Police Warning

Just arrived back from Condado

A word of warning - Our neighbour in Garden 4 was fined 42 euros at the weekend by the Police for not putting on their headlights (daytime) while travelling through the 75 metre tunnel on the RM23/RM3 on the way to Campasol

They were hiding on motorbikes at the exit of the tunnel

I was also warned at wearing flip flops or similar whilst driving with a fine upto 150 euros

Graham

ps. Its getting scorching over there at the moment

graham

i also stated on a previous thread, that andrea and i were pulled over for the same thing, but we were let off and were told it was a 10 euro fine,

so yes be careful and turn on your lights.

ant

And be careful if you drive on the C3315 road past La Torre / Polaris Head office

Just had a speeding fine drop through the letterbox with a nice photo of me driving a hire car over the speed limit  when travelling back to the airport 

I think it was a fair cop and have learnt my lesson. At least I got a €30 discount for paying the fine early

hi Graham - good post to warn our fellow 'Condadians'.

Also be aware the Police seem to be doing breathalyser tests (I know everyone here is responsible) at the large Alhama de Murcia roundabout, Mazzaron and up at Camposol. My Mrs got stopped at 11.00am one morning and was asked to give a breath sample - so be forewarned folks !

Guys

Out of interest, does anyone know what the drink driving limit is? I am probably like a lot of people that drink one or two glasses of wine in the UK and we are OK but what is the tolerance in Spain?

Cheers

Phil & Debbie

I have been pulled the last 3 times I have been out, I think they have it in for me

Hi JEB321 (John)

You got home safely then

Keep in Touch

Graham

I was pulled at the chicken factory roundabout about 20:00hrs. I didn't have my car hire documentation with me they checked the computer system and informed me that the MOT was due the next day. They didn't fine me for not having documentation but gave me a ticket for the car hire company to get the MOT done.

I was told later that I could have been fined for not carrying the documentation from the hire car company, and when I asked about drink driving I was told that it was zero tolerance. I was also told about the wearing of flip flops while driving.

"Be careful out there"

Regards

Mike

The drink drive limit in Spain is about 1/2 that of the UK.

UK limit is 85 mg per litre of blood in Spain it is 50mg / litre.

So be very careful as 2 pints / wines will probably put you over the limit!!

Correction............the UK limit is 80mg per 100ml of blood and 35mg per 100ml of breath. The Spanish limit is  only 0.5mg of breath which is the equivalent of one small beer so be very careful. By 2010 the legal limit throughout Europe is likely  to be ony 0.2mg!!

Chris

Thanks for the correction Chris.

Its important to add that where as in the UK there is a small amount of flexibility re prosecution. I.e Staffordshire dont generally charge below 40mg /100ml breath.

Spain, like many central European countries, are taking a stance of  ZERO tollerance

Every Summer but increasingly more in the last 2 years extra police (policia local & Guardia civil traffico) are drafted in from inland spain to the coastal areas. Costa Calida not being an exception. This is a gold mine for the authroities. Catch as many tourists as possible and fill the state war chest. Nothing new under the sun. In the Summer months, don't speed, always carry rental car docs, driving license and or passport, make sure the safety kit is supplied by the renatl cos (high visibiity jacket etc). Don't drink at the beach bars, don't even think about drinking at night at the restaurants. No flipflops, seatbelt, lights - once they stopped you they will do their utmost to find an excuse.

I know law is law etc but it is such a shame they concentrate on traffic only. They do sweet fa about the buglaries, pick pocketing, local jobs, drugs... just catching out driving tourists and those who look like illigals.. They say the get extra Guardia in to cope with the peak in crime in the summer but they all just get a motor bike and patrol the motorways. I don't see any extra police on the beach or at the markets

Popular spots  - The phoenecian boat island (PdeM), the tractor island (mazarron), Camposol exit 15, MdeAlhama roundabout.

Great hints, tips and advise from eveyone!!

Likin the PW Team Spirit!!

Not wishing to be left out from this popular summer pastime, seems I've done my bit for the Spanish economy too...  Just got a registered letter through this morning from the Direccion General De Traffico with a 100- euro fine for speeding on the MU-312 on a Sunday evening last month when going down the La Manga Golf Club.

All I've got to do now is to fight my way through the DGT website to pay and get my 30% discount... Anyone got any tips as to how to pay via the site as there doesn't appear to be an English language option.

Cheers, Julian

Julian,

I got caught on the Alicante road in May - got help from others on EOS, and in turn pass my experience on.

http://www.dgt.es/portal/   - On right of the main page pick "Pago de multas en internet"

on the next page pick option "a"

Pago de multas (sin certificado digital ni DNI electrónico)

Select the NIE option (assuming you have an NIE) and enter your NIE without the hyphons etc - and on mine I missed out the "X" - may need a bit of trial and error to get this correct.  The record number is on the fine, and again ignore all of the commas, hyphons etc.

Put the full amount of the fine in and it should calculate the discount for you.

Hope this helps

Ted

Something else of interest on the site - on the left of the main page is a section headed Información de carreteras, with a sub-section Puntos de control de velocidad.  In this section you can select an area and get a listing of all of the speed cameras (or at least that is what i think it is!) - below is the list for Murcia - you will see the C-3319 camera mentioned, which is the one near the PW office.  Another section has Alicante - with the lovely camera that got me!!

This won't help re the Police, but at least knowing where the cameras are in advance should help those of us who are not very good at keeping to the speed limits.

Ted

Ted,

Thanks for the input. That all seems to make sense to me as it was kind of the direction I was guessing in when I was on the site.

I saw the maps on the site with the locations of speed cameras, just a shame I didn't know about the site beforehand... Never mind, it was a fair cop and I've got no complaints.

Thanks again, cheers.

Julian

how's about this one,

i got a fine in the door of 150e for doing 139km in a 100km zone while driving an opel vivaro van with a company logo on it and spanish plates.they have me dead to rights. the thing is i've never driven or even seen this van until i saw the picture on the fine. needless to say i have not paid the fine and my solicitor in spain is chasing it up for me at headquarters in cartegana.