A couple of weeks agos, I posted a thread about how suprised I was about the politeness of the French at a recent control near Nantes - and the fact that they didnt fine me the “standard” 90 Euros.
Well on my way north last week I was stopped by the Guardia Civil at the first peaje on the A15 heading towards Pamplona after joining it at Cintruenigo. It was obvious from the very start that this control was going to cost - the one guards attitude was openly hostile.
After going through absolutely everything, tachos, documents, checking lights, tyres, load the whole lot he still couldnt find anything. Then he went off back to his 4x4 and with a big grin produced a tape measure and measured the length of ther truck. It was 16.8 metres… “¡Problema!” says he.
This 30cm oversight cost the princely sum of 600 Euros!!! Now I have no problem with the law being upheld, but this really is taking the ■■■■ and shows that these fines bear absolutely no realationship to the offence committed. They are simply revenue raising exercises.
Shame you didn’t have a sliding fifth wheel, maybe snatched back a few cm’s Although it sounded like a “no - win” situation You don’t see many elderly Guarda Civil or Police equivalent anywhere, coz they’ve bl**dy retired on they’re “winnings”. Ho - hum.
Where you in Navarra or Pais Vasco.(Euskadi).They have some law about not having means to pay,if truck has no spare wheel carried.When they ask,do you have debit/credit cards to pay for tyre breakdowns,best to say yes.
I have read in the local rag down here recently that the Guardia Civil is being encouraged, via the department for transport, to raise revenue, due to the low numbers of new vehicles being registered in Spain. Which needless to say if true, is both scandalous and is going to hump a lot of truckers of foreign origin.
I bet the limit of the UK on the spot fines are only £60 when they get started
Of course they will be jimti and the sooner the better when they start because im sure the uk drivers wont get stopped so much by VOSA or is that me be optimistic
I bet the limit of the UK on the spot fines are only £60 when they get started
Of course they will be jimti and the sooner the better when they start because im sure the uk drivers wont get stopped so much by VOSA or is that me be optimistic
I think your being overly optimistic Kerwyn .
This is the UK after all, where we have to be shown how even handed our enforcement agencies are.
We all know they do that, by pulling a much higher proportion of UK vehicles.
It’s got nothing to do with us being easy to chase up, has it ■■?
brookie:
Shame you didn’t have a sliding fifth wheel, maybe snatched back a few cm’s Although it sounded like a “no - win” situation You don’t see many elderly Guarda Civil or Police equivalent anywhere, coz they’ve bl**dy retired on they’re “winnings”. Ho - hum.
brookie
I would have got my spanners out and taken the front bumper off and then dropped it on his foot
a while ago i got pulled at the peage on the new strtch of motorway at alicante , i had one car over the cab , they measured my height and said i was over height and must pay but he wouldnt let me climb the ladder to see where he was measuring from . he even told me that and i quote " the height limit for spanish trucks is 4.5m and for non spanish is 4.0m " . realising that hell would freeze over before i payed up he said this time is a warning and if they catch me again i would pay . yeah right . i was 4.2m from the top of the car aerial which i would have gladly ripped off if it came to that
peter mill:
Where you in Navarra or Pais Vasco.(Euskadi).They have some law about not having means to pay,if truck has no spare wheel carried.When they ask,do you have debit/credit cards to pay for tyre breakdowns,best to say yes.
Balls
none of out trucks have anything but toll cards and a restricted Euroshell, there are companies who specialise in paying fines and they always as a matter of fact appeal the fine and are often quite succesful in getting money back.
mad monk:
a while ago i got pulled at the peage on the new strtch of motorway at alicante , i had one car over the cab , they measured my height and said i was over height and must pay but he wouldnt let me climb the ladder to see where he was measuring from . he even told me that and i quote " the height limit for spanish trucks is 4.5m and for non spanish is 4.0m " . realising that hell would freeze over before i payed up he said this time is a warning and if they catch me again i would pay . yeah right . i was 4.2m from the top of the car aerial which i would have gladly ripped off if it came to that
Actually quoting the law to the letter the copper is right. The internationally maximum height limit for international journeys is 4.0 metres.
The length limit is without a doubt 16.5 metres and the Guardia Civil were correct in the fact that it was illegal by being over the the stated length. The company I work for paid the fine and I have no idea if the fine management company will claim against the level of fine on my bosses behalf - if that is possible.
The point really is that the penalty is far in excess of the severity of crime committed. The clown who issued the fine was from the very outset determined to find something wrong - this was clear from his attitude. I was (and always am) polite to coppers, I discovered many moons ago that politeness no matter how painful often saves a lot of money - even though it can leave a very bitter taste in the mouth.
I would add that whilst my Spanish is far from fluent it is adequate, I did argue the toss with him, but it seemed as though he was just one of those jobsworths who you will never win with - a bit like some of the herberts at Vosa who issue GV9s for incorrectly coloured bootlaces etc… And no, no apologies to anyone at Vosa.
Certainly, DO you have the necessary funds to pay for a local soliciter,as every country has its own way of doing things and in their language, and the case willtake some time to come before the courts,
brit pete: Certainly, DO you have the necessary funds to pay for a local soliciter,as every country has its own way of doing things and in their language, and the case willtake some time to come before the courts,
Pete as mentioned before in various other posts you do not need a solictor.
No matter how legal one tries to operate at some stage you will fall foul of over zealous enforcement somewhere or another, so why not open an account with one of the companies that specialises in paying fines as most of them automatically appeal all fines anyway ■■?
Although it sounded like a “no - win” situation 
You don’t see many elderly Guarda Civil or Police equivalent anywhere, coz they’ve bl**dy retired on they’re “winnings”. 
Ho - hum.
and then dropped it on his foot 