22-01-2010, 05:00 PM
1
Driving in Europe
Today (21/1/2010) I was pulled for speeding by the Guardia Civil, in a section of the road where they always have speed traps, but my mind was elsewhere.. Nano seconds after passing the radar car, parked behind a bush on the other side of the road…..I braked and had the option to take a side road off the carriageway (they don’t pursue speeders in Spain), but the moment was gone and I drove down and was waved to the side by a Guardia Civil Officer, he also pulled the car in front and the car behind. Now I’m driving a right hand drive UK plated car, I have all the documents, mot, registration doc and insurance in a folder in the car (it’s the law). One of the officers came to my drivers window saluted and fired a rapid torrent of Spanish at me, (Now there are different theories about this, some say don’t speak any Spanish because they will berate you and give you a huge lecture on speeding, ). But he chose my path for me, by speaking so fast I couldn’t understand, so I said “ Siento senior, porque mi Espanol es muy malo”. .which is roughly, “I’m sorry sir, but my Spanish is very poor”.He then asked for my Spanish residence number, when I said I didn’t have it he asked for my driving licence, which I gave to him. Now he asked for the vehicle registration document which I gave to him and he compared it to my driving licence, guess what? The car is registered to my wife and our surnames are different……..this just doesn’t happen in Spain. He asked me who the Senora was on the document, when I said my wife, he said the names are different!. I tried to explain, gave up and just shrugged my shoulders. He went back to his car with his colleague and then returned with a speeding ticket pad (I was guessing) and told me I was doing 82 kilometres in a 60 kilometre zone. Which I was, so what could I say apart from “Si mi culpa”, (my fault) he then told me in Spanish that the fine was 100 euros, but if I paid it (ahora) now, it would only be 70 euros. However I only had 50 euros on me, so he kept my driving docs and I was despatched to a cash machine to get the money. I returned in about fifteen minutes and pulled in and paid the 70 euros fine, he filled out a receipt and went to great pains to explain that I was not being robbed and brought his colleague over to countersign the receipt. I then said (was speaking too much Spanish by now) “Es muy barato en Inglaterra,” it’s cheaper in England, to which he said…………..“ Y en Ingaterra tu receibo puntos detraer”..
Which was ………“and in England you get points on your licence”.
He gave me a wry smile and I was on my way…………………arrrrrgh!!!
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