Spanish Police Advice

1.     I have never had a problem hiring a car in UK, Asia or USA using a Spanish DL

Also remember if you do not live in UK (that is not just an address) you cannot renew a UK D/L.  If you lose  (have stolen) your UK  DL then replacing it is difficult as you will not even have a UK one to exchange for a Spanish one.  And, unlike the UK,  you cannot drive in Spain unless you have your DL in your possession.

2.    Flip flops.  There is no confusion.   The law is exactly the same as that in the UK:   Footwear must be fit for the purpose, i.e. not likely to come off, get caught up in the pedals etc.   Unsuitable footware could amount to Driving Without Due Care and Attention, under section 3 of the RTA 1988

People seem to think it's ok to use a relatives address, then get the licence sent out to them.

How can anything be done about this?

Campo:    People seem to think it's ok to use a relatives address, then get the licence sent out to them.

How can anything be done about this?

The wording on the application is along the lines that you are showing the address where you habitually live, thus to show any address in UK if you are resident abroad amounts to fraud

A DL obtained by fraud would not be a legal DL thus any insurance policy in Spain would be invalid too.

The law is an ass is a literary phrase going back to old Revenge Dramas in the 17th century, made famous of course by Dickens.   If you want to stay out of trouble, then, as Johnzx says in effect - the law is the law - whichever country you are in.   I cannot see how that might be influenced by age or anything else.  But some people will argue black is white.....or a curve ball is a curved ball..... (sorry Floella, if you are reading this, I am a bit anal about sport, as well as the law).

Driving in flip flops is NOT illegal in UK - there is guidance in the highway code but nothing specific and if you are involved in an accident and the footwear (or any other unsuitable clothing) you were wearing was deemed to have caused the accident then you may get prosecuted. Nothing speciifc in any law or in the RTA in regards to clothing or footwear whilst driving

a good article explaining the myth

http://www.drivingtesttips.biz/shoes-for-driving.html

Thanks Todd for repeating what I said.

2.    Flip flops.  There is no confusion.   The law is exactly the same as that in the UK:   Footwear must be fit for the purpose, i.e. not likely to come off, get caught up in the pedals etc.   Unsuitable footware could amount to Driving Without Due Care and Attention, under section 3 of the RTA 1988

And you say the Highway code per se is not law, although of course some of what it contain refers to actual laws. It can however, be used to support other evidence of an offence, as in say Without Due Care. 

And just because it does not say something (i.e. one should not drive wearing flip flops) that does not an any mean it is lawful to do so,  or that it is not extremly likely that if you do you will be not be cautioned at the least, or in an accident prosecuted.. 

At an extreme I don’t think the Highway Code say you cannot drive with a hood over your head !!!! but that does not mean one would not be proscuted if they did,

johnzx

correct we agree