Last edited by Bluesman2009 on Tue May 20, 2014 7:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.


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Re: Driving in Spain

#2

Post by Bluesman2009 »

Sorry, I don't know how I managed to double up on this post, but if an administrator could delete one of the posts I would appreciate it.

EDIT Already done ( Lawre93 :character-oldtimer: )
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Re: Driving in Spain

#3

Post by foxfeeder »

Do driver/passenger still need to put on the Hi Viz before exiting the car if the breakdown involves it being on fire? :think:
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Re: Driving in Spain

#4

Post by Bluesman2009 »

foxfeeder wrote:Do driver/passenger still need to put on the Hi Viz before exiting the car if the breakdown involves it being on fire? :think:
Allowing for the vagaries of the Spanish legal system, probably yes.
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Re: Driving in Spain

#5

Post by silver ninja »

Hi vis yes bulbs a complete set triangles not sure on front back yes must b set a certain distance back
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Re: Driving in Spain

#6

Post by Bluesman2009 »

silver ninja wrote:Hi vis yes bulbs a complete set triangles not sure on front back yes must b set a certain distance back
The requirement to carry two reflective triangles was introduced about two to three years ago. I think the rearward facing triangle has to be about 50 metres back from the car.
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Re: Driving in Spain

#7

Post by bex »

And I though England was health and safety crazy. Lol

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Re: Driving in Spain

#8

Post by silver ninja »

bex wrote:And I though England was health and safety crazy. Lol

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Re: Driving in Spain

#9

Post by Mr Tuscan »

What makes you say that ?
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Re: Driving in Spain

#10

Post by silver ninja »

Mr Tuscan wrote:What makes you say that ?
The last time I was there 5-6 yrs ago they wernt that fussed on what they were doing the likes of no barriers on door ways when 2-3floors up
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Re: Driving in Spain

#11

Post by paulcounsell »

I hear what your saying and did know them except the triangles but do they really in force it, I have had numerous hire cars over the years in various countries and to this date never had high viz jackets or spare bulbs in any if them :confusion-shrug: and another useful one to add to your list which does include hire cars or your own vehicle is you must carry your documents with you including passport
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Re: Driving in Spain

#12

Post by foxfeeder »

silver ninja wrote:
Mr Tuscan wrote:What makes you say that ?
The last time I was there 5-6 yrs ago they wernt that fussed on what they were doing the likes of no barriers on door ways when 2-3floors up
Or using PLUGS on the ends of mains cables to power equipment, so if the plug comes loose, it's live and dangerous (As my then infant daughter found at the hotel we were in).
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Re: Driving in Spain

#13

Post by foxfeeder »

Bluesman2009 wrote:
foxfeeder wrote:Do driver/passenger still need to put on the Hi Viz before exiting the car if the breakdown involves it being on fire? :think:
Allowing for the vagaries of the Spanish legal system, probably yes.
:angry-banghead:
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Re: Driving in Spain

#14

Post by Bluesman2009 »

silver ninja wrote:
bex wrote:And I though England was health and safety crazy. Lol

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What do you mean, no H & S !
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Re: Driving in Spain

#15

Post by Bluesman2009 »

paulcounsell wrote:I hear what your saying and did know them except the triangles but do they really in force it, I have had numerous hire cars over the years in various countries and to this date never had high viz jackets or spare bulbs in any if them :confusion-shrug: and another useful one to add to your list which does include hire cars or your own vehicle is you must carry your documents with you including passport
Indeed, a very important point, as mentioned in my original post.
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Re: Driving in Spain

#16

Post by Bluesman2009 »

silver ninja wrote: The last time I was there 5-6 yrs ago they wernt that fussed on what they were doing the likes of no barriers on door ways when 2-3floors up
Another prime example of Health and Safety:
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Re: Driving in Spain

#17

Post by Bluesman2009 »

foxfeeder wrote: Or using PLUGS on the ends of mains cables to power equipment, so if the plug comes loose, it's live and dangerous (As my then infant daughter found at the hotel we were in).
Particularly in older properties in Spain; where you might be lucky and find one power point which has an earthed connection, usually in the kitchen. For the most part, every other socket will be a two wire (live and return) connection, including the one in the bathroom.

Another point to keep in mind is, always support the socket in the wall when removing a plug. This because many are just plastered into the wall with 'yeso', a form of soft plaster, and not mechanically fixed, or cemented in. A pull on the plug alone will quite often bring the socket with it as well.

Rumour has it that building standards are improving, but it is as well to be prepared. My experience is confined mainly to Andalucia, but further north and within the major cities standards are better.
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Re: Driving in Spain

#18

Post by Bluesman2009 »

More Spanish Vagaries:

If You Are Aiming to Drive to Cordoba . . .
Last year we spent a couple of days in Cordoba in May. Principally, we went to see the 'patios' when they were all abloom. We were driving to Cordoba and got a good deal at the hotel which had its own underground car park and was situated in the historic centre, opposite the mosque, I thought that this would do us very well. However, what I didn't know was that the centre part of Cordoba consists of, mainly, pedestrianised streets just wide enough for two people to walk past each other and a few one-way streets open to traffic that are just wide enough for one car to pass through if it has its wing mirrors tucked in. But the security level was high, we had to pass several signs saying no vehicles beyond this point, several more saying no entry and finally, we had to stop at one of the no entry streets, be scanned by CCTV, car registration plate too, and then wait for one of the rising columns in the middle of the road to be lowered just long enough for us to scoot in over the top of it. Following at the time a bus, several taxis and a police car into the centre where the signs were indicating a number of the hotels were to be found. The Sat/Nav enabled us to find the hotel we wanted in the maze of one way streets, otherwise we would probably be circulating the historic centre still.

A month after returning from our trip we received a letter from the Town Hall of Cordoba. In it was a motoring fine of 300 euros for taking our car into the historic centre of the city without the appropriate licence. We replied to this by sending evidence of our hotel booking for a room and a place in the hotel car park. It transpired that 'somewhere' there is an alternative route from the opposite side of the city which does enable you to eventually reach the hotel & car park. However, neither the Town Hall or the hotel saw fit to advise us of this particular route.

We managed to find the telephone number of the Town Hall and, after many attempts, get someone to answer the phone. After much pleading the fine was maintained . . . In the end, we found in the very small print on the fine documentation that if we paid the fine within fourteen days of receipt the fine would be reduced to 100 euros.

Were I to be less charitably inclined I might have thought that the Town Hall and the hotel had a good scam going.
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