Speeding in Spain

[Glenn]

From the Spanish Tourist Office:



Do not do what many people suggest and ignore it.

There is a legal convention in place (and there has been since 1964) allowing European countries to seek enforcement of fines for driving offences in the home country. There was a further convention in 2011, allowing cross-border sharing of information on road safety related traffic offences, which includes speeding.

I'd have to doublecheck whether the 2011 convention has come into force in the UK yet - but even if it hasn't, it can be applied retroactively!

EDIT: Just checked. Part 6 of the Criminal Justice & Immigration Act 2008 implemented COPEN 24, in relation to the enforcement of fines for speeding.

The UK Ireland & Denmark opted out of the agreement, from the 2nd link posted above.

(22) In accordance with Articles 1 and 2 of the Protocol (No
21) on the Position of the United Kingdom and Ireland
in respect of the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice,
annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the
Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and
without prejudice to Article 4 of that Protocol, those
Member States are not taking part in the adoption of
this Directive and are not bound by it or subject to its
application.

(23) In accordance with Articles 1 and 2 of the Protocol (No
22) on the position of Denmark, annexed to the Treaty
on European Union and the Treaty on the Functioning of
the European Union, Denmark is not taking part in the
adoption of this Directive and is not bound by it or
subject to its application.

The OP most likely will receive the fine if the car was caught, plus admin charges applied by the hire company to the credit card used for the hire of the car.

 

[Glenn]

Take a look over on http://www.pepipoo.com/ you may find people that have been in similar situations.

 

[asterix]

Anyone got the new European driving licence?

In March 2006, the Council of Ministers adopted a Directive proposed by the European Commission to create a single European driving licence to replace the 110 different models currently in existence throughout the EU/EEA... ..Its provisions took effect on 19 January 2013;

The licence is a credit-card-style, single plastic-coated document, very difficult to falsify. The document will be renewable every 10 or 15 years depending on the member state. The several member states will have the option to include a microchip containing information about the card holder on the card. This will prove extremely useful because police can access the driving licence in their own language. This would solve the problem with the three kinds of alphabet (Latin, Greek and Cyrillic) used in the EEA. In addition, the fields of the driving licence are uniformly numbered, thus allowing the police to decipher the meaning of the fields without electronic access.
The directive mentions that it has EEA relevance, meaning that its provisions applies to Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein, as well as the EU
The directive stipulates that members states should adopt laws implementing the directive no later than 19 January 2011. Those laws should take effect in all EEA members states on 19 January 2013. All licences issued before that date will become invalid by 2033.

 

[MarkF]

I will pay , they will trace me through the car hire company. Hopefully it is less than seven.

Yes, the hire company will eventually bill you and it might take a while.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

...passed speed cameras at the wrong speed for the limit,..

That's awfy like the kind of wordplay nonsense that politicians are apt to come up with when caught out!

GC

 

[Archie_tect]

Good isn't it... but more akin to Humphrey Appleton than Jim Hacker.

There's a new speed limit been enforced on a section of dual carriageway in Newcastle [from the A1/A696 junction with Kenton Road up to the Cowgate roundabout which was 40mph but was changed unannounced a month ago to 30mph- the only indicators are a small rectangular sign fixed on a lamp post on the radius bend to the d-c from the roundabout at both ends of the length of road which shows a small 30mph roundel within the yellow body of the sign and black lettering which says the speed limit has been changed.. no speed repeater signs along the whole length of road to remind people. The majority of cars, taxis and buses continue to drive at 40mph or even faster but for now the Police aren't taking action... but they will. It should have ma-hoosive flashing repeater signs posted to tell people in no uncertain terms what the new limit is.....

That is how people happily drive at the wrong speed for the limit.

[Edit: Mind, TJ, you not finding out what the maximum motorway speed limit is in Spain before you get in the car is a book-chucking exercise.]

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Good isn't it... but more akin to Humphrey Appleton than Jim Hacker.

There's a new speed limit been enforced on a section of dual carriageway in Newcastle [from the A1/A696 junction with Kenton Road up to the Cowgate roundabout which was 40mph but was changed unannounced a month ago to 30mph- the only indicators are a small rectangular sign fixed on a lamp post on the radius bend to the d-c from the roundabout at both ends of the length of road which shows a small 30mph roundel within the yellow body of the sign and black lettering which says the speed limit has been changed.. no speed repeater signs along the whole length of road to remind people. The majority of cars, taxis and buses continue to drive at 40mph or even faster but for now the Police aren't taking action... but they will. It should have ma-hoosive flashing repeater signs posted to tell people in no uncertain terms what the new limit is.....

That is how people happily drive at the wrong speed for the limit.

That's just poor observation.

GC

 

[Archie_tect]

Yup, but people often see what they expect to see unless it's reinforced.

 

[Archie_tect]

Anyone not updated their photocard recently? ...check yours because there's a sneaky 10 year expiry date on them, introduced to make people pay up to update the photo... otherwise I'd still look 42 on mine!

 

[threebikesmcginty]

Yes, the hire company will eventually bill you and it might take a while.

Bet there's a stinker of an admin charge too.

 

[alicat]

Whether or not you get points, you deserve them for driving how you describe.

Hear, hear.

My aunt was killed by a speeding driver when she was on a pedestrian crossing in Spain.

 

[asterix]

UK photocard driving licenses already meet the EU requirements. They've been updated over the last 18 months.

I'm sure they did for many years before that. In what way have they been 'updated over the last 18 months'? Do they include this:

The several member states will have the option to include a microchip containing information about the card holder on the card. This will prove extremely useful because police can access the driving licence in their own language. ?

Hear, hear.

My aunt was killed by a speeding driver when she was on a pedestrian crossing in Spain.

Every time I travel on major roads in France (quite often) I am passed by Brits driving way over the limit. However the number has steadily decreased as the number of speed cameras rises. The French cameras are becoming less obtrusive and some are concealed in hedges and behind bridge supports. The warning notice they put up is often quite a distance from the camera giving time for drivers to believe the risk has passed.. then they get the flash in the rear mirror!

There is also the manned speed trap still and they are often concealed unlike UK versions.

 

[Archie_tect]

Leaving enough time for a car journey is so much more relaxing than leaving at the last minute which encourages people to drive faster. Those idiots who leave themselves 15 minutes to get somewhere 10 miles away will inevitably speed. 'Busy' people who glibly justify their arrogant driving style almost boastfully will probably, unfortunately, only slow down when they cause some catastrophe to someone else and life pulls them up by their bootstraps.

The only point I'd make here is that sometimes the speed limit posted doesn't appear to have any relevance to the road set-up, ie 40mph then 30mph limits on a dual carriageways approaching Hartlepool from the west though wide open mown verges with no houses accessible from the road and no side junctions off it between open roundabouts with open sightlines... drivers can't see the logic and blatantly speed between the roundabouts at 50mph or more. Mobile radar traps here are out in the open and don't catch anyone on the day so are a waste of effort but then everyone carries on speeding as soon as they go, so what's the point?

 

[Glenn]

On the way back from Le Mans 2 years ago, on the A28 autoroute, I passed a speed trap. 2 policeman in full camouflage gear lying in the grass, a km up the road several bikes waiting to pursue the speeding cars, a little way further on in a lay-by, several Ferrari, Lambos etc having a chat with the French coppers, 90 - 1500 euros please, or possibly impound the car depending on the speed.

 

[Archie_tect]

Bet the Police love it when they get the excuse to drive dangerously fast for the fun of it.