Spanish Police - New Radar Tactic

[Steveth]

Well new to us anyway.
Driving past Alicante Airport on the N338 up the hill before the junction with the A70 we spotted two Police motorcycles parked up with the officers casually watching the traffic. However one bike had the seat raised against the handlebars with a speed camera just visible monitoring the traffic. The speed limit on this stretch is 80kph just in case anyone is visiting this part of Spain.

Under the recent changes in legislation in Spain the Police do not have to stop you, just record the traffic violation and send you a fine wherever you are in Europe. riving2:

 

[pappajohn]

sending you a fine by post is One thing.....getting payment is another

Actually i read somewhere the various EU countries gov departments are now working together and our gov will chase the fine on the Spanish govs behalf.....so theres no escape.

 

[Puddleduck]

sending you a fine by post is One thing.....getting payment is another

Actually i read somewhere the various EU countries gov departments are now working together and our gov will chase the fine on the Spanish govs behalf.....[HI]so theres no escape.

[/HI]

I don't see why there should be .... generally speed limits are there for a reason. I know it is possible and easy to make a mistake (been there, done that but not been caught) but speed kills.

 

[pappajohn]

[/HI]

I don't see why there should be .... generally speed limits are there for a reason. I know it is possible and easy to make a mistake (been there, done that but not been caught) but speed kills.

not saying speeding is acceptable but just because the offence was committed in Spain doesnt mean it will go away in the UK.

 

[Puddleduck]

It wasn't a personal attack John - hope you didn't read it that way. :Sad:

Hope the fine collection is reciprocated and EU speedsters caught here are also forced to pay up.

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[Snowbird]

Will they be endorseable I wonder, and if so by who, Spain or the UK.

 

[mentaliss]

[/HI]

I don't see why there should be .... generally speed limits are there for a reason. I know it is possible and easy to make a mistake (been there, done that but not been caught) but speed kills.

Not that I condone conscious speeding, as all speed can kill depends where the contact takes place.......but 32mph in a 30mph restriction warrants points on your licence plus a fineoh: are the foreign lorry drivers still getting away with speeding fines:Angry:

 

[pappajohn]

It wasn't a personal attack John - hope you didn't read it that way. :Sad:

Hope the fine collection is reciprocated and EU speedsters caught here are also forced to pay up.

no problem, i never took it as an attack. :thumb:

It may be reciprical to the rest of Europe but you know Spain has its own set of rules which, in the whole, dont tally with the rest of us.

 

[Bebe]

Thought this may be of interest which I received in Spain. I received this last month



Please read below regarding changes to the Traffic Laws in Spain.
All drivers in Spain are being advised to familiarize themselves with the new traffic laws that are set to take effect from tomorrow (Friday May 9).
Some of the new laws include:
If the Guardia Civil observe a motoring offence and note the vehicle registration number, this provides sufficient evidence to prosecute. There is no need to stop the vehicle.
There will be a fine of €600 and a loss of six points for a ‘very serious’ speeding offence.
There is a loss of six points and a fine of €500 for lesser speeding offences.
Speeding fines can apply for exceeding the limit by just 1kph.
On some motorways the speed limit is being increased from 120kph to 130kph.
However, in some towns the speed limit is being reduced from 30kph to 20kph.
If a radar inhibitor/speed camera detector of any sort is installed in the car, the fine is anything up to €6,000 and the loss of six points.
A fine of €1,800 will be levied if the car has been involved in a serious or very serious offence and the national police authority (DGP) is not notified of who was driving the car. There will be no loss of points for this.
If the vehicle weighs less than 3,500 kilos and has no valid insurance the fine will be €1,500, no loss of points but the vehicle will be immobilised for one month. If the vehicle is parked and has no insurance then the fine is €800.
If the driver doubles the legal alcohol limit, is a frequent offender or refuses to take the breath test then there is a loss of six points and a fine of €1,000.
There will also be a loss of four points for a driver who is over the alcohol limit but without doubling it. The same applies for driving under the influence of drugs.
A loss of four points will be applied if the driver is not correctly licensed for the vehicle.
Drivers have higher duties under the new laws to ensure the safety of cyclists of all ages.
Cyclists under the age of 16 must wear a helmet.
The Guardia Civil has the right to seize any vehicle carrying children without legally compliant child seats.
The specific rules as to where children must sit in the vehicle (according to age/ height) must be observed. Failure to comply may result in heavy fines.
An EU Directive will be implemented so that driving offences committed in one EU country are reported to the EU country of registration of the vehicle in question.
Strict rules are being implemented for the Spanish registration of foreign registered vehicles kept in Spain.

Geoff Salter
President & Membership Secretary
VECINOS COOPERANDO Y COLABORANDO DE ESPANA

 

[pappajohn]

Will they be endorseable I wonder, and if so by who, Spain or the UK.

endorsements dont generate income...fines do.

I would say Spain, but they have a different points system to ours.

From what i understand drink driving doesnt always result in a ban depending on how drunk you are.....but a bloody big fine instead.

Spain needs to increase its national income before it goes bankrupt and has to be bailed out by Brussels (the rest of us :Angry, so heavy fines will be the order of the day.

Another reason why they have really clamped down on motoring offences which at one time would have been overlooked...ie: A frames.

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[Gellyneck]

It wasn't a personal attack John - hope you didn't read it that way. :Sad:

Hope the fine collection is reciprocated and EU speedsters caught here are also forced to pay up.

Like all the wagons on the A75!

 

[TheDogMan]

sending you a fine by post is One thing.....getting payment is another

Actually i read somewhere the various EU countries gov departments are now working together and our gov will chase the fine on the Spanish govs behalf.....so theres no escape.

It does not work the other way, UK offences are still not being chased in most cases because overseas goverments cannot be bothered to do it

 

[Flyingscotsman2]

,

Well new to us anyway.
Driving past Alicante Airport on the N338 up the hill before the junction with the A70 we spotted two Police motorcycles parked up with the officers casually watching the traffic. However one bike had the seat raised against the handlebars with a speed camera just visible monitoring the traffic. The speed limit on this stretch is 80kph just in case anyone is visiting this part of Spain.

Under the recent changes in legislation in Spain the Police do not have to stop you, just record the traffic violation and send you a fine wherever you are in Europe. riving2:

just don't speed as in Rome do wat the thingies do........

 

[Movinon]

I'm surprised at the casual acceptance of the idea of police honesty here. Don't speed and you won't have a problem. Really?

Not stopping you at the time of alleged speeding means that information about the condition of the radar gun used can be hidden. So if you later receive a fine you have no chance of contesting it. And that's assuming that the police in question are themselves honest - if they are given targets and quotas then they have every incentive to lie and so long as the fines keep rolling in they will not be held to account. Why else would such rules, which limit or deny the motorist proper justice, be introduced.

 

[newmoontime1313]

CAUGHT THERE LAST YEAR 100/EURO FINE :Sad:

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[Flyingscotsman2]

,

I never speed with the handbrake on ....oh:

 

[DuxDeluxe]

It is a bit like some places in Saudi Arabia where nobody (except the locals) ever speeded past a broken down car - frequently a cop car with a radar gun. Even then it often didn't matter if you speeded or not... it would either cost an official fine or an unofficial one of course, the locals always got away with it.

 

[Road Runner]

Cost me a 100 euros not so long ago as they say I approached a toll at 120km I don't think I was doing that but no point arguing and no points on my licence luckily.

S'pose if my Spanish was better might have aurged a bit but was in a hurry anyway

 

[DuxDeluxe]

Cost me a 100 euros not so long ago as they say I approached a toll at 120km I don't think I was doing that but no point arguing and no points on my licence luckily.

S'pose if my Spanish was better might have aurged a bit but was in a hurry anyway

Hard to argue even if you know you are right. :Sad:

 

[Vlad The Impaler]

Thank god it's Spain and not France!
Got back today and the score was roughly cameras 8 Vlad 0 oh:
Cameras just seemed to go off at random different speeds,the cars in front did not seem to set them off .Its been suggested that size may be a factor,although not a blessing in this case:Blush:


Vlad

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[Puddleduck]

I'm surprised at the casual acceptance of the idea of police honesty here. Don't speed and you won't have a problem. Really?

I agree I am naive..... too trusting by far I am told.

 

[Billy23]

I'm surprised at the casual acceptance of the idea of police honesty here. Don't speed and you won't have a problem. Really?

Not stopping you at the time of alleged speeding means that information about the condition of the radar gun used can be hidden. So if you later receive a fine you have no chance of contesting it. And that's assuming that the police in question are themselves honest - if they are given targets and quotas then they have every incentive to lie and so long as the fines keep rolling in they will not be held to account. Why else would such rules, which limit or deny the motorist proper justice, be introduced.

You may well be right, BUT, I just thought that I would point out that the police in the UK do not have to stop you for speeding either, they can just take your number and report you for speeding, they have been able to do this for a very long time!

You may wonder how I can be so sure, well I drove a car past the police station in Walthamstow 53 years ago (yes I am that bloody old) a copper was walking out of the police station as I drove past, he estimated my speed at 40 mph in a 30 zone. Cut a short story long, I had to go to court, I pleaded not guilty saying that, because I was passing the police station I was of course sticking to the speed limit. So on being found guilty, I paid the fine and left.:Angry:

So its not "New" in in the UK and if the truth be known in Spain either.

I have lived on and off in Spain for 11 years, and whilst the police can be a pain sometimes, I can assure you it is not as bad as it sounds.

 

[Techno]

I was flashed in France recently in a 110 zone. I was doing under 70 mph. Fortunately I noticed a grey metalic BMW in the outside lane. I just hope they are in the frame and not me

 

[Xabia]

You don't need to worry about the Spanish authorities chasing you yet.

The following was posted on another forum by a lawyer:

Drivers are going to have to become familiar with a new directive. But not just yet. Sorry if I drift into legalese. There has been stuff posted on here about the new notification directive, BUT the EU Court of Justice has struck it down.

The directive applies to these offences speeding, non-use of a seat-belt, failing to stop at a red traffic light, drink-driving, driving under the influence of drugs, failing to wear a crash helmet, use of a forbidden lane and illegally using a mobile telephone, and allows automatic access to the UK vehicle registration data.

This is potentially of importance to the UK drivers who venture abroad.

The road traffic offences directive was annulled,on the ground that its legal basis was wrong.

However, the directive has been maintained in force (unlike the data retention directive) for a year to allow it to be re-introduced on the correct legal basis.

The history is this. The European Commission introduced the directive in the first place on the legal basis of Article 91 of the TFEU (road safety). The Council, eventually supported by a reluctant parliament - which wanted to bring the matter to an end after three years of negotiation - passed it on the basis of Article 87 TFEU (police co-operation). The Commission then took the matter to court.

You may wonder what difference this makes, to the UK.

Well, the UK has an opt-out from Article 87 (police co-operation), and so the directive has not so far applied to the UK. You will not be surprised to learn that the UK intervened in the case - along with a few others, it must be said - to argue that Article 87 was the correct legal basis after all. But now that Article 87 has been shown to be wrong, and the directive is going to be re-introduced on the correct basis (presumably Article 91 – road safety, from which the UK does not have an opt-out), anyone committing cross-border traffic offences is eventually going to have to watch out.

So what does the annulled directive do? It sets up a procedure for the exchange of information between member states in relation to eight road traffic offences (speeding, non-use of a seat-belt, failing to stop at a red traffic light, drink-driving, driving under the influence of drugs, failing to wear a crash helmet, use of a forbidden lane and illegally using a mobile telephone). The member states can access each other’s national data on vehicle registration in order to determine the person liable for the offence.

However, it is not as far-reaching as the Commission originally wanted. In particular, the current directive has no provisions on what should be done if the offender simply decides to ignore orders for payment. ie Fines cannot be enforced cross border nor penalty points, disqualifications or endorsements. But a new proposal could change that. When the member states altered the legal basis during the adoption process, they threw out a section dealing with legal proceedings for infractions and possible sanctions.

As a result, the current directive does not guarantee sanctions, but only mutual access to vehicle registration data.

It is unlikely that the Commission will introduce controversial new measures now to address this gap in the new directive, since it would probably not then pass in the 12 months allowed. But we can expect such measures in the future, now that the legal basis has been settled. And those new measures will apply equally to UK drivers elsewhere in the EU, and to EU drivers in the UK.

Apparently 5% of drivers on EU roads are from another member state, other than their home state but they account for 15% of traffic offences.

Mike

 

[Vlad The Impaler]

Yippee :thumb:




Vlad

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[Movinon]

You may well be right, BUT, I just thought that I would point out that the police in the UK do not have to stop you for speeding either, they can just take your number and report you for speeding, they have been able to do this for a very long time!

You may wonder how I can be so sure, well I drove a car past the police station in Walthamstow 53 years ago (yes I am that bloody old) a copper was walking out of the police station as I drove past, he estimated my speed at 40 mph in a 30 zone. Cut a short story long, I had to go to court, I pleaded not guilty saying that, because I was passing the police station I was of course sticking to the speed limit. So on being found guilty, I paid the fine and left.:Angry:

So its not "New" in in the UK and if the truth be known in Spain either.

I have lived on and off in Spain for 11 years, and whilst the police can be a pain sometimes, I can assure you it is not as bad as it sounds.

I never said anything about country specifics. It is becoming increasingly clear just how bent many police are in the UK. I don't think there's a country in the world where the police can be trusted. Human nature dictates that power corrupts, marry that with performance requirements and it's a recipe for abuse. But 53 years ago they didn't have radar guns to use so their word was more readily accepted in court - and in that era every policeman was regarded as an unimpeachable Dixon of Dock Green type.

 

[Billy23]

I never said anything about country specifics. It is becoming increasingly clear just how bent many police are in the UK. I don't think there's a country in the world where the police can be trusted. Human nature dictates that power corrupts, marry that with performance requirements and it's a recipe for abuse. But 53 years ago they didn't have radar guns to use so their word was more readily accepted in court - and in that era every policeman was regarded as an unimpeachable Dixon of Dock Green type.

Ah! Dixon of Dock Green, NOW yur talking:thumb:

Have to say though, with the new suggested regs for speeding in the UK maybe Spain aint so bad.

 

[buttons]

Imagen how Spanish drivers feel when they drive over here. Must be a nightmare.

 

[Snowbird]

Imagen how Spanish drivers feel when they drive over here. Must be a nightmare.

Having seen how most of them drink in the drivers lounge when I was working, I would imagine they are to p****d to care.

 

[JJ]

I never said anything about country specifics. [HI]It is becoming increasingly clear just how bent many police are in the UK.[/HI] I don't think there's a country in the world where the police can be trusted. Human nature dictates that power corrupts, marry that with performance requirements and it's a recipe for abuse. But 53 years ago they didn't have radar guns to use so their word was more readily accepted in court - and in that era every policeman was regarded as an unimpeachable Dixon of Dock Green type.

Really?




JJ :Cool:

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