Traffic Police forced to hand out more fines!

The Guardia Civil traffic department has been sending many of its agents in the Canary Islands letters asking them to increase the number of fines they hand out on the islands.Officers have been threatened with losing their 240€ per month road safety bonus if the number of traffic fines does not increase immediately. Although this has come to light in the Canary Islands many feel that this is a generalised campaign for the whole of Spain.

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I knew it!  We were caught for slowing right down to do a left turn with nothing coming from any direction and they appeared from nowhere and fined us 100 euros for not coming to an absolute standstill.  Coming to an absolute standstill is completely ridiculous at that particular spot in the road, but we now have to do it every time even though it is idiotic.  Indeed, the actual 'stop' sign is part of the collusion; it should really just be a 'give way.' 

Another poster on this Forum said that one of the reasons her friend hadn't come to Spain this year was because she didn't want to get picked on by the Traffic Police.  When we go over to our house in Spain, the Guardia Civil are parked at the same roundabout every single morning, stopping people who have not been driving dangerously.  It feels like harassment because it is harassment.  And, as I've said before, it has nothing to do with the detection of crime.

As John said STOP means STOP!

How many pedestrians being injured or killed by failing to stop does it take before the ignorant selfish lawbreakers abide by laws?!

How many children need to be hit for realisation to sink in?!  How many car crashes does it take to realise STOP does not mean slow down?! In my opinion, the fines, as long as they are given for genuine offences, should be given freely.
 
I wonder just how many of those lawbreakers, are also over the drink drive limit. After spending two weeks in Caleta/Neuvo Horizonte in Fuerteventura, I can say, I was absolutely horrified to see drunks climbing into vehicles to drive home. Absolutely disgusting. And the sad thing was, it seemed to be the norm as opposed to the exception.

WELL DONE TO THE GUARDIA CIVIL FOR DOING THEIR JOB AND MAKING THE ROADS SAFER FOR ALL.

Just to clarify for the uninitiated, the last person does not care at all about this issue, but just wants to have a go at me, as part of a personal vendetta.  If it becomes offensive as it usually does, I hope that the Eye On Spain team can quickly sort it out.  Thanks.

The other concerns about those who freely break the law on the roads, with no regard for the safety of themselves or others, is many are driving un-roadworthy vehicles, often with no insurance and other enforced documentation.

Let us hope, as the Guardia Civil issue more fines, they include a proper vehicle check and DOUBLE the fine if the driver is guilty of also driving an illegal car.

We ALL have the right to expect SAFE journeys on SAFE roads protected from selfish law breakers. If you cannot abide by the law STAY OFF THE ROADS.

SIMPLE!

Whilst I think it's fair to fine those who drive badly, drunk or speed dangreously - there is a line to be drawn.

If the local Guardia are put in such a position, they may well turn attention to soft targets, such as tourists / expats and have I have seen some questionable locations where there seems to be some evidence to support this.

What does anger me is having been to more than one or two fiestas, I have seen many locals getting in to cars, somewhere between being half drunk & the other half high on cocaine, then drive without any evidence of local guardia paying much if any attention? You think the opposite would apply.

Many Spanish on the breadline probably are driving uninsured cars, which of course is a bad thing - though their reason is one because of the financial problem, so fining some, will make no difference as they have no money!

Perhaps they should direct the guardia in the direction of some town halls, where the real crooks are!

I hope posters do not lose sight of the reality that every time any traffic violation occurs the police have the duty to impose a sanction.

 Thus the question it is not that why are people are getting fined but why it is that so few are being fined.

Also to be borne in mind:  I know  that the National Police have for several months been working on a ‘Go Slow’  against cuts which have been imposed by the Government.   I do not know, but I would think that the ‘Go Slow’  also applies to the Guardia Civil.  If that is the case then letters sent to the police instructing them to issue more fines may will be in response to that, as the numbers being reported,  will have fallen since the campaign began.

Thus, the ‘warning’ that they have been forced to hand out more fines may not be what it appears to be and is ‘scare mongering.’

It is spot on. I live on the Costa Blanca and l never thought that l would say it but it is one big thing that stinks about living here. You are likely to be driving down a road, turn a corner and there they are. Mob handed and intimidating. They are always on roundabouts and indeed these days l plan my route to avoid them. l consider myself to be a careful, slow driver and dont break the laws but come on, what they are doing here is just confirming the fact that on the roads it is a police state. But as everywhere. THE MOTORIST IS A SOFT TARGET. My message to them is GO AND FIND SOME REAL VILLANS and yes l can sympathise with people that wont come here on hols because of them. I say. DOWN WITH THE INTIMIDATION

I do agree and of course I am a great driver However my point was not about how good or otherwise my driving is, rather that in many expatirate areas there could be a degree of 'soft targeting' which has nothing to to with driving, but more one of collecting revenue. 

This is why I mentioned fiestas, where i've yet to see a sober Spaniard & many drive in a state which is way over the limit. Just should be fair for all.

I have glanced at the Spanish highway code, which aisde from educating people the worst way to go around a roundabout (or best if you are trying to cause an accident) by going all the way around the outside lane - i've seen a number of accidents caused by this.   It would also appear that many ignore breaking distances as well driving 5 feet from your bumper at motorway speeds! Driver education is needed not just fines.

First to be educated should be the driving instructors on how to use a roundabout...

Riky, as TV says,    

                                  ............................  the Spanish highway code, which aisde from educating people the worst way to go around a roundabout (or best if you are trying to cause an accident) by going all the way around the outside lane................

That is the law in Spain.  That it is different fom that in UK is of no importance.

TV      I have glanced at the Spanish highway code

Why does that not surprise me !!!!

I think it might be a good idea that everyone who moves to Spain should be obliged to take a driving test.  That would at least adddress TV' s comment:-   Driver education is needed not just fines.  And would ensure that many more  drivers do more than just GLANCE at the laws of the road.

I am surprised by the response of John as an ex-policeman. To put so much faith in the people who design the roads and the signs alongside them, we are not in the UK.

Traffic lights mounted behind trees along with unlit pedestrian crosssings, the habit of just keep adding roads to roundabouts until there is no space left between them, you can go on.

I am a all for obeying the rules of the road but they have to make sense. There is a slip road off the A7 which has another road crossing it just before the roundabout. I use the cross road several times a day, I have a STOP sign at the slip road, the drivers on the slip road have a GIVE WAY sign. They cannot see that I have to stop and do not notice the solid white line in front of me so as they have a give way sign they do just that, leaving us both stationary and going nowhere.

So to say that all road signs are there for a good reason just is not the case here and at times you have to use logic and make your best judgement.

I totally agree with eggcup!  Its not that I wish to break the law but some of the STOP signs are un-necessary and in the Uk they would certainly be 'Give-Way' signs.  However I have been warned by a friend to take care to STOP at the STOP signs so I do!  At the end of the day if you choose to drive in another country you must learn to abide with their rules whether you like them or not!

We all know about safety and the rules are there for a reason etc... but many of us are guilty of ignoring the rules where ever we are.

Fazerness

With the exception of  'totally agreeing with Egg Cup'   I totally agree with you.

If digesting and observing the Spanish Highway code required me drive like most of the crazy natives – I think I would rather risk a fine than flowers on the side of the road.  The standard of driving in Spain is very low indeed, and so please don’t give me a sanctimonious lecture on the  ‘when in Rome’ theme.

I recently returned from a business trip to Ireland and was surprised at the high standards and the courtesy extended by all Irish road users – it really was a different world.

A stranger to Spain’s driving habits would think that each vehicle that passes at breakneck speed was carrying  transplant organs (that’s if they aren’t trying to wedge themselves under your back bumper)

Fact is, Spain has one of, if not the highest drink driving record in Europe and a very high road mortality rate. Problem is, there is no deterrent here and the Spanish have an unshakeable  belief in their immortality and their rights.

It’s a fact that when driving anywhere in Europe you will be ‘tugged by the old bill’ and it is very rare that you will be detained after a cursory inspection of your documents, that’s if you are asked for them. In many cases it’s just an ID check or a quick search of the boot, especially near borders.  Contrary to the belief that the police have a downer on Ex-pats and Brits – I believe that the majority of the Spanish custodians of the law consider it too much bother to deal with a different language and especially papers issued in a foreign language.

Woodbug

The Guardia sit on roundabouts off the motorways where I Live checking footwear as the shoe etc must have a strap around the heel, no flip flops or Sandals, and I know this is also the Law in England, but 5 minutes drive down the road is a Town with 17,000  Spanish Residents walking about in sandals and flip flops ,with cars being driven around like a Demolishen Derby,   the Brits are just a cash cows, I had to go along for a Spanish Medical ? to drive legally in Spain , no objections to that, except for the fact that my wife, myself, and a friend of ours, went in to see this Guy in a white coat ( Doctor ) ?  one after the other and were given differant  examinations, my friend who was wearing Spectacles was`nt even given an eye test !!! we were in and out like Lightening, is this another way of extracting money, although I know this is the Law, surely the Medical should be more stricter than standing on one leg to test your balance, etc, where we live people openly discuss this Medical and Laugh at it, oh, this also costs us 20 Euro`s each,

                            Gerry

A lot of people seem to be complaining about being targeted because they are Brits,how do the Guardia know,if you drive a spanish reg car surely you look the same as a Spaniard ,I have been stopped once in six years and then I was only asked to open my boot.Because we live near the border we get lots of roadblocks on the motorway but they just wave us oldies through and stop mainly youngsters who could be smuggling drugs.