03 Apr 2009 10:49 PM:
It wasn't until I was chatting to a Greek friend at work (in the UK) about items to be carried at all times in a car (when generally driving in the Med countries) that the penny dropped about why such ludicrous requirements exist.
The requirements are basically an artefact of the corruption that pervades Spanish society. Any reasonable person can see that roads are in general far more dangerous than UK roads. Roadworks are carried and workers are protected with a few cones that look as if they have come out of a childrens play set, minimal warning of roadworks, no kerbstones, pedestrians and cars sharing the same piece of tarmac, parking across zebra crossing, on roundabouts..... I'll stop there.
However, high viz jackets, red triangles, spare bulb kit (what a joke). I was stripping engines and gearboxes out of cars at 17 years of age, I know how to use a spanner. A few years older, not as much DIY car mechanics as when I was younger but front headlamp bulb replacement on my Audi should be no problem!!! Well it was, specialist tools required, (improvised I add) and 1 hour later I have changed the bulb.
Changing car bulbs is now beyond the capability of 99% of people on new modern cars. But still lets make is legal to carry a spare set, along with an extra red triangle.
The Spanish car industry has lobbied government (translated to read passed a few brown envelopes to politicians) to make those requirements law. It doesn't matter that nobody can change a light bulb as long as someone has had there palms greased with money.
Thread:
What Documents and other items must I have in the car
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