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First of all sorry to readers for a
gap from the last update as we have moved home during July and August.
Back to normal now though. The summer is over thank God and all the
crazy drivers seem to have gone home again now. I cannot understand
why a small percentage of holiday, and some others I guess, drivers seem
intent on leaving their cars on holiday and sometimes their lives.
Trafico reports
that the two leading causes of accidents on Spain's roads are speeding and
drinking and driving. Both can be considered pre-meditated crimes
especially as with the former. 80% of accidents are reported to not involve another
vehicle showing how inept these drivers must be. I know that when my
wife and I travel some distance, often we will have a driver behind trying
to keep up with me, and I am not racing or even driving over the speed
limits, and they often go over the other side of the road even if there are
double white lines at those points. It is not that I drive too fast, I
take a pride in driving safely but taking the correct lines and using only
my side of the road. Perhaps the Fourth Edition should have some pages
devoted to such driving techniques. My rapid but safe progress seems
to cause some drivers, especially younger ones or some in powerful 4x4s or
German luxury cars etc, to try and keep up with me
through the twisty sections for I avoid breaking speed limits, in our Ford
Focus which as the owner, I know it is excellent at cornering safely. Why break speed limits. My many years of riding motorcycles fast
especially while on the race tracks or cross country (including moto-cross especially while
working in the USA for two years, means that in my mind I have nothing more to
prove. As the saying goes, been there and got the trophies (and
the T-shirts) as
well as news-paper cuttings.
As for drinking
and driving, my attitudes to such drivers are expressed with horror for they are a
menace to all road-users including themselves but we have too many
alcoholics driving around who should be banned for life before they kill
someone as many do. Even some "manufactured" celebrities have criminal
records in this respect. Some role models!
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Zero Tolerance for speeding
promised early 2010.
Trafico has
announced that from next Spring 2010, probably for Easter (Semana Santa) the
tolerance for going over the posted speed limits is no longer to apply.
Currently, allowances are made for vehicle speedometer errors by as much as
5% so in a 120 kph limit, you can go up to about 130 kph without triggering
the radar camera.
This is to stop
as Trafico is to get tough with drivers who are abusing the current limits
and the table below shows the expected new limits and penalties. The
motoring organisations such as the RACC, AA, etc. are petitioning the
government as they consider that the new limits are draconian and unfair but
as I have already written, speeding is number one cause of crashes on the
roads in Spain with a reported 80% of them not involving another vehicle.
As usual, it is the inept few that spoil it for the majority,.
The intention is
perhaps to get all drivers to drive at below the speed limit as indicated on
their vehicle instruments so they cannot be accused of speeding, but as I
have written in my newspaper columns, most new cars for years have
speedometers that over-read at speeds over 50 kph, so at 120 kph on the
vehicle speedo, according to car magazine reports/tests, the true
speed is say only 114 kph. In the UK they must be accurate at 50
kph (30 mph)
Personally, I am
now glad that our humble Focus has a cruise control device.
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Changes to SPEEDING FINES
in 2010.
START Date to be
announced. |
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CURRENT TABLE USED UP TO SPRING 2010. |
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Current table of speeds and fines in Euros (last column) |
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Posted Speed Limit - kph> |
30 |
40 |
50 |
60 |
70 |
80 |
90 |
100 |
110 |
120 |
Fine Amount (Euros) |
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seriousness of excess - |
41 -60 |
51 - 70 |
61 - 80 |
71 - 90 |
81 - 100 |
91 - 110 |
101 - 120 |
111 - 130 |
122 - 141 |
133 - 152 |
100 |
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speed amount (kph). |
61 - 70 |
71 - 80 |
81 - 90 |
91 - 100 |
101 - 110 |
111 - 120 |
121 - 130 |
131 - 140 |
142 - 151 |
153 162 |
140 |
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This block Serious (Grave) |
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101 - 105 |
111 - 120 |
121 - 130 |
131 - 140 |
141 - 150 |
152 - 161 |
163 172 |
200 |
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131 - 135 |
141 - 150 |
151 - 160 |
162 - 181 |
173 198 |
300 |
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This row, Very serious |
71 - 77 |
81 - 87 |
91 - 97 |
106 - 112 |
121 - 128 |
136 - 143 |
151 - 158 |
166 - 174 |
182 - 190 |
199 - 208 |
380 |
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(Muy Grave). |
78 - 84 |
88 - 94 |
98 - 104 |
113 - 119 |
129 - 136 |
144 - 151 |
159 - 166 |
175 - 183 |
190 - 199 |
209 - 218 |
450 |
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85 |
95 |
105 |
120 |
137 |
152 |
167 |
184 |
200 |
219 |
520 |
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TABLE TO BE USED FROM SPRING 2010 (Date to be advised) |
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Posted Speed Limit - kph> |
30 |
40 |
50 |
60 |
70 |
80 |
90 |
100 |
110 |
120 |
Fine Amount (Euros) |
Lost points |
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seriousness of excess - |
31 - 50 |
41 - 60 |
61 -90 |
71 - 100 |
81 - 110 |
91 - 120 |
101 - 130 |
111 - 140 |
111 - 140 |
121 - 150 |
100 |
nil |
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speed amount (kph). |
51 - 60 |
61 - 70 |
71 - 80 |
91 - 110 |
101 - 120 |
111 - 130 |
121 - 140 |
131 - 150 |
141 - 160 |
151 - 170 |
300 |
2 |
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This block Serious (Grave) |
61 - 70 |
71 - 80 |
81 - 90 |
101 - 120 |
111 - 130 |
121 - 140 |
131 - 150 |
141 - 160 |
151 - 170 |
171 - 180 |
400 |
4 |
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71 - 80 |
81 - 90 |
91 - 100 |
121 - 130 |
131 - 140 |
141 - 150 |
151 - 160 |
161 - 170 |
171 - 180 |
181 - 190 |
500 |
6 |
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This row, Very serious |
81+ |
91 + |
101 + |
131 + |
141 + |
151 + |
161 + |
171 + |
181 + |
191 + |
€600 + 60 days - |
6 |
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(Muy Grave). |
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suspension of licence |
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When this new system is confirmed, I will advise with the
definite figures after chatting with my favourite Guardia Civil patrolman.
Remember that with the current crisis, all entities are very short of cash
so they are looking to increase income by any means and this applies
everywhere in Europe.
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Mandatory MEDICALS FOR EXPAT
RESIDENTS CONFIRMED AS
CORRECT - AT LAST.
After nearly
five years of my advising, in my book, on the monthly radio spot on Talk
Radio Europe (was REM.FM) and local Mijas TV and in my newspaper
columns, the importance of expats who are resident here and use a foreign EU
driving licence legally having to take the periodical medicals, I have
finally got through to all concerned who should know better but were
preaching the opposite. The law applies throughout the EU and to all
nationalities.
Those
preaching the opposite included insurance companies as well as Spanish based
brokers/agents, some British consular staff and, of course,the many visitors
to the bars where the expats hang out with those who think that wishing the
need away will mean they are not necessary.
Well dear
readers it has again been confirmed after my persistent naggings and even
the web page for the British Consul in Alicante is now updated to show the
facts.
So depending
on your age and when you passed your driving test, you may need to take an
official medical and carry the receipt with you in your vehicle otherwise
your driving licence will be deemed to have expired.
The facts, and how to, are all in my book
As some expats, who were asked
for their official spanish medical receipts have discovered at great
cost already after an accident where someone was injured and a Court case
followed, it can be very expensive and stressful to not have a current legal
driving licence.
i first warned of this need in
April 2005, so it
is a shame that others who should know better, especially as I advised
some of them, did not check thoroughly as I did.
Professionally, a disgrace, I
would say.
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Trafico Web-Site medical clinics
Address page for Spain.
The
following link (please cut and paste)
goes to the page where all the Centros de Reconcimientos where you can take
a medical for your driving licence are located. Remember to take the
necessary documentation with you (as listed in my book) as many of these
clinics can now attend to the sending of it to your local Trafico so you
will be sent your new driving licence by post
if you have a
Spanish one.
Those readers
with e.g legal UK licences, keep the receipt with your photo on it as proof
you have taken the mandatory medical.
http://www.dgt.es/portal/es/oficina_virtual/dir_telefonos/centros_rec_conductores/?tit=%BFD%F3nde%20se%20puede%20solicitar?
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